EMERGENCY BRAKING OF A VEHICLE USING COMPOUND PARKING AND SERVICE BRAKING

Abstract

A method of brake management in a heavy vehicle is provided, and includes, in response to determining that a request for emergency braking is imminent, increasing an air pressure of e.g., a service brake system of the vehicle and decreasing an air pressure of e.g., a parking brake system of the vehicle. The method further includes, in response to actually receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle, performing an emergency braking of the vehicle by compounding both the service and parking brake systems, including further increasing the air pressure of the service brake system and further decreasing the air pressure of the parking brake system. A corresponding brake system controller, brake system, heavy vehicle, computer program and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of brake management in a heavy vehicle having a pneumatic first brake system and a pneumatic second brake system, wherein the first brake system is configured to start generating brake force when an air pressure of the first brake system goes above a first pressure threshold and wherein the second brake system is configured to start generating brake force when an air pressure of the second brake system goes below a second pressure threshold, the method comprising: in response to determining that a request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent: increasing the air pressure of the first brake system, such that an additional air-pressure increase needed before the first brake system starts to generate brake force is smaller than before the increasing; and decreasing the air pressure of the second brake system, such that an additional air-pressure decrease needed before the second brake system starts to generate brake force is smaller than before the decreasing; and in response to receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle, performing an emergency braking of the vehicle by compounding both the first and the second brake systems, including: further increasing the air pressure of the first brake system to above the first pressure threshold; and further decreasing the air pressure of the second brake system to below the second pressure threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: after receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle, and while still braking the vehicle, increasing the air pressure of the second brake system to above the second pressure threshold again.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to not receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle within a predefined time after the determining that the request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent: decreasing the air pressure of the first brake system again; and increasing the air pressure of the second brake system again.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the increasing the air pressure of the first brake system comprises increasing the air pressure of the first brake system to a first predefined value at or below the first pressure threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the decreasing the air pressure of the second brake system comprises decreasing the air pressure of the second brake system to a second predefined value at or above the second pressure threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first brake system is a pneumatic service brake system of the vehicle, and wherein the second brake system is a pneumatic parking brake system of the vehicle.

7. A brake system controller for a heavy vehicle having both a pneumatic first brake system and a pneumatic second brake system, the controller comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the controller to: in response to obtaining an indication that a request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent: instruct the first brake system to increase its air pressure, such that an additional air-pressure increase needed before the first brake system starts to generate brake force is smaller than before the increase; and instruct the second brake system to decrease its air pressure, such that an additional air-pressure decrease needed before the second brake system starts to generate brake force is smaller than before the decrease; and in response to receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle: instruct the first brake system to further increase its air pressure to above a first pressure threshold above which the first brake system starts to generate brake force; and instruct the second brake system to further decrease its air pressure to below a second pressure threshold below which the second brake system starts to generate brake force.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the controller to, by further instructing the first brake system and the second brake system, perform a method of after receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle, and while still braking the vehicle, increasing the air pressure of the second brake system to above the second pressure threshold again.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the controller to, by further instructing the first brake system and the second brake system, perform a method of, in response to not receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle within a predefined time after the determining that the request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent: decreasing the air pressure of the first brake system again; and increasing the air pressure of the second brake system again.

10. A brake system for a vehicle, comprising: a pneumatic first brake system configured to start generating brake force when an air pressure of the first brake system goes above a first pressure threshold; a pneumatic second brake system configured to start generating brake force when an air pressure of the second brake system goes below a second pressure threshold; and the brake system controller of claim 7.

11. The brake system of claim 10, wherein the first brake system is a pneumatic service brake system and the second brake system is a pneumatic parking brake system.

12. A heavy vehicle, comprising the brake system of claim 10.

13. A computer program for brake management in a heavy vehicle having both a pneumatic first brake system and a pneumatic second brake system, the computer program comprising computer code that, when running on processing circuitry of a brake system controller of the vehicle, causes the controller to: in response to obtaining an indication that a request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent: instruct the first brake system to increase its air pressure, such that an additional air-pressure increase needed before the first brake system starts to generate brake force is smaller than before the increase; and instruct the second brake system to decrease its air pressure, such that an additional air-pressure decrease needed before the second brake system starts to generate brake force is smaller than before the decrease; and in response to receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle: instruct the first brake system to further increase its air pressure to above a first pressure threshold above which the first brake system starts to generate brake force; and instruct the second brake system to further decrease its air pressure to below a second pressure threshold below which the second brake system starts to generate brake force.

14. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the computer code is further such that, when running on the processing circuitry of the controller, causes the controller to perform a method of after receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle, and while still braking the vehicle, increasing the air pressure of the second brake system to above the second pressure threshold again.

15. A computer program product comprising the computer program of claim 13, and a computer-readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Exemplifying embodiments will now be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically illustrate how the brake forces generated by service and parking brake systems generally depend on applied air pressure;

[0034] FIGS. 2A and 2B schematically illustrate flows of various embodiments of a method of braking management according to the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 3 schematically illustrate how, when performing the envisaged method(s) of the present disclosure, the chamber air pressures of the parking and service brake systems change with time;

[0036] FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically illustrates various embodiments of a brake system controller according to the present disclosure, and

[0037] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a brake system for a heavy vehicle according to the present disclosure.

[0038] In the drawings, like reference numerals will be used for like elements unless stated otherwise. Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, the drawings show only such elements that are necessary to illustrate the example embodiments, while other elements, in the interest of clarity, may be omitted or merely suggested. As illustrated in the Figures, the (absolute or relative) sizes of elements and regions may be exaggerated or understated vis-à-vis their true values for illustrative purposes and, thus, are provided to illustrate the general structures of the embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present disclosure proposes to utilize that a vehicle may have both a pneumatic first brake system which is activated by increasing its air pressure and a second pneumatic brake system which is instead activated by decreasing its air pressure. In what follows, a pneumatic service brake system will be used to illustrate an example of such a first brake system, while a pneumatic parking brake system will be used to illustrate an example of such a second brake system. It is however envisaged herein that there may also be other types of brake systems which also fulfill the same properties, and that those may be used instead of one or both of the service and parking brake systems. In what follows, the terms “air pressure” and simply “pressure” will be used interchangeably, and it is assumed that any change of pressure of a particular brake system refers to a change of an air pressure of the particular brake system.

[0040] The functioning of pneumatic service and parking brakes in a heavy vehicle, such as in e.g., a truck, will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0041] Both parking and service brake systems in heavy vehicles (such as trucks) are often operated using air pressure, i.e., they are “pneumatic” or “pneumatically operated”. In the service brake system, brake force is often generated by using air pressure to squeeze brake pads against a rotor (in case of disc brakes), and/or to e.g., push brake shoes against a drum (in case of drum brakes). When no air pressure is applied, there is no brake force generated by the service brake system. As the various components of a service brake system introduce resistance/friction forces, there is also a minimum air pressure which must be applied before the friction in the system is overcome, and before any brake force is generated.

[0042] FIG. 1A presents a plot 100 of an exemplary relationship between generated brake force (F.sub.S, vertical axis) and brake chamber pressure (P.sub.S, horizontal axis) in a typical service brake system, as illustrated by the curve 110. From the plot 100, it can be understood that in order to generate any brake force, the chamber pressure P.sub.S must exceed a finite first pressure threshold P.sub.TS, as illustrated by the vertical line 120. In the example provided in FIG. 1A, this first pressure threshold P.sub.TS is approximately 20 psi, but may of course vary between different service brake systems. It is assumed that the first pressure threshold P.sub.TS may be found e.g., by routine experiments and/or from the specifications of the service brake system. It is also assumed that P.sub.TS may change with varying brake rotor/drum temperature and/or wetness, etc., and that the dependency of P.sub.TS on such factors can also be studied experimentally and/or theoretically. However, for the sake of argument, it will be assumed that P.sub.TS remains fixed and equals 20 psi. Once the chamber pressure P.sub.S goes above P.sub.TS, brake force F.sub.S is thus generated and increases with increasing chamber pressure P.sub.S.

[0043] As mentioned earlier herein, if the chamber pressure is zero or below P.sub.TS in the event of an emergency occurring, the need to overcome the friction in the service brake system thereby introduces a delay between e.g. pressing on the brake pedal and brake force being generated, as sufficient pressure P.sub.S must first be built up in the service brake system to reach the first pressure threshold P.sub.TS.

