Antilock brake controller

• US 5,074,626 A
• Filed: 04/16/1990
• Issued: 12/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Light Vehicle Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Turner, Robert S., Tousignant, Alan E., Kramer, Dennis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US07/510,302
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 303/92, 303/91, 303/100, 73/121, 188/181 C, 188/181 A, 188/181 R, 364/426.02, 364/426.03, 364/426.01, 364/550, 364/565, 364/187, 364/186, 364/184, 318/564, 318/563, 318/565, 371/9.1, 371/16.1, 371/67.1, 371/62, 340/453
• US Class Current: 303/122.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 303/09 Plural processors

Abstract

A vehicle anti-lock brake system having a main microprocessor and fail-safe microprocessor of a different type from the main microprocessor, and a device interconnecting the main and fail-safe microprocessors and the remainder of the vehicle braking system so that the fail-safe microprocessor can disable the brake release system independently of the main microprocessor.

Claims

1. In an anti-lock brake system, the improvement comprising:

a brake release means for effecting anti-lock brake control by periodic interruption of a brake force;

a microprocessor coupled to said brake release means for providing a control signal for causing said brake release means to provide said anti-lock brake control;

a failsafe system coupled to said brake release means having means for monitoring said control signal and for inhibiting operation of said brake release means when said control signal is corrupted; and

said control signal is momentarily pulsed off after a first interval of time and said means for monitoring said control signal is a timer which inhibits operation of said brake release means after a second interval of time if said timer is not reset by said control signal which has been momentarily pulsed off.

2. The improvement of claim 1 where said first interval of time is 200 ms and said second interval of time is 60 ms.

3. A method for controlling an anti-lock brake system of the type having a brake release means for providing anti-lock brake control by periodic interruption of a brake force and a microprocessor for causing said brake release means to provide said anti-lock brake control comprising:

effecting said anti-lock brake control by using said brake release means to interrupt said brake force;

using a microprocessor to provide a control signal for causing said brake release means to provide said anti-lock brake control;

momentarily pulsing off said control signal after a first interval of time; and

monitoring said control signal using a timer which inhibits operation of said brake release means after a second interval of time if said timer is not reset by said control signal which has been momentarily pulsed off.