System and procedure for brake assistance for vehicles

Abstract

Systems and procedures for vehicle braking assistance are provided.The systems comprise a sensor system and a control unit configured to, by means of one or more processors: receive sensor data from the sensor system; detect a braking event of the vehicle; monitor the vehicle status, including the vehicle's deceleration rate, where the vehicle status and deceleration rate are based on the sensor data; process the sensor data to determine whether the vehicle status will trigger the activation of an anti-lock braking system (ABS); and output one or more control signals to instruct a braking system to reduce a braking torque applied to the wheels at a rate sufficient to reduce the compression of the front suspension system before it comes to a complete stop, in response to the deceleration rate meeting a stop criterion and the determination that the vehicle status will not trigger ABS activation.

Description

introduction

[0001] The technical field relates generally to vehicle braking events and, more specifically, to systems and methods capable of providing braking assistance to reduce suspension rebound movements that may occur when the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

[0002] When a vehicle comes to a complete stop, there is a subsequent rebound motion, primarily due to the suspension system. A vehicle's suspension is designed to provide a smooth and comfortable ride by absorbing and dampening the shocks and vibrations of the road. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the suspension compresses, storing energy in the form of compressed springs or other suspension components. This energy is then released or dissipated when the vehicle comes to a stop. Rebound occurs when the springs or suspension components expand back to their original position, causing the vehicle to bounce slightly.

[0003] In addition to impairing ride quality, this rebound movement can have various negative consequences. For example, rebound can lead to wear and tear and thus a reduced service life of certain vehicle components, especially those connected to the suspension system, such as springs and dampers (shock absorbers).

[0004] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems or methods capable of reducing and / or mitigating this rebound movement. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. Description

[0005] A method for braking assistance for a vehicle is provided. In one example, the method includes receiving sensor data from one or more sensors of the vehicle indicative of an observable condition of the vehicle, detecting, with one or more processors, a braking event of the vehicle, monitoring, with the one or more processors, a vehicle status of the vehicle, including a deceleration rate of the vehicle during a braking cycle, in response to detecting the braking event, wherein the vehicle status and the deceleration rate are based on the observable condition, processing the sensor data with the one or more processors to determine whether the vehicle status will trigger activation of an anti-lock braking system (ABS) of the vehicle, and outputting, with the one or more processors, one or more control signals to command a braking system of the vehicle,reduce a braking torque applied by the braking system to the wheels of the vehicle at a rate sufficient to reduce compression of a front suspension system of the vehicle prior to a complete stop of the vehicle in response to the deceleration rate meeting a stopping criterion and a determination that the vehicle status will not trigger activation of the ABS.

[0006] In various examples, the one or more control signals command the braking system to reduce braking torque at a rate sufficient to reduce a rebound motion of the vehicle that occurs when the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

[0007] In various examples, the method comprises, by the one or more processors: estimating a complete stop event for when the vehicle is expected to stop based at least in part on the deceleration rate, and generating the one or more control signals to command the braking system to reduce braking torque for a period of two seconds or less prior to the complete stop event.

[0008] In various examples, the detection of the braking event is based on the observed state.

[0009] In various examples, the sensor data includes data indicative of wheel slip of the vehicle's wheels, and a determination is made that the vehicle status triggers activation of the ABS in response to the detection of wheel slip.

[0010] In various examples, a determination is made that the vehicle status triggers ABS activation when the deceleration rate exceeds a deceleration threshold.

[0011] In various examples, the stopping criteria include data that correlate with deceleration rate and time.

[0012] In various examples, the sensor data includes wheel data indicative of wheel slip of the vehicle's wheels generated by a wheel speed sensor of the vehicle, and acceleration data indicative of the vehicle's deceleration rate generated by a deceleration sensor of the vehicle.

[0013] A system for vehicle braking assistance is provided. In one example, the system comprises a sensor system having one or more sensors configured to detect an observable condition of the vehicle, a control unit in operative communication with the sensor system and a braking system of the vehicle. The control unit is configured, by means of one or more processors: to receive sensor data from the sensor system indicative of the observable condition of the vehicle, to detect a braking event of the vehicle, to monitor a vehicle status of the vehicle, including a deceleration rate of the vehicle during a braking cycle in response to detecting the braking event, wherein the vehicle status and the deceleration rate are based on the observable condition, to process the sensor data to determine whether the vehicle status requires the activation of an anti-lock braking system, ABS,of the vehicle and output one or more control signals to command a braking system of the vehicle to reduce a braking torque applied by the braking system to the wheels of the vehicle at a rate sufficient to reduce the compression of a front suspension system of the vehicle prior to a complete stop of the vehicle in response to the deceleration rate meeting a stopping criterion and a determination that the vehicle status will not trigger activation of the ABS.

