A method for estimating, by using friction maps, a braking torque of a braking system and/or pressure to be applied to a braking system

A method for estimating a braking torque of a braking system for vehicles under operating conditions, comprising:

• a) detecting or calculating a first input quantity and a second input quantity which are representative of operating conditions of the braking system, wherein the first detected or calculated input quantity comprises a temperature of a brake disc of the braking system, and the second detected or calculated input quantity comprises a quantity depending on a pressure of the braking system or on a contact pressure between friction surfaces of the braking system;
• b) determining, based on said detected or calculated first input quantity and second input quantity, a braking friction coefficient representative of the braking friction or efficiency expected under the conditions defined by the detected or calculated values of said first input quantity and second input quantity,
• wherein said determining step b) is carried out by consulting, by means of electronic processing, a predefined friction map, or a corresponding predefined friction map table, which are digitally stored;
• c) estimating the braking torque based on said determined braking friction coefficient and on geometric and/or structural and/or operating parameters of the braking system.

A method for estimating an actuation pressure to be applied to a braking system of a vehicle to obtain a target braking torque value, wherein the method comprises:

• A) detecting or calculating a first input quantity and a second input quantity, wherein the first detected or calculated input quantity comprises a temperature of a brake disc of the braking system, and the second detected or calculated input quantity comprises a quantity depending on the desired target braking torque;
• B) calculating, based on said first input quantity and second input quantity, based on a first braking friction coefficient test value, and based on geometric and/or structural and/or operating parameters of the braking system, an estimated actuation pressure value;
• C) determining, based on said temperature of a brake disc of the braking system and said estimated actuation pressure value, a second braking friction coefficient value, wherein said determining step is carried out consulting, by means of electronic processing, a predefined friction map or a corresponding predefined friction map table, digitally stored;
• D) calculating the estimated braking torque value based on said second braking friction coefficient value and on geometric and/or structural and/or operating parameters of the braking system;
• E) comparing the estimated braking torque value with the target braking torque value;
• F) if the difference between the estimated braking torque value and the target braking torque value is less than a predetermined threshold, said estimated actuation pressure value calculated in step B) is considered as the actuation pressure to be applied to the braking system of a vehicle;
• if the difference between the estimated braking torque value and the target braking torque value is greater than said predetermined threshold, said steps B), C), D) are iterated until the difference between the estimated braking torque value and the target braking torque value becomes less than said predetermined threshold, and the estimated actuation pressure value, calculated in step B) of the last iteration, is considered as the actuation pressure to be applied to the braking system of a vehicle.