[0044] To complement the service brake system, trucks and other heavy vehicles are often provided also with parking brakes in the form of spring brakes. The parking brake system operates in an opposite way to that of the service brake system, in that in order for the parking brake system to engage, the chamber pressure of the parking brake system must be reduced instead of increased. A coil spring is for example used (when released) to push the brake pads and/or shoes against their corresponding brake rotor/drum. In order to disengage the parking brakes, the coil spring must be compressed using air pressure. This provides additional safety, as brake force is thus generated also in case of an overall pressure drop/loss in the brake system of the vehicle, and the parking brake force is sufficient to compensate for at least some of the brake force lost due to the service brake system having lost its pressure. Parking brakes may therefore also serve as emergency brakes. In some configurations, service and parking brakes may be integrated together in a same unit. For the purpose of the present disclosure, the exact configurations of the parking and service brake systems are not relevant, as long as the service brake system is engaged by increasing air pressure in the system, and while the parking brake system is engaged by instead decreasing air pressure in the system.

[0045] FIG. 1B presents a plot 101 of an exemplary relationship between generated brake force (F.sub.p, vertical axis) and brake chamber pressure (P.sub.p, horizontal axis) in a typical parking brake system, as illustrated by the curve 111. From the plot 101, it can be seen that in order to generate any brake force, the chamber pressure of the parking brake system must be below a finite second pressure threshold P.sub.TP), as illustrated by the vertical line 121, in order to sufficiently compress the coil spring(s). In the example provided in FIG. 1B, this second pressure threshold P.sub.TP is approximately 50 psi, but may of course vary between different parking brake systems. It is assumed that also the second pressure threshold P.sub.TP may be found e.g., by routine experiments and/or theoretical calculations. It is assumed that P.sub.TP may also change with varying brake rotor/drum temperature and/or wetness, etc., and that the dependency of P.sub.TP on such factors can also be studied experimentally and/or theoretically. However, for the sake of argument, it will be assumed that P.sub.TP remains fixed and equals 50 psi. Once the chamber pressure P.sub.p goes below P.sub.TP, brake force F.sub.p is thus generated and increases with decreasing chamber pressure P.sub.p.

[0046] How the present disclosure provides a solution for at least partly overcoming the problem with the delay introduced by the friction in the service brake system will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3, 4A, 4B and 5. These figures show exemplifying embodiments of the envisaged improved method, brake system controller, and brake system, and also serve to illustrate the concepts of an envisaged (heavy) vehicle, computer program and computer program product as also envisaged herein. The drawings show currently preferred embodiments, but the invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the skilled person.

[0047] Various embodiments of an envisaged improved method will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0048] FIG. 2A schematically illustrates the flow of a method 200 using various functional units, while FIG. 2B schematically illustrates various steps of the method as implemented and performed by such functional units.

[0049] A prediction unit 210 receives input from one or more sensors of the vehicle. Such sensors may e.g., include, or at least be configured to provide information about a current state of, a steering wheel 212a of the vehicle, one or more pedals 212b of the vehicle, one or more cameras 212c of the vehicle, one or more radars 212d of the vehicle, and so on. For example, information about the steering wheel 212a may include the current steering angle, how tightly the driver is gripping the steering wheel, whether the driver is pulling or pushing on the steering wheel, etc. Information about the one or more pedals 212b may for example indicate whether the driver is currently pushing on one or more of the pedals (such as e.g., a brake pedal and/or throttle pedal), how strongly the driver is pushing on a pedal, exactly on which pedals the driver is pushing, etc. The one or more cameras 212c may e.g., include cameras monitoring the road ahead of the vehicle (to e.g., detect objects in front of the vehicle for which the vehicle should eventually brake if the objects do not move). Other examples of cameras include e.g., cameras facing the driver, in order to monitor e.g., a health state of the driver, a behavior of the driver, an alertness/focus level of the driver, or similar. Cameras may also be positioned to e.g., track how the driver moves his limbs, e.g., to turn the steering wheel 212a and/or to push on one or more of the pedals 212b. The radar units 212d may e.g., be one or more units for detecting a distance to other vehicles or objects in front of the vehicle, e.g., as used in modern cruise controls, in systems for automatic braking, and/or in similar such systems.

