Vehicle control system
First Claim
1. A Hill Start Assist (HSA) system for an off-road type vehicle comprising:
- a brake system for producing a braking force sufficient to maintain the vehicle in a stopped condition, and a control unit in communication with the brake system for controlling a brake modulator of the brake system to maintain the braking force when a manual brake actuator of the brake system is in a released position,wherein the HSA system is operable in a ready state where the brake modulator is in an open condition and the braking force is not maintained, an activated state and a hold state where the brake modulator is in a closed condition and the braking force is maintained, wherein the HSA system is only in the ready state upon determination by the control unit that predetermined vehicle conditions are satisfied, wherein the predetermined vehicle conditions include the vehicle being in the stopped condition, the manual brake actuator being in an engaged position, an acceleration pedal being in a released position, and a HSA switch being manually activated by an associated vehicle operator,wherein the control unit is adapted to move the HSA system from the activated state to the hold state upon determining that the manual brake actuator is in the released position, and the control unit is adapted to move the HSA system from the hold state to the activated state upon determining that the manual brake actuator is again in the engaged position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Hill Start Assist (HSA) system for an off-road type vehicle includes a brake system for producing a braking force sufficient to maintain the vehicle in a stopped condition, and a control unit in communication with the brake system for controlling a brake modulator of the brake system to maintain the braking force when a manual brake actuator of the brake system is in a released position. The HSA system is operable in a ready state where the brake modulator is in an open condition and the braking force is not maintained, an activated state and a hold state where the brake modulator is in a closed condition and the braking force is maintained. The HSA system is only in the ready state upon determination by the control unit that predetermined vehicle conditions are satisfied.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A Hill Start Assist (HSA) system for an off-road type vehicle comprising:
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a brake system for producing a braking force sufficient to maintain the vehicle in a stopped condition, and a control unit in communication with the brake system for controlling a brake modulator of the brake system to maintain the braking force when a manual brake actuator of the brake system is in a released position, wherein the HSA system is operable in a ready state where the brake modulator is in an open condition and the braking force is not maintained, an activated state and a hold state where the brake modulator is in a closed condition and the braking force is maintained, wherein the HSA system is only in the ready state upon determination by the control unit that predetermined vehicle conditions are satisfied, wherein the predetermined vehicle conditions include the vehicle being in the stopped condition, the manual brake actuator being in an engaged position, an acceleration pedal being in a released position, and a HSA switch being manually activated by an associated vehicle operator, wherein the control unit is adapted to move the HSA system from the activated state to the hold state upon determining that the manual brake actuator is in the released position, and the control unit is adapted to move the HSA system from the hold state to the activated state upon determining that the manual brake actuator is again in the engaged position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling a Hill Start Assist (HSA) system for an off-road type vehicle comprising:
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controlling a brake modulator of a brake system to maintain a braking force sufficient to maintain the vehicle in a stopped condition when a manual brake actuator of the brake system is in a released position; transitioning the HSA system from a deactivated state to a ready state by determining that the vehicle is in the stopped condition, the manual brake actuator is in an engaged position, an acceleration pedal is in a released position, and a HSA switch is manually activated by an associated vehicle operator; transitioning the HSA system from the ready state to an activated state where the brake modulator is in a closed condition and the braking force is maintained; and transitioning the HSA system from the activated state to a hold state where the brake modulator remains in the closed position by determining that the manual brake actuator is in the released position; and transitioning the HSA system from the hold state back to the deactivated state. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A Hill Start Assist (HSA) system for an off-road type vehicle comprising:
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a brake system for producing a braking force sufficient to maintain the vehicle in a stopped condition, and a control unit in communication with the brake system for controlling a brake modulator of the brake system to maintain the braking force when a manual brake actuator of the brake system is in a released position, wherein the HSA system is operable in a ready state where the brake modulator is in an open condition and the braking force is not maintained, an activated state where the brake modulator is in a closed condition, a deactivated state, and a hold state where the brake modulator remains in the closed condition, the manual brake actuator remains in the released position, and the braking force is maintained, wherein the HSA system is only in the ready state upon determination by the control unit that predetermined vehicle conditions are satisfied, wherein the predetermined vehicle conditions include the vehicle being in the stopped condition, the manual brake actuator being in an engaged position, an acceleration pedal being in a released position, and a HSA switch being manually activated by an associated vehicle operator, wherein the control unit is adapted to move the HSA system to the deactivated state from any one of the ready, activated and hold states upon the control unit determining that the HSA switch is again activated by the associated vehicle driver. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification