Failure warning for a vehicle information processing system

• US 4,379,331 A
• Filed: 08/18/1980
• Issued: 04/05/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Minister of Transport In Her Britannic Majesty's Government of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Original Assignee: Minister of Transport In Her Britannic Majesty's Government of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Inventors: Watson, Peter M. F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US06/179,223
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 364/426, 371/60, 371/66, 371/72, 340/52 R, 340/52 B, 340/62, 340/653, 340/670, 324/160-162, 303/92, 180/282
• US Class Current: 701/76
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/416 Wheel speed sensor failure
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry

Abstract

A failure warning system for a wheeled vehicle which has an information processor for processing wheel rotation information. The system is applicable to a vehicle having an anti-skid or brake anti-lock device and which also has a bar light speedometer display. The power supply for the display derives from a point in the processor which is live at all times when the processor is functioning normally. Malfunction in the processor which causes loss of processor signal results in a null speedometer reading. A failure warning is thereby provided with a minimum of additional hardware which permits a minimum of difficulty in failure detection in the processor.

Claims

1. A failure warning means for a vehicle wheel rotation control system including:

a wheel rotation control section for processing wheel rotation information signals and providing wheel rotation control signals;

a speedometer;

a speedometer power line for supplying a driving voltage to the speedometer to give a speedometer reading;

wherein the speedometer power line connects the speedometer and a point in the wheel rotation control section such that the speedometer driving voltage derives from signals in the wheel rotation control section so that failure of the control section produces a null speedometer reading.

2. A failure warning means for a vehicle wheel rotation control system as in claim 1 wherein said wheel rotation control section comprises a section for controlling the locking of the vehicle brakes.

3. A failure warning means for a vehicle wheel rotation control system as in claim 2 comprising:

an information correlation section for correlating said wheel rotation information signals; and

connected for transmission of voltage signals via an intermediary connection to;

a comparator stage which is connected to;

a power stage such that, when wheel deceleration exceeds a predetermined maximum, a signal is transmitted from said comparator stage to said power stage which causes brake pressure to be reduced; and

wherein said power line connects said intermediary connection and said speedometer.

4. A failure warning means for a vehicle wheel rotation control system as in claim 1, wherein said wheel rotation control section comprises a section for controlling vehicle skidding.

5. A failure warning means for a vehicle wheel rotation control system as in claim 4 comprising:

an information correlation section for correlating said wheel rotation information signals; and

connected for transmission of voltage signals via an intermediary connection to;

a comparator stage which is connected to;

a power stage coupled to a throttle control such that, when wheel acceleration exceeds a predetermined maximum, a signal is transmitted from said comparator stage to said power stage which causes throttle power to be reduced; and

wherein said power line connects said intermediary connection and said speedometer.