A brake actuator comprising a DC motor, a computer configured for: measuring, over time, a current drawn by the motor and a voltage between the terminals of the motor; implementing a Kalman filter in order to compute, from the measured current and voltage, a filtered current drawn by the motor and a filtered rotational speed of a shaft of the motor; computing, from the value of the filtered current and the value of the filtered rotational speed, a clamping force that is produced by the actuator; controlling the motor such that it stops when the computed value of the clamping force reaches a predetermined setpoint value.

A method for operating a brake system of a vehicle in a maintenance mode and in a normal mode includes providing a brake pressure in the brake system in the normal mode using a brake pressure generator. The method further includes preventing a provision of a brake pressure by the brake pressure generator in the maintenance mode.

A method of detecting brake fade for a vehicle brake system having wheel brakes susceptible to brake fade, includes the steps of: (a) providing a brake system including wheel brakes; and (b) determining the presence of brake fade within the vehicle system utilizing adaptive references maps, and wherein the adaptive reference maps include storing vehicle deceleration data and brake system fluid volume at different pressure points in a histogram.

A diagnostic method to identify a leak in simulator valve in a vehicle brake system includes the steps of: (1) providing a simulator partially filled with a pressure medium and a de-energized simulator valve; (2) energizing a pumping valve, a secondary three-way valve, and a plurality of apply valves; (3) applying and retracting a plunger in a plunger assembly at least two cycles so that a predetermined pressure is achieved; (3) holding a plunger in position within the plunger assembly while maintaining a replenishing check valve in a closed/de-energized position and energizing the simulator valve; (4) obtaining a measured master cylinder secondary pressure decay; (5) comparing the measured master cylinder secondary pressure decay to a predetermined pressure decay value; and (7) identifying a leak in the simulator valve if the measured master cylinder secondary pressure decay does not match the predetermined master cylinder secondary pressure decay.

For operation of a hydraulic power vehicle braking system for autonomous driving, a brake pressure is generated using a second power brake pressure generator if, after a predefined first time span, no brake pressure or insufficient brake pressure has been generated using a first power brake pressure generator. The generation of the brake pressure using the second power brake pressure generator is aborted if, within a second time span, which is longer than the first time span, no error message is present from the first power brake pressure generator.

A method may include detecting a first pressure and a second pressure of a fluid in a brake pipe of a vehicle system that includes a plurality of vehicles and extends from a lead vehicle to an end vehicle. The first pressure may be measured in the lead vehicle and the second pressure may be measured in the end vehicle. The method may further include determining a pressure differential signature between the first pressure and the second pressure and evaluating the pressure differential signature with a machine learning model to determine whether a blockage or a leak exists in the brake pipe. A system may include one or more processors configured to detect a first pressure and a second pressure of a fluid in a brake pipe. The one or more processors may be further configured to determine a pressure differential signature between the first pressure and the second pressure and evaluate the pressure differential signature with a machine learning model to determine whether a blockage exists in the brake pipe.

A braking system with a brake pump are described. The brake pump may have a first and a second delivery circuit fluidically connectable to at least a first and a second braking device. The first delivery circuit may have an indirect stage fluidically connectable to the first braking device and a direct stage intercepted by a first control valve, fluidically connectable alternately to a braking simulator and to the at least one second braking device. The second delivery circuit may be intercepted by the first control valve so as to actuate the second braking device alternately to the direct stage of the first delivery circuit.

A hydraulic braking system for a vehicle includes a master brake cylinder, a hydraulic unit and a plurality of wheel brakes, the hydraulic unit including at least one brake circuit for brake pressure modulation in the wheel brakes. A bistable solenoid valve is associated with at least one wheel brake, which valve is looped into the corresponding fluid channel, immediately upstream of the associated wheel brake, and in a de-energized open position enables brake pressure modulation in the associated wheel brake, and in a de-energized closed position seals a current brake pressure in the associated wheel brake, wherein a hydraulic force brought about by the sealed-in brake pressure acts in a seat-opening manner in the corresponding bistable solenoid valve.

A brake assembly may comprise a brake stack including a plurality of rotors and a plurality of stators. A piston assembly may be configured to apply a force to the brake stack. A brake control valve may be mounted to the piston assembly and fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet of the piston assembly.

A fluidic control system (1) for controlling a vehicle, which includes a controller (2) and a closed fluidic circuit. The circuit includes a pump (3) for pressurizing fluid in the circuit, valve means (40, 50, 60), an actuator (4, 5, 6) and a precharge accumulator (7). The valve means (40, 50, 60) is fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump (3) and the actuator (4, 6) is fluidly connected to the valve means (40, 50, 60) for selectively receiving pressurized fluid therefrom. The precharge accumulator (7) includes a movable member (73, FIG. 2) that describes a variable volume (71) fluidly connected to the circuit between the valve means (40, 50, 60) and the inlet of the pump (3). The system (1) also includes a sensor (70) for determining the position of the movable member (73) for estimating the quantity of fluid and/or detecting an abnormal pressure variation within the circuit.