System and method for optimal deceleration of a vehicle using regenerative braking

• US 8,855,844 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schwindt, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASS, JEAN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US13/271,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2031/0033 Detecting longitudinal speed or acceleration of target vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/10 for automatic control superimposed on human control to limit the acceleration of the vehicle, e.g. to prevent excessive motor current electric devices for safety purposes B60L3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/16 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0015 Prevention of collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/22 Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/604 Merging friction therewith; Adjusting their repartition
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• 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 8/17558 specially adapted for collision avoidance or collision mitigation road vehicle drive control systems for collision avoidance otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/09
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 : including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 : including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 : including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 : with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 : Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 : Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/3015 : Optical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A regenerative braking system for a vehicle. The system includes at least one detecting device or sensor, and an electronic control unit having a processor and a computer readable medium. The sensor detects information about at least one target object located ahead of the vehicle. The electronic control unit is in electronic communication with the sensor to receive the information about the at least one target object and stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive information about a velocity of the vehicle, determine a velocity of the at least one target object based on the information from the at least one detection device, determine a maximum deceleration of the vehicle that can be reached by the regenerative braking system without applying physical brakes of the vehicle, and determine an optimal braking point to begin maximum regenerative braking.

Claims

1. A regenerative braking system for a vehicle, the regenerative braking system comprising:

at least one detecting device, the at least one detecting device detecting information about at least one target object located ahead of the vehicle;

an electronic control unit having a processor, the electronic control unit in electronic communication with the at least one detecting device to receive the information about the at least one target object; and

a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive information about a velocity of the vehicle,

determine a velocity of the at least one target object based on the information from the at least one detecting device,

determine a maximum deceleration of the vehicle that can be reached by the regenerative braking system without ever applying physical brakes of the vehicle, and

determine an optimal braking point to begin maximum regenerative braking,

the optimal braking point being a point in time at which maximum regenerative braking can sufficiently slow the vehicle to achieve one of a time gap for following the target object and a distance gap for stopping behind the target object without ever applying the physical brakes of the vehicle.

2. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a deceleration of the at least one target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the deceleration of the target object.

3. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a desired distance gap between the vehicle and the target object when the vehicle comes to a stop behind the target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the distance gap.

4. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a target time gap with which the vehicle should follow the target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the target time gap.

5. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a distance between the vehicle and the target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the distance between the vehicle and the target object.

6. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines that the target object includes a target vehicle that is positioned in a same lane with the vehicle, and determines that the target vehicle is traveling at a constant speed lower than a current speed of the vehicle.

7. The regenerative braking system of claim 6, wherein the processor determines that the target vehicle is decelerating to reach a standstill position, and wherein the processor determines a distance for the target vehicle to reach the standstill position.

8. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a distance achieved with maximum regenerative braking.

9. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to communicate with at least one of a navigation device, a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system, or a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

10. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines that the target object includes a stationary object.

11. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, further comprising a human-machine interface, the human-machine interface configured to receive a signal informing a driver of the optimal braking point.

12. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to communicate with an adaptive cruise control system, and the adaptive cruise control controls the regenerative braking system to begin maximum regenerative braking without applying the physical brakes of the vehicle.

13. The regenerative braking system of claim 12, wherein the human-machine interface is configured to receive a signal informing the driver that the adaptive cruise control system can begin maximum regenerative braking, and wherein the human-machine interface is configured to receive a verification from the driver to continue.

14. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a reaction time of the driver of the vehicle to react to the beginning of the maximum regenerative braking, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the reaction time of the driver.

15. The regenerative braking system of claim 1, wherein the at least one detecting device includes a radar sensor.

16. A method of optimal deceleration of a vehicle by using a regenerative braking system, the method comprising:

detecting, by at least one detecting device, information about at least one target object located ahead of the vehicle;

receiving, at an electronic control unit, information about the target object from the at least one detecting device;

receiving, at the electronic control unit, information about a velocity of the vehicle;

determining, with a processor of the electronic control unit, a velocity of the at least one target object based on the information from the at least one detecting device;

determining, with the processor, a maximum deceleration that can be produced by the regenerative braking system without ever applying physical brakes of the vehicle;

determining, with the processor, an optimal braking point to begin maximum regenerative braking, the optimal braking point being a point in time at which maximum regenerative braking can sufficiently slow the vehicle to achieve one of a time gap for following the target object and a distance gap for stopping behind the target object without ever applying the physical brakes of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining, by the processor, a deceleration of the at least one target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the deceleration of the target object.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining, by the processor, a desired distance gap between the vehicle and the target object when the vehicle comes to a stop behind the target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the distance gap.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining, by the processor, a target time gap with which the vehicle should follow the target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the target time gap.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining, by the processor, a distance between the vehicle and the target object, and wherein the optimal braking point is determined at least in part by using the distance between the vehicle and the target object.