Brake control unit
AssigneeCequent Electrical Products
InventorsMarcia Albright, Chandrakumar Kulkarni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Towed vehicles can be extremely heavy. Accordingly, it is too much of a burden to the braking system of a towing vehicle to not have brakes on the towed vehicle. Controlling the brakes of the towed vehicle must be accurately applied otherwise very dangerous conditions can be created. A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle is, therefore, needed. The method comprises receiving speed signals based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle, receiving pressure signals based on pressure of a hydraulic brake system of the towing vehicle, and generating a brake output signal based on the speed signals and the pressure signals.
Claims34
A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle, said method comprising:
- receiving a speed signal based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle;
- receiving a pressure signal based on pressure of a hydraulic brake system of said towing vehicle;
- and
- generating a brake output signal based on said speed signal and said pressure signal.
A method for controlling braking of a towed vehicle, said method comprising:
- periodically receiving speed signals based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle;
- providing a brake output signal to brakes of said towed vehicle;
- estimating towing conditions of said towed vehicle based on changes in said received speed signals attributable to said brake output signal;
- and
- modifying said brake output signal based on said estimated towing conditions to compensate for variations in said brakes of said towed vehicle.
A method for controlling braking of a towed vehicle, said method comprising:
- periodically receiving speed signals based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle;
- increasing power supplied by a brake output signal to brakes of said towed vehicle until a preset threshold deceleration is achieved for said towed vehicle;
- determining reduction in said speed signals over a fixed time period;
- determining a braking power at which said preset threshold deceleration is achieved;
- and
- determining characteristics of said towed vehicle based on said reduction in said speed.
A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle comprising:
- receiving speed signals based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle;
- generating a brake output signal based on said received speed signals, said brake output signal being capable of being sent to brakes of said towed vehicle;
- determining actual deceleration of said towed vehicle attributable to said brake output signal;
- and
- determining characteristics of said towed vehicle based upon said actual deceleration of said towed vehicle.
A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle, said method comprising:
- periodically receiving speed signals based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle;
- estimating a gain setting of said towed vehicle based on said speed signals;
- and
- determining a maximum braking power before wheels of said towed vehicle lock up under prevailing conditions of said towed vehicle based on said estimated gain setting.
A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle, said method comprising:
- determining deceleration of at least one of a towed vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle;
- determining characteristics of said towed vehicle based upon said deceleration of said towed vehicle;
- and
- modulating a brake output signal to periodically release and engage brakes of said towed vehicle, wherein said brake output signal is based on said characteristics of said towed vehicle.
A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle, said method comprising:
- determining acceleration of a towed vehicle perpendicular to direction of travel of said towed vehicle;
- and
- modulating a brake output signal to periodically release and engage brakes of said towed vehicle based on said perpendicular acceleration.
A method for controlling braking of a towed vehicle, said method comprising:
- receiving a deceleration signal based on deceleration of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle;
- increasing power supplied by a brake output signal to brakes of said towed vehicle until a preset threshold deceleration is achieved for said towed vehicle;
- determining a braking power at which said preset threshold deceleration is achieved;
- and
- determining characteristics of said towed vehicle based on said deceleration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.