Managing braking strategy for vehicle

Abstract

The present application is intended to manage a braking strategy for a vehicle, for which purpose a computer system (600) is provided, comprising a processing circuit (602) configured to process a braking strategy for a braking device (50) of a vehicle (1). The braking device (50) is configured with a first braking strategy. The processing circuitry (602) is configured to obtain one or more braking strategy parameters. The one or more braking strategy parameters are indicative of a state of the braking device (50) and / or one or more environmental parameters of a road (10) on which the vehicle (1) travels. The processing circuit (602) is configured to select a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by a braking device (50) based on a movement of the vehicle (1) and the one or more braking strategy parameters. The processing circuit (602) is configured to trigger a transition of the braking device (50) of the vehicle (1) from the first braking strategy to the second braking strategy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to brake management. In particular aspects, the present disclosure relates to managing a braking strategy of a vehicle. The present disclosure may be applicable to heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, as well as other vehicle types. Although the present disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Vehicles typically use a set of braking strategies configured for a particular purpose, such as performing a braking operation that will collect energy in an optimal manner, or performing a braking operation that will result in even brake wear. Another option for a braking strategy is to perform a braking operation that will have optimal traction on a low-friction surface. Regardless of the strategy used, these strategies are likely developed with a set application purpose and / or a particular environment in mind. If the application situation or environment of the vehicle changes, the vehicle will still be configured to use the same braking strategy, even if the strategy may be sub-optimal for the new situation.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for more efficient and flexible vehicle brake management. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer system including a processing circuit configured to process a braking strategy for a braking device of a vehicle traveling on a road. The braking device is configured with a first braking strategy among a set of braking strategies. Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies at least defines a braking force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle using the corresponding strategy. Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies may also be arranged for a particular purpose, such as achieving a predefined braking effect.

[0005] The processing circuit is configured to obtain one or more braking strategy parameters. The one or more braking strategy parameters indicate a state of the braking device and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road.

[0006] The processing circuit is configured to obtain vehicle motion information indicating motion of the vehicle.

[0007] The processing circuit is configured to select a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0008] The processing circuit is configured to trigger the braking device of the vehicle to transition from the first braking strategy to the second braking strategy.

[0009] The first aspect of the present disclosure may seek to achieve a transition between braking strategies in a smooth and efficient manner.

[0010] Technical benefits can include more efficient and flexible braking management. This is because transitioning from a first braking strategy to a second braking strategy enables the vehicle to adapt its braking distribution in a flexible and efficient manner when it is deemed appropriate due to the combination of the vehicle's movement and one or more braking parameters. Since the second braking strategy is selected from the set of braking strategies, the most suitable braking strategy can be selected relative to the vehicle movement information and one or more braking strategy parameters. This is because, based on the way the vehicle is moving, the vehicle's environment, and / or the current state of the braking device, it can be determined which one of the set of braking strategies is most suitable for the vehicle's current situation. For example, if the vehicle's environment and / or the current state of the braking device indicate that the vehicle is traveling rapidly on a low-friction road surface, a braking strategy with traction optimization may be required, and thus it can be selected as the second braking strategy.

[0011] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is configured to determine a transition configuration based on the vehicle movement information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, the transition configuration indicating when and / or how to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy. In these examples, the processing circuit is further configured to trigger the transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy based on the transition configuration.

[0012] Technical benefits can include more flexible and efficient changing of the braking strategy. This is because the vehicle can transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second strategy in a more controlled manner, for example, using a specific timing and / or how to blend the first braking strategy and the second braking strategy before only using the second braking strategy.

[0013] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the transition configuration includes a fade factor, the fade factor indicating how the braking distribution of the first braking strategy is adapted to the braking distribution of the second braking strategy during a transition period.

[0014] Technical benefits can include more flexible and efficient changing of the braking strategy. This is because the first braking strategy can fade out during the transition period, and / or the second braking strategy can fade in during the transition period.

[0015] Optionally, in some examples, including at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is configured to determine the transition configuration by selecting the fade factor from a set of fade factors. The fade factor used herein may indicate the speed at which one or more aspects of the braking strategy fade in or out. For example, the fade factor may indicate the speed at which the braking distribution of the first braking strategy is adjusted to the braking distribution of the second braking strategy when transitioning between the first braking strategy and the second braking strategy.

[0016] Technical benefits may include more flexible and efficient changing of the braking strategy. This is because the most suitable fade factor can be selected from a set of fade factors, such as the fade factor most suitable for vehicle movement and / or the selected braking strategy.

[0017] Optionally, in some examples, including at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is further configured to trigger the braking device of the vehicle to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy by triggering a plurality of changes in the braking distribution of the braking device during a second time period.

[0018] Technical benefits may include more flexible and efficient braking strategy transitions. This is because the braking distribution of the first braking strategy can be gradually changed to the second braking strategy over time, such as by gradually changing the braking distribution of the first braking strategy to the braking distribution of the second braking strategy within a set time period. In this way, the transition between the first braking strategy and the second braking strategy is smooth and will minimize the impact on how the driver of the vehicle experiences the control changes of the vehicle and the braking device, and thus improved control of the vehicle is achieved.

[0019] Optionally, in some examples, including at least one preferred example, the braking force distribution defines the braking force actuated by any one or more of the following: - One or more regenerative brakes of the braking device, - One or more service brakes of the braking device, and - One or more auxiliary brakes of the braking device.

[0020] Technical benefits may include more flexible and efficient changing of the braking strategy. This is because the braking distribution of the first braking strategy and the braking distribution of the second braking strategy can be transferred and used among different types of brakes in the braking device.

[0021] Optionally, in some examples, including at least one preferred example, the set of braking strategies includes strategies associated with different respective braking effects when used to brake the vehicle.

[0022] Technical benefits can include changing the braking strategy more flexibly and efficiently. This is because selecting a second braking strategy and transitioning between the first braking strategy and the second braking strategy enables different effects associated with the second braking strategy.

[0023] Optionally, in some examples, including at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is configured to obtain an indication of a braking effect to be prioritized when braking the vehicle. In these examples, the processing circuit is configured to select a second braking strategy based on the indicated braking effect.

[0024] Technical benefits can include changing the braking strategy more flexibly and efficiently. This is because a braking effect to be prioritized can be identified (e.g., by determination and / or via a preference input), and a second braking strategy can be selected accordingly to best achieve the prioritized braking effect.

