Trailer brake temperature estimation
AssigneeAGCO International GmbH
InventorsPhilipp Kirmaier, Manuel Abel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method are provided for brake temperature estimation of a trailer. The incline of the surface along which the trailer is being towed is sensed, as well as a brake line pressure to the trailer and the speed. A braking count is derived from braking time periods and a downhill count is derived from downhill driving time periods. An indicator of the brake temperature is then based on the braking count and the downhill count.
Claims17
A system for brake temperature estimation of a vehicle towed trailer, comprising:
- a sensor configured to sense an incline of a surface along which the trailer is being towed;
- a pressure sensor configured to sense a brake line pressure to the trailer;
- a vehicle speed sensor configured to sense a speed at which the trailer is being towed;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- receive pressure data from the pressure sensor;
- responsive to receiving pressure data indicating that the brake line pressure exceeds a pressure threshold, determine that braking is taking place;
- maintain a braking count relating to braking time periods by incrementing the braking count by a first amount for time periods in which the velocity exceeds a velocity threshold and the brake line pressure exceeds the pressure threshold and otherwise decreasing the braking count by a second amount;
- receive inclination data from the sensor;
- responsive to receiving inclination data indicating that the incline is below an incline threshold, determine that downhill driving is taking place and maintain a downhill count of downhill driving time periods;
- based on the brake count and the downhill count, determine an indicator of the brake temperature;
- and
- cause brake temperature information to be displayed upon a display of the towing vehicle.
A method of brake temperature estimation of a trailer, comprising:
- receiving a sensed incline of a surface along which the trailer is being towed by a towing vehicle;
- receiving a sensed brake line pressure to the trailer;
- receiving a sensed speed at which the trailer is being towed;
- responsive to the sensed brake line pressure exceeding a pressure threshold, determining that breaking is taking place;
- maintaining a braking count relating to braking time periods by incrementing the braking count by a first amount for time periods when the velocity exceeds a velocity threshold and the brake line pressure exceeds the pressure threshold and otherwise decreasing the braking count by a second amount;
- responsive to the sensed incline being below an incline threshold, determining that downhill driving is taking place and maintaining a downhill count of downhill driving time periods;
- based on the braking count and the downhill count, determining an indicator of the brake temperature;
- and
- causing brake temperature information to be displayed upon a display of the towing vehicle.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processer-executable instructions that when executed are configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- receiving a sensed incline of a surface along which a trailer is being towed by a towing vehicle;
- receiving a sensed brake line pressure to the trailer;
- receiving a sensed speed at which the trailer is being towed;
- responsive to the sensed brake line pressure exceeding a pressure threshold, determining that breaking is taking place;
- maintaining a braking count relating to braking time periods by incrementing the braking count by a first amount for time periods when the velocity exceeds a velocity threshold and the brake line pressure exceeds the pressure threshold and otherwise decreasing the braking count by a second amount;
- responsive to the sensed incline being below an incline threshold, determining that downhill driving is taking place and maintaining a downhill count of downhill driving time periods;
- based on the braking count and the downhill count, determining an indicator of the brake temperature;
- and
- causing brake temperature information to be displayed upon a display of the towing vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.