# US 11,897,450 B2 · Transport slope management

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,897,450 B2
- Document ID: US11897450B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/591,525
- Filed: 2022-02-02
- Published: 2023-08-03
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2022-02-02
- Assignees: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
- Applicants: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
- Inventors: Satyajit P. Patne; Edward Allen Cain, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897450B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/02: Control of vehicle driving stability
- B60T 8/171: Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
- B60T 8/17558: {specially adapted for collision avoidance or collision mitigation (road vehicle drive control systems for collision avoidance otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/09)}
- B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems
- B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems
- B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
- B60W 40/076: Slope angle of the road
- B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
- B60T 2210/10: Detection or estimation of road conditions
- B60T 2210/20: Road shapes
- B60T 2210/30: Environment conditions or position therewithin
- B60T 2240/00: Monitoring, detecting wheel/tyre behaviour; counteracting thereof
- B60W 2050/143: {Alarm means}
- B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed
- B60W 2530/20: Tyre data
- B60W 2530/203: Presence of trailer
- B60W 2552/15: Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
- B60W 2555/20: Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
- B60W 2710/18: Braking system
- B60W 2710/20: Steering systems
- 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

An example operation includes one or more of determining, by sensors on a transport, a slope of a road and a surface condition of the road and engaging one or more wheels of the transport, based on the slope, the surface condition, and a characteristic of the one or more wheels. Engaging includes braking to the one or more wheels at a different rate as the transport is moving on the road.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
determining, by sensors on a transport, a slope of a road and a surface condition of the road; and
engaging one or more wheels of the transport, based on the slope, the surface condition, and a characteristic of the one or more wheels;
wherein the engaging comprises braking to the one or more wheels at a different rate as the transport is moving on the road.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
determining the transport continues moving on the road after engaging the one or more wheels of the transport;
determining the transport may make contact with an object if it continues moving on the road; and
engaging additional ones of the one or more wheels to avoid making contact with the object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
determining one or more of road conditions, tire conditions, and weather conditions may cause a hazard to the transport;
determining one or more cargo items of the transport may increase the hazard; and
providing a notification to secure, reposition, or remove the one or more cargo items from the transport.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
determining one or more of road conditions, tire conditions, and weather conditions may create an unsafe condition for a trailer being towed by the transport;
determining a loss of control of the trailer; and
combining engaging the one or more wheels of the transport with engaging a steering wheel of the transport in order to minimize the loss of control.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
determining a need to change the movement of the transport;
applying a plurality of different braking rates to the one or more wheels of the transport;
determining an additional change of movement is needed; and
applying a change in steering to the transport until the needed change in movement is achieved.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
determining a characteristic of one or more cargo items carried by the transport require a change to transport movement based on speed of the transport and one or more of slope and an upcoming road condition;
preplanning a needed reaction of the transport for an upcoming portion of a road; and
applying the needed reaction to one or more of braking and steering before the transport reaches the upcoming portion of the road.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
determining characteristics of one or more cargo items carried by the transport; and
modifying one or more of braking and steering applied to the one or more wheels of the transport in response to the characteristics.

### Claim 8

A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory, coupled to the processor, comprising instructions that when executed by the processor are configured to:
determine, by sensors on a transport, a slope of a road and a surface condition of the road; and
engage one or more tires of the transport, based on the slope, the surface condition, and a characteristic of the one or more wheels;
wherein the transport engages the one or more wheels comprises application of brakes to the one or more wheels at a different rate as the transport moves on the road.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to:
determine the transport continues to move on the road after the transport engages the one or more wheels of the transport;
determine the transport may make contact with an object if it continues to move on the road; and
engage additional ones of the one or more wheels to avoid contact with the object.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to:
determine one or more of road conditions, tire conditions, and weather conditions may cause a hazard to the transport;
determine one or more cargo items of the transport may increase the hazard; and
provide a notification to secure, reposition, or remove the one or more cargo items from the transport.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to:
determine one or more of road conditions, tire conditions, and weather conditions may create an unsafe condition for a trailer that is towed by the transport;
determine a loss of control of the trailer; and
combine the transport engages the one or more wheels of the transport with the transport engages a steering wheel of the transport in order to minimize the loss of control.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to:
determine a need to change the movement of the transport;
apply a plurality of different braking rates to the one or more wheels of the transport;
determine an additional change of movement is needed; and
apply a change in steering to the transport until the needed change in movement is achieved.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to:
determine a characteristic of one or more cargo items carried by the transport require a change to transport movement based on speed of the transport and one or more of slope and a road condition ahead of the transport;
preplan a needed reaction of the transport for a portion of a road ahead of the transport; and
apply the needed reaction to one or more of braking and steering before the transport reaches the portion of the road ahead of the transport.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to:
determine characteristics of one or more cargo items carried by the transport; and
modify one or more of braking and steering applied to the one or more wheels of the transport in response to the characteristics.

### Claim 15

A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform:
determining, by sensors on a transport, a slope of a road and a surface condition of the road; and
engaging one or more tires of the transport, based on the slope, the surface condition, and a characteristic of the one or more wheels;
wherein the engaging comprises braking to the one or more wheels at a different rate as the transport is moving on the road.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform:
determining the transport continues moving on the road after engaging the one or more wheels of the transport;
determining the transport may make contact with an object if it continues moving on the road; and
engaging additional ones of the one or more wheels to avoid making contact with the object.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform:
determining one or more of road conditions, tire conditions, and weather conditions may cause a hazard to the transport;
determining one or more cargo items of the transport may increase the hazard; and
providing a notification to secure, reposition, or remove the one or more cargo items from the transport.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform:
determining one or more of road conditions, tire conditions, and weather conditions may create an unsafe condition for a trailer being towed by the transport;
determining a loss of control of the trailer; and
combining engaging the one or more wheels of the transport with engaging a steering wheel of the transport in order to minimize the loss of control.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform:
determining a need to change the movement of the transport;
applying a plurality of different braking rates to the one or more wheels of the transport;
determining an additional change of movement is needed; and
applying a change in steering to the transport until the needed change in movement is achieved.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform:
determining a characteristic of one or more cargo items carried by the transport require a change to transport movement based on speed of the transport and one or more of slope and an upcoming road condition;
preplanning a needed reaction of the transport for an upcoming portion of a road; and
applying the needed reaction to one or more of braking and steering before the transport reaches the upcoming portion of the road.