US5669676A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for determining the start of an automatic braking process
Assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
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Filing: 1995-10-31
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Granted: 1997-09-23
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Expires: 2015-10-31
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a method for determining the start of an automatic braking process. In those instances where the brake pedal is actuated starting from an initially unactuated position, triggering of automatic braking occurs when the actuation speed of the brake pedal remains above a threshold trigger value for automatic braking, and a prescribed pedal travel is exceeded in a specific time interval after the start of the actuation of the brake pedal. Light depression of the brake pedal which takes place only briefly at a high pedal actuation speed does not lead to the automatic braking process being triggered.
Inventors
- 👤 Siegfried Rump
- 👤 Alexander Fuchs
- 👤 Bernd Knoff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:31
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60T; B60T13/00; B60T13/10; B60T13/66; B60T13/662; B60T7/00; B60T7/12; B60T8/00; B60T8/32; B60T8/321; B60T8/3255; B60T8/3275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
In an automatic braking system of the type wherein during automatic braking, braking pressure is applied which is greater than that which corresponds to a position of a brake pedal of said system, a method for determining the start of automatic braking comprising the steps of: detecting the position of said brake pedal relative to an unactuated rest position thereof; detecting an actuation of said brake pedal; detecting an actuation speed and a pedal travel of said brake pedal; and when said actuation of said brake pedal commences from an at least substantially unactuated position of said brake pedal, triggering said automatic braking when both of the following are satisfied; actuation speed of said brake pedal in a direction which increases braking pressure satisfies a triggering criterion; and pedal travel of said brake pedal during a prescribed time interval after the start of said actuation of the brake pedal exceeds a prescribed threshold value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
In an automatic braking system of the type wherein during automatic braking, braking pressure is applied which is greater than that which corresponds to a position of a brake pedal of said system, a method for determining the start of automatic braking comprising the steps of: detecting the position of said brake pedal relative to an unactuated rest position thereof; detecting an actuation of said brake pedal; detecting an actuation speed and a pedal travel of said brake pedal; and when said actuation of said brake pedal commences from an at least substantially unactuated position of said brake pedal, triggering said automatic braking when both of the following are satisfied; actuation speed of said brake pedal in a direction which increases braking pressure satisfies a triggering criterion; and pedal travel of said brake pedal during a prescribed time interval after the start of said actuation of the brake pedal exceeds a prescribed threshold value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein said step of detecting an actuation of said brake pedal comprises detecting actuation of the brake pedal from said at least substantially unactuated position when a signal which represents actuation of the brake pedal changes from a first state which corresponds to an unactuated position of the brake pedal to a second state which corresponds to an actuated position of the brake pedal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method according to claim 2 wherein the signal which represents actuation of the brake is generated in response to a switched position of a brake light switch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method according to claim 2 wherein the prescribed time interval is measured starting from the time when the signal which represents the actuation of the brake pedal changes from said first state into said second state.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the time interval is between 70 and 240 ms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
Method according to claim 2 wherein pedal travel is measured from a position of the brake pedal when the transition of the signal which represents the actuation of the brake pedal changes from said first state into said second state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the threshold value for the pedal travel is between 20 and 40 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein pedal travel is measured starting from the rest position; and said at least substantially unactuated position of said brake pedal comprises a position wherein said pedal travel does not exceed an initial threshold value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method according to claim 8 wherein the time interval is measured from a time at which the pedal travel exceeds the initial threshold value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method according to claim 8 wherein the threshold value for the pedal travel is measured from a point at which the initial threshold value is exceeded.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH04334649A
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JPH05262219A
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JPH04293654A
Cited
JPH0585335A
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JPH06179361A
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US5427442A
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US5445444A
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US5535123A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-22 | 2001-03-24 | 2001-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-22 | 2005-03-24 | 2005-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-22 | 2009-03-24 | 2009-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |