Vehicle Inclination Patents (Class 303/192)
  • Patent number: 11945427
    Abstract: A method for securing a motor vehicle with at least one wheel brake during an automated driving maneuver includes, in order to carry out the automated driving maneuver, setting a hydraulic pressure at the wheel brake in order to generate a defined braking force large enough to securely arrest the motor vehicle during the execution of the automated driving maneuver. The method further includes keeping the hydraulic pressure which is set at the wheel brake essentially constant during the execution of the automated driving maneuver. The method may be implemented in a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Baehrle-Miller, Hubertus Wienken
  • Patent number: 11938916
    Abstract: A brake control device as an example of the present disclosure includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire an output of a sensor that detects information indicating a ground contact state of a drive wheel of a vehicle; and a control unit configured to, when an acceleration operation for causing the vehicle to accelerate is performed on the vehicle stopped due to a parking brake force generated by an electric parking brake, identify the ground contact state of the drive wheel based on the output of the sensor acquired by the acquisition unit, and control the electric parking brake to release the parking brake force by a control method that differs depending on the identified ground contact state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Hirata, Terushige Uraoka, Hirotaka Takeya
  • Patent number: 10988121
    Abstract: A braking control system for an automotive vehicle having driven rear wheels which are coupled through a coupling arrangement to the front wheels of the vehicle so as to switch the vehicle between two-wheel drive mode and four-wheel drive mode, comprises an input for receiving a signal indicative of the nature of the terrain on which the vehicle is parked, wherein the nature of the terrain includes the incline of the terrain and one or more additional indicators of the nature of the terrain, and a processor configured to determine, depending on the signal, a braking force to be applied to the front wheels to brake the vehicle securely. The braking system comprises an output for providing a signal to the coupling arrangement to apply the determined braking force to the front wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Sam Burt, Marcus Fear, Vlad Rosu, Jaimie Foster
  • Patent number: 10969012
    Abstract: A method for actuating a parking lock of a motor vehicle including a piston (10) which is arranged to move axially within a cylinder (9) of a parking lock actuator (8) and is acted upon by pressure in order to disengage the parking lock. A nominal pressure target, for disengaging the parking lock, is continuously increased from a first pressure value (pstart) until the parking lock is either disengaged or until a maximum pressure value (pmax) is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Axel Bloching, Horst Leichsenring
  • Patent number: 10801620
    Abstract: When an ON operation of an electric parking brake apparatus is performed when a vehicle is moving, a vehicle brake control apparatus executes an EPB stop process in order to stop the vehicle by braking force generated by a hydraulic brake apparatus. If a hydraulic brake malfunction wheel, at which the hydraulic brake apparatus cannot generate braking force properly, is detected during a time period from the beginning of the EPB stop process to the stop of said vehicle, the vehicle brake control apparatus makes the hydraulic brake apparatus stop generating braking force at wheels including the hydraulic brake malfunction wheel. Meanwhile, the vehicle brake control apparatus makes the electric parking brake apparatus start generating braking force at a rear wheel. Subsequently, the vehicle brake control apparatus makes the electric parking brake apparatus start generating braking force to the other rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 10611351
    Abstract: When an engine speed is less than a safeguard speed while a vehicle downhill assist control is being executed, a target speed of the vehicle downhill assist control is increased. In addition, if the target speed is greater than a vehicle speed, braking force applied to the vehicle is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: ADVICS CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakagawa, Yasuhito Ishida, Akitsugu Sakai
  • Patent number: 10501076
    Abstract: A method for operating an off-road speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises identifying a pattern or change in at least one component of vehicle drag. The method further comprises monitoring vehicle speed to predict where a change in the at least one component of vehicle drag may result in a speed overshoot event or a speed undershoot event. The method still further comprises, in response to the predicted speed overshoot event or speed undershoot event, automatically commanding the application of an appropriate opposing torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle to counteract the predicted speed overshoot or undershoot. An off-road speed control system for a vehicle comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: James Kelly, Andrew Fairgrieve, Daniel Woolliscroft
  • Patent number: 10427656
