# US 11,305,747 B1 · Control for brake system of vehicle

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- Number: US 11,305,747 B1
- Document ID: US11305747B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/698,855
- Filed: 2019-11-27
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-27
- Assignees: Zoox, Inc.
- Applicants: Zoox, Inc.
- Inventors: Clement Ching-Fai Lee; Collin MacGregor; Aaron Rosekind
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305747B1

## CPC

- B60T 7/22: initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle}
- B60T 13/662: {characterised by specified functions of the control system components}
- B60T 7/18: operated by wayside apparatus
- B60T 13/588: {both fluid and mechanical assistance or drive}
- B60T 15/041: {controlling auxiliary pressure brakes, e.g. parking or emergency brakes (B60T15/048 takes precedence)}
- B60T 2201/022: Collision avoidance systems
- B60T 2201/10: Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
- B60T 2210/32: Vehicle surroundings
- B60T 2270/402: Back-up
- 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

Methods and systems for controlling the parking brakes of a vehicle are provided. The system comprises a first brake unit; a second brake unit; a third brake unit; a fourth brake unit; a first controller powered by a first power source; a second controller powered by a second power source and communicatively coupled to the first controller via a first and second communication link; and a third controller powered by the first power source and communicatively coupled to the first controller via a third communication link and to the second controller via a fourth communication link, wherein the second controller, based at least in part on a signal received from the first controller, operates the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit, and the third controller, based at least in part on the signal received from the first controller, operates the second brake unit and the third brake unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle comprising:
a first brake unit;
a second brake unit;
a third brake unit;
a fourth brake unit;
a first controller powered by a first power source;
a second controller powered by a second power source and communicatively coupled to the first controller via a first and second communication link; and
a third controller powered by the first power source and communicatively coupled to the first controller via a third communication link and to the second controller via a fourth communication link,
wherein:
the second controller, based at least in part on a signal received from the first controller, operates the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit, and
the third controller, based at least in part on the signal received from the first controller, operates the second brake unit and the third brake unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first controller comprises one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, via one or more of the first communication link or the second communication link, a status message indicative of at least one of a state of the second controller or a state of at least one of the first brake unit or the fourth brake unit; and
determining, based at least in part on an amount of time since the status message was received, that the second controller has failed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second controller comprises one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
transmitting, via one or more of the first communication link or the second communication link and based at least in part on an operational status of the second controller, a message indicative of the operational status of the second controller to the first controller; and
transmitting, via the fourth communication link and based at least in part on the operational status of the second controller, the message to the third controller,
wherein the third controller, based at least in part on receiving the message and an operational status of the third controller, transmits the message to the first controller via the third communication link.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The vehicle of claim 3, wherein, based at least in part on a difference in messages received at the first controller via the at least one of the first communication link, the second communication link, or the third communication link, the first controller determines a failure of one or more of the second controller, the third controller, the first communication link, the second communication link, the third communication link, or the fourth communication link.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first controller comprises one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a computing system of the vehicle, a message comprising a request to engage a braking operation;
transmitting, via the first communication link and the second communication link, the message to the second controller; and
transmitting, via the third communication link, the message to the third controller,
wherein the third controller, based at least in part on receiving the message, transmits the message to the second controller and operates the second brake unit and the third brake unit, and
wherein the second controller, based at least in part on receiving the message, operates the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of:
based at least in part on a failure of the second controller, the second brake unit and the third brake unit are engaged;
based at least in part on a failure of the third controller, the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit are engaged; or
based at least in part on failure of the first controller, the first brake unit, the second brake unit, the third brake unit, and the fourth brake unit are engaged.

