Method for suppressing braking noise, central server, vehicle control module, and storage medium

Abstract

A method for suppressing braking noise in a vehicle by a central server, methods for suppressing braking noise in a vehicle to be carried out in a vehicle, and an associated central server, an associated vehicle control module and an associated data storage medium are disclosed. The data processing is divided between the vehicle and the central server.

Claims

1. A method for suppressing braking noise in a number of vehicles by a central server, wherein the method comprises: receiving a number of messages from the vehicles, wherein the messages contain braking state data, generating a plurality of driving profiles based on the braking state data, each driving profile containing a number of response instructions for braking noise suppression for a respective different driving style, and applying the number of response instructions of one of the plurality of driving profiles based on the braking state data, wherein each response instruction contains a measure for suppressing braking noise and thereby causes the vehicle to perform a modified braking operation having suppressed noise.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, which also comprises at least one of: sending the response instructions to the vehicles, sending the response instructions to a group of vehicles, installing the response instructions in new vehicles to be produced.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, which also comprises at least one of: sending the driving profiles to the vehicles, sending the driving profiles to a group of vehicles, installing the driving profiles in new vehicles to be produced.

4. A method for suppressing braking noise in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: recording a number of braking state data, sending the braking state data to a central server in a number of messages, generating a plurality of driving profiles based on the braking state data, each driving profile containing a number of response instructions for braking noise suppression for a respective different driving style, receiving the number of response instructions of one of the plurality of driving profiles from the central server, wherein each response instruction includes a measure for suppressing braking noise, and applying the response instructions in a number of braking operations of the vehicle, wherein the central server as claimed in claim 1 is used as the central server.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the messages are received and/or transmitted via mobile radio.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the braking state data include data relating to one or more of the following states: noise, braking noise, vibrations, braking forces, braking force distribution, wheel rotation speeds, pedal travel, pedal force, braking torque, deceleration, temperatures, in particular of brakes, engine and/or environment; and/or wherein they include CAN bus data.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a respective response instruction contains a measure for suppressing braking noise as a function of a number of braking state data.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a respective response instruction contains one or more of the following actions: braking force distribution, braking force reduction, braking force modulation, brake conditioning and/or braking regeneration.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, which also comprises in the vehicle or in the central server: identifying a robustness measure for a component by the braking state data.

10. A central server which is configured to carry out a method as claimed in claim 1.

11. A non-volatile, non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium, containing program code which, when carried out, causes a processor to execute a method as claimed in claim 1.

12. A method for suppressing braking noise in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: recording a number of braking state data, sending the braking state data to a central server in a number of messages, generating a plurality of driving profiles based on the braking state data, each driving profile containing a number of response instructions for braking noise suppression for a respective different driving style, receiving the number of response instructions of one of the plurality of driving profiles from the central server, wherein each response instruction includes a measure for suppressing braking noise, and applying the response instructions in a number of braking operations of the vehicle.

13. A vehicle control module which is configured to execute a method as claimed in claim 12.

14. A method for suppressing braking noise in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: receiving a number of driving profiles from a central server or reading out a number of driving profiles from a non-volatile memory of the vehicle, each driving profile containing at least one different driving style and an associated response instruction, each of which contains a measure for suppressing a braking noise, identifying a driving style based on driving state data, mapping the determined driving style to a driving style of one of the driving profiles, thereby selecting this driving profile, and applying the response instructions of the selected driving profile in a number of braking operations of the vehicle.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein if the identified driving style cannot be mapped to any driving style of a driving profile, a signal is output which indicates a service interval reduction and/or a use of other components.

16. A vehicle control module which is configured to execute a method as claimed in claim 14.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further features and advantages of aspects of the invention will be gathered by a person skilled in the art from the exemplary embodiments described below with reference to the appended drawing.

(2) These show:

(3) FIG. 1: a vehicle and a central server,

(4) FIG. 2: a vehicle, a central server and a wireless network, and

(5) FIG. 3: a vehicle transmitting and receiving unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle in the form of a motor vehicle 10 and a central server 50. These are each designed for carrying out methods according to an aspect of the invention in accordance with relevant exemplary embodiments.

(7) The motor vehicle 10 has a left-hand front wheel 22, a right-hand front wheel 24, a left-hand rear wheel 26 and a right-hand rear wheel 28. The motor vehicle 10 also comprises a braking system 30. This has a central unit 31, which is designed to generate a braking pressure. This can be, for example, a hydraulic pump and/or a brake cylinder with an attached brake pedal. The braking system 30 further comprises a left front brake unit 32, a right front brake unit 34, a left rear brake unit 36 and a right rear brake unit 38. The brake units 32, 34, 36, 38 are each assigned to one of the wheels 22, 24, 26, 28 to decelerate the respective wheel.

