US 12,509,040 B2 · System and method for implementing maximum braking pressure in tractor-trailers

Abstract

A method and system for providing maximum trailer braking during a high pressure demand, such as during autonomous emergency braking (AEB), for tractor-trailers is provided. The system can include a brake controller of the trailer that uses only tractor anti-lock brake system (ABS) data from the tractor wheels, without using any trailer ABS information, to estimate the surface friction and generate a high or low pressure command to be sent to the trailer based on only the tractor ABS data. The estimation of surface friction may be accomplished using the ABS information from the tractor and the pressure being demanded to determine a percent reduction of pressure requested by the tractor that may be compared to a threshold percentage to differentiate between high and low mu surfaces in real time.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A brake system in a tractor, the brake system comprising:

a brake controller configured to:
receive a deceleration demand from an automated system of the tractor;
determine a pressure demand for all wheel-ends of the tractor;
when the received deceleration demand is greater than or equal to a deceleration demand threshold or the determined pressure demand is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure demand threshold:
determine a pressure applied at each wheel-end of the tractor;
calculate a pressure reduction percentage at each wheel-end of the tractor;
when a maximum calculated pressure reduction is less than a predetermined pressure reduction threshold:
generate a first control signal to cause delivery of high fluid pressure to wheel brakes of a trailer to the tractor;
and
when the maximum calculated pressure reduction is greater than or equal to the predetermined pressure reduction threshold:
generate a second control signal to cause delivery of low fluid pressure to wheel brakes of the trailer to the tractor.

8 more elements

A method for maximizing braking pressure in tractor-trailers comprising:

in a brake controller of a tractor:
receiving a deceleration demand from an automated system of the tractor;
determining a pressure demand for all wheel-ends of the tractor;
when the received deceleration demand is greater than or equal to a deceleration demand threshold or the determined pressure demand is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure demand threshold:
determining a pressure applied at each wheel-end of the tractor;
calculating a pressure reduction percentage at each wheel-end of the tractor;
when a maximum calculated pressure reduction is less than a predetermined pressure reduction threshold:
generating a first control signal to cause delivery of high fluid pressure to wheel brakes of a trailer to the tractor;
and
when the maximum calculated pressure reduction is greater than or equal to the predetermined pressure reduction threshold:
generating a second control signal to cause delivery of low fluid pressure to wheel brakes of the trailer to the tractor.

8 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising processor executable instructions for maximizing braking pressure in a tractor-trailer brake system, the processor executable instructions comprising instructions for causing a brake controller of a tractor to:

receive a deceleration demand from an automated system of the tractor;
determine a pressure demand for all wheel-ends of the tractor;
when the received deceleration demand is greater than or equal to a deceleration demand threshold or the determined pressure demand is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure demand threshold:
determine a pressure applied at each wheel-end of the tractor;
calculate a pressure reduction percentage at each wheel-end of the tractor;
when a maximum calculated pressure reduction is less than a predetermined pressure reduction threshold:
generate a first control signal to cause delivery of high fluid pressure to wheel brakes of a trailer to the tractor;
and
when the maximum calculated pressure reduction is greater than or equal to the predetermined pressure reduction threshold:
generate a second control signal to cause delivery of low fluid pressure to wheel brakes of the trailer to the tractor.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for implementing maximum braking pressure in tractor-trailers

Life of this patent

System and method for implementing maximum braking pressure in tractor-trailers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20