[0050] In a step S201, the prediction unit 210 determines whether a request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent, based on information from/about the various objects 212a-d. If it is determined that such an emergency braking request is imminent, the prediction unit 210 communicates this to a service brake control unit 220 and to a parking brake control unit 230. The unit 220 is configured to control a service brake system 222, and is envisaged as including the means necessary to e.g., increase and decrease an air pressure of the service brake system 222. The unit 230 is similarly configured to control a parking brake system 232, and is envisaged as including the means necessary to e.g., increase and decrease an air pressure of the parking brake system 232. For example, such “means” may include an arrangement of one or more air compressors, control valves, air ducts or hoses, air pressure reservoirs, etc., needed to obtain the desired functionality. Although illustrated in FIG. 2A as separate units, the units 220 and 230 may of course also be integrated in a same unit, as e.g., a same compressor and/or air pressure reservoir may be used to provide air to both the service brake system 222 and the parking brake system 232. As mentioned before, both the service brake system 222 and the parking brake system 232 may in some embodiments also be integrated in a same unit.

[0051] In a step S202, in response to receiving information from the prediction unit 210 that an emergency braking request is imminent, the control units 220 and 230 are configured such that the service brake control unit 220 increases an air pressure in the service brake system 222, such that an additional air-pressure increase needed before the service brake system 222 starts to generate brake force is smaller than before such an increase. Similarly, the parking brake control unit 230 decreases an air pressure in the parking brake system 232, such that an additional air-pressure decrease needed before the parking brake system 232 starts to generate brake force is also smaller than before such a decrease. Thus, once it is determined that an emergency braking request is imminent (that is, once it is determined that such an emergency braking request is, in a near future, sufficiently likely to occur), the method 200 includes proactively pre-heating/pre-loading/arming/etc. the brake systems 222 and 232 already before the actual emergency braking request is received.

[0052] A request unit 240 is configured to determine whether there is an actual emergency braking of the vehicle requested. As described earlier herein, this may be achieved e.g., by the request unit 240 having access to (information about) e.g., one or more of the various sensors/objects 212a-212d or similar. For example, the request unit 240 may e.g., be configured to receive a signal when the driver presses sufficiently hard on the pedals 212b (such as on a brake pedal), or similar, or e.g., to receive some other signal indicating that the emergency braking of the vehicle is now required. In other embodiments, the request unit 240 may be less complex, and instead e.g., be configured to receive a signal (not shown) explicitly telling the request unit 240 that the emergency brake is requested.

[0053] In a step S203, the request unit 240 thus determines whether such an emergency braking request is received or not (either by its own analysis, or by receiving a signal explicitly telling it so). If it is determined that the emergency brake request is received, in a step S204, the request unit 240 then communicates this to the control units 220 and 230. The control unit 220 causes a further increase of the air pressure in the service brake system 222, while the control unit 230 causes a further decrease of the air pressure in the parking brake system 232. In particular, the air-pressure increase of the service brake system 222 is sufficient to cause the air pressure in the service brake system 222 to exceed the first pressure threshold PTS such that the service brake system 222 starts to generate brake force. Similarly, the air-pressure decrease of the parking brake system 232 is sufficient to cause the air pressure in the parking brake system 232 to go below the second pressure threshold P.sub.TP such that the parking brake system 232 also starts to generate brake force. As a consequence, the emergency braking of the vehicle is started by compounding the brake forces generated by both the service brake system 222 and the parking brake system 232.

[0054] In the case that the prediction unit 210 instead determines that no emergency braking request is currently imminent, the method 200 may loop back to step S201, and the prediction unit 210 may continue to check whether such an emergency braking request is imminent. Likewise, if the request unit 240 does not determine that an emergency braking request is received, the method 200 may loop back to e.g., step S201 again.

[0055] In some embodiments of the method 200, it is envisaged that step S203 includes measuring a time elapsed since determining (in step S201) that the emergency braking request is imminent. If the emergency braking request is not received before the elapsed time reaches a certain maximum value (i.e., within a predefined time after the determining that the emergency braking request is imminent), the method 200 may proceed with “undoing” step S202 by decreasing the air pressure of the service brake system 222 and by increasing the air pressure of the parking brake system 232 again. For example, if using FIGS. 1A and 1B for illustration, such a decision may include e.g., to decrease the air pressure of the service brake system 222 back to approximately zero psi (or at least below 20 psi), and to increase the air pressure of the parking brake system 232 back to e.g., 50 psi again (or even further above 50 psi). Not receiving the emergency braking request within such a predefined time interval may e.g., indicate that the initial guess about the imminence of the emergency braking request was wrong, or that the situation around the vehicle has changed such that an imminent emergency is no longer likely.