(8) The motor vehicle 10 also comprises a vehicle control module 40, which is connected to a vehicle antenna 42. This enables the vehicle control module 40 to participate in mobile radio communication.

(9) The vehicle control module 40 is designed to carry out a method according to an aspect of the invention in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. For this purpose the vehicle control module 40 is connected to a CAN bus, not illustrated, of the motor vehicle 10, which is in turn connected to a plurality of sensors, not shown. These are, in particular, noise sensors and acceleration sensors, which are installed in airbag control modules.

(10) Based on the available data in the CAN bus the vehicle control module 40 generates braking state data when the vehicle 10 is braked by means of the braking system 30. These braking state data provide information about the intensity and other parameters of the braking action, as well as about any resultant noise. The braking state data is packaged into messages by the vehicle control module 40, which it sends to the central server 50 via a mobile radio network, not shown. This server is connected to a stationary antenna 52, which enables the participation in mobile radio communication. This is best understood schematically. It is taken as read that the central server 50 can be connected, for example to the Internet or to another network, which allows a data exchange with the motor vehicle 10 via a connection to a mobile radio network, via an interface for Car-to-X communication or via WLAN.

(11) The central server 50 is designed to carry out a method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. To achieve this it evaluates the received braking state data and derives response instructions from them by means of a deep learning algorithm. Such response instructions each contain an instruction as to how to respond to specific braking states of the motor vehicle 10 in order to suppress braking noise. This can include, for example, reducing or modulating the brake pressure or implementing a specific distribution of brake pressures to the wheels 22, 24, 26, 28.

(12) Furthermore, the central server 50 also generates driving profiles in the form of driver profiles, which are based on data collected from multiple motor vehicles. In these, typical driving styles are detected which are frequently used by drivers to control motor vehicles 10. This allows a classification of drivers into particular driving styles and response instructions can be assigned in each case which match the respective driving style, i.e., which allow an optimal suppression of braking noise in the respective driving style.

(13) The response instructions and the driver profiles are transmitted from the central server 50 back to the motor vehicle 10 via mobile radio communication. There, they can be used for the suppression of braking noise. For example, in the case of certain braking states a suitable response instruction which has been generated by the central server 50 can be used in order to suppress braking noise. In addition, a driving style of a driver can be detected based on dynamic driving data, and a driver profile that corresponds to it can be selected. The response instructions contained therein can then preferably be used.

(14) FIG. 2 shows a purely schematic diagram of a possible communication between the motor vehicle 10 and the central server 50. A schematically represented mobile radio network 60 is used for this purpose. Both the motor vehicle 10 and the central server 50 are connected to the mobile radio network 60, the central server 50 having a direct wired network connection and the motor vehicle 10 being subscribed to the mobile network. This enables the data exchange already described with reference to FIG. 1 in an advantageous way.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a vehicle transmitting and receiving unit 70. This is a schematic representation, wherein the transmitting and receiving unit 70 comprises a display 72 for displaying information, a connection 74 for connecting to an OBD (On Board Diagnostics) port, and a plurality of cable outlets 76 to additional sensors. Such a unit 70 can preferably be used in the context of a method according to an aspect of the invention.

(16) The mentioned steps of the method according to an aspect of the invention can be executed in the indicated order. However, they can also be executed in a different order. In one of its embodiments, for example with a specific combination of steps, the method according to an aspect of the invention can be executed in such a way that no further steps are executed. However, in principle, further steps can also be executed, even steps of a kind which have not been mentioned.

(17) The claims that are part of the application do not represent any renouncement of the attainment of further protection.

(18) If it turns out in the course of proceedings that a feature or a group of features is not absolutely necessary, then the applicant aspires right now to a wording for at least one independent claim that no longer has the feature or the group of features. This may be, by way of example, a subcombination of a claim available on the filing date or may be a subcombination of a claim available on the filing date that is limited by further features. Claims or combinations of features of this kind requiring rewording are intended to be understood to be covered by the disclosure of this application as well.

(19) It should further be pointed out that configurations, features and variants of aspects of the invention that are described in the various embodiments or exemplary embodiments and/or shown in the figures are combinable with one another in any way. Single or multiple features can be interchanged with one another in any way. Combinations of features arising therefrom are intended to be understood to be covered by the disclosure of this application as well.

(20) Back-references in dependent claims are not intended to be understood as dispensing with the attainment of independent substantive protection for the features of the back-referenced subclaims. These features can also be combined with other features in any way.

(21) Features that are disclosed only in the description or features that are disclosed in the description or in a claim only in conjunction with other features may fundamentally be of independent significance essential to an aspect of the invention. They can therefore also be individually included in claims for the purpose of distinction from the prior art.