By-wire fallback braking mode for brake-by-wire systems in vehicles
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDale Scott Crombez, Timothy Jurkiw, Jerry Wayne Seal, II, Jinkoo Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle includes a brake-by-wire system that delivers a certain amount of brake fluid pressure to wheel brakes depending upon the position of a brake pedal. A brake-by-wire fallback or backup mode of operation is also provided. When activated, this by-wire fallback mode commands a certain, known magnitude of brake pressure. The commanded amount of brake pressure can vary based on the state of a brake pedal on/off switch, and can be set regardless of brake pedal position. This provides a backup to the brake-by-wire system without necessarily requiring a mechanical push-through backup system to brake the vehicle in the event a backup mode is required.
Claims18
A vehicle comprising:
- a brake-by-wire system configured to transmit a brake force to wheel brakes based on signals from a brake pedal position sensor;
- a mechanical push-through system configured to transmit hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder;
- and
- at least one controller programmed to, in response to signal loss from the brake pedal position sensor during brake-by-wire system operation, maintaining brake-by-wire system operations while commanding a predetermined magnitude of the brake force and inhibiting activation of the mechanical push-through system;
- wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to activate the mechanical push-through system in response to a temperature of the wheel brakes exceeding a threshold.
A brake-by-wire (BBW) system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a brake pedal configured to cause a brake force to be transmitted to four wheel brakes;
- a brake pedal position sensor configured to detect a magnitude of brake pedal depression;
- and
- a controller programmed to, in response to signal loss from the brake pedal position sensor during BBW system operation, maintain BBW system operation at the wheel brakes while commanding a predetermined magnitude of the brake force.
A method of controlling a brake-by-wire (BBW) system in a vehicle, comprising:
- supplying a BBW brake force to four wheel brakes based on brake pedal position as indicated by a brake pedal position sensor;
- and
- in response to signal loss from the sensor during BBW operation, increasing the BBW brake force at the wheels to a predetermined magnitude that changes according to a change in state of a brake pedal on/off switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.