Detection device for replacement timing of brake pad and detection method thereof

Abstract

A device for detecting the replacement time of a brake pad according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a processor that receives position information from a motor position sensor that measures the position of a piston that moves back and forth to make the brake pad adhere to a wheel disc or separate from the wheel disc, identifies the amount of wear of the brake pad according to the driving distance based on the position information, and detects the replacement time of the brake pad based on a model learned to calculate the replacement time of the brake pad according to the amount of wear of the brake pad and the driver's braking characteristic information.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device and a method for detecting the replacement time of a brake pad. Background Technology

[0002] In electric or hydraulic brakes, the driver presses the brake pedal to stop a moving vehicle. At this time, the motor or brake fluid amplifies the pedal pressure to move the caliper, and the caliper creates friction between the inner brake pad and the wheel disc to stop the rotation of the disc, that is, the rotation of the wheel.

[0003] Brake pads are friction materials that come into direct contact with the wheel disc and convert kinetic energy into thermal energy, and they are one of the important devices that control the braking characteristics of a vehicle.

[0004] Currently, brake pads are consumables that require periodic replacement due to their wear nature; however, since the replacement timing varies significantly depending on the driver's driving style, an inspection must be performed beforehand.

[0005] Currently, the manual, which contains all the vehicle information, only states that brake pads should be inspected at regular intervals (varying by vehicle), but there is no guidance on when replacement is necessary.

[0006] In this case, an inspection is necessary because the degree of brake pad wear varies depending on the driver's braking style, even if the same distance has been driven. Therefore, rather than determining the replacement time based solely on mileage, the decision should be made by inspecting the amount of wear or remaining life of the brake pads.

[0007] When determining whether to replace brake pads, mechanics make the decision based on visual inspection, but since the criteria for pad replacement vary from mechanic to mechanic, there is a need for more accurate standards.

[0008] In addition, if the brake pads are not replaced, normal braking performance may not be achieved, which increases the risk of the vehicle's braking distance. In severe cases, friction between the metal parts of the brake pads and the wheel discs can cause noise and wear down the wheel discs, potentially leading to the unfortunate situation where the wheel discs must be replaced. The problem to be solved

[0009] The objective of the present invention is to provide a device and method for detecting the replacement timing of brake pads more accurately.

[0010] The objective of the present invention is to enable the driver to easily determine the time for replacing brake pads without separate inspection, and to eliminate any additional effort required thereafter. means of solving the problem

[0011] A device for detecting the replacement time of a brake pad according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a processor that receives position information from a motor position sensor that measures the position of a piston that moves back and forth to make the brake pad adhere to a wheel disc or separate from the wheel disc, identifies the amount of wear of the brake pad according to the driving distance based on the position information, and detects the replacement time of the brake pad based on a model learned to calculate the replacement time of the brake pad according to the amount of wear of the brake pad and the driver's braking characteristic information.

[0012] The above processor can identify braking characteristic information of the driver based on at least one of vehicle speed, pedal force, pedal force speed, and braking cycle.

[0013] The processor can identify the initial position of the brake pad and the corrected position of the brake pad to maintain a constant gap between the wheel disc and the brake pad through the position information of the piston, and identify the amount of wear of the brake pad through the difference between the initial position and the corrected position of the brake pad.

[0014] The above position information may be position information measured at the time when power is applied to the vehicle's brake system through the motor position sensor.

[0015] The above processor can generate a notification indicating the time to replace the brake pad when the amount of wear of the brake pad exceeds a predefined value.

[0016] A method for detecting the replacement time of a brake pad, performed by a detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises: receiving position information from a motor position sensor that measures the position of a piston that moves back and forth to make the brake pad adhere to a wheel disc or separate from the wheel disc; identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad according to the driving distance based on the position information; and detecting the replacement time of the brake pad based on a model learned to calculate the replacement time of the brake pad according to the amount of wear of the brake pad and the driver's braking characteristic information.

[0017] The step of detecting the replacement time of the brake pad may include identifying the driver's braking characteristic information based on at least one of vehicle speed, pedal force, pedal force speed, and braking cycle.

[0018] The step of identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad may include: identifying the initial position of the brake pad and the corrected position of the brake pad to maintain a constant gap between the wheel disc and the brake pad through the position information of the piston; and identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad through the difference between the initial position and the corrected position of the brake pad.