[0025] Optionally, in some examples, including at least one preferred example, the braking effect includes any of the following: − Balancing wear of the brakes of the braking device, − Balancing tire wear of the vehicle, − Improving the stability of the vehicle, − Reducing the stopping time of the vehicle, − Increasing the traction of the vehicle on the surface being traveled, − Increasing energy harvesting of a regenerative brake in the braking device, and − Increasing the use of an auxiliary brake to brake the vehicle.

[0026] Since many different braking effects can influence the selection of the second braking strategy, technical benefits can include more efficient and flexible handling of the braking strategy.

[0027] Optionally, in some examples, including at least one preferred example, the status of the braking device indicates whether the vehicle has activated a stability function of the braking device, such as an anti-lock braking system (ABS) or an electronic stability control (ESC) function.

[0028] Technical benefits can include more flexible and efficient changes to the braking strategy. This is because the activated stability function affects how the vehicle executes braking, and / or its use may counteract the effect of the first braking strategy and thus may influence the selection of the second braking strategy. Additionally, when using ABS or ESC, it means that the surface friction of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is low. Therefore, depending on the vehicle's motion, it may be appropriate to select the second braking strategy as a strategy aimed at increasing traction on the road. For example, this may be considered more appropriate than, for example, using a braking strategy for improving energy harvesting. In such a case, the transition between braking strategies can involve redistributing the braking force from the regenerative brakes to the service brakes of the vehicle.

[0029] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the one or more environmental parameters of the road include any one or more of the following: − Sensor data and / or measurements of the road in the direction of travel of the vehicle, − One or more environmental factors of the road, − An indication of one or more traffic events in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and − The coefficient of friction of the road in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0030] Technical benefits can include more flexible and efficient changes to the braking strategy. This is because the second braking strategy can be selected more accurately based on environmental parameters. For example, when the coefficient of friction is low, improved traction may be required, and the second braking strategy can be selected accordingly. When sensor data and / or measurements and / or one or more traffic events indicate a traffic event (e.g., congestion, accident, or obstacle on the road), rapid braking may potentially be required, and the second braking strategy can be selected as a braking strategy aimed at reducing the stopping time of the vehicle, such as by distributing the braking force only to the service brakes of the braking device. When one or more environmental parameters indicate normal or high friction, the second braking strategy can be selected as a strategy for improving energy harvesting. However, if the state of charge (SoC) of the vehicle's battery is too high or if the vehicle lacks regenerative brakes and cannot perform energy harvesting, the second braking strategy can be selected as a strategy for increasing the use of one or more auxiliary brakes.

[0031] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the motion of the vehicle includes any one or more of the following: − The longitudinal and / or lateral speed of the vehicle, − The acceleration of the vehicle; − The speed of one or more wheels of the vehicle, and - Longitudinal and / or lateral wheel slip of one or more wheels of the vehicle.

[0032] Technical advantages can include more flexible and efficient change of the braking strategy. This is because the second braking strategy can be selected more accurately based on the vehicle movement. For example, if improved traction is required due to rapid or unstable movement of the vehicle, or if the second braking strategy can be selected to focus on other aspects, such as reducing tire wear or wear of the service brakes.

[0033] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is configured to select the second braking strategy in response to detecting a trigger event. In these examples, the trigger event indicates a change in one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0034] Technical advantages can include more flexible and efficient change of the braking strategy. This is because, if one or more braking strategy parameters change, it means that the braking strategy selection for the second braking strategy may have changed. Therefore, it is necessary to select the second braking strategy.

[0035] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle including a braking device and including a computer system according to the first aspect.

[0036] The technical advantages of the second aspect correspond to those of the first aspect.

[0037] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer-implemented method for processing a braking strategy of a braking device for a vehicle traveling on a road. The braking device is configured with a first braking strategy among a set of braking strategies. Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies at least defines the braking force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle using the corresponding strategy.

[0038] The method includes obtaining, by a processing circuit of a computer system, one or more braking strategy parameters. The one or more braking strategy parameters indicate the state of the braking device and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road.

[0039] The method includes obtaining, by the processing circuit, vehicle movement information indicating the movement of the vehicle.

[0040] The method includes selecting, by the processing circuit, a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device based on the vehicle movement information and the one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0041] The method includes triggering, by the processing circuit, the braking device of the vehicle to change from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy.

[0042] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the method includes determining a transition configuration based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, the transition configuration indicating when and / or how to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy. In these examples, the method includes triggering the transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy based on the transition configuration.

[0043] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the method includes obtaining an indication of a braking effect to be prioritized when braking the vehicle. In these examples, the method includes selecting the second braking strategy based on the indicated braking effect.

[0044] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the method includes detecting a trigger event. In these examples, the trigger event indicates a change in one or more braking strategy parameters. In these examples, the method includes selecting the second braking strategy in response to detecting the trigger event.

[0045] The technical benefits of the third aspect correspond to the technical benefits of the first aspect.

[0046] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the disclosed aspects, examples (including any preferred examples), and / or the appended claims may be appropriately combined with each other. Additional features and advantages are disclosed in the following description, claims, and drawings, and will be in part apparent to those of skill in the art or will be recognized by practicing the present disclosure as described herein.

[0047] Also disclosed herein are computer systems, control units, code modules, computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and computer program products associated with the technical benefits discussed above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Examples will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0049] Figure 1 A vehicle according to an example is shown.

[0050] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method according to an example is shown.

[0051] Figure 3 A selection of a braking strategy according to an example is shown.

[0052] Figure 4 A flowchart of a method according to an example is shown.

[0053] Figure 5shows an example of Figure 1 another view.

[0054] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary computer system for implementing the examples disclosed herein. Detailed Description

[0055] The detailed description set forth below provides information and examples of the disclosed technology in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure.

[0056] In the braking function of a vehicle such as a truck, different braking strategies can be employed to achieve different purposes. Some braking strategies are developed to coordinate the lining wear on each brake, e.g., using all brake linings evenly and / or using active wear control based on wear signals. Some other braking strategies aim to maximize the grip, i.e., the traction force that the vehicle can achieve, e.g., by using load-based and / or wheel-slip-based brake force distribution. However, the reasons for how to optimize and / or adjust the braking strategy may change over time, e.g., based on environmental factors, as some strategies may only work well under some conditions. Thus, the examples herein provide a choice between different braking strategies that can be executed in a variety of ways, which will be discussed by the examples herein.

