Electromechanical braking systems and methods with power demand control

A method for limiting peak power demand of a controller for an electromechanical brake actuator having a motor, the electromechanical brake actuator operative to apply a braking force to brake a wheel of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• limiting, by the controller, a velocity command to a limited velocity command in response to a measured braking force signal output, the limited velocity command having a positive velocity limit boundary defined between a positive maximum velocity limit setpoint and a positive minimum velocity limit setpoint and a negative velocity limit boundary defined between a negative maximum velocity limit setpoint and a negative minimum velocity setpoint;
• limiting, by the controller, a current command to a limited current command in response to the measured braking force signal output, the limited current command having a positive current limit boundary defined between a positive maximum current limit setpoint and a positive minimum current limit setpoint and a negative current limit boundary defined between a negative maximum current limit setpoint and a negative minimum current limit setpoint;
• and
• outputting, by the controller, a motor drive signal to the motor in accordance with the limited current command.

A system for limiting peak power demand of a controller for an electromechanical brake actuator having a motor that is driven in response to a motor drive signal generated by the controller, the electromechanical brake actuator operative to apply a braking force to brake a wheel of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a force sensor of the electromechanical brake actuator and configured to detect a measured braking force, wherein an output of the force sensor is fed back to the controller as a force feedback signal;
• a position/velocity sensor of the electromechanical brake actuator and configured to detect a measured velocity, an output of the position/velocity sensor comprising a measured velocity signal output;
• a current sensor of the electromechanical brake actuator and configured to detect a measured current, an output of the current sensor comprising a measured current signal output;
• the controller configured to reduce peak power demand based on the force feedback signal from the force sensor, the controller comprising:
• a velocity limiter for limiting a velocity command to a limited velocity command in response to the measured braking force, the limited velocity command having a positive velocity limit boundary defined between a positive maximum velocity limit setpoint and a positive minimum velocity limit setpoint and a negative velocity limit boundary defined between a negative maximum velocity limit setpoint and a negative minimum velocity limit setpoint;
• and
• a current limiter for limiting a current command to a limited current command in response to the measured braking force signal output, the limited current command having a positive current limit boundary defined between a position maximum current limit setpoint and a positive minimum current limit setpoint and a negative current boundary defined between a negative maximum current limit setpoint and a negative minimum current limit setpoint.