[0019] The above detection method may further include the step of generating a notification indicating the time to replace the brake pad when the amount of wear of the brake pad exceeds a predefined value. Effects of the invention

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the brake system of a vehicle can reliably guarantee braking performance through more accurate measurement of brake wear and prediction of replacement timing.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driver can immediately know whether the brake pads need to be replaced, thereby reducing mishaps such as having to schedule time for an inspection or experiencing emotional distress due to unnecessary replacement judgments. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0022] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a brake pad replacement timing detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation flowchart of a brake pad replacement timing detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of a brake pad wearing out according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the amount of wear according to the driving distance according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0023] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The detailed description disclosed below, together with the accompanying drawings, is intended to describe exemplary embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiment in which the present invention can be practiced. In order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts unrelated to the description may be omitted, and the same reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a brake pad replacement timing detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a brake pad replacement time detection device (100) (hereinafter referred to as the detection device (100)) is a device that predicts the amount of wear of a brake pad and detects the time for replacing the brake pad by using position information of a piston that moves the brake pad back and forth.

[0026] The detection device (100) can be installed inside a vehicle and receive and process information through communication between various parts such as a brake system, but is not necessarily limited to this and can be implemented as a server, computer, etc. operating externally.

[0027] Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the detection device (100) is described as being installed in the vehicle (1).

[0028] The present invention proposes a detection device (100) that improves the existing inspection system by more accurately measuring the amount of wear of the brake pad and detects the replacement time of the brake pad based on the driver's braking characteristics.

[0029] Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of a vehicle (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle (1) includes a detection device (100), a motor position sensor (10), a wheel speed sensor (20), and a brake system (30). At this time, the brake system (30) includes a caliper unit (31), a brake pad (32), and a wheel disc (33), and the caliper unit (31) includes a piston (311).

[0031] The motor position sensor (10) is a sensor mounted on the motor that measures the distance traveled by the piston (311) in real time. At this time, the motor position sensor (10) is a sensor that measures a relative position and can determine the initial position based on the point in time when power is applied to the brake system (30) to measure where the piston (311) is currently located.

[0032] The wheel speed sensor (20) is a device mounted on the axle that outputs an electrical signal capable of detecting the rotational speed of the wheel.

[0033] The piston (311) of the caliper unit (31) moves back and forth so that the brake pad (32) is in contact with the wheel disc (33) or separated from the wheel disc (33). To this end, the caliper unit (31) is coupled with the brake pad (32).

[0034] In one embodiment, the brake pad (32) includes a first brake pad and a second brake pad, and is spaced apart from each other with the wheel disc (33) in between.

[0035] Accordingly, upon receiving a braking signal, the piston (311) moves the first brake pad and the second brake pad toward the wheel disc (33) to press against the wheel disc (33), thereby reducing the rotational speed of the wheel disc (33) due to the frictional force and eventually stopping.

[0036] The wheel disc (33) is connected to the wheel and rotates together with the wheel when the wheel rotates, or the rotation ends simultaneously with the wheel (2).

[0037] The processor (110) of the detection device (100) may be a micro control unit (MCU) or a microprocessor and performs the overall operation of the detection device (100). Furthermore, the processor (110) can execute software, such as a program, to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) within the vehicle (1) and can perform various data processing or calculations. The detection device (100) can communicate with other components within the vehicle, such as a motor position sensor (10), a wheel speed sensor (20), and a brake system (30), using CAN communication, LIN communication, etc.

[0038] A processor (110) according to one embodiment of the present invention receives position information from a motor position sensor (10) that measures the position of a piston (311) that moves back and forth so that the brake pad (32) is in contact with or separated from the wheel disc, identifies the amount of wear of the brake pad (32) according to the driving distance based on the position information, and detects the replacement time of the brake pad (32) based on a model learned to calculate the replacement time of the brake pad (32) according to the amount of wear of the brake pad (32) and the driver's braking characteristic information.

[0039] Meanwhile, the processor (110) may perform at least some of the data analysis, processing, and result information generation for performing the above operations using at least one of machine learning, neural network, or deep learning algorithms as a rule-based or artificial intelligence algorithm. Examples of neural networks may include models such as CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), DNN (Deep Neural Network), and RNN (Recurrent Neural Network).

[0040] In addition to this, although not shown in FIG. 1, various components necessary for the process of detecting the replacement time of the brake pad (32) can be installed on the vehicle (1).

[0041] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation flowchart of a brake pad replacement timing detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] A processor (110) according to one embodiment of the present invention receives position information from a motor position sensor (10) that measures the position of a piston (311) that moves back and forth so that the brake pad (32) is in contact with the wheel disc (33) or separated from the wheel disc (33) (S10).

[0043] As described above, the processor (110) can receive position information of the piston (311) using the motor position sensor (10) and CAN communication, LIN communication, etc.

