Driver augmented autonomous braking system

• US 6,517,172 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ekmark, Jonas, Tellis, Levasseur, Tarabishy, M. Nabeel, Engelman, Gerald H, Bond, John Vincent III, Jansson, Jonas L. Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, XUAN LAN T
• Application Number:
  US09/683,013
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 303/9, 303/125, 303/167, 303/193, 180/268, 180/271, 180/282, 280/734, 280/735
• US Class Current: 303/193
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/04 Jerk, soft-stop; Anti-jerk, reduction of pitch or nose-dive when braking
• 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: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control

Abstract

An enhanced autonomous emergency braking system includes an accelerator pedal operated by the driver and used to control the overall vehicle speed. When a forward detection apparatus detects an imminent contact, the braking system automatically applies braking force to the vehicle while the vehicle engine speed is reduced. The amount of brake force applied is a continuous function of relative speed, relative distance, collision probability and target classification. The braking force may be reduced when the driver or passenger are unbuckled or may be disabled if the driver depresses the accelerator pedal by a predetermined amount. In addition, the amount of brake force applied by the driver is amplified to further enhance braking performance.

Claims

1. An enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprising:

a braking system coupled to a variable brake booster, said variable brake booster being operative to produce a variable brake booster force;

a brake pedal coupled to said variable brake booster, said brake pedal exerting a brake pedal force upon said variable brake booster, wherein said braking system exerts a braking force proportional to said brake pedal force during normal operation;

an accelerator pedal operative to control engine speed and coupled to an accelerator position sensor, said accelerator position sensor being operative to generate an accelerator position signal;

a forward detection apparatus operative to detect vehicle distance, vehicle speed, and imminent contact and generate an imminent contact signal, a vehicle distance signal, and a vehicle speed signal; and

a controller coupled to said variable brake booster and being operative to receive said accelerator position signal, said imminent contact signal, said vehicle distance signal, and said vehicle speed signal, said controller including control logic operative to automatically apply a predetermined amount of variable brake booster force proportional to said vehicle distance signal and said vehicle speed signals in response to said imminent contact signal and also amplify said variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts an additional braking force proportional to said brake pedal force.

2. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said controller contains control logic operative to disable said automatic variable brake booster force when said accelerator pedal is in a predetermined depressed position.

3. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said controller includes control logic operative to reduce said engine speed in response to said imminent contact signal.

4. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said forward detection apparatus includes a forward contact warning apparatus, said forward contact warning apparatus operative to notify a driver of said imminent contact.

5. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a driver seatbelt switch operative to generate a driver unbuckled signal when a driver seatbelt is unbuckled, said driver seatbelt switch being coupled to said controller.

6. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said controller includes control logic operative to reduce said automatic braking force when said driver seatbelt is unbuckled.

7. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a passenger present switch operative to generate a passenger present signal when a passenger is present in a passenger seat, said passenger present switch being coupled to said controller.

8. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 7, further comprising a passenger seatbelt switch operative to generate a passenger unbuckled signal when a passenger seatbelt is unbuckled, said passenger seatbelt switch being coupled to said controller.

9. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said controller includes control logic operative to reduce said automatic braking force when said passenger is present and said passenger seatbelt is unbuckled.

10. An enhanced autonomous emergency braking system for a vehicle comprising:

a braking system located in the vehicle and coupled to a variable brake booster,

said variable brake booster being operative to produce a variable brake booster force;

a brake pedal located in the vehicle and coupled to said variable brake booster,

said brake pedal exerting a brake pedal force upon said variable brake booster wherein said braking system exerts a braking force proportional to said brake pedal force during normal operation;

an accelerator pedal located in the vehicle and operative to control engine speed, said accelerator pedal coupled to an accelerator position sensor, said accelerator position sensor being operative to generate an accelerator position signal;

a forward detection apparatus located in the vehicle and operative to detect vehicle distance, vehicle speed, and imminent contact and generate an imminent contact signal, a vehicle distance signal, and a vehicle speed signal, said forward detection apparatus operative to notify a driver of said imminent contact; and

a controller located in the vehicle and coupled to said variable brake booster, said controller being operative to receive said accelerator position signal, said imminent contact signal, said vehicle distance signal, and said vehicle speed signal, said controller including control logic operative to automatically apply a predetermined amount of variable brake booster force proportional to said vehicle distance signal and said vehicle speed signals in response to said imminent contact signal and also amplify said variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts an additional braking force proportional to said brake pedal force.

11. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking system as recited in claim 10, wherein said controller contains control logic operative to disable said automatic variable brake booster force when said accelerator pedal is in a predetermined depressed position.

12. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a driver seatbelt switch operative to generate a driver unbuckled signal when a driver seatbelt is unbuckled, said driver seatbelt switch being coupled to said controller.

13. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking system as recited in claim 12, wherein said controller includes control logic operative to reduce said automatic braking force when said driver seatbelt is unbuckled.

14. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a passenger present switch operative to generate a passenger present signal when a passenger is present in a passenger seat, said passenger present switch being coupled to said controller.

15. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a passenger seatbelt switch operative to generate a passenger unbuckled signal when a passenger seatbelt is unbuckled, said passenger seatbelt switch being coupled to said controller.

16. The enhanced autonomous emergency braking system as recited in claim 15, wherein said controller includes control logic operative to reduce said automatic braking force when said passenger is present and said passenger seatbelt is unbuckled.

17. A method for providing enhanced autonomous emergency braking for a vehicle having a braking system comprising the steps of:

monitoring a position of an accelerator pedal;

monitoring a brake pedal force upon a variable brake booster;

detecting an imminent contact;

generating a variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts a braking force proportional to said brake pedal force during normal operation;

determining distance and relative speed to a second vehicle;

applying a predetermined amount of variable brake booster force proportional to said distance and relative speed to said second vehicle; and

increasing said variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts an amplified braking force proportional to said brake pedal force.

18. A method for providing enhanced autonomous emergency braking as recited in claim 17 further comprising the step of reducing said engine speed in response to said imminent contact signal.

19. A method for providing enhanced autonomous emergency braking as recited in claim 17 further comprising the step of reducing said automatic braking force when a driver seatbelt is unbuckled.

20. A method for providing enhanced autonomous emergency braking as recited in claim 17 further comprising the step of reducing said automatic braking force when a passenger is present and a passenger seatbelt is unbuckled.