[0057] Once the braking strategy to be switched is selected, the transition to the braking strategy can be executed in a variety of different ways.

[0058] One method is to fade in or out the braking strategy according to the vehicle speed and deceleration requirements. For example, at low deceleration requests, the braking force can be evenly distributed to each service brake of the vehicle. When the deceleration request increases, the brake force distribution may shift to a load-based braking strategy. While efficient braking of the vehicle can be achieved using this method, this method may imply repetitive execution, at least if only transitioning between the same two braking strategies for different deceleration requests. Some examples herein also consider changing the braking strategy such that braking maneuvers in future situations are always improved, i.e., the braking strategy of the vehicle can be repeatedly transitioned to the braking strategy that can be determined to be most suitable for the current vehicle motion, its current environment, and the state of the braking device. If sufficient information is provided in advance (e.g., via a camera and / or via other sensors), the braking strategy can be adjusted before executing the braking maneuver.

[0059] For example, when a vehicle is traveling on a smooth ice surface and the wheels start to slip at low torque, greater grip can be achieved if a traction-optimized braking strategy (such as braking only using the service brakes) is used instead of a braking strategy oriented towards even pad wear (such as braking using partial auxiliary brakes). In some examples here, the vehicle can change to a traction-optimized braking strategy after detecting the use of the ABS (which means the road condition is slippery). However, it is also possible to switch to the traction-optimized strategy earlier, even before braking on a smooth ice surface, for example, if a sensor such as a camera detects environmental information.

[0060] Figure 1 Vehicle 1 according to an example is shown. Vehicle 1 can be any suitable vehicle, such as a bus, a truck, a car, or any suitable heavy vehicle. Vehicle 1 is arranged to travel on road 10 in the driving direction D. The vehicle includes a plurality of axles, such as a first axle 11, a second axle 12, and a third axle 13.

[0061] Vehicle 1 includes a braking device 50. The braking device 50 can include a set of braking units 51. The set of braking units 51 can include any suitable brakes, brake actuators, and / or retarders, such as any one or more of the following: - One or more regenerative brakes, for example, for collecting electrical energy, - One or more service brakes, such as drum brakes or disc brakes, - One or more auxiliary brakes.

[0062] One or more auxiliary brakes can include any one or more of the following: - The engine of vehicle 1 for engine braking, - The powertrain of vehicle 1 for powertrain braking - One or more jake brakes, - One or more hydraulic retarders, - Exhaust brakes, for example, for restricting or constraining the exhaust to limit the torque exerted by the engine of vehicle 1, - One or more retarders of any suitable type, such as one or more electromagnetic retarders and / or one or more transmission retarders installed in the driveline of vehicle 1.

[0063] The braking device 50 is configured with a first braking strategy in a set of braking strategies. The set of braking strategies can be pre-configured into the braking device 50.

[0064] Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies defines at least the braking force distribution to be used when braking vehicle 1 using the corresponding strategy. The braking force distribution may indicate how much braking force each braking unit in the set of braking units 51 uses. In other words, each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies may define the degree of braking using, for example, regenerative brakes, service brakes, and auxiliary brakes.

[0065] Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies may be further optimized or otherwise associated with one or more braking effects, such as any of the following: − - Balancing the wear of the brakes of the braking device, − - Balancing the tire wear of the vehicle, − - Improving the stability of the vehicle, − - Reducing the stopping time of the vehicle, − - Increasing the traction of the vehicle on the surface being traveled, − - Increasing the energy harvesting of the regenerative brakes in the braking device, and − - Increasing the use of the auxiliary brakes to brake the vehicle.

[0066] Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies may define how the braking force is distributed across different axles and / or wheels of vehicle 1. For example, for some strategies, the braking distribution may be set to apply a higher braking force to the service brakes of the second axle 12 and the third axle 13 than to the service brakes of the first axle 11. For example, for some strategies, the braking distribution may be set to distribute all of the braking force to the drive axles, such as the second axle 12 and the third axle 13, to minimize the use of the service brakes and eliminate the risk of fatigue.

[0067] Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies may also define how the braking distribution changes over time when braking using a particular braking strategy, e.g., starting with the use of the braking force using one or more regenerative brakes and switching over time to one or more service brakes to meet the braking request.

[0068] The vehicle may include a set of sensors 20, e.g., for measuring environmental parameters of the road and / or the state of the braking device 50. The set of sensors may include any one or more of the following: cameras, position sensors, such as global positioning system (GPS) sensors, light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors, speedometers, wheel speed sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), tire wear sensors, and any suitable sensors for measuring the movement of the vehicle, the state of the braking device, and / or the environment of vehicle 1. The sensor data of the set of sensors 20 may be used to derive or estimate any suitable parameters of the examples herein.

[0069] The examples of this disclosure may be executed by computer system 600 and / or processing circuitry 602 therein. Computer system 600 and / or processing circuitry 602 therein may be included in vehicle 1 and / or remote from vehicle 1, such as in a server and / or as part of a cloud service.

[0070] As an example, computer system 600 and / or processing circuitry 602 therein may be, or may be part of, an electronic control unit (ECU) of vehicle 1 (e.g., a brake ECU or a main ECU of vehicle 1).

[0071] Computer system 600 and / or processing circuitry 602 therein may be communicatively coupled with any suitable entity of vehicle 1 and / or may be capable of controlling or using any suitable entity of vehicle 1. For example, computer system 600 and / or processing circuitry 602 may be capable of using the set of sensors 20 to obtain sensor data or measurements. Computer system 600 and / or processing circuitry 602 may be capable of controlling brake device 50, e.g., using different braking strategies as in the examples of this disclosure.

[0072] Figure 2 A flowchart of a computer-implemented method for processing braking strategies for brake device 50 of vehicle 1 traveling on road 10 is shown. Brake device 50 is configured with a first braking strategy of a set of braking strategies. Each braking strategy of the set of braking strategies defines at least a braking force distribution to be used when braking vehicle 1 using the corresponding strategy. The braking force distribution may be a braking force actuated by any one or more of one or more regenerative brakes of brake device 50, one or more service brakes of brake device 50, and one or more auxiliary brakes of brake device 50.

[0073] In some examples of this disclosure, the set of braking strategies includes strategies associated with different respective braking effects when braking vehicle 1. In some examples of this disclosure, the braking effects include any one of the following: even wear of the brakes of brake device 50, even wear of the tires of vehicle 1, increased stability of vehicle 1, reduced stopping time of vehicle 1, increased traction of vehicle 1 on the surface being traveled, increased energy harvesting of the regenerative brakes in brake device 50, and increased use of the auxiliary brakes to brake vehicle 1.

[0074] The method may be executed by computer system 600 and / or processing circuitry 602 therein. The method includes the following actions that may be used in any suitable combination. Optional actions may be Figure 2 shown in dashed boxes.

[0075] Action 201

[0076] The method includes obtaining one or more braking strategy parameters. The one or more braking strategy parameters indicate the state of the braking device 50 and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road 10.

[0077] The state of the braking device 50 can be related to any parameter that may affect how the vehicle 1 brakes or will brake. The state of the braking device 50 can include parameters that directly or indirectly affect the braking of the vehicle 1, such as any one or more of the following: - The state of any traction function of the vehicle, such as whether it is activated, - The operating and / or wear state of any component of the braking device 50 (e.g., the brake actuator therein), - The state of the current gear or indication of a gear shift, i.e., a gear shift may trigger a need for a new braking strategy due to the possible loss of auxiliary braking when using one or more auxiliary brakes, - The state of the battery of the vehicle 1, such as the SoC of the battery or the energy level of the battery, e.g., because one or more regenerative brakes can only be used when the SoC or energy level is low enough.

[0078] In some examples, the state of the braking device 50 indicates whether the vehicle 1 has activated a stability function of the braking device 50, such as an ABS or ESC function. An activated stability function indicates lower friction, which may further mean that a braking strategy with stronger traction is required.

[0079] The state of the braking device 50 can also indicate whether braking is currently being applied.

[0080] In some examples, one or more environmental parameters of the road 10 include any one or more of the following: - Sensor data and / or measurements of the road 10 in the driving direction D of the vehicle 1, - One or more environmental factors of the road 10, such as any one or more of snow, ice, slippery road surface, and / or mud, which may indicate a braking strategy that requires improved traction, - An indication of one or more traffic events in the driving direction D of the vehicle 1, such as congestion, accident, and / or obstacle, which may indicate a need to reduce the stopping time of the vehicle, and - The coefficient of friction of the road 10 in the driving direction D of the vehicle 1.

[0081] In some examples, one or more environmental parameters of the road 10 can be obtained at least in part through predefined map information of the road 10.

[0082] In some examples, one or more environmental parameters of road 10 (e.g., information about the road conditions in the driving direction D of vehicle 1) can be obtained in the following ways: - The set of sensors 20, for example by using a camera, - A cloud service, for example by using the wireless transceiver of vehicle 1, - Using predefined map information of road 10, - Using vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication or vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, for example communicating with infrastructure and / or one or more road users, receiving an indication of one or more environmental parameters of road 10, and / or - Or a combination thereof, for example by fusing environmental data from different sources.

[0083] Action 202

[0084] The method includes obtaining vehicle motion information indicative of the motion of vehicle 1. The motion of vehicle 1 can include any one or more of the following: - The longitudinal and / or lateral speed of vehicle 1, - The acceleration of vehicle 1, - The speed of one or more wheels of vehicle 1, and - The longitudinal and / or lateral wheel slip of one or more wheels of vehicle 1.

[0085] Obtaining the vehicle motion information can include determining or estimating the vehicle motion information based on sensor data obtained from the set of sensors 20 in any suitable manner.

[0086] Action 203

[0087] According to some examples herein, the method includes obtaining an indication of the braking effect to be prioritized when braking vehicle 1, e.g., with respect to the vehicle motion of vehicle 1 and whether one or more braking strategy parameters are applicable. In some examples, the indication can be an input from a user interface of the vehicle or computer system 600, e.g., as a preference (if possible). For example, the preference can relate to a preference for increasing the use of an auxiliary brake, but the preference may be overridden if the friction is considered to be below a threshold. The preference can further relate to prioritizing reducing tire wear and / or prioritizing the use of an auxiliary brake to prevent service brake fatigue.

[0088] The indication may indicate a predefined order of braking effects to be considered when selecting a braking strategy. For example, if necessary, traction is given priority first, then if necessary, equalizing brake wear is given priority, then if necessary, energy harvesting is given priority, and then using an auxiliary brake is given priority. If considered appropriate, the predefined order may be ignored, for example, if the friction force is below a threshold and / or the vehicle speed or acceleration is above a threshold.

[0089] Obtaining an indication of the braking effect to be given priority may include determining an indication of the braking effect to be given priority, for example, the braking effect determined to be most suitable for the current vehicle motion and / or braking strategy parameters.

[0090] The determination may be performed using a predefined heuristic. For example, the braking effect to be given priority may be obtained by mapping vehicle motion information and / or braking strategy parameters according to a predefined mapping relationship to the braking effect to be given priority.

[0091] Action 204

[0092] According to some examples herein, the method includes detecting a trigger event. In these examples, the trigger event indicates a change in one or more braking strategy parameters. Detecting the trigger event may include detecting that at least one of the one or more braking strategy parameters has increased or decreased by more than a threshold. Detecting the trigger event may be performed periodically or whenever one or more braking strategy parameters change.

[0093] A change in one or more braking strategy parameters may indicate that a new braking strategy may be needed, for example, because these parameters are used to select a braking strategy. As an example, when shifting gears, one or more auxiliary brakes may no longer be available. When the friction force increases, a traction-oriented braking strategy may be needed. When the energy level of the battery in the vehicle drops below a threshold, energy harvesting may be needed.

[0094] Action 205

[0095] The method includes selecting a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device 50 based on vehicle motion information and one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0096] In some examples, a second braking strategy may be selected from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device 50 based on a predefined model and using vehicle motion information and one or more braking strategy parameters as inputs to the predefined model. In other words, vehicle motion information and / or one or more braking strategy parameters may be mapped to the second braking strategy.

[0097] In some examples, selecting the second braking strategy may include evaluating the set of braking strategies based on vehicle motion information and one or more braking strategy parameters (such as via a predefined heuristic), and selecting the second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies based on the evaluation. In some of these examples, selecting the second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device 50 may take into account a preferred braking strategy that may be predefined or input by the user via a user interface and / or the priority order of the braking strategies.

[0098] In some examples, selecting the second braking strategy is based on an indicated braking effect to be prioritized when braking the vehicle 1 (e.g., obtained in action 203). The prioritized braking effect may be considered only if it is determined that the second braking strategy can meet a condition such as a safety condition. Determining whether the second braking strategy meets the condition may be based on a predefined heuristic for each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies. For example, each braking strategy may be selected as the second braking strategy only if the vehicle motion and one or more braking parameters are each within the respective ranges of the respective strategy.

[0099] In some examples, selecting the second braking strategy is performed in response to detecting a trigger event.

[0100] The following are some non-limiting specific examples of the strategy selection of the second braking strategy.

[0101] In some examples, when one or more braking strategy parameters of the vehicle 1 indicate low friction on the road 10, selecting the second braking strategy may include selecting a braking strategy for improving the traction of the vehicle. For example, where the braking force distribution of the braking strategy distributes all the braking force to one or more service brakes of the braking device 50.

[0102] In some examples, when the vehicle motion information indicates that the vehicle speed is below a threshold (e.g., traveling at a creep speed), selecting the second braking strategy may include selecting a braking strategy for improving energy harvesting or using an auxiliary brake. For example, where the braking force distribution of the braking strategy distributes all the braking force to one or more regenerative brakes of the braking device 50, and / or one or more auxiliary brakes of the braking device 50.

[0103] In some examples, the vehicle motion information may limit the selection of the second braking strategy. For example, if the vehicle motion information indicates a high speed, i.e., the vehicle speed is above a threshold, a braking strategy that utilizes one or more auxiliary brakes may not be available. As another example, when the vehicle motion information indicates a low speed, i.e., the vehicle speed is below a threshold, such as a creep speed, some of the one or more braking strategy parameters may be less important due to the low speed.

[0104] Action 206

[0105] In some examples, the method includes determining a transition configuration based on vehicle motion information and one or more braking strategy parameters, the transition configuration indicating when and / or how to transition from using a first braking strategy to using a second braking strategy. For example, the transition configuration can determine that the transition should occur immediately, occur within a set time period (e.g., within 0.5 - 1 second), occur at a certain position of vehicle 1, and / or occur when the vehicle reaches a set speed, and / or occur based on an acceleration threshold.

[0106] The transition configuration can indicate whether the first braking strategy should transition smoothly to the second braking strategy, or whether an immediate transition is most appropriate. For example, if vehicle 1 is not currently braking, the transition can be triggered immediately or triggered within a certain duration, e.g., less than 0.2 - 0.5 seconds. However, if vehicle 1 is currently braking, in order to maintain control of the vehicle, the transition may need to be smooth so that the driver of vehicle 1 can maintain control of vehicle 1. In these cases, the transition can be allowed to take a longer time period, e.g., more than 1 second. Even when currently braking, the transition may sometimes need to be fast, e.g., transition in less than 1 second, e.g., if transitioning to a traction improvement strategy due to environmental parameters and / or the state of the braking device indicating low friction on road 10 as part of one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0107] In some examples, the transition configuration includes a fade factor that indicates how the braking distribution of the first braking strategy is adjusted to the braking distribution of the second braking strategy during a transition time period. For example, the fade factor can be the speed at which the braking force distribution changes to the braking force distribution of the second braking strategy. When transitioning from the first braking strategy to the second braking strategy, the fade factor can be used to define the weights applied to the braking force distributions of the first braking strategy or the second braking strategy. Subsequently, the weights can be adjusted to change during the transition time period, e.g., for the braking distribution of the first braking strategy, the weight changes from 0 to 1, and / or for the braking distribution of the second braking strategy, the weight changes from 1 to 0, such that the braking distribution starts from the braking force distribution of the first braking strategy and then mixes with the braking force distribution of the second braking strategy until finally only the braking force distribution of the second braking strategy remains.

[0108] In some examples, determining the transition configuration includes selecting a fade factor from a set of fade factors. For example, there may be three different fade factors, fast, normal, or slow, which can be selected based on considering the need for a fast transition versus the need for finer vehicle control. The selection can be based on a predefined heuristic of vehicle motion information and one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0109] In some examples, for each braking unit in the set of braking units 51, the transition configuration may indicate how the braking force of the corresponding braking unit changes during the transition period. The change may be linear during the transition period, for example, such that the braking force of one braking unit and / or axle linearly transitions to the braking force of another braking unit and / or axle. The change may also be defined as any other suitable function during the transition period.

[0110] In some examples, the transition configuration is predefined. For example, the transition configuration may be predefined to be always the same. In some examples, each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies may have a predefined transition configuration for transitioning to the braking strategy. In some examples, any pair or more of the braking strategies in the set of braking strategies may have a predefined transition configuration for the transition between the braking strategies.

[0111] Action 207

[0112] The method includes triggering the braking device 50 of the vehicle 1 to switch from using a first braking strategy to using a second braking strategy.

[0113] In some examples, the transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy is triggered based on the transition configuration. This may allow for a smooth or rapid transition, depending on the determined transition configuration and depending on what is suitable for the current vehicle motion and the configuration of one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0114] In some examples, triggering the braking device 50 of the vehicle 1 to transition from using a first braking strategy to using a second braking strategy includes triggering a plurality of changes in the braking distribution of the braking device 50 during a second period. In this way, the first braking strategy and the second braking strategy may be blended through a plurality of changes until only the second braking strategy is used. This allows for a smooth transition while maintaining full control of the vehicle. The second period and / or triggering the plurality of changes may be indicated by a trigger configuration.

[0115] In some examples herein, the braking device 50 of the vehicle 1 may apply braking, for example, braking may be performed during the above method.

[0116] In some examples, the selection of the second braking strategy and / or the triggering of the transition to the second braking strategy may be performed during the braking applied by the braking device 50 and / or in response to the braking applied by the braking device 50.

[0117] In some examples, the selection of the second braking strategy and / or the transition to the second braking strategy may be performed in response to determining a change in the state of the braking device 50 and / or one or more environmental parameters during the braking applied by the braking device 50.

[0118] Figure 3 An exemplary scenario for selecting a braking strategy is shown.

[0119] As a first input 301, one or more braking strategy parameters obtained, for example, in action 201 can be input into a braking strategy selection unit 303 (e.g., as part of a computer system 600).

[0120] As a second input 302, the movement of vehicle 1 obtained, for example, in action 202 can be input into the braking strategy selection unit 303 (e.g., as part of a computer system 600).