[0056] A time evolution of an embodiment of the method 200 as envisaged herein will now be further described in more detail with reference also to FIG. 3.

[0057] FIG. 3 schematically illustrate how the chamber air pressures P.sub.S and P.sub.p of the service and parking brake systems change with time t, as shown by the curves 310 and 311 respectively. The horizontal axis corresponds to time (in arbitrary units, “a.u.”), while the vertical axis corresponds to pressure (also in arbitrary units).

[0058] Before a time t.sub.1, both the service and parking brakes are in their “normal” states and are not active. For example, if using FIGS. 1A and 1B as exemplary illustrations, this may correspond to the pressure P.sub.S being below (or even well below) 20 psi, and the pressure P.sub.p being above (or even well above) e.g., 50 psi. At time t.sub.1, it is determined (by e.g. the prediction unit 210) that a request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent (i.e. likely to occur anytime soon), and the method 200 proceeds by increasing the pressure of the service brake system 222 towards the first pressure threshold P.sub.TS, as indicated by the horizontal line 320, and by decreasing the pressure of the parking brake system 232 towards the second pressure threshold P.sub.TP, as indicated by the horizontal line 321. After having reached the respective pressure thresholds P.sub.TS and P.sub.TPthe pressures P.sub.S and P.sub.p are held constant such that each brake system is just about, but have not yet started, to generate brake force. The brake systems 222 and 232 are thus “armed”.

[0059] At a later time t.sub.2, the request for the emergency braking of the vehicle is actually received, and the method 200 proceeds with further increasing the pressure P.sub.S and further decreasing the pressure P.sub.T, such that both braking systems 222 and 232 now starts to generate brake force in a compound fashion. As can be seen in FIG. 3, decreasing the air pressure in the parking brake system 232 is quicker than increasing the air pressure in the service brake system 222, and the parking brake system 232 thus starts to generate brake force before the service brake system 222. Phrased differently, immediately following time t.sub.2, it is envisaged that it is the parking brake system 232 which provides most of the brake force during the compound emergency braking of the vehicle. After a while, however, the pressure P.sub.S will have reached sufficient levels for the service brake system 222 to take over the main responsibility of the emergency braking of the vehicle, as the potential brake force generated by the service brake system 222 is assumed to be substantially larger than that of the parking brake system 232 once the pressure P.sub.S becomes sufficiently high. It may for example be envisaged that this occurs at a time t.sub.3 following t.sub.2.

[0060] At time t.sub.3, the service brake system 222 performs most of the emergency braking of the vehicle, and the pressure P.sub.p of the parking brake system 232 is (in some embodiments of the method 200) thus increased again in order not to e.g. overheat the parking brake system 232 (which is usually designed only to keep the vehicle at a standstill or to brake the vehicle at low speeds, and where long-term compounding of both the service and parking brake systems may cause wear and/or damage due to the resulting forces). Consequently, after some time after t.sub.3, the pressure P.sub.p is increased back to e.g., above 50 psi or higher again and then kept e.g., constant around this pressure level. Meanwhile, the pressure P.sub.S is still kept high and above P.sub.TS, such that the emergency braking of the vehicle is still continued. Once the vehicle has come to a halt, or at least has its speed sufficiently reduced to avoid e.g., a potential accident, the pressure P.sub.S may be reduced back to e.g., below 20 psi or similar to deactivate the service brake system 222. This is not shown in FIG. 3, but may be envisaged as occurring at some point in time following e.g., t.sub.3.

[0061] As described earlier herein, the arming of the service brake system 222 before t.sub.2 helps to decrease (or even completely remove) the remaining pressure-increase of P.sub.S needed before the service brake system 222 can start generating brake force once the emergency braking request arrives. This in itself helps to reduce the stopping distance of the vehicle, as the delay caused by having to wait for a sufficient pressure-buildup in the service brake system 222 is reduced or even eliminated completely.