    Abstract: A computer is programmed to determine a target brake torque that is below a preset holding brake torque and at least high enough to hold a vehicle at standstill; and upon detecting that a brake of the vehicle is applied and a speed of the vehicle is below a threshold, monotonically reduce a brake torque of the brake so that the brake torque reaches the target brake torque when the speed reaches substantially zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Chen Zhang, Li Xu, Yanan Zhao, George Edmund Walley, III, Mark Davison
  • Patent number: 10220824
    Abstract: An electronic parking brake support system for a vehicle includes an electric parking brake having at least one brake member associated with a wheel of the vehicle. The system also includes a service brake system constructed and arranged to control service brakes of the vehicle. The service brake system includes at least one circuit constructed and arranged to determine an occurrence of a failure or degradation condition of the service brake system and, in response to the detected condition, to send a request signal to the electric parking brake instructing the electric parking brake to activate the at least one brake member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew C. Tuhro, Bryan S. Coullard, Daniel G. Goodrich
  • Patent number: 9610926
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a vehicle brake hydraulic pressure control apparatus configured to perform a vehicle hold control which controls a brake hydraulic pressure when a vehicle comes to a halt. The vehicle brake hydraulic pressure control apparatus includes: a behavior determination section configured to determine whether or not a behaving amount in a lateral direction of the vehicle is equal to or larger than a first threshold; and an operation determination section configured to determine whether or not a control member provided to control the vehicle is operated. Further, the vehicle hold control is canceled at least when the behavior determination section determines that the behaving amount is equal to or larger than the first threshold and the operation determination section determines that the control member is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOLIV NISSIN BRAKE SYSTEMS JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Harada, Manabu Hiroya
  • Patent number: 9604618
    Abstract: A regulatable brake booster and to a method and a control unit for operating same. Using the method for operating the brake booster, as well as the embodiment of the brake booster, a reaction on a driver may be avoided or reduced by an offset of the brake pedal or by a changed operating force in response to a change in the supporting force. The change in the supporting force is particularly an adjustment of the braking effect of an hydraulic braking system to the braking effect of a regenerative braking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Dirk Mahnkopf
  • Patent number: 9440735
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling aircraft brakes in an aircraft that includes a brake pedal and an electric brake actuator. An aircraft operational state is determined and an application force that is supplied to the brake pedal is determined. When the determined aircraft operational state is a ground-idle state and the determined application force is greater than a set force magnitude, an actuator brake is moved to engage the electric brake actuator and the electric brake actuator is de-energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Casey Hanlon, James Neil Quitmeyer, Allan Blunt
  • Patent number: 9387841
    Abstract: A brake control system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of wheels, brakes for applying a braking force to one or more of the wheels, sensing means for detecting movement of the vehicle, and one or more selectable drive gears each associated with an intended direction of movement of the vehicle. The system comprises: brake actuation means for actuating the brakes to supply a braking effort; and brake control means for controlling the brake actuation means, wherein the brake control means is arranged to detect the selection of a drive gear and, when a drive gear is selected, to limit a movement of the vehicle in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected drive gear by ensuring that the brake actuation means supplies a braking effort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Paul Beever, Theodor Cassell, Richard Cook, Timothy Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9266513
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for enhancing the slope-holding capability of an earth-moving machine. The machine includes a plurality of ground-engaging elements and a first parking brake configured to brake a first subset of the plurality of ground-engaging elements. A second parking brake is mounted and is configured to brake a second subset of the plurality of ground-engaging elements. A brake controller is configured to sense engagement of the first parking brake and to engage the second parking brake when the first parking brake is engaged only if one or more machine state criteria are also met. In an embodiment, the one or more machine state criteria include zero machine speed, neutral transmission state, and a machine slope that exceeds a predetermined threshold slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John Gates, Biagio Ciarla, Josh Nolke, Nasim Suterwala, Andrew Ellis, Neil Taylor, Ian R A Hawkes
  • Patent number: 9139172
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle in particular during a hill ascent are described. In a PID controller acting upon the brake system of the motor vehicle the change of the vehicle inclination is fed into the I branch of the controller, thereby providing an adaptive speed control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Bach, Michael Bleser, Elmar Hoffmann, Stefan Wöll, Harald Thelen
  • Patent number: 9028015
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for operating an electromechanically operable parking brake for motor vehicles with a driving engine furnished with a mechanical gear box, being substantially composed of an operating element, an electronic control unit, to which are sent wheel rotational speed values from wheel rotational speed sensors, at least one unit for generating a brake application force, and brake devices on at least one axle being lockable by the unit, with the electronic control unit actuating the unit after detection of a starting maneuver of the motor vehicle in the sense of a release operation of the parking brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Rainer Klusemann, Karel Stastny, Mirco Hinn, Ronald Kulbe
  • Patent number: 8909449
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a controller, system and method of preventing vehicle rollaway for a heavy vehicle are disclosed. The controller receives a service brake signal indicating an operator has engaged the service brakes, a parking brake signal indicating the operator intent to actuate the parking brake and a signal indicative of motion. The controller transmits a control signal to at least two braking system components in response the service brake signal, the parking brake signal, and the motion of the vehicle to maintain engagement of the vehicle service brakes after the service brake pressure signal begins to decrease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Charles E. Eberling, Ronald S. Plantan
  • Patent number: 8833870
    Abstract: A triggering module selectively generates a triggering signal when a vehicle is stopped, a grade of a surface is one of greater than a predetermined positive grade and less than a predetermined negative grade, and a brake pedal position is greater than a predetermined position. A brake actuator provides brake fluid to a braking system when the brake pedal position is greater than the predetermined position. A brake releasing module, after the triggering signal is generated, begins releasing the brake fluid from the braking system a predetermined period after the brake pedal position reaches the predetermined position. A brake applying module selectively operates a brake fluid pump after the triggering signal is generated based on a comparison of a vehicle speed and a predetermined vehicle speed. The brake fluid pump provides brake fluid to the braking system when the brake fluid pump is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Inventors: Jonathan P. Kish, Jennifer A. Moschetta, Joseph B. Burtch, Michael Douglas Rizzo, Mark A. Vernacchia
  • Patent number: 8706366
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for controlling engine using height information capable of preventing an engine from stopping according to a position of a vehicle. An apparatus for controlling an engine of a vehicle using height information includes: a height information management unit storing a plurality of height information; and an idling controller that extracts one or more height information according to a position of the vehicle from the height information management unit to determine a slope of the vehicle and controls the idling of the vehicle according to the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jae-Chul Kim, Seong-Ho Lee, Yoon-Seop Chang, Jae-Jun Yoo, Sun-Rae Park
  • Patent number: 8700281
    Abstract: A vehicle that improves the accuracy of wheel stopping determination including a stopping determination unit that calculates stopping determination time by multiplying the pulse width of a wheel speed pulse immediately before a non-output time, for which no wheel speed pulse is output from a wheel speed sensor, by 21/2+1, or a corrected time which is corrected on the basis of the stopping determination time is set as a threshold value for determining stopping of wheels. Thus, the time corresponding to the pulse width of the wheel speed pulse takes into consideration the deceleration and traveling distance of the vehicle, thereby obtaining an optimum threshold value for determining the stopping of the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motonari Ohbayashi, Ayako Nishimura, Masayuki Naito
  • Patent number: 8634999
    Abstract: A method for starting a motor vehicle on a downhill route from an idle state includes the steps of maintaining a sufficient brake force to hold the motor vehicle in the idle state, even if brake actuation by the driver is withdrawn; detecting a wish by the driver to drive off; reducing, independently of the driver, the brake force which is maintained independently of the driver, in such a way that the resulting movement of the motor vehicle follows a preset course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Bach, Michael Bleser, Harald Thelen, Elmar Hoffmann, Bernd Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8589046
    Abstract: A method of releasing brakes of a motor vehicle including: if no vehicle start command takes place, after manual application of the vehicle brakes in a position to immobilize the vehicle when at rest is over, an assistance device progressively releases the brakes according to a suitable control scheme configured to make the vehicle move under its own weight, generally tending towards predetermined non-zero speed and acceleration conditions, and then, when the predetermined conditions are considered to have been reached, the assistance device stops releasing the brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Richard Pothin, Alessandro De-Rinaldis, Olivier Cayol
