Process and system for braking a vehicle

• US 6,293,361 B1
• Filed: 01/14/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Mueller, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEENDER, FLORIAN M
• Application Number:
  US09/231,483
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272, 180/271, 180/801.1, 180/268, 340/438, 701/36, 701/45, 701/48
• US Class Current: 180/272
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00

Abstract

A process for braking a vehicle senses changes of the bodily reactions pointing to an emergency or stress situation by way of sensors which sense bodily reactions and are preferably arranged on the driver'"'"'s wrists or on the steering wheel rim. As a function of these sensors and their signals, an automatic braking operation is initiated.

Claims

1. Process for braking a vehicle, the process comprising the acts of;

sensing bodily reactions which are indicative of change in an emergency or stressful situation;

sensing a first operating change of the vehicle pointing to a braking operation,

initiating an automatic braking operation in response to the sensing acts, and

maintaining the automatically initiated braking operation only when a further operating change of the vehicle pointing to a braking operation is sensed.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the first operating change comprises at least one of an accelerator pedal position change, a brake pedal position change, and a driver'"'"'s foot position change.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein the further operating change comprises at least one of an accelerator pedal position change, a brake pedal position change, and a driver'"'"'s foot position change.

4. Process according to claim 1, wherein the step of sensing bodily reactions occurs by way of sensors arranged on a driver'"'"'s wrists or on a steering wheel rim.

5. Process according to claim 1, wherein the step of sensing the bodily reactions comprises detecting at least one of a blood pressure change, a pulse change, a pupil change, facial expression change, an eyelid reflex change, a muscle contraction, a skin resistance change, and a sweat secretion change.