[0062] As also described earlier herein, by also arming and then using the parking brake system 232 to provide at least some brake force before (between t.sub.2 and t.sub.3) the service brake system 222 is able to provide most of the brake force, the stopping distance may be further reduced, and consequently also the risk of the vehicle being involved in an accident. This because the parking brake system 232 is configured to activate in response to a decrease in pressure instead of an increase in pressure, and because a decrease in pressure is often faster to achieve than an increase in pressure.

[0063] In summary of the method as proposed herein, the proactive arming of the brake systems 222 and 232 already when predicting/determining that an emergency braking request is imminent (i.e., likely), together with the proposed compounding of both the service and parking brake systems 222 and 232 once the emergency braking request is actually received, thus helps to provide an improved brake management in vehicles and a safer and more efficient emergency braking.

[0064] Various embodiments of a brake system controller for a heavy vehicle as envisaged herein will now be described in more detail with reference also to FIGS. 4A and 4B.

[0065] FIG. 4A schematically illustrates, in terms of a number of functional units, the components of an embodiment of a brake system controller 400 (herein referred to as simply a “controller”). The controller 400 is for a heavy vehicle having both first and second brake systems as discussed herein, e.g., a service brake system and a parking brake system. The controller 400 includes processing circuitry 410. The processing circuitry 410 is provided using any combination of one or more of a suitable central processing unit (CPU), multiprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), etc., capable of executing software instructions stored in a computer program product (not shown, but envisaged herein) stored on a storage medium 430. The processing circuitry 410 may further be provided as at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or similar.

[0066] Particularly, the processing circuitry 410 is configured to cause the controller 400 to perform a set of operations, or steps, such as one or more of steps S201-S204 as disclosed above e.g., when describing the method 200 illustrated in FIG. 2B. For example, the storage medium 430 may store a set of operations, and the processing circuitry 410 may be configured to retrieve the set of operations from the storage medium 430 to cause the controller 400 to perform the set of operations. The set of operations may be provided as a set of executable instructions. Thus, the processing circuitry 410 is thereby arranged to execute methods as disclosed herein e.g., with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B and/or 3.

[0067] The storage medium 430 may also include persistent storage, which, for example, can be any single or combination of magnetic memory, optical memory, solid state memory or even remotely mounted memory. The storage medium 430 may thus provide non-transitory storage, storing computer-readable instructions for the processing circuitry 410.

[0068] The controller 400 may further include a communications interface 420 for communications with other entities and objects, such as e.g., the objects/sensors 212a-d shown in FIG. 2A, and/or for communications with one or more brake system control units such as e.g., the units 220 and 230. As such, the communication interface 420 may include one or more transmitters and receivers, including analogue and/or digital components, and may utilize e.g., one or more wired and/or wireless connections for this purpose.

[0069] The processing circuitry 410 controls the general operation of the controller 400 e.g., by sending data and control signals to the communications interface 420 and the storage medium 430, by receiving data and reports from the communications interface 420, and by retrieving data and instructions from the storage medium 430. Other components, as well as their related functionality, of the controller 400 are omitted in order not to obscure the concepts presented herein.

[0070] FIG. 4B schematically illustrates, in terms of a number of functional modules 410a-c, the components of a controller 400 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The controller 400 includes at least a predict/determine module 410a configured to perform step S201 of the method 200 described with reference to e.g., FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3, and a request module 410b configured to perform step 5203 of the method 200. The controller 400 also includes an instruct module 410c configured to e.g., perform the steps S202 and S204 of the method 200, by instructing e.g., the various service and parking brake systems 222 and 232 to increase/decrease their air pressures as needed. The functionality of the predict/determine module 410a may e.g., correspond to that of the prediction unit 210 shown in FIG. 2A. The functionality of the request module 410b may e.g., correspond to that of the request module 240, while the functionality of the instruct module 410c may e.g., correspond to those of the service and parking brake control units 220 and 222.

[0071] In general terms, each functional module 410a-c may be implemented in hardware or in software. Preferably, one or more or all functional modules 410a-c may be implemented by the processing circuitry 410, possibly in cooperation with the communications interface 420 and/or the storage medium 430. The processing circuitry 410 may thus be arranged to from the storage medium 430 fetch instructions as provided by a functional modules 410a-c, and to execute these instructions and thereby perform any steps of the method 200 performed by the controller 400 as disclosed herein.

