Coordinated brake control of wheels on a common differential

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and an electric motor for powering two wheels. The wheels are separated by a common differential. A controller is provided to execute certain commands related to the braking of the vehicle. During braking of the two wheels, one wheel exceeds its slip limit, causing the wheel speed of that wheel to drop and pull-down as the wheel catches the ground. In response to the one wheel pulling-down, the controller commands a reduction of brake actuation force on the pulled-down wheel, and also commands a reduction of a rate of increase of the brake actuation force on the non-pulled-down wheel. Simultaneous pull-down or pull-up of the wheels is thereby inhibited as brake actuation forces on each wheel are continued to be controlled in response to the other wheel's activity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.