  • Patent number: 8589045
    Abstract: A system for determining a safe maximum speed of an vehicle has a processor and a global positioning system receiver in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to determine a grade and distance to an end of an upcoming or a current road segment the vehicle is traveling on based on the global positioning system information received from the global positioning system receiver. The processor is further configured to determine the safe maximum speed of the vehicle based on the distance to the end and pitch of the grade of the upcoming or current road segment the vehicle is traveling on and the braking efficiency of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc
    Inventors: Shafer Seymour, David Pivonka
  • Patent number: 8583339
    Abstract: For a vehicle equipped with a self-braking system (for example, ASR, ESP, FDR, EBS), a service brake, a parking brake, and at least one associated pressure sensor for detecting at least one pressure in the vehicle brake circuit, the brake circuit comprising a compressed-air circuit, a process to prevent the vehicle from rolling away includes determining whether a pressure in the compressed-air circuit from which the parking brake is fed is below a release threshold, and operating the service brake if the pressure in the compressed-air circuit is below the release threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Diekmeyer, Detlev Eggebrecht, Konrad Feyerabend
  • Patent number: 8521387
    Abstract: A method for assisting a motor vehicle with a hill start, the motor vehicle having previously been held stationary when parked by a brake. The method measures inclination of the vehicle, previously establishes a map between engine torque and engine speed, defines, within the map, an authorized zone and a forbidden zone, provides a vehicle engine speed value, provides a vehicle engine torque value, deduces from these coordinates of the engine operating point within the map, and releases the brake automatically only if the coordinates of the operating point lie within the authorized zone of the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olivier Cayol, Alessandro De Rinaldis, Christophe Desfriches, Gerald Leminoux, Mickael Mallet
  • Patent number: 8480185
    Abstract: A brake control apparatus is configured to suppress sounds while a vehicle is stationary. The brake control apparatus basically has a brake operation detecting section, a vehicle state detecting section, a braking force generating section, a braking force adjusting section and a brake control section. The brake operation detecting section detects a brake operation value indicative of an operation of a brake element. The vehicle state detecting section detects whether a vehicle is in a stopped state. The braking force generating section generates a braking force. The braking force adjusting section adjusts the braking force generated in the braking force generating section based on the brake operation value. The brake control section then control the braking force to prohibit reduction in the braking force when the brake operation value decreases while the vehicle is in the stopped state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 8406952
    Abstract: In an electric parking brake control apparatus for controlling an electric actuator for driving parking brakes, a dynamically estimated road surface inclination is estimated based on a running state of a vehicle while the vehicle is running, and a statically estimated road surface inclination is estimated based on an acceleration acting on the vehicle after the vehicle is stopped. In the event that the statically estimated road surface inclination is larger than the dynamically estimated road surface inclination after the vehicle is stopped, a braking force of the parking brakes is increased to be larger than a braking force that is set based on the dynamically estimated road surface inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8396618
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling torque in a hybrid electric vehicle. The system provides a regenerative braking torque with an electrical machine when a level of braking torque indicated by actuation of a brake control device exceeds a level of traction torque indicated by actuation of an acceleration control device. The regenerative braking torque is supplemented by a friction braking system when the braking torque requested by a vehicle operator exceeds a maximum regenerative braking capacity of the electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Susan Cikanek, Suresh Sureshbabu
  • Patent number: 8275503
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: an electric motor that outputs power to a drive shaft that is coupled to a first wheel, which is a primary drive wheel; an electrical storage device that exchanges electrical power with the electric motor; a braking system that can independently apply a braking force to the first wheel and a second wheel that is a free rolling wheel or a drive wheel other than the first wheel, regardless of a braking request by a driver; and a control unit that controls the braking system and the electric motor such that the braking system applies the braking force only to the second wheel and that output torque of the electric motor becomes equal to or lower than specified torque until rotational speed of the electric motor reach specified revolution when a start-up request is made by the driver while the vehicle is at a halt on a driving road surface whose inclination, which is acquired by an inclination acquisition device, is larger than or equal to specified inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari Izumi