[0014] In various examples, the one or more control signals command the braking system to reduce braking torque at a rate sufficient to reduce a rebound motion of the vehicle that occurs when the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

[0015] In various examples, the controller is configured, with the one or more processors: to estimate a complete stop event for when the vehicle is expected to stop based at least in part on the deceleration rate, and to generate the one or more control signals to command the braking system to reduce braking torque for a period of two seconds or less prior to the complete stop event.

[0016] In various examples, the controller is configured to detect, with the one or more processors, the braking event of the vehicle based on the observed condition.

[0017] In various examples, the sensor data includes data indicative of wheel slip of the wheels of the vehicle, and the controller is configured to determine with the one or more processors that the vehicle status triggers activation of the ABS in response to the detection of wheel slip.

[0018] In various examples, the controller is configured to determine with the one or more processors that the vehicle status triggers activation of the ABS, that the deceleration rate exceeds a deceleration threshold.

[0019] In various examples, the stopping criteria include data that correlate with deceleration rate and time.

[0020] In various examples, the sensor data includes wheel data indicative of wheel slip of the vehicle's wheels generated by a wheel speed sensor and the deceleration rate of the vehicle generated by a deceleration sensor.

[0021] A vehicle is provided that, in one example, includes a braking system configured to apply braking torque to the wheels of the vehicle, a sensor system including one or more sensors configured to detect an observable condition of the vehicle, an anti-lock braking system, ABS, a front suspension system, and a control unit in operative communication with the braking system and the sensor system. The control unit is configured, by means of one or more processors, to: receive sensor data from the sensor system indicative of the observable condition of the vehicle, detect a braking event of the vehicle, monitor a vehicle status of the vehicle, including a deceleration rate of the vehicle during a braking cycle in response to detecting the braking event, wherein the deceleration rate is based on the observable condition, process the sensor data to determinewhether the vehicle status will trigger activation of the vehicle's ABS, and outputs one or more control signals to command the vehicle's braking system to reduce the braking torque applied by the braking system to the vehicle's wheels at a rate sufficient to reduce the compression of the vehicle's front suspension system prior to a complete stop of the vehicle, in response to the deceleration rate meeting a stopping criterion and determining that the vehicle status will not trigger activation of the ABS.

[0022] In various examples, the one or more control signals command the braking system to reduce braking torque at a rate sufficient to reduce a rebound motion of the vehicle that occurs when the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

[0023] In various examples, the controller is configured to, with the one or more processors: estimate a complete stop event, wherein the vehicle is expected to stop based at least in part on the deceleration rate, and generate the one or more control signals to command the braking system to reduce braking torque over a period of two seconds or less prior to the complete stop event.

[0024] In various examples, the one or more sensors of the sensor system include a wheel speed sensor configured to sense a rotational speed of the vehicle's wheels and generate wheel data indicative of wheel slip, and a deceleration sensor configured to sense the deceleration rate of the vehicle and generate deceleration data indicative of the deceleration rate. The sensor data includes the wheel data and the deceleration data. Brief description of the drawings

[0025] The exemplary embodiments are described below in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements: Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating vehicle braking assistance in accordance with various embodiments; Fig. 2 is a data flow diagram of the vehicle brake assistance of Fig. 1 in accordance with various implementations; and Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a method for vehicle braking assistance in accordance with various embodiments. Detailed description

[0026] The following detailed description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description.

[0027] The following detailed description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any express or implied theories presented in the foregoing technical field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description. As used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and / or processor device, alone or in any combination, including, without limitation, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (common, dedicated, or group) and memory executing one or more software or firmware programs, a combined logic circuit, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.

[0028] Examples of the present description may be described herein in terms of functional and / or logical block components and various processing steps. Such block components may be implemented by any number of hardware, software, and / or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. Thus, an example of the present description may utilize various integrated circuit components, such as memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, lookup tables, or the like, capable of performing a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control units.Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the examples of the present description may be used in connection with any number of systems and that the systems described herein are merely examples of the present description.

[0029] For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to signal processing, data transmission, signaling, control, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) are not described in detail here. Furthermore, the connecting lines depicted in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an example of the present description.