[0072] In some embodiments, the controller 400 may further include additional functional modules (not shown) required to perform also other steps of the method 200 as envisaged and described herein. For example, the method 200 may include a step in which, after or while performing the emergency braking of the vehicle, the air pressure of the parking brake system is increased to above P.sub.TP again, and the controller 400 may have a corresponding functional module configured to implement this step. For example, the method 200 may include a step in which, in response to not receiving the request for emergency braking of the vehicle within a predefined time after determining (or guessing) that such a request is imminent, decreasing and increasing the air pressures of the service and parking brake systems, respectively, again, and the controller 400 may have a corresponding functional module configured to implement such a step.

[0073] In some embodiments, the method 200 may be such that the step of arming the service brake system 222 may include increasing the air pressure of the service brake system 222 to a first predefined value at or below the first pressure threshold P.sub.TS, as e.g. illustrated in FIG. 3 where this first predefined value is the first pressure threshold P.sub.TS, and the instruct module 410c may be configured to provide such functionality. In some embodiments of the method 200, the step of arming the parking brake system 232 may include decreasing the air pressure of the parking brake system 232 to a second predefined value at or above the second pressure threshold P.sub.TP (where in FIG. 3 this second predefined value is the second pressure threshold P.sub.TP, and the instruct module 410c may be configured provide such functionality. In summary, the controller 400 may be configured such that it, in combination with the corresponding sensors/objects needed to determine the imminence of the emergency braking request, and the arrival of the actual emergency braking request, and also in combination with the various brake systems, is configured to perform any embodiments and steps of methods 200 as described and envisaged herein.

[0074] The present disclosure also envisages to provide a brake system for a heavy vehicle, as will now be described in more detail with reference also to FIG. 5.

[0075] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a brake system 500 (hereinafter referred to as simply the “system”). The system 500 includes a pneumatic service brake system 222 and a pneumatic parking brake system 232, both as described earlier herein and serving as examples of a first and second brake system, respectively. The system 500 further includes a brake system controller 400 as also described earlier herein. The brake system controller 400 is configured to receive one or more signals 212, from e.g., sensors/objects 212a-d or similar, such that the controller 400 may determine that a request for emergency braking of the vehicle is imminent (i.e., likely), and to also determine that an actual request for such emergency braking arrives/occurs. If not being able (or configured) to determine that the request for emergency braking is made using only the one or more signals 212, the controller 400 can optionally be provided to receive a signal 213 which explicitly tells the controller 400 that there is now a request for an emergency braking of the vehicle. The signal 213 may e.g., be provided by another unit configured to determine that an emergency braking of the vehicle is needed, e.g., a unit already forming part of a driver assistance or other safety system of the vehicle. The brake system 500 is thus configured such that it allows a method 200 as described an envisaged herein to be perform, in order to manage the braking of the vehicle to provide a shorter stopping distance and an enhanced safety.

[0076] The present disclosure also envisages to provide a heavy vehicle (not shown), which includes a brake system such as the brake system 500 just described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0077] The present disclosure also envisages to provide a computer program for brake management in a heavy vehicle having both a pneumatic service brake system and a pneumatic parking brake system (i.e., a pneumatic first brake system and a pneumatic second brake system, respectively), where such systems are as already described herein. The computer program includes computer code that, when running on a processing circuitry of a brake controller of the vehicle (such as e.g., the processing circuitry 410 of the controller 400 described with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B), causes the controller to perform the various steps of any method 200 as described and envisaged herein.

[0078] The present disclosure also envisages a computer program product (not shown) in which the above envisaged computer program is stored or distributed on a data carrier. As used herein, a “data carrier” may be a transitory data carrier, such as modulated electromagnetic or optical waves, or a non-transitory data carrier. Non-transitory data carriers include volatile and non-volatile memories, such as permanent and non-permanent storage media of magnetic, optical or solid-state type. Still within the scope of “data carrier”, such memories may be fixedly mounted or portable.

[0079] Although features and elements may be described above in particular combinations, each feature or element may be used alone without the other features and elements or in various combinations with or without other features and elements. Additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments may be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

[0080] In the claims, the words “comprising” and “including” does not exclude other elements, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain features are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be used to advantage.