# US 12,179,634 B2 · Vehicle control method and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,634 B2 - Document ID: US12179634B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/073,132 - Filed: 2022-12-01 - Published: 2023-06-08 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-02 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Advics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Advics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Nozomu Maruhashi; Yuichi Shimizu; Toshiki Hara; Yoshitaka Fujita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179634B2 ## CPC - B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence) - B60K 17/356: having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels - B60L 7/26: Controlling the braking effect - B60T 1/10: by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors - B60T 7/12: for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} - B60T 8/26: characterised by producing differential braking between front and rear wheels {(using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17)} - B60T 13/586: {the retarders being of the electric type} - B60T 13/662: {characterised by specified functions of the control system components} - F16D 61/00: Brakes with means for making the energy absorbed available for use (F16D57/00 takes precedence) - B60T 2270/604: Merging friction therewith; Adjusting their repartition - 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 - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN 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 - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES ## Abstract A vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a brake device and an electronic control unit. The brake device is configured to change a front-rear distribution ratio of braking force with respect to front and rear wheels. The electronic control unit is configured to: control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with a fixed distribution characteristic in which the front-rear distribution ratio is constant regardless of deceleration of the vehicle in at least a part of a first range being a required deceleration range lower than a lower limit value of the deceleration perceivable by a person in the vehicle; and control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is biased toward the rear wheel than that in the fixed distribution characteristic in a second range in which the deceleration is higher than that in the first range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a vehicle including a brake device configured to change a front-rear distribution ratio of braking force with respect to front and rear wheels, the method comprising: controlling the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with a fixed distribution characteristic in which the front-rear distribution ratio is constant regardless of deceleration of the vehicle in at least a part of a first range being a required deceleration range lower than a lower limit value of the deceleration perceivable by a person in the vehicle; and controlling the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is biased toward the rear wheel than that in the fixed distribution characteristic in a second range in which the deceleration is higher than that in the first range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with the fixed distribution characteristic in a third range in which the deceleration is higher than that in the second range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a front wheel electric motor configured to drive the front wheel via a front wheel drive shaft, and a rear wheel electric motor configured to drive the rear wheel via a rear wheel drive shaft, and the brake device includes a regenerative brake device configured to control front wheel regenerative braking force applied to the front wheel using the front wheel electric motor, and rear wheel regenerative braking force applied to the rear wheel using the rear wheel electric motor, the method further comprising controlling the brake device such that, in at least a part of a required deceleration range higher than the first range, a first ratio of the front wheel regenerative braking force to front wheel braking force is higher than that in the first range and a second ratio of the rear wheel regenerative braking force to rear wheel braking force is lower than that in the first range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the second ratio is equal to a value obtained by subtracting the first ratio from 1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is configured to be switchable between a manual driving mode and an automated driving mode, the method further comprising: in the manual driving mode, controlling the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range; and in the automated driving mode, controlling the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is biased toward the rear wheel than that in the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising: when comfort of a passenger in a rear seat of the vehicle is not prioritized, controlling the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range; and when the comfort is prioritized, controlling the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is biased toward the rear wheel than that in the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range. ### Claim 7 A vehicle, comprising: a brake device configured to change a front-rear distribution ratio of braking force with respect to front and rear wheels; and an electronic controller configured to: control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with a fixed distribution characteristic in which the front-rear distribution ratio is constant regardless of deceleration of the vehicle in at least a part of a first range being a required deceleration range lower than a lower limit value of the deceleration perceivable by a person in the vehicle; and control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is biased toward the rear wheel than that in the fixed distribution characteristic in a second range in which the deceleration is higher than that in the first range. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the electronic controller is configured to control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with the fixed distribution characteristic in a third range in which the deceleration is higher than that in the second range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising: a front wheel electric motor configured to drive the front wheel via a front wheel drive shaft; and a rear wheel electric motor configured to drive the rear wheel via a rear wheel drive shaft, wherein the brake device includes a regenerative brake device configured to control front wheel regenerative braking force applied to the front wheel using the front wheel electric motor, and rear wheel regenerative braking force applied to the rear wheel using the rear wheel electric motor, and the electronic controller is configured to control the brake device such that, in at least a part of a required deceleration range higher than the first range, a first ratio of the front wheel regenerative braking force to front wheel braking force is higher than that in the first range and a second ratio of the rear wheel regenerative braking force to rear wheel braking force is lower than that in the first range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the second ratio is equal to a value obtained by subtracting the first ratio from 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle is configured to be switchable between a manual driving mode and an automated driving mode, and the electronic controller is configured to: in the manual driving mode, control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range; and in the automated driving mode, control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is biased toward the rear wheel than that in the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the electronic controller is configured to: when comfort of a passenger in a rear seat of the vehicle is not prioritized, control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is in accordance with the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range; and when the comfort is prioritized, control the brake device such that the front-rear distribution ratio is biased toward the rear wheel than that in the fixed distribution characteristic in the at least a part of the first range.