# US 10,245,957 B2 · Smart regenerative braking control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,957 B2 - Document ID: US10245957B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/339,268 - Filed: 2016-10-31 - Published: 2018-03-22 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-16 - Assignees: NIO USA, Inc. - Applicants: NIO USA, Inc. - Inventors: Robert Herb - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245957B2 ## CPC - B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence) - B60L 7/26: Controlling the braking effect - B60L 15/2027: {whilst maintaining constant speed} - B60T 1/10: by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors - B60T 8/1755: Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve (road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02) - B60T 8/245: {Longitudinal vehicle inclination} - B60T 8/58: responsive to speed and another condition or to plural speed conditions - B60L 2240/62: Vehicle position - B60L 2240/64: Road conditions - B60L 2240/68: Traffic data - B60T 2201/02: Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control - B60T 2201/04: Hill descent control - B60T 2270/60: Regenerative braking - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A smart braking system for a vehicle is provided. The smart braking system selectively activates a braking system of the vehicle when the smart braking system detects a scenario in which it is likely that a constant vehicle speed, rather than an increasing vehicle speed, would be desired by a driver. In one example, a driver releases an accelerator while the vehicle is on a decline but the vehicle accelerates anyway. In this instance, the smart braking system records the speed of the vehicle when the accelerator is released and applies the braking system to maintain the speed of the vehicle at the recorded speed while the vehicle is on the decline. The smart braking system stops activating the braking system upon detecting that braking is no longer needed to slow down the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling, via a smart braking system, a speed of a vehicle while a cruise control system of the vehicle is deactivated, comprising: determining, at a first time, that an accelerator of the vehicle is deactivated; recording a travel speed of the vehicle at the first time; determining, at a second time, that the vehicle is accelerating while the accelerator is deactivated; and responsive to determining that the vehicle is accelerating while the accelerator is deactivated, activating a braking system of the vehicle to maintain the speed of the vehicle at the recorded travel speed of the vehicle at the first time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the vehicle is accelerating comprises one of detecting that the vehicle is on a decline or detecting that the vehicle is experiencing more acceleration than a predetermined threshold amount. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein recording the travel speed of the vehicle occurs responsive to determining that the vehicle is accelerating while the accelerator is deactivated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: determining that the vehicle is decelerating while the braking system is deactivated; and responsive to determining that the vehicle is decelerating while the braking system is deactivated, recording a subsequent travel speed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting activation of a switch that toggles the smart braking system off. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method for controlling the speed of the vehicle while the cruise control system of the vehicle is deactivated is performed while the vehicle is in an autonomous mode, and wherein the autonomous mode is a vehicle state where the vehicle navigates through any terrain without human input. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving condition information from an external device, wherein the condition information is used to inform the vehicle about at least one of road conditions or environmental conditions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the condition information received from the external device is pre-stored in a memory of the vehicle or in a memory of an external device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the method for controlling the speed of the vehicle while the cruise control system of the vehicle is deactivated is based on the condition information received, and wherein the condition information comprises a position of roads, a dimension of roads, and/or a grade defining a slope of roads. ### Claim 10 A vehicle controller for controlling, via a smart braking system, a speed of a vehicle while a cruise control system of the vehicle is deactivated, comprising: a memory storing instructions; and a processor that, upon executing the instructions, performs operations comprising: determining, at a first time, that an accelerator of the vehicle is deactivated; recording a travel speed of the vehicle at the first time; determining, at a second time, that the vehicle is accelerating while the accelerator is deactivated; and responsive to determining that the vehicle is accelerating, activating a braking system of the vehicle to maintain the speed of the vehicle at the recorded travel speed of the vehicle at the first time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle controller of claim 10, wherein determining that the vehicle is accelerating comprises one of detecting that the vehicle is on a decline or detecting that the vehicle is experiencing more acceleration than a predetermined threshold amount. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The vehicle controller of claim 10, wherein recording the travel speed of the vehicle occurs responsive to determining that the vehicle is accelerating while the accelerator is deactivated. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The vehicle controller of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise: determining that the vehicle is decelerating while the braking system is deactivated; and responsive to determining that the vehicle is decelerating while the braking system is deactivated, recording a subsequent travel speed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The vehicle controller of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise: detecting activation of a switch that toggles the smart braking system off. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The vehicle controller of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise: the method for controlling the speed of the vehicle while the cruise control system of the vehicle is deactivated is performed while the vehicle is in an autonomous mode, wherein the autonomous mode is a vehicle state where the vehicle navigates through any terrain without human input. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The vehicle controller of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving condition information from an external device, wherein the condition information is used to inform the vehicle about at least one of road conditions or environmental conditions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle controller of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise that the condition information received from the external device is pre-stored in a memory of the vehicle or in a memory of an external device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle controller of claim 16, wherein controlling the speed of the vehicle while the cruise control system of the vehicle is deactivated is based on the condition information received, and wherein the condition information comprises a position of roads, a dimension of roads, and/or a grade defining a slope of roads. ### Claim 19 A vehicle, comprising: a braking system; and a vehicle controller for controlling, via the braking system, a speed of the vehicle while a cruise control system of the vehicle is deactivated, the vehicle controller comprising: a memory storing instructions; and a processor that, upon executing the instructions, performs operations comprising: determining, at a first time, that an accelerator of the vehicle is deactivated; recording a travel speed of the vehicle at the first time; determining, at a second time, that the vehicle is accelerating while the accelerator is deactivated; and responsive to determining that the vehicle is accelerating, activating the braking system to maintain the speed of the vehicle at the current recorded travel speed of the vehicle at the first time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise: determining that the vehicle is decelerating while the braking system is deactivated; and responsive to determining the vehicle is deaccelerating while the braking system is deactivated, recording a subsequent travel speed.