SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE SUBSYSTEM FAILURE MITIGATION

• US 20170240167A1
• Filed: 02/18/2016
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Filev, Dimitar Petrov
• Granted Patent: US 9,963,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/04 Automatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/00 Brake-action initiating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2400/00 Indexing codes relating to detected, measured or calculated conditions or factors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 Braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 Engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1846 Preventing of breakage of drive line components, e.g. parts of the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00

Abstract

A computer for, e.g., a mass market passenger vehicle operable by a virtual driver in autonomous and/or semi-autonomous mode, is programmed to determine that a current vehicle braking capacity exceeds each of a first braking target and a mitigation threshold at a current vehicle speed. The computer is further programmed to compare the current vehicle speed to an engine breaking threshold and generate a transmission control message providing data to operate a vehicle transmission. Where the current vehicle speed is above the engine braking threshold, the transmission control message provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to inhibit transfer of an input torque through the vehicle transmission. Additionally, where the current vehicle speed is below a wheel lock threshold, the transmission control message further provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to inhibit rotation of an output shaft of the vehicle transmission.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a current vehicle braking capacity exceeds each of a first braking target and a mitigation threshold at a current vehicle speed;

comparing the current vehicle speed to an engine breaking threshold; and

generating a transmission control message providing data to operate a vehicle transmission;

wherein, where the current vehicle speed is above the engine braking threshold, the transmission control message provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to inhibit transfer of an input torque through the vehicle transmission; and

wherein, where the current vehicle speed is below a wheel lock threshold, the transmission control message further provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to inhibit rotation of an output shaft of the vehicle transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a braking control message providing data to operate a vehicle braking system to meet a second braking target; and

updating the current vehicle braking capacity based on data from the operation of the vehicle braking system to meet the second braking target.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, where the current vehicle speed is below the engine braking threshold, the transmission control message provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to engage one of a low gear setting and a neutral setting, to reduce transfer of the input torque through the vehicle transmission.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a failure message for a vehicle braking system, the failure message providing data to indicate one or more malfunctioning conditions of the vehicle braking system; and

updating the current vehicle braking capacity based on the failure message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a status message for the vehicle transmission, the status message providing data to indicate a gear engaged by the vehicle transmission; and

generating the transmission message, where the current vehicle speed is above the engine braking threshold, based on the status message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an engine control message providing data to operate a vehicle engine;

wherein, where the current vehicle speed is above the engine braking threshold, the engine control message providing data to reduce torque of the vehicle engine.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the current vehicle braking capacity based on one or more current vehicle environmental conditions.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the current vehicle braking capacity based on one or more current vehicle path conditions.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the engine braking threshold based on one or more current vehicle environmental conditions.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the engine braking threshold based on one or more current vehicle path conditions.

11. A system, comprising:

a computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

determine a current vehicle braking capacity exceeds each of a first braking target and a mitigation threshold at a current vehicle speed;

compare the current vehicle speed to an engine breaking threshold; and

generate a transmission control message providing data to operate a vehicle transmission;

wherein, where the current vehicle speed is above the engine braking threshold, the transmission control message provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to inhibit transfer of an input torque through the vehicle transmission; and

wherein, where the current vehicle speed is below a wheel lock threshold, the transmission control message further provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to inhibit rotation of an output shaft of the vehicle transmission.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

generate a braking control message providing data to operate a vehicle braking system to meet a second braking target; and

update the current vehicle braking capacity based on data from the operation of the vehicle braking system to meet the second braking target.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein, where the current vehicle speed is below the engine braking threshold, the transmission control message provides data to operate the vehicle transmission to engage one of a low gear setting and a neutral setting, to reduce transfer of the input torque through the vehicle transmission.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

receive a failure message for a vehicle braking system, the failure message providing data to indicate one or more malfunctioning conditions of the vehicle braking system; and

update the current vehicle braking capacity based on the failure message.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

receive a status message for the vehicle transmission, the status message providing data to indicate a gear engaged by the vehicle transmission; and

generate the transmission control message, where the current vehicle speed is above the engine braking threshold, based on the status message.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

generate an engine control message providing data to operate a vehicle engine;

wherein, where the current vehicle speed is above the engine braking threshold, the engine control message providing data to reduce torque of the vehicle engine.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

update the current vehicle braking capacity based on one or more current vehicle environmental conditions.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

update the current vehicle braking capacity based on one or more current vehicle path conditions.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

update the engine braking threshold based on one or more current vehicle environmental conditions.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory stores further instructions executable by the processor to:

update the engine braking threshold based on one or more current vehicle path conditions.