Fault-tolerant redundant by-wire brake system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776607-B2
Application number	US-201615006420-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2016
Priority date	Jan 28, 2015
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A brake system for a motor vehicle comprises a first brake set and second brake set. A first hydraulic brake circuit is connected to the first brake set and a second hydraulic brake circuit is connected to the second brake set. Further, a first control module is coupled to the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit. The first control module is configured to control fluid pressure within both the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit. A second control module is also coupled to the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit. The second control module is configured to control fluid pressure within both the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit independent of the first control module. The first control module is disposed in series with the second control module in the first and the second hydraulic brake circuits. Additionally, a virtual driver sends a deceleration request to the first control module and the second control module. The first control module and the second control module determine a desired pressure based upon the deceleration request. The first brake control module controls fluid pressure within both the first and the second hydraulic brake circuits to perform the deceleration request. The second control module monitors pressure downstream from the first control module and compares the monitored pressure to the desired pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brake system for a motor vehicle comprising:
a first brake set and second brake set;
a first hydraulic brake circuit connected to the first brake set;
a second hydraulic brake circuit hydraulically connected in series with the second brake set;
a first control module coupled to the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit, wherein the first control module is configured to control fluid pressure within both the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit; and
a second control module coupled to the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit, wherein the second control module is configured to control fluid pressure within both the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit independent of the first control module, wherein the first control module is disposed in series with the second control module in the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit;
a virtual driver, wherein the virtual driver sends a deceleration request to the first control module and the second control module, and wherein the first control module and the second control module determine a desired pressure based upon the deceleration request;
wherein the first brake control module controls fluid pressure within both the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit to perform the deceleration request; and
wherein the second control module monitors pressure downstream from the first control module and compares the monitored pressure to the desired pressure.

2. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second brake control module controls fluid pressure within both the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit to perform the deceleration request when the difference in the desired pressure and the monitored pressure is above a predetermined threshold.

3. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 2 , wherein the second brake control module informs the virtual driver when one of: the pressure difference is above the predetermined threshold, and the second brake control module detects a loss of redundancy with the first brake control module.

4. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , each of the first brake set and the second brake set comprise a plurality of wheel brakes and wherein at least one of the wheel brakes includes an integrated parking brake electronically coupled to each of the first control module and the second control module such that the integrated parking brake is actuatable by both at least one of: the first control module and the second control module.

5. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the first control module and the second control module include separate power and data inputs.

6. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second brake control module further monitors data from at least one of: longitudinal sensor and a wheel sensor and compares the monitored data to the deceleration request, and wherein the second brake control module controls fluid pressure within the first and the second hydraulic circuit to perform the deceleration request when at least one of: the difference in the deceleration request and the monitored data is above a predetermined threshold, and, and the second brake control module detects a loss of redundancy with the first brake control module.

7. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first control module is disposed in series with the second control module for only one of the first hydraulic brake circuit and the second hydraulic brake circuit.

8. A brake system for a motor vehicle comprising:
a first brake set and second brake set;
a first brake circuit connected to the first brake set;
a second brake circuit connected hydraulically in series with the second brake set;
a first control module coupled to the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit, wherein the first control module is configured to control both the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit; and
a second control module coupled to the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit, wherein the second control module is configured to control both the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit independent of the first control module, wherein the first control module is disposed in series with the second control module in the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit;
a virtual driver, wherein the virtual driver sends a deceleration request to the first control module and the second control module, and wherein the first control module and the second control module determine a desired braking pressure based upon the deceleration request;
wherein the first brake control module controls the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit to perform the deceleration request;
wherein the second control module monitors the performed deceleration from the first control module and compares the performed deceleration to the deceleration request; and
wherein the first control module and the second control module are each one of: a hydraulic control module and an electro-mechanical brake actuator.

9. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second brake control module informs the virtual driver when one of: the difference in the performed deceleration and the deceleration request is above a predetermined threshold, and the second brake control module detects a loss of redundancy with the first brake control module.

10. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , each of the first brake set and the second brake set comprise a plurality of wheel brakes and wherein at least one of the wheel brakes includes an integrated parking brake electronically coupled to each of the first control module and the second control module such that the integrated parking brake is actuatable by both at least one of: the first control module and the second control module.

11. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein each of the first control module and the second control module include separate power and data inputs.

12. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second brake control module further monitors data from at least one of: longitudinal sensor and a wheel sensor and compares the monitored data to the deceleration request, and wherein the second brake control module controls the first and the second circuit to perform the deceleration request when at least one of: the difference in the deceleration request and the monitored data is above a predetermined threshold, and, and the second brake control module detects a loss of redundancy with the first brake control module.

13. The brake system for a motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first control module is disposed in series with the second control module for only one of the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit.

14. A method of operating a vehicle braking system comprising:
configuring a first control module coupled to control both a first brake circuit and a second brake circuit;
configuring a second control module to be hydraulically connected in series with the first control module and configuring the second control module to control both the first brake circuit and the second brake circuit; and
sending a deceleration request from a virtual driver to the first control module and the second control modul

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc

Inventors

• Brenn Martin
• Bauer Geoffrey Burke
• Mcclain Jeremy J

Classifications

• B60T8/4072

  Systems in which a driver input signal is used as a control signal for the additional fluid circuit which is normally used for braking · CPC title

• B60T7/042

  by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors · CPC title

• B60T8/321

  deceleration (B60T8/34, B60T8/52, B60T8/54, B60T8/56, B60T8/58, B60T8/72, B60T8/86, B60T8/88 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60T7/12 Primary

  for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} · CPC title

• B60T13/662

  characterised by specified functions of the control system components · CPC title