Brake control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9387841-B2
Application number	US-201113825319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2011
Priority date	Sep 20, 2010
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. 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 comprising: 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 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,
wherein the brake control means is arranged to control the brake actuation means such that the braking effort being supplied by the brake actuation means is supplied for a predetermined time limit following the detection of the selection of the drive gear.

2. The brake control system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to ensure that, when the vehicle is braked to a halt, the brake actuation means supplies a braking effort to prevent movement of the vehicle in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected gear.

3. The brake control system of claim 2 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to ensure the braking effort for a predetermined time limit after the vehicle is braked to a halt.

4. The brake control system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to end the braking effort if a parking brake of the vehicle is applied and/or when a door of the vehicle is opened.

5. The brake control system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to ensure that the brake actuation means supplies a braking effort when the vehicle moves at a speed in excess of a predetermined speed limit in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected gear.

6. The brake control system of claim 5 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to detect the gradient of the vehicle and wherein the speed limit is predetermined dynamically in an inverse relationship with the detected gradient.

7. The brake control system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to ensure that the brake actuation means supplies a braking effort when the vehicle moves at an acceleration in excess of a predetermined acceleration limit in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected gear.

8. The brake control system of claim 7 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to detect the gradient of the vehicle and wherein the acceleration limit is predetermined dynamically in an inverse relationship with the detected gradient.

9. The brake control system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to detect the application of drive torque by the selected gear and to release the braking effort supplied by the brake actuation means when the detected drive torque exceeds a predetermined level.

10. The brake control system of claim 1 , having activated and deactivated states.

11. The brake control system of claim 10 wherein the activation state of the system is independent from the activation state of a drive engine of the vehicle.

12. The brake control system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control means is arranged to detect the gradient of the vehicle and to cause the brake actuation means to supply a braking effort to limit movement of the vehicle in a downhill direction.

13. A vehicle having the system of claim 1 .

14. 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 comprising: 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 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,
wherein the brake control means is arranged to control the brake actuation means such that the braking effort being supplied by the brake actuation means is supplied for a predetermined time limit following the detection of the selection of the drive gear,
and further wherein brake control means is arranged to detect the application of drive torque by the selected gear and to extend the predetermined time limit if the applied drive torque is below a predetermined level.

15. A method for controlling the brakes of a motor vehicle the method comprising:
detecting the selection of a vehicle drive gear having an associated intended direction of movement of the vehicle; detecting a driver brake input, and limiting a movement of the vehicle in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected drive gear by supplying a braking effort to supplement the driver brake input; and
supplying the braking effort for a predetermined time limit following the detection of the selection of the drive gear.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising, when the vehicle is braked to a halt, supplying the braking effort to prevent movement of the vehicle in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected gear.

17. The method of claim 15 comprising supplying the braking effort when the vehicle moves at a speed or acceleration in excess of a predetermined speed or acceleration limit in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected gear.

18. A vehicle adapted to use the method of claim 15 .

Assignees

• Beever Paul
• Cassell Theodor
• Cook Richard
• Reynolds Timothy
• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Beever Paul
• Cassell Theodor
• Cook Richard
• Reynolds Timothy

Classifications

• B60T2230/08

  Driving in reverse · CPC title

• B60T7/122 Primary

  for locking of reverse movement · CPC title

• B60T2260/04

  Automatic transmission · CPC title

• B60T2201/06

  Hill holder; Start aid systems on inclined road · CPC title

• B60T8/171 Primary

  Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation · CPC title