# US 8,543,273 B2 · Cruise control with braking activated brake regeneration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,273 B2 - Document ID: US8543273B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/368,562 - Filed: 2012-02-08 - Published: 2013-08-08 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-08 - Assignees: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC - Applicants: David J. Pfefferl - Inventors: David J. Pfefferl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543273B2 ## CPC - B60T 1/10: by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors - B60L 3/12: Recording operating variables {; Monitoring of operating variables} - B60L 7/10: Dynamic electric regenerative braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence) - B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence) - B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC] - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 10/184: with wheel brakes - B60W 10/196: acting within the driveline, e.g. retarders - B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)} - B60W 20/14: in conjunction with braking regeneration - B60W 30/18127: {Regenerative braking} - B60L 2240/62: Vehicle position - B60L 2250/16: by display - B60L 2260/24: Coasting mode - B60L 2260/32: Auto pilot mode - B60T 2201/02: Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control - B60T 2270/604: Merging friction therewith; Adjusting their repartition - B60W 30/16: Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle - B60W 50/16: Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal - B60W 2510/244: Charge state - B60W 2554/801: Lateral distance - B60W 2554/804: Relative longitudinal speed - B60Y 2300/89: Repartition of braking force, e.g. friction braking versus regenerative braking - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A controller unit facilitates determining that a fast approaching forward vehicle has breached a fast approach threshold and may initiate brake regeneration to slow a commercial hybrid host vehicle in which the controller is employed. The controller determines whether there is capacity in the state of charge (SOC) of a high voltage battery to permit brake regeneration, and/or determines whether there is capacity in on board air tanks to permit a compressor motor to compress air, thereby drawing charge from the battery to create brake regeneration capacity. When battery SOC is below a predetermined threshold and a fast approaching vehicle breaches a fast approach threshold, the controller sends a brake regeneration command to a traction motor to act as a generator to supply charge to the battery, which in turn slows the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller unit that facilitates mitigating hard braking applications and extending a brake regeneration period in a commercial hybrid host vehicle upon detection of a fast approaching forward vehicle, comprising: a memory that stores computer-executable instructions for extending a brake regeneration period in a commercial hybrid vehicle upon detection of the fast approaching forward vehicle; a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising: receiving an indication of the detected fast-approaching forward vehicle; determining that the fast approaching vehicle has breached at a predetermined fast approach threshold; initiating brake regeneration-adjusted compressor control; determining whether brake regeneration capacity is available; and sending a brake regeneration command to a traction motor to initiate brake regeneration to slow the host vehicle prior to initiation of friction braking if brake regeneration capacity is available; when brake regeneration is not available, comparing a measured air tank pressure in an onboard electric air charging system to a cut-out air pressure threshold; determining that the cut-out air pressure threshold has been exceeded; determining that the cut-out pressure threshold is at a nominal operating threshold value; increasing the cut-out air pressure threshold by a predetermined amount; and reevaluating whether brake regeneration is available. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller unit according to claim 1, wherein the indication of the fast approaching vehicle is received from an adaptive cruise control (ACC) unit that detects and monitors at least one forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The controller unit according to claim 2, wherein the ACC unit is an adaptive cruise with braking (ACB) unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The controller unit according to claim 1, the instructions further comprising: when the measured air tank pressure is less than the cut-out air pressure threshold: verifying that a cut-in pressure threshold has not previously been increased; and setting a cut-in pressure threshold to be 1 psig or less above the measured air tank pressure in order to cause an onboard air compressor motor to begin to compress air and draw charge from a high-voltage battery on the host vehicle to create capacity for brake regeneration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The controller unit according to claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise: providing haptic feedback to a driver of the host vehicle, thereby providing an alert that brake regeneration is being performed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The controller unit according to claim 1, the instructions further comprising, when determining whether brake regeneration is available: comparing a measured state of charge (SOC) of a high voltage battery on the host vehicle to a predetermined SOC threshold; sending the brake regeneration command to the traction motor when the measured SOC is less than the predetermined SOC threshold; and refraining from sending the brake regeneration command to the traction motor when the measured SOC is equal to or greater than the predetermined SOC threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The controller unit according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined SOC threshold is approximately 70% of a maximum SOC rating for the high voltage battery. ### Claim 8 An apparatus for mitigating hard braking applications and extending a brake regeneration period in a commercial hybrid host vehicle upon detection of a fast approaching forward vehicle, comprising: means for detecting and monitoring at least one forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle; means for performing brake regeneration; means for receiving an indication of the detected fast-approaching forward vehicle; means for determining that the fast approaching vehicle has breached at a predetermined fast approach threshold; means for initiating brake regeneration-adjusted compressor control; means for determining whether brake regeneration capacity is available; and means for sending a brake regeneration command to the means for performing brake regeneration to initiate brake regeneration to slow the host vehicle prior to initiation of friction braking if brake regeneration capacity is available; means for comparing, when brake regeneration is not available, a measured air tank pressure in an onboard electric air charging system to a cut-out air pressure threshold; means for determining that the cut-out air pressure threshold has been exceeded; means for determining that the cut-out pressure threshold is at nominal operating threshold value; means for increasing the cut-out air pressure threshold by a predetermined amount; and means for reevaluating whether brake regeneration is available.