[0121] The braking strategy selection unit 303 can, for example, select between different braking strategies 303a, 303b, 303c, such as in action 205. For example, based on the first input 301 and the second input 302, a braking strategy that takes into account optimizing traction and reducing uneven braking wear can be determined by the braking strategy selection unit 303. Thus, a second braking strategy can be selected from a set of braking strategies to optimally consider optimizing traction and reducing uneven braking wear.

[0122] An indication 304 of the second braking strategy can be transmitted to a transition configuration determination unit 305 (e.g., as part of a computer system 600).

[0123] Based on the indication 304, for example, as in action 206, the transition configuration determination unit 305 can determine the transition configuration for transitioning to the second braking strategy. For example, the transition configuration determination unit 305 can select fade factors 305a, 305b, 305c to use when transitioning from the first braking strategy to the second braking strategy. The selected fade factors can indicate the speed at which the braking force distribution of the first braking strategy is adjusted to the braking force distribution of the second braking strategy. During the transition between the first braking strategy and the second braking strategy, the fade factors can be applied to the braking force distribution of the first braking strategy or the second braking strategy, or as part of a coefficient in the braking force distribution of the first braking strategy or the second braking strategy.

[0124] Further based on the first input 301 and / or the second input 302, the transition configuration can be determined and / or the fade factors can be selected. Additionally or alternatively, further based on user input indications and / or predefined configurations (preferred transition configurations and / or preferred fade factors), the transition configuration can be determined and / or the fade factors can be selected.

[0125] Transitioning from a first braking strategy to a second braking strategy (e.g., as in action 208) according to a transition configuration and / or a selected fade factor can be performed by transmitting one or more control signals 306 to the braking device 50. The one or more control signals 306 can indicate to the braking device 50 how the brake distribution of the first braking strategy should transition to the brake distribution of the selected second braking strategy, e.g., over a transition time period.

[0126] Figure 4 A flowchart of a computer-implemented method for processing a braking strategy for a braking device 50 of a vehicle 1 traveling on a road 10 according to an example is shown. The braking device 50 is configured with a first braking strategy from a set of braking strategies. Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies at least defines the brake force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle 1 using the corresponding strategy. The method can be combined with any one or more of the above examples. The method includes the following actions 401 - 404.

[0127] Action 401

[0128] The method includes obtaining, by a processing circuit 602 of a computer system 600, one or more braking strategy parameters. The one or more braking strategy parameters indicate the state of the braking device 50 and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road 10.

[0129] Action 402

[0130] The method includes obtaining, by the processing circuit 602, vehicle motion information indicative of the motion of the vehicle 1.

[0131] Action 403

[0132] The method includes selecting, by the processing circuit 602, a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device 50 based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0133] Action 404

[0134] The method includes triggering, by the processing circuit 602, the braking device 50 of the vehicle 1 to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy.

[0135] Figure 5 Another view of an example is shown Figure 1 of

[0136] The computer system 600 includes a processing circuit 602 configured to process a braking strategy for a braking device 50 of a vehicle 1 traveling on a road 10. The braking device 50 is configured with a first braking strategy among a set of braking strategies. Each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies at least defines a braking force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle 1 using the corresponding strategy.

[0137] The processing circuit 602 is configured to obtain one or more braking strategy parameters. The one or more braking strategy parameters indicate the state of the braking device 50 and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road 10.

[0138] The processing circuit 602 is configured to obtain vehicle motion information indicative of the motion of the vehicle 1.

[0139] The processing circuit 602 is configured to select a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device 50 based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0140] The processing circuit 602 is configured to trigger the braking device 50 of the vehicle 1 to transition from the first braking strategy to the second braking strategy.

[0141] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a computing system 600 for implementing the examples disclosed herein. The computer system 600 is adapted to execute instructions from a computer-readable medium to perform these and / or any functions or processes described herein. The computer system 600 may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a LAN (Local Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), automotive network communication protocol (e.g., FlexRay), intranet, extranet, or the Internet. Although only a single device is shown, the computer system 600 may include any collection of devices that individually or jointly execute an instruction set (or multiple instruction sets) to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein. Thus, any reference in this disclosure and / or the claims to a computer system, computing system, computer device, computing device, control system, control unit, electronic control unit (ECU), processor device, processing circuit, etc. includes a reference to one or more such devices to individually or jointly execute an instruction set (or multiple instruction sets) to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein. For example, a control system may include a single control unit or multiple control units connected to or otherwise communicatively coupled to each other such that any executed function can be distributed among the control units as needed. Additionally, such devices may communicate with each other or with other devices via various system architectures such as directly or via a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, etc.

[0142] The computer system 600 may include at least one computing device or electronic device capable of including firmware, hardware, and / or executing software instructions to implement the functionality described herein. The computer system 600 may include processing circuitry 602 (e.g., processing circuitry including one or more processor devices or control units), a memory 604, and a system bus 606. The computer system 600 may include at least one computing device having the processing circuitry 602. The system bus 606 provides an interface for system components including, but not limited to, the memory 604 and the processing circuitry 602. The processing circuitry 602 may include any number of hardware components for performing data or signal processing or for executing computer code stored in the memory 604. The processing circuitry 602 may include, for example, a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a circuit including processing components, a group of distributed processing components, a group of distributed computers configured for processing, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The processing circuitry 602 may also include computer-executable code for controlling the operation of the programmable device.

[0143] The system bus 606 may be any of several types of bus structures that may further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and / or a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The memory 604 may be one or more devices for storing data and / or computer code to complete or facilitate the methods described herein. The memory 604 may include database components, object code components, script components, or any type of information structure for supporting the various activities herein. Any distributed or local memory device may be utilized with the systems and methods of this specification. The memory 604 may be communicatively connected to the processing circuitry 602 (e.g., via circuitry or any other wired, wireless, or network connection) and may include computer code for performing one or more of the processes described herein. The memory 604 may include non-volatile memory 608 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), etc.) and volatile memory 610 (e.g., random access memory (RAM)), or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer or other machine having the processing circuitry 602. The basic input / output system (BIOS) 612 may be stored in the non-volatile memory 608 and may include basic routines that aid in transferring information between elements within the computer system 600.

[0144] The computer system 600 may also include or be coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a storage device 614, which may include, for example, an internal or external hard disk drive (HDD) (e.g., enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) or serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)), an HDD for storage (e.g., EIDE or SATA), flash memory, and the like. The storage device 614 and other drives associated with the computer-readable medium and the computer-usable medium may provide non-volatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and the like.