### Claim 7

A method implemented by a vehicle having a brake system, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a first controller of the vehicle, a command to at least one of a second controller or a third controller of the vehicle to operate the brake system;
operating, using the second controller, a first brake unit and a fourth brake unit of the brake system based at least in part on a status of the first controller; and
operating, using the third controller, a second brake unit and a third brake unit of the brake system based at least in part on the status of the first controller and a status of the second controller.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein:
the second controller is communicatively coupled to the first controller via a first communication link and a second communication link; and
the method further comprises:
receiving at the second controller, via one or more of the first communication link or the second communication link, a status message indicative of a state of the first controller; and
determining, based at least in part on an amount of time since the status message was received, that the first controller has failed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein:
the third controller is communicatively coupled to the first controller via a third communication link and communicatively coupled to the second controller via a fourth communication link; and
the method further comprises:
receiving at the third controller, via the fourth communication link, a message indicative of the status of the second controller; and
transmitting, by the third controller and based at least in part on the message and an operational status of the third controller, the message to the first controller via the third communication link.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
operating the brake system of the vehicle based at least in part on at least one of:
the status of the first controller;
the status of the second controller;
the status of the third controller;
a status of at least one of the first brake unit, the second brake unit, the third brake unit, or the fourth brake unit;
a status of the first communication link;
a status of the second communication link;
a status of the third communication link; or
a status of the fourth communication link.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein operating the brake system of the vehicle further comprises:
receiving at the first controller, from a computing system of the vehicle, a message comprising a request to engage a braking operation;
transmitting, via the first communication link and the second communication link, the message to the second controller; and
transmitting, via the third communication link, the message to the third controller,
wherein the second controller, based at least in part on receiving the message, operates the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit; and
the third controller, based at least in part on receiving the message, transmits the message to the second controller and operates the second brake unit and the third brake unit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein:
the first controller and the third controller are powered by a first power source;
the second controller is powered by a second power source; and
operating the brake system of the vehicle is based at least in part on at least one of a status of the first power source and the second power source.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
determining a status of the first power source; and
based at least in part on a failure associated with the first power source, operating, using the second controller, the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
determining a status of the first power source; and
based at least in part on a failure associated with the second power source, operating, using the third controller, the second brake unit and the third brake unit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein:
operating the brake system of the vehicle further comprises one of:
transmitting the command to at least one of the second controller or the third controller to disengage the first brake unit, the second brake unit, the third brake unit, and the fourth brake unit, allowing the vehicle to move; or
transmitting the command to at least one of the second controller or the third controller to engage at least one of the first brake unit, the second brake unit, the third brake unit, or the fourth brake unit, causing the vehicle to stop.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein operating the brake system of the vehicle further comprises performing at least one of:
based at least in part on a status associated with the first controller, operating the second controller to engage the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit, causing the vehicle to stop; and
operating the third controller to engage the second brake unit and the third brake unit, causing the vehicle to stop; or
based at least in part on a status associated with the second controller, operating the third controller to engage the second brake unit and the third brake unit, causing the vehicle to stop.

### Claim 17

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
transmitting, by a first controller of a vehicle, a command to at least one of a second controller or a third controller of the vehicle to operate a brake system of the vehicle;
operating, using the second controller, a first brake unit and a fourth brake unit of the brake system based at least in part on a status of the first controller; and
operating, using the third controller, a second brake unit and a third brake unit of the brake system based at least in part on the status of the first controller and a status of the second controller.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, the operations further comprising at least one of:
based at least in part on a failure associated with the first controller, operating, using the second controller, the first brake unit and the fourth brake unit; and operating, using the third controller, the second brake unit and the third brake unit; or
based at least in part on a failure associated with the second controller, operating, using the third controller, the second brake unit and the third brake unit.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein:
operating the brake system of the vehicle further comprises one of:
transmitting the command to at least one of the second controller or the third controller to disengage the first brake unit, the second brake unit, the third brake unit, and the fourth brake unit, allowing the vehicle to move; or
transmitting the command to at least one of the second controller or the third controller to engage at least one of the first brake unit, the second brake unit, the third brake unit, or the fourth brake unit, causing the vehicle to stop.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein:
the second controller is communicatively coupled to the first controller via a first communication link and a second communication link;
the third controller is communicatively coupled to the first controller via a third communication link and communicatively coupled to the second controller via a fourth communication link; and
operating the brake system of the vehicle further comprises one of:
receiving at the second controller, via one or more of the first communication link or the second communication link, a status message indicative of a state of the first controller; and determining, based at least in part on an amount of time since the status message was received, that the first controller has failed; or
receiving at the third controller, via the fourth communication link, a message indicative of the status of the second controller, and transmitting, based at least in part on the message and an operational status of the third controller, the message to the first controller via the third communication link.