Steering wheel squeeze-activated vehicle braking system

• US 9,896,070 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redevex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Redevex Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenbaum, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): SY, MARIANO ONG
• Application Number:
  US13/763,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20140224600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• Field of Search: 188158, 303 20, 701 36, 701 70, 701 96, 3404255, 340468, 340576
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/741 acting on an ultimate actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/085 by electrical means, e.g. travel, force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence

Abstract

A brake-by-wire vehicle braking system is augmented with “squeeze” sensors placed in the steering wheel of the vehicle enabling a vehicle operator to stop the vehicle more quickly in an emergency situation by eliminating the significant times that it takes to move a driver'"'"'s foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal and then depress the brake pedal. An important objective is to achieve a faster vehicle stop by allowing the driver to optionally eliminate foot movement from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal and also the depression of the brake pedal. This invention also potentially allows a driver to squeeze a steering wheel to slow a vehicle, perhaps to comply with a lower speed limit, or accomplish the fastest possible “hard-stop” in an emergency situation.

Claims

1. An operator control configured to interface with an electronic braking system (EBS) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel having a front side and an underside;

a plurality of piezoresistive pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, including pressure or force sensors supported on the underside of the steering wheel; and

whereby an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the steering wheel, without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column, is operative to slow or stop the vehicle.

2. An operator control configured to interface with an electronic braking system (EBS) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel having a front side and an underside;

a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, including pressure or force sensors supported on the underside of the steering wheel; and

wherein an initial moderate squeeze on the steering wheel, without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column, will begin to slow the vehicle.

3. An operator control configured to interface with an electronic braking system (EBS) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel having a front side and an underside;

a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, including pressure or force sensors supported on the underside of the steering wheel; and

wherein multiple squeezes on the steering wheel, without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column, progressively reduce the speed of the vehicle.

4. An operator control configured to interface with an electronic braking system (EBS) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel having a front side and an underside;

a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, including pressure or force sensors supported on the underside of the steering wheel; and

wherein a consistent firm squeeze on the steering wheel, without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column, brings a vehicle to a gradual and complete stop.

5. An operator control configured to interface with an electronic braking system (EBS) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel having a front side and an underside;

a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, including pressure or force sensors supported on the underside of the steering wheel; and

wherein a sudden extreme squeeze on the steering wheel, without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column, will rapidly stop the vehicle.

6. An electronic braking system (EBS), comprising:

a plurality of human-machine interface (HMI) braking inputs;

an electronic control unit (ECU);

a steering wheel;

one or more communications networks interfacing the HMI braking inputs and the ECU to a plurality of electronic calipers, each caliper being associated with a wheel of a vehicle;

each electronic caliper including a processor and an actuator, each processor being operative to receive and interpret signals from the HMI inputs and ECU to slow or stop the vehicle by delivering a braking signal to the actuator; and

wherein the HMI braking inputs include a brake pedal and a plurality of piezoresistive pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel that operate in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the steering wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column.

7. An electronic braking system (EBS), comprising:

a plurality of human-machine interface (HMI) braking inputs;

an electronic control unit (ECU);

a steering wheel;

one or more communications networks interfacing the HMI braking inputs and the ECU to a plurality of electronic calipers, each caliper being associated with a wheel of a vehicle;

each electronic caliper including a processor and an actuator, each processor being operative to receive and interpret signals from the HMI inputs and ECU to slow or stop the vehicle by delivering a braking signal to the actuator;

wherein the HMI braking inputs include a brake pedal and a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel that operate in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the steering wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to reduce the speed of the vehicle by a predetermined amount in response to an initial moderate squeeze on the steering wheel.

8. An electronic braking system (EBS), comprising:

a plurality of human-machine interface (HMI) braking inputs;

an electronic control unit (ECU);

a steering wheel;

one or more communications networks interfacing the HMI braking inputs and the ECU to a plurality of electronic calipers, each caliper being associated with a wheel of a vehicle;

each electronic caliper including a processor and an actuator, each processor being operative to receive and interpret signals from the HMI inputs and ECU to slow or stop the vehicle by delivering a braking signal to the actuator;

wherein the HMI braking inputs include a brake pedal and a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel that operate in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the steering wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to progressively reduce the speed of the vehicle in response to multiple squeezes of the steering wheel.

9. An electronic braking system (EBS), comprising:

a plurality of human-machine interface (HMI) braking inputs;

an electronic control unit (ECU);

a steering wheel;

one or more communications networks interfacing the HMI braking inputs and the ECU to a plurality of electronic calipers, each caliper being associated with a wheel of a vehicle;

each electronic caliper including a processor and an actuator, each processor being operative to receive and interpret signals from the HMI inputs and ECU to slow or stop the vehicle by delivering a braking signal to the actuator;

wherein the HMI braking inputs include a brake pedal and a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel that operate in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the steering wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to bring the vehicle to a gradual and complete stop in response to a consistent firm squeeze of the steering wheel.

10. An electronic braking system (EBS), comprising:

a plurality of human-machine interface (HMI) braking inputs;

an electronic control unit (ECU);

a steering wheel;

one or more communications networks interfacing the HMI braking inputs and the ECU to a plurality of electronic calipers, each caliper being associated with a wheel of a vehicle;

each electronic caliper including a processor and an actuator, each processor being operative to receive and interpret signals from the HMI inputs and ECU to slow or stop the vehicle by delivering a braking signal to the actuator;

wherein the HMI braking inputs include a brake pedal and a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel that operate in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the steering wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to rapidly stop the vehicle in response to a sudden extreme squeeze on the steering wheel.

11. An electronic braking system (EBS), comprising:

a plurality of human-machine interface (HMI) braking inputs;

an electronic control unit (ECU);

a steering wheel;

one or more communications networks interfacing the HMI braking inputs and the ECU to a plurality of electronic calipers, each caliper being associated with a wheel of a vehicle;

each electronic caliper including a processor and an actuator, each processor being operative to receive and interpret signals from the HMI inputs and ECU to slow or stop the vehicle by delivering a braking signal to the actuator;

wherein the HMI braking inputs include a brake pedal and a plurality of pressure or force sensors supported peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel that operate in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the steering wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

further including a front-viewing video camera interfaced to the one of the communications networks enabling the system to bring the vehicle to a smooth and gradual stop based upon the distance to other vehicles or obstacles in front of the vehicle.

12. A method of braking a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a steering wheel instrumented with a plurality of force or pressure sensors positioned peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, the force or pressure sensors being interfaced to an electronic braking system;

slowing or stopping the vehicle by squeezing on the force or pressure sensors supported on the steering wheel without pushing or pulling either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

wherein multiple squeezes of the steering wheel progressively reduce the speed of the vehicle.

13. A method of braking a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a steering wheel instrumented with a plurality of force or pressure sensors positioned peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, the force or pressure sensors being interfaced to an electronic braking system; and

slowing or stopping the vehicle by squeezing on the force or pressure sensors supported on the steering wheel without pushing or pulling either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

wherein a consistent firm squeeze of the steering wheel brings a vehicle to a gradual and complete stop.

14. A method of braking a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a steering wheel instrumented with a plurality of force or pressure sensors positioned peripherally around a cross section of the steering wheel, the force or pressure sensors being interfaced to an electronic braking system;

slowing or stopping the vehicle by squeezing on the force or pressure sensors supported on the steering wheel without pushing or pulling either the steering wheel or a steering column; and

wherein a sudden extreme squeeze on the steering wheel will rapidly stop the vehicle.