[0145] The hard-coded or soft-coded computer code may be provided in the form of one or more modules. The modules may be implemented as software and / or hard-coded in circuitry to implement all or part of the functionality described herein. These modules may be stored in the storage device 614 and / or the volatile memory 610, and these modules may include an operating system 616 and / or one or more program modules 618. All or a portion of the examples disclosed herein may be implemented as a computer program 620 stored on a transitory or non-transitory computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium such as the storage device 614 (e.g., a single medium or multiple media), which includes complex programming instructions (e.g., complex computer-readable program code) that cause the processing circuitry 602 to perform the actions described herein. Thus, the computer-readable program code of the computer program 620 may include software instructions for implementing the functionality of the examples described herein when executed by the processing circuitry 602. In some examples, the storage device 614 may be a computer program product (e.g., a readable storage medium) on which the computer program 620 is stored, where at least a portion of the computer program 620 may be loadable (e.g., loaded into the processor) for implementing the functionality of the examples described herein when executed by the processing circuitry 602. The processing circuitry 602 may serve as a controller or control system of the computer system 600 for implementing the functionality described herein.

[0146] The computer system 600 may include an input device interface 622 configured to receive inputs and selections to be communicated to the computer system 600, such as from a keyboard, mouse, touch-sensitive surface, etc., when executing instructions. Such input devices may be connected to the processor circuit 602 through the input device interface 622 coupled to the system bus 606, but may be connected through other interfaces (such as a parallel port, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 serial port, Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, IR interface, etc.). The computer system 600 may include an output device interface 624 configured to forward outputs to, such as, a display, a video display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system 600 may include a communication interface 626 adapted to communicate with a network as appropriate or as needed.

[0147] The operation actions described in any of the exemplary aspects herein are described to provide examples and discussion. These actions may be performed by hardware components, may be embodied in machine-executable instructions to cause a processor to perform these actions, or may be performed by a combination of hardware and software. Although a particular order of method actions may be shown or described, the order of the actions may be different. Additionally, two or more actions may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously.

[0148] The following are a number of examples that may be combined with any one or more of the above examples in any suitable manner.

[0149] Example 1. A computer system 600 includes processing circuitry 602 configured to process a braking strategy for a braking device 50 of a vehicle 1 traveling on a road 10, the braking device 50 being configured with a first braking strategy from a set of braking strategies, wherein each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies at least defines a braking force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle 1 using the corresponding strategy, and the processing circuitry 602 is configured to: - obtain one or more braking strategy parameters that indicate a state of the braking device 50 and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road 10, - obtain vehicle motion information indicative of the motion of the vehicle 1, - select, based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device 50, and - trigger the braking device 50 of the vehicle 1 to transition from the first braking strategy to the second braking strategy.

[0150] Example 2. The computer system 600 according to Example 1, wherein the processing circuitry 602 is further configured to: - Determine a transition configuration based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, the transition configuration indicating when and / or how to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy, and - Trigger the transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy based on the transition configuration.

[0151] Example 3. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 2, wherein the transition configuration includes a fade factor, the fade factor indicating how the braking distribution of the first braking strategy is adjusted to the braking distribution of the second braking strategy during a transition period.

[0152] Example 4. The computer system 600 according to Example 3, wherein the processing circuit 602 is configured to determine the transition configuration by configuring to select the fade factor from a set of fade factors.

[0153] Example 5. The computer system 600 according to Example 3 or 4, wherein the processing circuit 602 is further configured to trigger the brake device 50 of the vehicle 1 to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy by triggering a plurality of changes in the braking distribution of the brake device 50 within a second period.

[0154] Example 6. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 5, wherein the braking force distribution defines the braking force actuated by any one or more of the following: - One or more regenerative brakes of the brake device 50, - One or more service brakes of the brake device 50, and - One or more auxiliary brakes of the brake device 50.

[0155] Example 7. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the set of braking strategies includes strategies associated with different respective braking effects when used to brake the vehicle 1.

[0156] Example 8. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the processing circuit 602 is further configured to: - Obtain an indication of the braking effect to be prioritized when braking the vehicle 1, and - Select the second braking strategy based on the indicated braking effect.

[0157] Example 9. The computer system 600 according to Example 8, wherein the braking effect includes any one of the following: - Balance the wear of the brake of the braking device 50, - Balance the tire wear of the vehicle 1, - Improve the stability of the vehicle 1, - Reduce the stopping time of the vehicle 1, - Increase the traction of the vehicle 1 on the surface being traveled, - Increase the energy harvesting of the regenerative brake in the braking device 50, and - Increase the use of the auxiliary brake to brake the vehicle 1.

[0158] Example 10. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the state of the braking device 50 indicates whether the vehicle 1 has activated the stability function of the braking device 50, such as an anti-lock braking system ABS or an electronic stability control ESC function.

[0159] Example 11. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 10, wherein the one or more environmental parameters of the road 10 include any one or more of the following: - Sensor data and / or measurements of the road 10 in the driving direction D of the vehicle 1, - One or more environmental factors of the road 10, - An indication of one or more traffic events in the driving direction D of the vehicle 1, and - The coefficient of friction of the road 10 in the driving direction D of the vehicle 1.

[0160] Example 12. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 11, wherein the movement of the vehicle 1 includes any one or more of the following: - The longitudinal and / or lateral speed of the vehicle 1, - The acceleration of the vehicle 1, - The speed of one or more wheels of the vehicle 1, and - The longitudinal and / or lateral wheel slip of one or more wheels of the vehicle 1.

[0161] Example 13. The computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 12, wherein the processing circuit 602 is configured to select the second braking strategy in response to detecting a trigger event, the trigger event indicating a change in the one or more braking strategy parameters.

[0162] Example 14. A vehicle that includes a braking device 50 and includes a computer system 600 according to any one of Examples 1 to 13.

[0163] Example 15. A computer-implemented method for processing a braking strategy for a braking device 50 of a vehicle 1 traveling on a road 10, the braking device 50 being configured with a first braking strategy from a set of braking strategies, wherein each braking strategy in the set of braking strategies at least defines a braking force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle 1 using the corresponding strategy, the method comprising: - obtaining, by a processing circuit 602 of the computer system 600, one or more braking strategy parameters that indicate a state of the braking device 50 and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road 10, - obtaining, by the processing circuit 602, vehicle motion information indicating the motion of the vehicle 1, - selecting, by the processing circuit 602, a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device 50 based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, and - triggering, by the processing circuit 602, the braking device 50 of the vehicle 1 to switch from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy.