  • Patent number: 8182050
    Abstract: A system for adjusting a brake force to be applied by a brake includes a module for estimating a weight of a vehicle to which a brake is fitted, a module for determining an angle of incline upon which the vehicle is positioned, and a control unit for calculating a sufficient brake force to be applied according to predetermined criteria based upon the estimated weight and the incline to maintain the vehicle in a stationary state. The control unit is configured to signal the brake to apply the calculated amount of force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan Leslie Christopher Jackson, Brendan Joseph Wilde, Martin Pors Taylor, Ralf Leiter
  • Patent number: 8079649
    Abstract: A vehicle brake system for a vehicle comprises at least one source of pressurized air for pressurizing the vehicle brake system, and a brake actuator configured to receive air from the source of pressurized air. A control is operatively associated with the source of pressurized air for selective application of the brake actuator. A supplemental parking brake control system is in communication with the control and the brake actuator. The control system is responsive to data indicative of gradient and speed vehicle conditions. The control system is configured to send a signal to the brake actuator to allow gradient and speed dependent supplemental parking. The control system is configured to prevent application of the brake actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Charles E. Eberling
  • Patent number: 7925408
    Abstract: During the standstill state maintenance control executed by an electric parking brake system, the moving force-based target tension Frefb is determined based on the inclination angle of a vehicle and the shift position each time the predetermined program is executed, and the tentative target tension Fref(n) in the current routine is set to a smaller value from among the moving force-based target tension Frefb and the maximum value Fmax. The control target tension Fref(n)* is set to a larger value from among the control target tension (the final target tension) Fref(n?1)* in the immediately preceding routine and the tentative target value Fref(n). Even if the tentative target tension Fref(n) is smaller than the control target tension Fref(n?1)*, the control target value Fref(n)* is not set to a value smaller than the control target tension Fref(n?1)*.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Shiraki
  • Patent number: 7881849
    Abstract: In an electric parking brake system, the moving force-based target tension is set based on the inclination angle of a vehicle and the shift position, and the slack compensation amount is determined based on the inclination angle of the vehicle and the shift position. The control target tension is set to a smaller value from among the slack-based target tension, which is the sum of the moving force-based target tension and the slack compensation amount, and the maximum value of the output power that can be produced by an electric motor. The electric motor is controlled such that the tension of the cable matches the control target tension (the slack-based target tension, in most cases).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Shiraki
  • Patent number: 7845739
    Abstract: A brake regulation system for motor vehicles is provided with an electronic control unit, by which an automatic parking brake function can be activated in the stationary phase of the motor vehicle and can be deactivated upon reaching a predetermined triggering condition. The control unit can determine in a wheel selective manner the coefficient of friction, or rather the adhesion between the tires and the roadway at the location of the motor vehicle, which is held so as to be stationary by use of the parking brake function. In the presence of different coefficients of friction or adhesion coefficients at the right and left wheel of at least one driven axle, the triggering condition is adapted in the direction of a longer hold of the brake pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Guenther Sokoll
  • Patent number: 7837281
    Abstract: A braking force maintaining apparatus of a vehicle includes a reference braking force setting section, a threshold value setting section, a braking force change rate detecting section, and a change rate determining section. The reference braking force setting section sets, as a reference braking force, a braking force acting on wheels of the vehicle after a reference time has elapsed since stopping of the vehicle. The threshold value setting section sets a threshold value by adding the reference braking force to a predetermined reference value. The braking force change rate detecting section detects a change rate of the braking force acting on the wheels after the threshold value has been set. The change rate determining section determines whether the detected change rate is a negative value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaru Kamikado