[0044] The motor position sensor (10) can check the travel distance of the piston (311) in real time through mathematical formula 1.

[0045]

[0046] Alternatively, the motor's travel distance can be calculated using the motor RPM [revolutions per minute] and converted into the travel distance of the piston (311).

[0047] In addition, as described above, the motor position sensor (10) is a sensor that measures a relative position and can determine the initial position based on the point in time when power is applied to the brake system (30) to measure where the current piston (311) is located.

[0048] A processor (110) according to one embodiment of the present invention identifies the amount of wear of a brake pad (32) according to the driving distance based on location information (S20).

[0049] At this time, the processor (110) can identify the initial position of the brake pad (32) and the corrected position of the brake pad (32) to maintain a constant distance between the wheel disc and the brake pad (32) through the position information of the piston (311), and can identify the amount of wear of the brake pad (32) through the difference between the initial position and the corrected position of the brake pad (32).

[0050] In order to determine the position of the piston (311), the wheel disc (33) must be touched once, and the wear of the brake pad (32) can be measured by modifying the above mathematical formula 1 (or by calculating the motor's travel distance using Motor RPM [revolutions per minute] and converting it into the piston's travel distance) to fit the system.

[0051] That is, the amount of wear on the brake pad (32) is identified through the positional difference between the brake pad (32) before and after wear. Below, a more detailed process for identifying the amount of wear is explained with reference to FIG. 3.

[0052] A processor (110) according to one embodiment of the present invention detects the replacement time of the brake pad (32) based on a model learned to calculate the replacement time of the brake pad (32) according to the amount of wear of the brake pad (32) and the driver's braking characteristic information (S30).

[0053] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driver's braking characteristics refer to characteristics that appear according to the driver's driving style, such as the characteristic of sudden braking or the characteristic of braking briefly and frequently. Even if the same vehicle is driven for the same distance, the amount of wear on the brake pad (32) varies depending on the driver's braking characteristics.

[0054] For example, brake pads in a vehicle driven by someone who brakes frequently show more wear than brake pads in a vehicle driven by someone who brakes infrequently, even over the same driving distance.

[0055] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the processor (110) can identify driver's braking characteristic information based on at least one of vehicle speed, pedal force, pedal force speed, and braking cycle.

[0056] Next, the processor (110) can detect the replacement time of the brake pad (32) through a learned model using the current amount of wear of the brake pad (32) and the identified driver's braking characteristic information as input.

[0057] A model according to one embodiment of the present invention may be generated and stored in a detection device (100), or a processor (110) may train the model using information on the wear amount of the brake pad (32) and the driver's braking characteristics. Below, the training process when the processor (110) trains the model will be examined in detail.

[0058] The processor (110) can collect stored information from multiple in-vehicle ECUs through methods such as OTA (Over-the-air programming). The stored information from the ECUs may include information such as vehicle speed, pedal speed, braking cycle, brake pad wear amount per driving distance, and brake replacement cycle.

[0059] The processor (110) can identify the braking characteristics of drivers of multiple vehicles based on at least one of vehicle speed, pedal force, pedal force speed, and braking cycle. At this time, for more accurate analysis, braking characteristics can be identified for drivers of the same vehicle or for drivers of the same vehicle and vehicles of the same specifications.

[0060] And the processor (110) learns a model using the amount of brake pad wear according to driving distance and the timing of brake replacement according to the driver's braking characteristics as learning data.

[0061] Accordingly, the processor (110) can predict the expected replacement time by comparing the braking characteristics of other drivers of the same vehicle with the braking characteristics of a specific driver, and can predict the expected replacement time based on the current amount of wear of the brake pad.

[0062] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the brake system of a vehicle can reliably guarantee braking performance through more accurate measurement of brake wear and prediction of replacement timing.

[0063] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of a brake pad wearing out according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] As previously described in relation to S20 of FIG. 2, the process of detecting the amount of wear of the brake pad (32) will be explained in detail.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a caliper unit (31), a brake pad (32) including a first brake pad and a second brake pad, and a wheel disc (33), and shows the brake pad (32) worn out as it travels.

[0066] At this time, in order to eliminate the braking characteristic called drag, which is residual torque generated during the braking process, a certain gap (310) is maintained between the brake pad (32) and the wheel disc (33) after braking.

[0067] To identify the amount of wear of the brake pad (32), the processor (110) can first identify the initial position (320) of the brake pad (32) through the position information of the piston (311). The initial position (320) of the brake pad (32) refers to the position corresponding to the side of the brake pad (32) facing the caliper unit (31) when a new, unworn brake pad is placed at a predefined gap (310) with the wheel disc.