[0164] Example 16. The method according to Example 15, further comprising: - determining, based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, a transition configuration that indicates when and / or how to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy, and - triggering, based on the transition configuration, the transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy.

[0165] Example 17. The method according to any one of Examples 15 to 16, further comprising: - obtaining an indication of a braking effect to be prioritized when braking the vehicle 1, and - selecting the second braking strategy based on the indicated braking effect.

[0166] Example 18. The method according to any one of Examples 15 to 17, further comprising: - detecting a trigger event that indicates a change in the one or more braking strategy parameters, and - Select the second braking strategy 205 in response to detecting the trigger event.

[0167] Example 19. A computer program product comprising program code for performing the method according to any one of Examples 16 to 18 when executed by a processing circuit 602.

[0168] Example 20. A non - transitory computer - readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit 602, cause the processing circuit 602 to perform the method according to any one of Examples 16 to 18.

[0169] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should also be understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising", when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, acts, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, acts, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0170] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.

[0171] Relative terms such as "below" or "above" or "upper" or "lower" or "horizontal" or "vertical" may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element to another element, as shown in the figures. It should be understood that these terms, as well as those discussed above, are intended to cover different device orientations in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, the element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening elements.

[0172] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It should also be understood that, unless explicitly defined herein, the terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense.

[0173] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the aspects described above and shown in the drawings; rather, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims. In the drawings and the specification, the aspects have been disclosed for illustrative purposes only and not for purposes of limitation, and the scope of the disclosure is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A computer system (600) comprising a processing circuit (602) configured to process a braking strategy of a braking device (50) for a vehicle (1) travelling on a road (10), the braking device (50) being configured with a first braking strategy of a set of braking strategies, wherein each braking strategy of the set of braking strategies defines at least a braking force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle (1) using the respective strategy, the processing circuit (602) being configured to: - obtaining one or more braking strategy parameters, the one or more braking strategy parameters being indicative of a state of the braking device (50) and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road (10), - obtaining vehicle motion information indicative of the motion of the vehicle (1), - selecting a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device (50) based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, and - triggering the braking device (50) of the vehicle (1) to switch from the first braking strategy to the second braking strategy.

2. The computer system (600) of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit (602) is further configured to: - determining a transition configuration based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, the transition configuration indicating when and / or how to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy, and - triggering said transition from using said first braking strategy to using said second braking strategy based on said transition profile.

3. The computer system (600) of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the transition configuration includes a fade factor indicating how the braking distribution of the first braking strategy is adapted to the braking distribution of the second braking strategy during a transition period.

4. The computer system (600) of claim 3, wherein the processing circuit (602) is configured to determine the transition configuration by being configured to select the fade factor from a set of fade factors.

5. A computer system (600) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the processing circuit (602) is further configured to trigger the braking device (50) of the vehicle (1) to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy by triggering multiple changes in the braking distribution of the braking device (50) within a second time period.

6. The computer system (600) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the braking force distribution defines a braking force actuated by any one or more of: - one or more regenerative brakes of the braking device (50), - one or more service brakes of the braking device (50), and - one or more auxiliary brakes of the braking device (50).

7. The computer system (600) of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the set of braking strategies comprises strategies associated with different respective braking effects when used to brake the vehicle (1), and optionally wherein the processing circuit (602) is further configured to: - obtaining an indication of the braking effect to be given priority when braking the vehicle (1), and - selecting the second braking strategy based on the indicated braking effect.

8. The computer system (600) of claim 7, wherein the braking effect comprises any one of the following: - balancing the wear of the brakes of the braking device (50), - balancing the tire wear of the vehicle (1), - improving the stability of the vehicle (1), - reducing the stopping time of the vehicle (1), - increase the traction of the vehicle (1) on the surface on which it is travelling, - increasing the energy harvesting of the regenerative brake in the braking device (50), and - increasing the use of the auxiliary brake to brake the vehicle (1).

9. The computer system (600) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the state of the braking device (50) indicates whether the vehicle (1) has activated a stabilization function of the braking device (50), such as an anti-lock braking system (ABS) or an electronic stability control (ESC) function, and / or wherein the one or more environmental parameters of the road (10) include any one or more of the following: - sensor data and / or measured values ​​of the road (10) in the direction of travel (D) of the vehicle (1), - one or more environmental factors of the road (10), - an indication of one or more traffic events in the direction (D) of travel of the vehicle (1), and - the friction coefficient of the road (10) in the driving direction (D) of the vehicle (1).

10. The computer system (600) of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the processing circuit (602) is configured to select the second braking strategy in response to detecting a triggering event, the triggering event indicating a change in the one or more braking strategy parameters.

11. A vehicle comprising a braking device (50) and comprising a computer system (600) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A computer-implemented method for processing a braking strategy of a braking device (50) for a vehicle (1) travelling on a road (10), the braking device (50) being configured with a first braking strategy of a set of braking strategies, wherein each braking strategy of the set of braking strategies defines at least a braking force distribution to be used when braking the vehicle (1) using the respective strategy, the method comprising: - obtaining (201, 401) one or more braking strategy parameters, the one or more braking strategy parameters indicating the state of the braking device (50) and / or one or more environmental parameters of the road (10), by means of a processing circuit (602) of the computer system (600), - obtaining (202, 402) vehicle motion information indicative of the motion of the vehicle (1) by the processing circuit (602), - selecting (205, 403) by the processing circuit (602) a second braking strategy from the set of braking strategies for use by the braking device (50) based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, and - triggering (207, 404) the braking device (50) of the vehicle (1) to switch from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy via the processing circuit (602).

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: - determining (206) a transition configuration based on the vehicle motion information and the one or more braking strategy parameters, the transition configuration indicating when and / or how to transition from using the first braking strategy to using the second braking strategy, and - triggering (207) said transition from using said first braking strategy to using said second braking strategy based on said transition configuration.

14. A computer program product comprising program code for performing the method according to any one of claims 12 to 13 when executed by a processing circuit (602).

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processing circuit (602), cause the processing circuit (602) to perform the method of any one of claims 12 to 13.

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