Method for furnishing a sensor in the braking system in a vehicle

Abstract

A method for furnishing a sensor signal in a braking system, in which in the event of a failure of the brake control unit signal transfer is switched over and the signal is transmitted to a further control unit.

Claims

1. A method for providing a sensor signal in a braking system in a vehicle, the method comprising: ascertaining, via a sensor, at least one braking-relevant sensor signal; and performing, via a switchover unit, if there is a faulty transmission of the sensor signal to a brake control unit, or if there is a failure of the brake control unit, a switching over of the signal transmission, and transmitting the sensor signals to a further control unit, wherein the further control unit controls a brake booster that implements a braking function of each of a plurality of braking circuits of the braking system when the sensor signals are transmitted to the further control unit, wherein the switchover unit includes at least two switches, wherein one of the at least two switches enables transmission of the sensor signals to the brake control unit in a first switching state and enables transmission of the sensor signals to the further control unit in a second switching state different from the first switching state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is a wheel rotation speed signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal transmission is switched over, and the sensor signal is transmitted to the further control unit, exclusively if there is a failure of the brake control unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the further control unit applies control to an electric motor with which the brake pressure in the hydraulic braking system is adjustable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the brake control unit is an ESP control unit or ABS control unit that applies control to an electric motor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein control signals are generated in a microcontroller of the brake control unit and are evaluated in a switchover unit or in a switchover logic system associated with the switchover unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if there is a fault the supply of voltage to the sensor of the brake control unit is switched over to an alternative power source via another of the at least two switches of the switchover unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the brake control unit and the further control unit communicate with one another and exchange information regarding the fault state, regarding the autonomous/non-autonomous driving mode of the vehicle, or regarding vehicle state variables.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein if there is a fault the supply of voltage to the sensor of the brake control unit is switched over to an alternative power source, in particular to the vehicle battery, via another of the at least two switches of the switchover unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein all the braking circuits of the braking system are hydraulic braking circuits.

11. A braking system for a vehicle, comprising: at least one sensor for ascertaining a braking-relevant sensor signal; a brake control unit; and a switchover unit for switching over and forwarding the sensor signal to a further control unit if there is a fault in the brake control unit or if there is a faulty transmission of the sensor signal to the brake control unit, wherein the further control unit controls a brake booster that implements a braking function of each of a plurality of braking circuits of the braking system when the sensor signal is forwarded to the further control unit, wherein the switchover unit includes at least two switches, wherein one of the at least two switches enables transmission of the sensor signals to the brake control unit in a first switching state and enables transmission of the sensor signals to the further control unit in a second switching state different from the first switching state.

12. The braking system of claim 11, wherein the switchover unit is coupled directly to the brake control unit and communicates therewith.

13. The braking system of claim 12, wherein the switchover unit is coupled between the brake control unit and the further brake control unit.

14. The braking system of claim 13, wherein the switchover unit is disposed in a flow path between a brake master cylinder and the braking circuits.

15. The braking system of claim 11, wherein the brake control unit applies control to an electric pump motor.

16. The braking system of claim 11, wherein the further control unit applies control to an electric motor used as the brake booster.

17. The braking system of claim 16, wherein the brake booster is disposed between a brake actuation device and a brake master cylinder.

18. The braking system of claim 11, wherein all the braking circuits of the braking system are hydraulic braking circuits.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a vehicle brake having two brake circuits associated with the front axle and the rear axle, and having an electronic stability program (ESP) and having an electrically actuatable brake booster.

(2) FIG. 2 is a block diagram having an ESP control unit to which a switchover unit is coupled, and having a further control unit that is associated with an electrical brake booster.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) Hydraulic braking system 1 depicted in the hydraulic circuit diagram according to FIG. 1 has a front-axle brake circuit 2 and a rear-axle brake circuit 3 for supplying hydraulic brake fluid respectively to wheel brake apparatuses 8 and 9 on the front wheels and 10 and 11 on the rear wheels. Also appropriate in principle are braking systems in which the brake circuit distribution is diagonal, so that a wheel brake apparatus is provided for each brake circuit on a front wheel and on a rear wheel.

(4) The two brake circuits 2, 3 are connected to one shared brake master cylinder 4 that is supplied with brake fluid via a brake fluid reservoir 5. Brake master cylinder 4 is actuated by the driver via brake pedal 6, and the pedal travel exerted by the driver is measured via a pedal travel sensor 7. Located between brake pedal 6 and brake master cylinder 4 is a brake booster 16 that encompasses, for example, an electric motor may actuate brake master cylinder 4 via a linkage. The positioning motion of brake pedal 6 measured by pedal travel sensor 7 is transmitted as a sensor signal to a control unit 17 of brake booster 16, in which positioning signals for applying control to brake booster 16 are generated.

(5) Disposed in each brake circuit 2, 3 is a switchover valve 12 that is located in the flow path between the brake master cylinder and the respective wheel apparatuses 8, 9 and 10, 11. Switchover valves 12 are open in their zero-current idle state. Each switchover valve 12 has associated with it a check valve, connected in parallel, through which flow can occur toward the respective wheel brake apparatuses.