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 10 including, according to one example, a brake assist system 100. The system 100 is configured to monitor braking events and, under certain conditions, automatically reduce the braking torque (braking pressure or force) applied by a braking system 26 to the wheels 16-18 of the vehicle 10 in a stepwise, progressive, incremental, linear, exponential, or other manner to reduce a rebound motion of the vehicle 10 upon its complete stop. In particular, manually controlled or driver-initiated braking during a braking cycle often results in a rebound motion upon the vehicle's complete stop due to a reduction in compression in a front suspension system 35b of the vehicle caused by its forward momentum.The system 100 reduces or eliminates this rebound movement by reducing compression within the vehicle's front suspension system 35b, thereby promoting passenger comfort and the longevity of certain components of the vehicle 10, such as those associated with the front suspension system 35b. As used herein, a braking event refers to the initiation of braking torque to the wheels 16-18 by the braking system 26 (e.g., application of a brake pedal 31), a complete stop event refers to a complete stop of the vehicle 10 (i.e., zero speed), and a braking cycle refers to a continuous or discontinuous application of braking torque by the braking system 26 between the braking event and the complete stop event.

[0031] In certain examples, vehicle 10 comprises an automobile. In various examples, vehicle 10 may be any of a number of different types of automobiles, such as a sedan, a station wagon, a truck, or a sport utility vehicle (SUV), and may be two-wheel drive (2WD) (i.e., rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive), four-wheel drive (4WD), or all-wheel drive (AWD), and / or various other types of vehicles in certain examples. In certain examples, vehicle 10 may also comprise a motorcycle, a recreational vehicle, a military vehicle, a train, and / or one or more other types of vehicles. Furthermore, vehicle 10 may also comprise any number of other types of mobile platforms in various examples.

[0032] As in Fig. 1, the example vehicle 10 generally includes a chassis 12, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. The body 14 is disposed on the chassis 12 and substantially encloses components of the vehicle 10. The body 14 and the chassis 12 may together form a frame. Wheels 16-18 are each rotatably connected to the chassis 12 near a corner of the body 14.

[0033] The vehicle 10 further includes a drive system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, the braking system 26, a sensor system 28, an actuator system 30, at least one data storage device 32, at least one control unit 34, a rear suspension system 35a, the front suspension system 35b, and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) 36. The drive system 20 may include a gasoline or diesel-powered internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a hybrid engine, or another type of motor or engine. The transmission system 22 is configured to transfer the power of the drive system 20 to the wheels 16-18 according to selectable gear ratios. According to various examples, the transmission system 22 may be a continuously variable automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission, or other suitable transmission. The steering system 24 influences the position of the wheels 16-18.Although a steering wheel 24a is shown for illustrative purposes, the steering system 24 may not include a steering wheel 24a in some examples contemplated by the present description.

[0034] The braking system 26 is configured to apply braking torque, pressure, or force to the wheels 16-18. In various examples, the braking system 26 may include friction brakes, cable brakes, a regenerative braking system such as an electric machine, and / or other suitable braking systems. In one example, the vehicle 10 includes the brake pedal 31, which can be moved by the operator from a released position to a depressed position to activate the braking system 26 and apply the braking torque (i.e., pressure or force).

[0035] The front and rear suspension systems 35a and 35b are configured to support the weight of the vehicle 10, absorb shocks from the road surface, and provide a comfortable and stable ride for the occupants. The front and rear suspension systems 35a and 35b may include various components, such as, but not limited to, springs, dampers (shock absorbers), control arms, stabilizer bars, struts, bushings, linkages, and joints.

[0036] The ABS 36 is configured to reduce the likelihood of locking the wheels 16-18 during a braking event (i.e., application of the braking system 26), thereby maintaining road contact and promoting control of the vehicle 10. In some examples, the ABS 36 may include a central electronic control unit (ECU), four wheel speed sensors, and at least two hydraulic valves in the braking hydraulic system of the vehicle 10. The ECU detects the rotational speed of each of the wheels 16-18. If the ECU determines that the wheels 16-18 are rotating significantly slower than the speed of the vehicle 10, indicating impending wheel lock, the ECU actuates the hydraulic valves to reduce the hydraulic pressure in the braking system 26 at the affected wheels 16-18, thereby reducing the braking force on the wheels 16-18 and allowing the wheels 16-18 to rotate faster.Conversely, if the ECU detects that one of the wheels 16-18 is rotating significantly faster than the others, the hydraulic brake pressure on the corresponding wheel 16-18 is increased so that the braking force is reapplied and the corresponding wheel 16-18 is slowed down.

