Haptic braking method and system

• US 6,485,113 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BWI Company Limited SA (Shougang Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kuo, George, Riley, Hubert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, PAMELA
• Application Number:
  US09/802,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 303/138, 303/122.02, 303/122.05, 303/155, 303/156, 303/157-159, 303/167, 303/183, 303/191, 701/97, 701/70, 701/71, 701/76, 701/78, 701/79, 701/93, 340/438, 340/441, 340/453, 340/463, 340/466, 340/467
• US Class Current: 303/138
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• 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: B60T 8/4872 pump-back systems

Abstract

A haptic braking method and system is disclosed. A controller operates a pump to apply brake fluid to a brake when it is necessary to decelerate a wheel during an active cruise control mode of a vehicle. The controller further operates one or more valves to cyclically vary a pressure level of the brake fluid to cause one or more haptic movements of the brake.

Claims

1. A haptic braking method for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, comprising:

receiving a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner;

applying a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response to said first signal; and

cyclically varying a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle.

2. The haptic braking method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second signal indicative of a measured deceleration level of the wheel in response to said first signal.

3. The haptic braking method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid as a function of a desired deceleration level of the wheel and a speed of the wheel.

4. The haptic braking method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a time interval for said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.

5. The haptic braking method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second signal indicative of a deceleration of the wheel to a reference deceleration level,

wherein said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid is commenced in response to said second signal.

6. A haptic braking method for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, comprising:

receiving a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner;

operating a pump to apply a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response to said first signal; and

operating a set of at least one valve to cyclically vary a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle.

7. The haptic braking method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing a second signal indicative of a measured deceleration level of the wheel in response to said first signal.

8. The haptic braking method of claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting said operating of said set of at least one valve as a function of a desired deceleration level of the wheel and a speed of the wheel.

9. The haptic braking method of claim 6, further comprising:

establishing a time interval for said operating of said set of at least one valve as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.

10. The haptic braking method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a second signal indicative of a deceleration of the wheel to a reference deceleration level,

wherein said operating of said set of at least one valve is commenced in response to said second signal.

11. A haptic braking system for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, comprising:

a controller operable to provide a least one control signal in response a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner;

a pump operable to apply a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response to a first control signal of said at least one control signal; and

a valve operable to cyclically vary a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle in response to a second control signal of said at least one control signal.

12. The haptic braking system of claim 11, wherein

said controller is operable to provide a second signal indicative of a measured deceleration level of the wheel.

13. The haptic braking system of claim 11, wherein

said controller is further operable to regulate said at least one control signal as a function of a desired deceleration level of the wheel and a speed of the wheel.

14. The haptic braking system of claim 11, wherein

said controller is further operable to establish a time interval for providing said first control signal and said second control signal as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.

15. The haptic braking system of claim 11, wherein

said controller is further operable to provide said second control signal to said valve in response to a second signal indicating a deceleration of the wheel to a reference deceleration level.

16. A haptic braking system for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, said system comprising:

a means for applying a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner; and

a means for cyclically varying a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle.

17. The haptic braking system of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for providing a second signal indicative of a measured deceleration level of the wheel.

18. The haptic braking system of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for adjusting said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid as a function of a desired deceleration level of the wheel and a speed of the wheel.

19. The haptic braking system of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for establishing a time interval for said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.

20. The haptic braking system of claim 16, further comprising:

a means for providing commencing said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid in response to a second signal indicating a deceleration of the wheel to a reference deceleration level.

21. A haptic braking method for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, comprising:

receiving a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner;

applying a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response to said first signal;

cyclically varying a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle; and

establishing a time interval for said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.

22. A haptic braking method for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, comprising:

receiving a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner;

operating a pump to apply a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response to said first signal;

operating a set of at least one valve to cyclically vary a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle; and

establishing a time interval for said operating of said set of at least one valve as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.

23. A haptic braking system for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, comprising:

a controller operable to provide a least one control signal in response a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner;

a pump operable to apply a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response to a first control signal of said at least one control signal; and

a valve operable to cyclically vary a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle in response to a second control signal of said at least one control signal; and

wherein said controller is further operable to establish a time interval for providing said first control signal and said second control signal as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.

24. A haptic braking system for a vehicle having a wheel and a brake adjacent the wheel, said system comprising:

a means for applying a supply of brake fluid to the brake in response to a first signal indicative of a request to decelerate the wheel in a haptic manner;

a means for cyclically varying a pressure level of said supply of brake fluid over at least one cycle; and

a means for establishing a time interval for said cyclically varying of said pressure level of said brake fluid as a function of a temperature ambient the vehicle.