# US 12,179,727 B2 · Vehicle brake control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,727 B2 - Document ID: US12179727B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/047,042 - Filed: 2022-10-17 - Published: 2024-04-18 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-10-17 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Brendan Francis Diamond; Stuart C. Salter; Kenneth McHugh; Keith Weston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179727B2 ## 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} - B60W 10/188: hydraulic brakes - B60W 30/085: Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping - B60W 2520/04: Vehicle stop - B60W 2554/402: Type - B60W 2710/18: Braking system - 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 - 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 ## Abstract A system for braking a host vehicle. A memory storing instructions executable by a processor includes instructions to actuate friction brakes in the host vehicle when a brake condition occurs. The brake condition includes that the host vehicle is parked on a roadway, a person is located exterior to the host vehicle, and an approaching vehicle will come within a distance threshold of the host vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for braking a host vehicle, the system comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, including instructions to: determine that the host vehicle is parked on a roadway; determine that a person is located exterior to the host vehicle based on first sensor data; predict that an approaching vehicle will come within a distance threshold of the host vehicle based on second sensor data; and actuate friction brakes in the host vehicle when a brake condition occurs, the brake condition including that the host vehicle is parked on the roadway, the person is located exterior to the host vehicle, and the approaching vehicle will come within the distance threshold of the host vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to activate a brake booster coupled to the friction brakes in the host vehicle when the brake condition occurs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further include instructions to deactivate the brake booster when the brake condition no longer occurs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine that the person is proximate a front portion of the host vehicle; and wherein the brake condition includes that the person is proximate the front portion of the host vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine that a user of the host vehicle is located exterior to the host vehicle; and wherein the brake condition includes that the user is located exterior to the host vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to: determine if a front portion of the host vehicle is facing a parked vehicle; and actuate the host vehicle such that the front portion of the host vehicle is not facing the parked vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further include instructions to: determine a distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle based on third sensor data; and move the host vehicle away from the parked vehicle if the distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle is below a threshold separation distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further include instructions to: determine a distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle based on third sensor data; and message a driver of the host vehicle if the distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle is below a threshold separation distance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to apply a negative torque to wheels of the host vehicle upon detecting an impact by the approaching vehicle with the host vehicle. ### Claim 10 A method for braking a host vehicle, the method comprising: determining that the host vehicle is parked on a roadway; determining that a person is located exterior to the host vehicle based on first sensor data; predicting that an approaching vehicle will come within a distance threshold of the host vehicle based on second sensor data; and actuating friction brakes in the host vehicle when a brake condition occurs, the brake condition including that the host vehicle is parked on the roadway, the person is located exterior to the host vehicle, and the approaching vehicle will come within the distance threshold of the host vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising activating a brake booster coupled to the friction brakes in the host vehicle when the brake condition occurs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising deactivating the brake booster when the brake condition no longer occurs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining that the person is proximate a front portion of the host vehicle; and wherein the brake condition includes that the person is proximate the front portion of the host vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining that a user of the host vehicle is located exterior to the host vehicle; and wherein the brake condition includes that the user is located exterior to the host vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining that a front portion of the host vehicle is facing a parked vehicle; and actuating the host vehicle such that the front portion of the host vehicle is not facing the parked vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining a distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle based on third sensor data; and moving the host vehicle away from the parked vehicle when the distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle is below a threshold separation distance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining a distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle based on third sensor data; and messaging a driver of the host vehicle when the distance between the host vehicle and the parked vehicle is below a threshold separation distance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising applying a negative torque to wheels of the host vehicle upon detecting an impact by the approaching vehicle with the host vehicle. ### Claim 19 A computer program product for braking a host vehicle, the computer program product comprising: a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to: determine that the host vehicle is parked on a roadway; determine that a person is located exterior to the host vehicle based on first sensor data; predict that an approaching vehicle will come within a distance threshold of the host vehicle based on second sensor data; and actuate friction brakes in the host vehicle when a brake condition occurs, the brake condition including that the host vehicle is parked on the roadway, the person is located exterior to the host vehicle, and the approaching vehicle will come within the distance threshold of the host vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to activate a brake booster coupled to the friction brakes in the host vehicle when the brake condition occurs.