Brake control system and method
First Claim
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1. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity;
measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value;
measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the step of establishing the first acceleration value includes the step of applying a first offset value and wherein the step of establishing the second acceleration value includes the step of applying a second offset value.
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Abstract
A system and method establishes an acceleration of a vehicle which may be used to control a brake system of a towed vehicle towed by a towing vehicle. The system and method establish a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establish a first acceleration value, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establish a second acceleration value, and establish a magnitude of the acceleration of the vehicle in a plane orthogonal to the gravity vector as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values.
31 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the step of establishing the first acceleration value includes the step of applying a first offset value and wherein the step of establishing the second acceleration value includes the step of applying a second offset value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the steps of measuring the acceleration of the vehicle being performed by an accelerometer device, the accelerometer device for providing first and second output signals representing acceleration of the device in first and second accelerometer directions, respectively, the first and second accelerometer directions being perpendicular, the step of establishing a gravity vector including the steps of; (a) reading the first and second output signals; and
,(b) determining a new gravity vector as a function of a previous gravity vector the first and second output signals and a low pass filter with a predetermined time constant. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|G×
R|/(G), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, G is the gravity vector, R is measured acceleration during a braking event, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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14. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|G×
R|/(G2), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, G is the gravity vector, R is measured acceleration during a braking event, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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15. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G)|, where D is the absolute value of the magnitude of the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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16. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G2)|, where D is the absolute value of the magnitude of the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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17. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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18. A method for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and establishing a first acceleration value; measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G2), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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19. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration vale and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, the controller for applying a first offset to the measured acceleration of the vehicle in the first direction and for applying a second offset to the measured acceleration of the vehicle in the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration value and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, the controller establishing the gravity vector by (a) reading the first and second output signals, and (b) determining a new gravity vector as a function of a previous gravity vector, the first and second output signals, and a low pass filter with a second predetermined time constant. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration value and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|G×
R|/(G), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, G is the gravity vector, R is measured acceleration during a braking event, G×
R is the cross product of vectors G and R, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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32. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration value and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|G×
R|/(G2), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, G is the gravity vector, R is measured acceleration during a braking event, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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33. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration value and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G)|, where D is the absolute value of the magnitude of the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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34. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration value and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=|((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G2)|, where D is the absolute value of the magnitude of the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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35. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration value and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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36. A system for establishing an acceleration of a vehicle, comprising:
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an accelerometer device for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establishing a first acceleration value and for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establishing a second acceleration value, the first and second directions being perpendicular; and
,a controller coupled to the accelerometer device for establishing a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity and for establishing a magnitude of a horizontal component of the acceleration of the vehicle as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values, wherein the horizontal component of the acceleration is determined by; D=((YD·
XG)−
(XD·
YG)/(G2), where D is the horizontal component of the acceleration, XD is the measured acceleration in the first direction, YD is the measured acceleration in the second direction, XG is a first component of the gravity vector, YG is a second component of the gravity vector, and G is the magnitude of the gravity vector.
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Specification