# US 10,246,096 B2 · Method and system for increasing engine braking > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,096 B2 - Document ID: US10246096B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/443,286 - Filed: 2017-02-27 - Published: 2017-08-31 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-29 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Javier Castellano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246096B2 ## CPC - B60W 30/18136: {Engine braking} - B60T 1/062: {acting on transmission parts} - B60T 8/3215: {Systems characterised by having means acting on components of the drive line, e.g. retarder, clutch or differential gear (B60T8/322 takes precedence)} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 10/10: including control of change-speed gearings - B60W 40/076: Slope angle of the road - B60W 40/1005: {Driving resistance} - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60T 2201/04: Hill descent control - B60W 2510/0666: Engine power - B60W 2510/184: Brake temperature, e.g. of fluid, pads or discs - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2530/10: Weight - B60W 2530/16: Driving resistance - B60W 2552/15: Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction - B60W 2552/25: Road altitude - B60W 2710/1005: Transmission ratio engaged - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - 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 ## Abstract A method of increasing engine braking of an engine for a vehicle, the method including: determining the change in kinetic energy of the vehicle over a period; determining the energy output from a drivetrain of the vehicle over the period; comparing the change in kinetic energy to the energy output; and increasing the engine braking of the vehicle when the change in kinetic energy is greater than the energy output over the period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of increasing engine braking of an engine for a vehicle, the method comprising: determining a change in kinetic energy of the vehicle over a period; determining an energy output from a drivetrain of the vehicle over the period; comparing the change in kinetic energy to the energy output; increasing engine braking of the vehicle when the change in kinetic energy is greater than the energy output over the period; determining an energy input into a brake system of the vehicle; and increasing the engine braking of the vehicle when a temperature of the brake system is greater than a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining an energy required to overcome rolling resistance of the vehicle over the period; comparing the energy output to the energy required to overcome the rolling resistance of the vehicle; and increasing the engine braking of the vehicle when the change in kinetic energy over the period is greater than the energy output from the drivetrain of the vehicle minus the energy required to overcome the rolling resistance of the vehicle over the period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining an energy required to overcome drag of the vehicle over the period; comparing the energy output to the energy required to overcome the drag of the vehicle over the period; and increasing the engine braking of the vehicle when the change in kinetic energy over the period is greater than the energy output from the drivetrain of the vehicle minus the energy required to overcome the drag of the vehicle over the period. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an inclination of the vehicle using one or more sensors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the altitude of the vehicle using one or more sensors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 further comprising corroborating that the vehicle is travelling downhill using one or more of the sensors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising overriding a downshift of a transmission in response to a failure to corroborate that the vehicle is travelling downhill. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an indication to a driver of the vehicle to perform a manual downshift of the transmission when the change in kinetic energy is greater than the energy output over the period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the period is greater than 60 seconds. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an inclination of the vehicle using one or more sensors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the altitude of the vehicle using one or more sensors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising corroborating that the vehicle is travelling downhill using one or more of the sensors. ### Claim 13 A method of increasing powertrain braking comprising: determining a change in kinetic energy of a vehicle over a period; determining an energy output from a powertrain of the vehicle over the period; comparing the change in kinetic energy to the energy output; and increasing powertrain braking of the vehicle, by activating an electric machine of the powertrain, when the change in kinetic energy is greater than the energy output over the period. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein an increase in powertrain braking is caused by a downshift of a transmission of the powertrain. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the transmission is an automatic transmission. ### Claim 16 A system for increasing engine braking of an engine for a vehicle, the system comprising a controller configured to: determine a change in kinetic energy of the vehicle over a period; determine an energy output from a drivetrain of the vehicle over the period; compare the change in kinetic energy to the energy output; increase engine braking of the vehicle when the change in kinetic energy is greater than the energy output over the period; determining an energy input into a brake system of the vehicle; and increasing the engine braking of the vehicle when a temperature of the brake system is greater than a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: determining an energy required to overcome rolling resistance of the vehicle over the period; comparing the energy output to the energy required to overcome the rolling resistance of the vehicle; and increasing the engine braking of the vehicle when the change in kinetic energy over the period is greater than the energy output from the drivetrain of the vehicle minus the energy required to overcome the rolling resistance of the vehicle over the period. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: determining an energy required to overcome drag of the vehicle over the period; comparing the energy output to the energy required to overcome the drag of the vehicle over the period; and increasing the engine braking of the vehicle when the change in kinetic energy over the period is greater than the energy output from the drivetrain of the vehicle minus the energy required to overcome the drag of the vehicle over the period.