[0068] Next, the processor (110) can identify the corrected position of the brake pad (32) to maintain a constant distance (310) between the wheel disc and the brake pad (32).

[0069] The corrected position (330) of the brake pad (32) refers to the position corresponding to the side of the brake pad facing the caliper unit (31) when the brake pad (32), worn out from driving, has a predefined gap (310) with the wheel disc. In the case of a worn brake pad, the gap between the side of the brake pad facing the caliper unit (31) and the caliper unit (31) will be wider than that of a new brake pad.

[0070] Accordingly, the processor (110) can identify the amount of wear (340) of the brake pad through the difference between the initial position (320) and the correction position (330) of the brake pad.

[0071] FIG. 4 is a graph showing the amount of wear according to the driving distance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] Referring to the graph (400) in Fig. 4, it shows a graph (410) of brake pad wear amount according to the driving distance of general vehicles (general drivers) and a graph (420) of brake pad wear amount according to the driving distance of the first vehicle.

[0073] As previously described in relation to S30 of FIG. 2, the processor (110) can detect the brake pad replacement time corresponding to the braking characteristics of the first driver of the first vehicle based on a model learned regarding the brake pad replacement time according to the braking characteristics of general drivers. In addition, the processor (110) can detect the future brake pad replacement time according to the trend of brake pad wear amount according to the driving distance of the first vehicle.

[0074] The processor (110) can generate a notification indicating when to replace the brake pad (32) if the amount of wear on the brake pad (32) exceeds a predefined value.

[0075] At this time, the generated notification is displayed through the vehicle's interior display to inform the driver that the brake pads need to be replaced.

[0076] For example, if the amount of wear of the brake pad (32) in the graph (400) exceeds the first threshold (430), the processor (110) can generate a notification indicating that the brake pad (32) needs to be replaced soon, and if it exceeds the second threshold (440), it can generate a warning indication indicating that the brake pad (32) needs to be replaced.

[0077] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driver can immediately know whether the brake pads need to be replaced, thereby reducing mishaps such as having to schedule time for an inspection or experiencing emotional distress due to unnecessary replacement judgments. Explanation of the symbols

[0078] 1: Vehicle 10: Motor position sensor 20: Wheel speed sensor 30: Brake System 31: Caliper unit 311: Piston 32: Brake pads 33: Wheel disc 100: Detector 110: Processor

Claims

Claim 1 A detection device for detecting the replacement time of a brake pad comprises: receiving position information from a motor position sensor that measures the position of a piston that moves back and forth to make the brake pad adhere to or separate from the wheel disc; identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad according to the driving distance based on the position information; identifying the driver's braking characteristic information based on at least one of vehicle speed, pedal force, pedal force speed, and braking cycle; and detecting the replacement time of the brake pad for each driver based on a model learned to calculate the replacement time of the brake pad according to the amount of wear of the brake pad and the driver's braking characteristic information. The detection device further comprises: the processor identifying the initial position of the brake pad and the corrected position of the brake pad to maintain a constant distance between the wheel disc and the brake pad through the position information of the piston; and identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad through the difference between the initial position and the corrected position of the brake pad. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the position information is position information measured at the time when power is applied to the vehicle's brake system through the motor position sensor. Claim 5 In claim 1, the processor is a detection device that generates a notification indicating the time to replace the brake pad when the amount of wear of the brake pad exceeds a preset value. Claim 6 A method for detecting the replacement time of a brake pad performed by a detection device, comprising: receiving position information from a motor position sensor that measures the position of a piston that moves back and forth so that the brake pad is in contact with or separated from the wheel disc; identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad according to the driving distance based on the position information; identifying driver's braking characteristic information based on at least one of vehicle speed, pedal force, pedal force speed, and braking cycle; and detecting the replacement time of the brake pad for each driver based on a model learned to calculate the replacement time of the brake pad according to the amount of wear of the brake pad and the driver's braking characteristic information, wherein the step of identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad includes: identifying the initial position of the brake pad and the corrected position of the brake pad to maintain a constant distance between the wheel disc and the brake pad through the position information of the piston; and identifying the amount of wear of the brake pad through the difference between the initial position and the corrected position of the brake pad. Claim 7 delete Claim 8 delete Claim 9 A detection method according to claim 6, characterized in that the above position information is position information measured at the time when power is applied to the vehicle's brake system through the motor position sensor. Claim 10 A detection method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of generating a notification indicating the time to replace the brake pad when the amount of wear of the brake pad exceeds a predefined value.

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