Electronically controllable braking system for ground vehicles and method for operating same

A method for operating an electronically controllable braking system for ground vehicles, comprising the steps of:

• subjecting a hydraulic chamber (4) of a cylinder/piston arrangement (6a, 6b) to hydraulic fluid from a master cylinder (2) upon actuation by a brake pedal (1) in such a manner that friction forces (F.sub.akt) are introduced into a friction element (8) which is coupled with a vehicle wheel;
• sensing at least one parameter of the braking operation via sensors (25, 27) operatively connected to an electronic controller (22);
• determining optimum friction forces (F.sub.opt) based on the at least one parameter of the current braking operation;
• comparing the friction forces (F.sub.opt) determined to be optimum with the friction forces (F.sub.akt) introduced into the friction element (8);
• and
• generating control signals for an actuator (14) if the sensed at least one parameter indicates that the friction forces (F.sub.akt) introduced into the friction element (8) are not in accordance with the friction forces (F.sub.opt) determined to be optimum;
• and
• in response to the generated signals, causing the actuator (14) to act upon a displacement element (12), which is movable for increasing or decreasing the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic chamber (4), in order to increase or decrease, respectively, the friction forces (F.sub.akt) introduced into the friction element (8) in such a manner that the friction forces (F.sub.opt) determined to be optimum are introduced into the friction element (8).