# US 12,600,242 B2 · Computer-implemented method of controlling future braking capacity of a vehicle travelling along a road > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,242 B2 - Document ID: US12600242B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/478,356 - Filed: 2023-09-29 - Published: 2024-04-18 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-10-17 - Assignees: Volvo Truck Corporation - Applicants: Volvo Truck Corporation - Inventors: Oscar Stjernberg; Martin Wilhelmsson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600242B2 ## CPC - B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence) - B60L 15/2018: {for braking on a slope} - B60L 7/22: Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking - B60L 7/24: with additional mechanical or electromagnetic braking - B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) - B60L 58/10: for monitoring or controlling batteries - B60L 58/15: Preventing overcharging - B60L 2200/18: Buses - B60L 2200/36: Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks - 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 ## Abstract A computer-implemented method of controlling future braking capacity of a vehicle travelling along a road, the vehicle having onboard batteries that are configured to absorb energy from regenerative braking. The method comprises acquiring prediction data indicative of how much braking capacity will be needed for the vehicle in an upcoming downhill slope in which a regenerative braking event is anticipated; controlling, based on the acquired prediction data, the application of resistor brakes of the vehicle before said upcoming downhill slope, thereby increasing the propulsion power needed to propel the vehicle at maintained speed, and controlling a traction motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is propelled at maintained speed while the resistor brakes are applied, thereby reducing the state of charge (SOC) of the onboard batteries and enabling the onboard batteries to subsequently absorb energy from said anticipated regenerative braking event. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of controlling future braking capacity of a vehicle travelling along a road, the vehicle having onboard batteries that are configured to absorb energy from regenerative braking, the method comprising: acquiring, by a processor device of a computer system, prediction data indicative of how much braking capacity will be needed for the vehicle to maintain its speed in an upcoming downhill slope in which a regenerative braking event is anticipated; controlling, by the processor device, based on the acquired prediction data, the application of resistor brakes of the vehicle before said upcoming downhill slope, thereby increasing the propulsion power needed to propel the vehicle at maintained speed; and controlling, by the processor device, a traction motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is propelled at maintained speed while the resistor brakes are applied, thereby reducing the state of charge (SOC) of the onboard batteries and enabling the onboard batteries to subsequently absorb energy from said anticipated regenerative braking event. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A computer system comprising the processor device configured to perform the method of claim 1. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the processor device, a target SOC of the onboard batteries based on the acquired prediction data; and stopping, by the processor device, said application of resistor brakes when said target SOC has been reached for the onboard batteries. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the acquired prediction data comprises a value of an expected amount of energy that the onboard batteries would absorb during the anticipated regenerative braking event in the upcoming downhill slope assuming unlimited battery capacity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the acquired prediction data comprises an expected future reduction in SOC due to an uphill climb before said upcoming downhill slope, assuming the applying of the resistor brakes has been stopped. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising determining, by the processor device, based on said determined target SOC, at least one of the following parameters: a point in time for starting said application of resistor brakes; a location along the road for starting said application of resistor brakes; and a value of braking power, energy or torque to be applied by said resistor brakes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said determining of the at least one parameter comprises: determining, by the processor device, the current speed of the vehicle; and based on the determined current speed of the vehicle, determining, by the processor device, the at least one parameter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said determining of the at least one parameter comprises: determining, by the processor device, the current state of charge of the vehicle; and based on the determined current state of charge, determining, by the processor device, the at least one parameter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said determining of the at least one parameter comprises: accessing, by the processor device, stored historical control data representing previous control actions by the processor device; and based on said stored historical control data, determining, by the processor device, the at least one parameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said prediction data comprises information about the topography of an upcoming road segment which comprises said upcoming downhill slope, wherein said information about the topography comprises information such as a length and/or an inclination of said upcoming downhill slope. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in said prediction data, said braking capacity that will be needed for the vehicle in the downhill slope includes, assuming SOC is expected to reach 100% due to the anticipated regenerative braking event in the downhill slope: an expected value of a brake torque, power or energy to be applied by mechanical brakes of the vehicle in the downhill slope following said anticipated regenerative braking event; and/or an expected value of energy to be dumped into the resistor brakes following said anticipated regenerative braking event. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a hybrid vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A vehicle comprising the processor device to perform the method of claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processor device, the method of claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A control system comprising one or more control units configured to perform the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor device, cause the processor device to perform the method of claim 1.