  • Patent number: 7828394
    Abstract: In response to detection of a slip-down of a vehicle under restriction of a motor torque Tm*, which is required for a drive shaft linked with drive wheels, due to the occurrence of a slip caused by spin of the drive wheels on an ending slope, the technique of the invention multiplies a torque insufficiency by a ratio (reflection ratio ?) specified according to a vehicle speed V in a t direction, so as to set a brake tourgue Tb*. The torque insufficiency corresponds to a difference between the restricted motor torque Tm* and a balancing torque Tgrad corresponding to a road surface gradient set according to the relation between an acceleration of the vehicle and a torque output to the drive shaft The setting of the brake torque Tb* makes the velocity of the slip-down of the vehicle approach to a preset vehicle speed. The brake torque Tb* is applied by hydraulic brakes attached to driven wheels which am different from the drive wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Hommi
  • Patent number: 7801656
    Abstract: The invention relates to a driving assistance method which is intended for use on a slope. According to the invention, the vehicle comprises an accelerometer which can measure a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle as measured longitudinal acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Inventors: Belen Alvarez, Xavier Marie Groult
  • Patent number: 7762633
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has an inclinometer to determine the steepness of the slope upon which the vehicle stands, brakes and a driver brake pedal for generating a braking effort in the brakes. The brakes are also controlled by a brake hydraulic control unit and an electronic control unit. The brake hydraulic control unit is arranged to control the release of the braking effort generated to stop the vehicle on a slope by the brake pedal at a release rate which varies as a function of the steepness of the slope determined by the inclinometer following operation of the brake pedal to release the brakes. The vehicle thus achieves controlled descent of a hill after a stationary position. Such a brake control system is particularly advantageous to a motor vehicle having a hill descent mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Maskell, Simon Owen, Karl Richards
  • Patent number: 7744168
    Abstract: A brake disabling device for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit (ECU) for receiving a signal indicative of a direction of the vehicle. A control device communicates with the ECU for disabling brakes associated with a steer axle of the vehicle as a function of the direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Charles E. Eberling, Ron R. Stahl, Kenneth A. Grolle, William P. Amato
  • Patent number: 7744166
    Abstract: A process for operating the brake arrangement of a vehicle is presented, which comprises an electrically controllable service brake system, which is set to generate brake forces independently of driver actuation, and which comprises an electrically controllable parking brake system, which is set to generate brake forces and maintain these forces. So that the parking brake system or its electromechanical actuating unit only needs to cope with relatively small load situations, it is proposed that, when, for certain operating conditions, the parking brake system has to maintain brake forces which are greater than the brake forces it is able to generate itself, the service brake system generates the additionally required brake forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Leiter, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Patent number: 7734408
    Abstract: In an electric parking brake system including a tension control unit that controls the friction member pushing force in a brake by controlling the tension of a cable, the target tension is set to a larger value when a vehicle is maintained at a standstill on a downhill slope than when the vehicle is maintained at a standstill on an uphill slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Shiraki
  • Patent number: 7695076
    Abstract: Based on whether a requisite braking torque is less than a drive torque of the driving wheel, braking force is generated for only driving wheels, or braking force is generated for driven wheels, in addition to that for the driving wheels. Thus, it is possible to maintain the creep speed to the target speed and achieve a suitable front and rear braking force distribution on downward slope roads where a gravity impellent is acting on the vehicle, as well as on flat roads and upward slope roads. The ability to achieve such a suitable front and rear braking force distribution ensures that the driven wheels will not easily lock up on a low ? road surface or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Mori, Koichi Kokubo
  • Patent number: 7665808
    Abstract: A method and a device for automatically releasing an automatic parking brake at start-up. A transmitted torque estimation threshold value is determined that enables the vehicle movement to be balanced. Then, at start-up a loop for calculating the transmitted torque estimation is carried out so long as the calculated value does not exceed the threshold value. When the threshold is exceeded, an automatic parking brake-release command is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Philippe Deprez, Emmanuel Devaud, Philippe Planchon
  • Patent number: 7575288
