Vehicle brake monitoring system
AssigneeHi-Tech Transport Electronics, Inc.
InventorsBernard L. Koenigsberg, Joel E. Hart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle brake monitoring system including processing units receiving signals from each of the several brake stroke sensors mounted on a vehicle. The sensors adapted to generate signal corresponding to stroke movement of the brakes. The system adapted to process the sensor signal, signal from the vehicle's stoplight and a time delay between changes in the stoplight signal and corresponding changes in the sensor signal to determine the current condition of a brake. This determination, whether made on a tractor or trailer, can then appear on the display of the data acquisition unit itself, or through data communications to a display in the vehicle's cab; or on a warning light in the cab if the unit detects a malfunctioning brake.
Claims37
A method for indicating performance condition of a brake associated with a vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving a stoplight signal, the stoplight signal having an on state or an off state;
- receiving a sensor signal corresponding to a stroke movement of the brake, wherein the corresponding sensor signal is divided into multiple zones corresponding to multiple positions of the brake within its stroke movement;
- activating a time out clock adapted to generate a time out signal indicative of a delay interval between corresponding changes in the stoplight signal and the sensor signal;
- processing input data comprising the stoplight signal, the corresponding sensor signal and the time out signal;
- and
- indicating output data indicative of the condition of the brake.
A method for indicating performance condition of a brake associated with a vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving a signal at least indicative of whether a brake pedal associated with the brake has been applied or released;
- receiving a brake stroke sensor signal corresponding to a stroke movement of the brake, wherein the corresponding brake stroke sensor signal is divided into multiple zones corresponding to multiple positions of the brake within its stroke movement;
- activating a time out clock adapted to generate a time out signal indicative of a delay interval between corresponding changes in the brake stroke sensor signal and the signal at least indicative of whether the brake pedal associated with the brake has been applied or released;
- processing input data comprising the signal at least indicative of whether the brake pedal associated with the brake has been applied or released, the corresponding brake stroke sensor signal and the time out signal;
- and
- indicating output data indicative of the condition of the brake.
A vehicle brake monitoring system for monitoring condition of multiple brakes of a vehicle, the multiple brakes associated with a brake pedal, each of the multiple brakes associated with a brake actuator, each of the multiple brakes having a stroke movement, the system comprising:
- a signal generator adapted for generating a signal at least indicative of the brake pedal being applied or released;
- multiple brake stroke sensors correspondingly associated with the multiple brakes and adapted to correspondingly generate brake stroke sensor signals indicating the stroke movement;
- a time out clock adapted to generate a time out signal indicative of a delay interval between corresponding changes in the signal at least indicative of the brake pedal being applied or released and the corresponding brake stroke sensor signal;
- and
- a processing unit, the processing unit being programmed to generate output data indicative of the condition of the multiple brakes by using their corresponding brake stroke sensor signals, the signal at least indicative of the brake pedal being applied or released and the time out signal.
A vehicle brake monitoring system for indicating the performance of a vehicle brake, the system comprising:
- a signal at least indicative of a brake pedal being applied or released;
- a brake stroke sensor for generating a brake stroke sensor signal corresponding to a stroke movement of the brake;
- a time out clock adapted to generate a time out signal indicative of a delay interval between corresponding changes in the signal at least indicative of the brake pedal being applied or released and the brake stroke sensor signal;
- and
- a processor for processing the signal at least indicative of the brake pedal being applied or released, the sensor signal and the time out signal and indicating the performance of the brake.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.