Method and EBS control unit for controlling brake-application energy of a vehicle combination

An electronically controlled brake system control unit for a tractor vehicle of a vehicle combination including a trailer vehicle, the electronically controlled brake system control unit being configured to record a brake command signal and wheel speed signals associated with at least one front axle and one rear axle of the tractor vehicle and to output brake control signals to wheel brakes, the electronically controlled brake system control unit comprising at least one of (i) internal memory and (ii) external memory connected to the electronically controlled brake system control unit via a signal interface, for storing dependencies of brake-application energy levels of the tractor and trailer vehicles on at least one of a brake-application energy reference value and on an axle load distribution, wherein the electronically controlled brake system control unit is further configured to, in the event of a brake actuation:

• determine a deceleration setpoint value;
• compare the deceleration setpoint value to an actual deceleration value to obtain a current brake-application energy reference value;
• determine brake-application energy setpoint values for the tractor vehicle and for the trailer vehicle from the deceleration setpoint value, the current brake-application energy reference value, the brake-application energy level for the tractor vehicle and the brake-application energy level for the trailer vehicle using stored characteristic maps showing dependencies of the brake-application energy levels of the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle on at least one of the current brake-application energy reference value and on the axle load distribution of the tractor vehicle, the characteristic maps being selected as a function of a pre-definable coupling force control factor establishing a distribution of braking work between the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle;
• monitor functional capability of an electronically controlled brake system of the tractor vehicle resulting in a status signal;
• and
• set a coupling force control factor as a function of the status signal such that, when the functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system of the tractor vehicle is one of absent and impaired, a minimal coupling force control factor is set, and the coupling force control factor is set one of greater than and equal to the minimal coupling force control factor, wherein the minimal coupling force control factor is not equal to zero.

A vehicle combination, comprising a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the tractor vehicle including an electronically controlled brake system control unit configured to record a brake command signal and wheel speed signals associated with at least one front axle and one rear axle of the tractor vehicle and to output brake control signals to wheel brakes, the electronically controlled brake system control unit comprising at least one of (i) internal memory and (ii) external memory connected to the electronically controlled brake system control unit via a signal interface, for storing dependencies of brake-application energy levels of the tractor and trailer vehicles on at least one of a brake-application energy reference value and on an axle load distribution, wherein the electronically controlled brake system control unit is further configured to, in the event of a brake actuation:

• determine a deceleration setpoint value;
• compare the deceleration setpoint value to an actual deceleration value to obtain a current brake-application energy reference value;
• determine brake-application energy setpoint values for the tractor vehicle and for the trailer vehicle from the deceleration setpoint value, the current brake-application energy reference value, the brake-application energy level for the tractor vehicle and the brake-application energy level for the trailer vehicle using stored characteristic maps showing dependencies of the brake-application energy levels of the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle on at least one of the current brake-application energy reference value and on the axle load distribution of the tractor vehicle, the characteristic maps being selected as a function of a pre-definable coupling force control factor establishing a distribution of braking work between the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle;
• monitor functional capability of an electronically controlled brake system of the tractor vehicle resulting in a status signal;
• and
• set a coupling force control factor as a function of the status signal such that, when the functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system of the tractor vehicle is one of absent and impaired, a minimal coupling force control factor is set, and the coupling force control factor is set one of greater than and equal to the minimal coupling force control factor, wherein the minimal coupling force control factor is not equal to zero.