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for controlling the state and operation of a motor vehicle. The system is characterized in comprising sensors (C1, C2, . . . and CN) arranged on the vehicle and a control unit (35), receiving information from the different sensors and determining the state of the vehicle from said information and calculating the settings for braking transmitted to the dynamic (6) and static (7) breaking units, particularly allowing the vehicle to be maintained stationary when the speed thereof is zero. The invention finds application in the field of automobiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Vincent Hernette, Francois Bailleux, Vincent Abadie
  • Patent number: 7469975
    Abstract: A slip control system is provided for a single-track motor vehicle, including devices for detecting the wheel revolution of the front and rear wheel of the motor vehicle, devices for detecting a tilting position angle of the motor vehicle, as well as devices for influencing the driving and/or braking forces acting upon a wheel of the motor vehicle. In addition, devices are provided for storing type-specific tire data, and the devices for influencing the driving and/or braking forces acting upon a vehicle wheel are constructed such that the influencing of the driving and/or braking forces takes place as a function of the type-specific tire data, in particular the different geometries of the front and rear wheel tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hans-Albert Wagner
  • Patent number: 7434896
    Abstract: A method for brake regulation in a vehicle when driving off on a split-? roadway is provided, in which method the presence of a drive-off procedure on a split-? roadway having a high coefficient of friction side and a low coefficient of friction side is recognized, and as a result, the brake pressure on a driven wheel on the high coefficient of friction side of the vehicle is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Sauter
  • Patent number: 7419455
    Abstract: An apparatus and a process for the prevention of the rollback of a vehicle with a vehicle braking system (18), wherein a braking system (18) comprises a vehicle brake pressure modifying apparatus (20); a device (28, 34, 36) which are enabled to recognize a forward movement of the vehicle, and a brake control apparatus (16), which is connected to the vehicle brake pressure modifying apparatus (20) and the device (28). There is generated in the control apparatus (16) a signal which, upon a standstill of the vehicle, activates a brake and sensor combination (8, 28) which acts upon a transmission (2) of the vehicle, the brake and the sensor combination (8, 28) being supplementary to the brakes of the vehicle brake system (18) and, upon a recognition of a forward motion of the vehicle, the braking fluid pressure in the vehicle brake pressure modifying apparatus (20) is reduced and thus the brake and the sensor combination (8, 28) acting upon the transmission is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Wilhelm Härdtle, Manfred Schwab
  • Patent number: 7399040
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling the braking system of a motor vehicle, in which, in order to prevent the vehicle from rolling away following a braked standstill, a first braking-force value on at least one wheel is built up independently of the driver and is held for a specified limited holding time. According to the present invention, the angle of gradient of the roadway in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is ascertained, and the holding time is a function of the angle of gradient ascertained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Mario Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7340335
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system, including uphill-drive-force control means and constructed to reduce a degree of uneasiness to be given to the vehicle operator during an uphill-road running of a vehicle. The uphill-drive-force control means is arranged to increase a vehicle drive force during the uphill-road running of the vehicle at a given required vehicle output as compared with a vehicle drive force during a level-road running of the vehicle at substantially the same required vehicle output, for obtaining substantially the same value of acceleration of the vehicle during the uphill-road running as that during the level-road running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ichiro Kitaori, Masato Kaigawa, Seiji Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 7338137
    Abstract: The present invention provides driveaway assistance for a motor vehicle having braking equipment which, in the standstill condition of the motor vehicle, automatically or under the control of a vehicle driver summons up braking forces needed for the standstill condition. To assist start-up (driveaway) of the motor vehicle through a reduction of the braking forces generated in the standstill condition, a driveaway request or a vehicle driver is determined when defined conditions, which are to be met for driveaway of the motor vehicle, exist in the standstill condition. Once a driveaway request has been recognized, the operating state of the motor vehicle is checked until an operating condition required for driveaway exists. Once such an operating condition is reached, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a way that its braking forces generated in the standstill condition are reduced to allow driveaway of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Söns, Gregor Poertzgen