System and method for automatically detecting a dragging brake
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsCharles K Evans, John C. Cerone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A monitoring system for a brake assembly of a vehicle may include a temperature sensor disposed proximate to the brake assembly to measure an actual temperature of the brake assembly, a controller operably coupled to the temperature sensor and comprising a thermal model, the controller being configured to determine a predicted temperature of the brake assembly using the thermal model, and a user interface operably coupled to the controller to provide a notification to an operator of the vehicle. The controller may compare the actual temperature to the predicted temperature and may automatically generate the notification responsive to the actual temperature exceeding the predicted temperature by a threshold amount.
Claims20
A monitoring system for a brake assembly of a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a temperature sensor disposed proximate to the brake assembly to measure an actual temperature of the brake assembly;
- a controller operably coupled to the temperature sensor and comprising a thermal model, the controller being configured to determine a predicted temperature of the brake assembly using the thermal model;
- and
- a user interface operably coupled to the controller to provide a notification to an operator of the vehicle,
- wherein the controller compares the actual temperature to the predicted temperature and automatically generates the notification responsive to the actual temperature exceeding the predicted temperature by a threshold amount.
A method of automatically monitoring a brake assembly of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving an actual temperature of the brake assembly from a temperature sensor;
- determining a predicted temperature of the brake assembly via a controller using a thermal model;
- comparing the actual temperature to the predicted temperature;
- and
- automatically generating a notification to an operator via a user interface responsive to the actual temperature exceeding the predicted temperature by a threshold amount.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.