System for exerting an amplified braking force
First Claim
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1. An emergency brake assist apparatus comprising:
- a brake pedal coupled to a variable brake booster, said brake pedal exerting a pedal force upon said variable brake booster;
a braking system coupled to said variable brake booster, said variable brake booster producing a variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts a braking force proportional to said pedal force during normal operation;
a driver seatbelt switch operative to generate a driver unbuckled signal when a driver seatbelt is unbuckled;
a forward detection apparatus having control logic operative to detect an imminent contact and generate an imminent contact signal; and
a controller located in said vehicle and coupled to said variable brake booster, said driver seatbelt switch, and said forward collision detection apparatus, said controller including control logic operative to increase said variable brake booster force in response to said imminent contact signal, wherein said braking system exerts an amplified braking force proportional to said pedal force and reduces said amplified braking force when said driver seatbelt is unbuckled.
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Abstract
An emergency brake assist apparatus amplifies driver braking force upon imminent contact detection. A brake pedal, operated by the driver, exerts a pedal force upon a variable brake booster. A braking system is coupled to the variable brake booster that produces a variable brake booster force causing the braking system to exert a braking force proportional to the pedal force during normal operation. When a forward detection apparatus detects an imminent contact, a controller signals the variable brake booster to increase the variable brake booster force such that the braking system exerts an amplified braking force proportional to the pedal force.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An emergency brake assist apparatus comprising:
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a brake pedal coupled to a variable brake booster, said brake pedal exerting a pedal force upon said variable brake booster;
a braking system coupled to said variable brake booster, said variable brake booster producing a variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts a braking force proportional to said pedal force during normal operation;
a driver seatbelt switch operative to generate a driver unbuckled signal when a driver seatbelt is unbuckled;
a forward detection apparatus having control logic operative to detect an imminent contact and generate an imminent contact signal; and
a controller located in said vehicle and coupled to said variable brake booster, said driver seatbelt switch, and said forward collision detection apparatus, said controller including control logic operative to increase said variable brake booster force in response to said imminent contact signal, wherein said braking system exerts an amplified braking force proportional to said pedal force and reduces said amplified braking force when said driver seatbelt is unbuckled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing emergency brake assistance comprising the steps of:
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exerting a pedal force upon a variable brake booster;
generating a variable brake booster force, wherein a braking system exerts a braking force proportional to said pedal force during normal operation;
detecting an imminent contact;
increasing said variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts an amplified braking force proportional to said pedal force; and
reducing said amplified braking force when a driver seatbelt is unbuckled. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An emergency brake assist system comprising:
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a vehicle having a brake pedal coupled to a variable brake booster, said brake pedal exerting a pedal force upon said variable brake booster;
a braking system located in said vehicle and coupled to said variable brake booster, said variable brake booster producing a variable brake booster force, wherein said braking system exerts a braking force proportional to said pedal force during normal operation;
a driver seatbelt switch operative to generate a driver unbuckled signal when a driver seatbelt is unbuckled;
a forward detection apparatus located in said vehicle and having control logic operative to detect an imminent contact and generate an imminent contact signal, said forward detection apparatus operative to notify a driver of said imminent contact; and
a controller located in said vehicle and coupled to said variable brake booster, said driver seatbelt switch, and said forward collision detection apparatus, said controller including control logic operative to increase said variable brake booster force in response to said imminent contact signal, wherein said braking system exerts an amplified braking force proportional to said pedal force and reduces said amplified braking force when said driver seatbelt is unbuckled. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification