Emergency Braking System of a Single-Track Vehicle

Abstract

An emergency braking system of a single-track vehicle configured to intervene in a braking process of the single-track vehicle is provided. The emergency braking system includes a plurality of sensors that determine various physical variables. From the physical variables an accident risk actual value is determined, compared with an accident risk target value using an emergency braking system control unit, and if the accident risk actual value exceeds the accident risk target value, the single-track vehicle's brake is actuated by the emergency braking system control unit.

Claims

1. An emergency braking system of a single-track vehicle, which intervenes in a brake of the single-track vehicle, comprising: a plurality of sensors, each sensor of the plurality of sensors being configured to detect at least one of a plurality of physical variables; at least one sensor evaluation unit connected to at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors; and an emergency braking system control unit connected to the at least one sensor evaluation unit, wherein the at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors connected to the at least one sensor evaluation unit is configured to send a sensor signal associated with at least one of the plurality of the physical variables to the sensor evaluation unit, the at least one sensor evaluation unit is configured to determine from the sensor signal at least one risk value and to send the at least one risk value to the emergency braking system control unit, the emergency braking system control unit is configured to weight the at least one risk value and to determine using the at least one weighted risk value an accident risk actual value, compare the accident risk actual value with an accident risk target value, and if the accident risk actual value exceeds the accident risk target value, to initiate actuation of the brake.

2. The emergency braking system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor evaluation unit and the emergency braking system control unit are constituents of a single control device, or at least a portion of the plurality of sensors each have a sensor evaluation unit and are integrated in a sensor unit.

3. The emergency braking system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency braking system is activatable by a driver input or by start-up of the single-track vehicle.

4. The emergency braking system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the sensor signals from the plurality of sensors either continuously in time or at intervals which are less than or equal to 100 ms.

5. The emergency braking system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency braking system control unit is configured to evaluate the at least one risk value are evaluated and/or determined continuously in time or at intervals which are less than or equal to 100 ms.

6. The emergency braking system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency braking system control unit is configured such that in the event of the accident risk actual value exceeding a warning value which is less than or equal to the accident risk target value, the emergency braking system control unit initiates actuation of a warning.

7. The emergency braking system according to claim 6, wherein the initiation of actuation of the warning by the emergency braking system control unit includes actuating a warning to the driver and an environmental warning to persons in the environment of the single-track vehicle.

8. The emergency braking system according to the claim 7, wherein the driver warning is at least one of a vibrating element acting on the driver, a first acoustic signal, a first light signal, a braking jolt generated by the brake or a load interruption on the engine, and the environmental warning is at least one of a second acoustic signal and a second light signal.

9. The emergency braking system according to claim 6, wherein the accident risk target value and/or the warning value are/is adjustable by a driver input and/or in a sensor signal-dependent manner.

10. The emergency braking system according to claim 9, wherein the emergency braking system control unit is configured to determine from the sensor signals a road distance in which the single-track vehicle is to be stopped and a target braking force characteristic to obtain a vehicle deceleration that results is stopping of the single-track vehicle within the road distance, and after initiation of actuation of the brake by the emergency braking system control unit, a braking force of the brake is actuated to control an actual braking force characteristic to the target braking force characteristic.

11. The emergency braking system according to claim 10, wherein the emergency braking system control unit is configured to determine the road distance in which the single-track vehicle is to be stopped from a distance to an obstacle sensed by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors, and the target braking force characteristic is determined from the road distance in which the single-track vehicle is to be stopped and from a road friction coefficient sensed by a second sensor of the plurality of sensors.

12. The emergency braking system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors include sensors from the group of sensor types that includes speed sensors, GPS sensors, distance sensors, inclination sensors, acceleration sensors, rotational angle sensors, current consumption sensors, temperature sensors, cameras and microphones.

13. The emergency braking system according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the accident risk actual value includes comparison of at least one sensor signal with at least one of map data and database data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic layout of the emergency braking system.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic layout of the warning means.

[0041] The figures are example schematic representations. In the figures, identical reference numbers identify identical functional and/or structural features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic layout of the emergency braking system. In the form of embodiment represented in FIG. 1, activation of the system is only possible if no special race & slick tires are fitted to the single-track vehicle, which fitting will be saved in the single-track vehicle by way of a data source. After activation, in ECU 1 (the electronic control unit or control device), the specified risk values are determined. The risk values, such as speed, the speed limit (speed restriction), brakelight detection, etc. are determined by the plurality of sensors 2, each of which is integrally configured with a sensor evaluation unit. Bracing of the pillion rider is determined, for example, by a pressure sensor in the seat, a temperature sensor in the seat (T-seat), a current consumption sensor in the seat, a temperature sensor in the backrest (T-backrest) and a current consumption sensor in the backrest (Current consumption in backrest). From the plurality of risk values, the ECU 1 determines the accident risk actual value. If the accident risk actual value exceeds a warning value, a preliminary warning 3 is triggered by the driver warning means, in order to warn the driver. If the accident risk actual value exceeds the accident risk target value, a warning 4 is triggered by the environmental warning means, in order to warn persons in the environment of the single-track vehicle. Additionally to the warning 4, the braking pressure generator 5 is actuated, and thus intervenes in the brake. The braking pressure generator 5 is actuated such that the braking pressure, and thus the braking force of the brake, follows the braking force characteristic stipulated by the ECU 1.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic layout of the driver warning means for warning the driver of the single-track vehicle. Further to the activation of the emergency braking system, if the accident risk actual value exceeds the warning value, the ECU 1 triggers a preliminary warning 3 to the drive by warning means, which is executed in the form of various acoustic, light and vibration signals, together with feedback to the driver in the form of a variable force (force feedback) on the throttle grip of the single-track vehicle.

[0044] The invention is not limited in its execution to the preferred embodiments described above. Instead, a number of variants are conceivable, which employ the solution disclosed herein, albeit in fundamentally differently executed embodiments. For example, the emergency braking system might be configured not to bring the single-track vehicle to a halt, but to a state which is controllable by the driver.

[0045] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.