Control device and method for signaling a braking process at a trailer vehicle

• US 8,700,285 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
• Original Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Barlsen, Holger, Lange, Tobias, Risse, Rainer, Stender, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/508,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20120283925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/448 specially adapted for vehicles with ABS
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device and method for signaling a braking process at a trailer vehicle. The control device determines at least one braking value that is assigned to the braking process, and actuates at least one brake light as a function of the braking value. The braking process is signaled differently for different braking values determined by the control device during a braking process. As a result, traffic following the trailer vehicle and/or an emergency braking situation can be signaled and, therefore, safety in road traffic can be increased.

Claims

1. A method for signaling a braking process at a trailer vehicle having

a control device and at least one brake light, the method comprising:

determining at least one first braking value assigned to a first braking process with the control device; and

actuating, with the control device, the at least one brake light as a function of the at least one first braking value such that the first braking process is signaled differently at the trailer vehicle compared with a signaling operation for at least one second braking value determined by the control device during a second braking process.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising using the control device to

control an electronic brake system of the trailer vehicle

determine the at least one first braking value based on one of signals and data received from a towing vehicle via a databus;

actuate the at least one brake light via the databus;

switch an output stage, which actuates the at least one brake light; and

actuate the at least one brake light via optical cabling.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the control device uses at least one of the following variables to determine the at least one first braking value:

at least one actual speed;

at least one actual deceleration;

at least one setpoint deceleration;

at least one braking request signal;

at least one variable sensed at one of the trailer vehicle and the towing vehicle; and

at least one information item relating to an automatic braking intervention by the trailer vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2,

the method further comprising using the control device to:

(i) actuate the at least one brake light adaptively in accordance with the at least one first braking value with the control device; and

(ii) compare the first braking value with a limiting value and detect that the first braking process is an emergency braking operation based on whether the limiting value is one of reached, exceeded, and undershot; and

signaling the first braking process using at least one of;

lighting up the at least one brake light more brightly;

actuating and lighting up at least one additional emergency brake light as a brake light;

cyclically lighting up the at least one brake light, wherein the at least one brake light automatically switches a light of the at least one brake light on and off in an alternating fashion in response to actuation by the control device; and

cyclically actuating the at least one brake light, wherein the control device switches a relay that interrupts actuation of the at least one brake light by the towing vehicle for one of a finite time period and until switching over to another actuation operation.

5. The method as claimed claim 1,

further comprising, in response to an automatic braking intervention at the trailer vehicle by a stability system, actuating one of the at least one brake light and at least one additional emergency brake light to signal an emergency braking operation based on the at least one first braking value.

6. A control device for a trailer vehicle, the control device being configured to:

determine at least one first braking value, which is assigned to a first braking process; and

actuate at least one brake light of the trailer vehicle as a function of the at least one first braking value such that the first braking process is signaled differently at the trailer vehicle compared with a signaling operation for at least one second braking value determined by the control device during a second braking process.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 6,

the control device

being a control center of an electronic brake system at the trailer vehicle and

further comprising a receiver configured to receive one of data and signals transmitted from a towing vehicle via a databus in order to determine the at least one first braking value, wherein the control device is further configured to at least one of:

actuate the at least one brake light via the databus;

switch an output stage to actuate the at least one brake light; and

actuate the at least one brake light via optical cabling run from a towing vehicle towing the trailer vehicle.

8. The control device as claimed in claim 7,

wherein the control device is configured to use at least one of the following variables to determine the at least one first braking value:

at least one actual speed;

at least one actual deceleration;

at least one setpoint deceleration;

at least one braking request signal;

at least one variable which is sensed at one of the trailer vehicle and the towing vehicle; and

at least one information item relating to an automatic braking intervention by the trailer vehicle.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the control device is configured to:

adaptively actuate the at least one brake light in accordance with the at least one first braking value;

compare the at least one first braking value with a limiting value, the first braking process being detectable as an emergency braking operation in response to the limiting value being one of reached, exceeded, and undershot; and

signal the first braking process differently compared to the second braking process by at least one of;

lighting up the at least one brake light more brightly;

actuating and lighting up at least one additional emergency brake light as a brake light;

cyclically lighting up the at least one brake light on and off in an alternating fashion in response to its actuation by the control device; and

cyclically actuating the at least one brake light by switching a relay with the control device such that actuation of the at least one brake light is one of interrupted for a finite time period and switched over to another actuation operation by means of the relay.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control device is further configured to:

determine the at least one first braking value based on an automatic braking intervention at the trailer vehicle by a stability system, one of the at least one brake light and the at least one additional emergency brake light being actuated as a function of the at least one first braking value to signal an emergency braking operation based on the automatic braking intervention.

11. A light system for signaling a braking process at a trailer vehicle, the light system comprising:

at least one brake light; and

the control device as claimed in claim 6, which actuates the at least one brake light.

12. The light system as claimed in claim 11,

further comprising:

a databus configured to transmit one of signals and data from a towing vehicle to the trailer vehicle;

an output stage configured to actuate the at least one brake light; and

optical cabling via which the at least one brake light is actuated from at least one of the towing vehicle and the control device.

13. A trailer vehicle brake installation, comprising:

an electronic brake system (EBS);

a control device as claimed in claim 6; and

at least one brake activation control module in communication with the control device, the at least one brake activation control module comprising at least one brake activation device connected one of electrically, pneumatically, and hydraulically to the at least one brake activation control module, wherein at least one wheel, assigned to the at least one brake activation device, of a trailer vehicle comprising the trailer vehicle brake installation is braked in response to one of at least one electrical signal received at the control device and data received at the control device, and wherein the control device comprises an interface with a databus through which the one of signals and data transmitted by a towing vehicle are received.

14. A trailer vehicle comprising a control device as claimed in claim 6.

15. A trailer vehicle comprising a light system as claimed in claim 11.

16. A trailer vehicle comprising a trailer vehicle brake installation system as claimed in claim 13.