(6) Located between switchover valves 12 and the respective wheel brake apparatuses 8, 9 and 10, 11 are inlet valves 13 that are likewise open at zero current and have check valves associated with them through which flow can occur in the opposite direction, i.e. from the wheel brake apparatuses to the brake master cylinder.

(7) Each wheel brake apparatus 8, 9 and 10, 11 has associated with it an outlet valve 14 that is closed at zero current. Outlet valves 14 are each connected to the suction side of a pump unit 15 that has a respective delivery pump 18, 19 in each brake circuit 2, 3. The pump unit has associated with it an electric drive motor or pump motor 22 that actuates both delivery pumps 18 and 19 via a shaft 23. The discharge side of the respective delivery pump 18, 19 is connected to a conduit segment between switchover valve 12 and the two inlet valves 13 for each brake circuit.

(8) The suction sides of delivery pumps 18 and 19 are each connected to a high-pressure switching valve 24 that is hydraulically connected to brake master cylinder 4. In the context of a vehicle-dynamics control intervention, for rapid brake pressure buildup the high-pressure switching valves 24 that are closed in the zero-current state can be opened so that delivery pumps 18 and 19 draw hydraulic fluid directly out of brake master cylinder 4. This brake pressure buildup can be carried out independently of an actuation of the braking system by the driver. Pump unit 15, having the two delivery pumps 18 and 19, electric pump motor 22, and shaft 23, is part of a driver assistance system and is a component of an electronic stability program (ESP) or of an antilock braking system (ABS). Electric pump motor 22 is adjusted via positioning signals of a brake control unit or ESP control unit 27.

(9) Located between outlet valves 14 and the suction side of delivery pumps 18 and 19, for each brake circuit 2, 3, is a reservoir chamber 25 that serves for temporary storage of brake fluid that is released through outlet valves 14 from wheel brake apparatuses 8, 9 and 10, 11 during a vehicle dynamics intervention. Associated with each reservoir chamber 25 is a check valve that opens in the direction of the suction sides of delivery pumps 18, 19. Reservoir chambers 25 are also part of the electronic stability program (ESP).

(10) A pressure sensor 26 is disposed in brake circuit 3, adjacently to brake master cylinder 4, for pressure measurement.

(11) Braking system 1 is furthermore equipped at each vehicle wheel 20 with a wheel rotation speed sensor 21 with which the respective wheel rotation speed can be ascertained. The sensor signal of wheel rotation sensor 21 is delivered as an input signal to ESP control unit 27, in which positioning signals for adjusting electric pump motor 22 are generated. Each vehicle wheel has associated with it a wheel rotation speed sensor whose sensor signals are conveyed to ESP control unit 27.

(12) FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting the interaction of control unit 17, which is associated with brake booster 16, and ESP control unit 27. Each control unit 17, 27 respectively encompasses a microcontroller 17a, 27a and an ASIC 17b, 27b. The block diagram describes the interaction of control units 17 and 27 in the event of a fault in ESP control unit 27, the consequence of which is that autonomous, automatic braking interventions can no longer be carried out via the ESP system. In order to allow autonomous braking interventions to continue to be carried out despite a failure of ESP control unit 27, in the event of a fault a functional displacement to control unit 17 of brake booster 16 occurs, whereupon the hydraulic brake pressure in the braking system is modulated via the electrically actuatable brake booster 16 so that single-channel ABS braking can be effected with a stabilized vehicle.

(13) A switchover unit 29, preceded by a switchover logic system 28, is coupled to ESP control unit 27. Switchover logic system 28 controls switchover unit 29 with a control signal as a function of input variables that switchover logic system 28 receives from microcontroller 27a and from ASIC 27b of ESP control unit 27. The control signal generated by switchover logic system 28 in order to apply control to switchover logic system 29 contains, for example, the autonomous/non-autonomous driving mode, a test mode for testing switchover unit 29, or a trigger signal in the event of an electrical fault in the ESP system, in particular in ESP control unit 27.

(14) Switchover unit 29 switches the switches 29a and 29b between two different switching states as a function of the control signal that is delivered. First switch 29a switches the rotation speed sensor signal from the rotation speed sensor either to ASIC 27b of the ESP control unit or alternatively to ASIC 17b of brake control unit 17 of brake booster 16. In the normal case (when all components are fully functional) switch 29a is set to convey the rotation speed sensor signal to ASIC 27b of ESP control unit 27 in order to allow an autonomous braking intervention to be carried out, as applicable, by the ESP system as a function of the delivered rotation speed sensor signals. In the presence of a fault that is detected in switchover logic system 28, however, switch 29a is reset so that the wheel rotation speed sensor signals are delivered to ASIC 17b of brake control unit 17. This makes it possible for the ESP functions performed in the context of an autonomous braking intervention to be carried out by brake control unit 17 and by the associated brake booster 16.

(15) Second switch 29b in switchover unit 29 relates to the supply of electricity to wheel rotation speed sensors 21. In the normal case, electricity is supplied to wheel rotation speed sensors 21 via the electricity supplied to ASIC 27b of ESP control unit 27. In the event of a fault, switch 29b is reset and electricity is supplied, as indicated by dashed line 30, from a supply voltage obtained from the battery voltage of the vehicle battery.

(16) As indicated by the dashed box, switchover logic system 28 and switchover unit 29 are coupled onto ESP control unit 27.