[0037] The sensor system 28 includes one or more devices 40a-40n that sense observable conditions of the external environment, the internal environment, and / or a status or condition of a corresponding component of the vehicle 10 and communicate this condition and / or status to other systems of the vehicle 10, such as the control unit 34. It is understood that the vehicle 10 may include any number of sensor devices 40a-40n. The devices 40a-40n may include, but are not limited to, deceleration sensors, wheel speed sensors, etc.

[0038] The actuation system 30 includes one or more devices 42a-42n that control one or more vehicle functions, such as, but not limited to, the drive system 20, the transmission system 22, the steering system 24, and the braking system 26.

[0039] The data storage device 32 stores data for controlling the vehicle 10 and / or its systems and components. As can be appreciated, the device 32 may be part of the control unit 34, separate from the control unit 34, or part of the control unit 34 and part of a separate system. The storage device 32 may be any suitable type of storage device, including various types of random access memory and / or other storage devices. In one example, the storage device 32 comprises a program product from which a computer-readable device can receive a program that performs one or more processes of the present description, such as the steps of the process described below in connection with Fig. 3. In another example, the program product may be stored and / or otherwise accessed directly on the storage device and / or one or more other disks and / or other storage devices.

[0040] The control unit 34 includes at least one processor 44, a communications bus 45, and a computer-readable device or medium 46. The processor 44 performs the computation and control functions of the control unit 34. The processor 44 may be any custom or off-the-shelf processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the control unit 34, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), a macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or generally any device for executing instructions. The computer-readable devices or media 46 may include volatile and non-volatile memory, for example, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM).KAM is a persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while the processor 44 is powered off. The computer-readable storage device or media 46 can be implemented using any number of known storage devices such as PROMs (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROMs (Electrically Erasable PROMs), EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable PROMs), flash memory, or other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combination storage devices capable of storing data, some of which may be executable instructions used by the control unit 34 in controlling the vehicle 10. The bus 45 is used to transfer programs, data, status, and other information or signals between the various components of the vehicle 10.Bus 45 may be any suitable physical or logical means for interconnecting computer systems and components. These include, but are not limited to, direct, hard-wired connections, fiber optics, infrared, and wireless bus technologies.

[0041] The instructions may comprise one or more separate programs, each comprising an ordered collection of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. When executed by processor 44, the instructions receive and process signals from sensor system 28, perform logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms, and generate data based on the logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms. Although in Fig. 1 only one control unit 34 is shown, examples of the vehicle 10 may include any number of control units 34 that communicate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication media and that cooperate to process the sensor signals, perform logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms, and generate data.

[0042] It is obvious that the control unit 34 is Fig. 1. For example, the control unit 34 may be coupled to or otherwise utilize one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems, for example, as part of one or more of the vehicle devices and systems mentioned above. While this example is described in the context of a fully functional computer system, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the present description may be distributed as a program product having one or more types of non-transitive, computer-readable, signal-bearing media used to store the program and its instructions and to facilitate its distribution, such as a non-transitive, computer-readable medium carrying the program and having computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor (such as processor 44) to execute and execute the program.Such a program product may take a variety of forms, and the present description applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer-readable signal-bearing medium used to effect distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media include recordable media such as floppy disks, hard disks, memory cards, and optical discs, as well as transmission media such as digital and analog communication links. In certain examples, cloud-based storage and / or other technologies may also be used. It will also be appreciated that the computer system of the control unit 34 may otherwise differ from that shown in . Fig. 1, for example in that the computer system of the control unit 34 may be coupled to or otherwise utilize one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems.

[0043] With reference to Fig. 2 and with continued reference to Fig. 1 illustrates a data flow diagram of elements of the brake assistance system 100 of Fig. 1 in accordance with various examples. As can be appreciated, various examples of the system 100 according to the present description may include any number of modules embedded within the control unit 34, which may be combined and / or further subdivided to similarly implement the systems and methods described herein. Furthermore, inputs to the system 100 may be received from other control modules (not shown) connected to the vehicle 10 and / or determined / modeled by other sub-modules (not shown) within the control unit 34. Furthermore, the inputs may also be subjected to preprocessing, such as subsampling, noise reduction, normalization, feature extraction, missing data reduction, and the like.In various examples, the system 100 includes a trigger module 110, a brake cycle monitoring module 112, and a soft stop control module 114.

[0044] In various examples, the trigger module 110 receives as input sensor data 120 generated by one or more sensors (e.g., devices 40a-40n). The sensor data 120 includes various data indicative of one or more observable conditions of the vehicle 10, such as, but not limited to, wheel slip and deceleration rate.

[0045] The trigger module 110 processes the sensor data 120 to detect a braking event of the vehicle 10 that initiates a braking cycle. The braking event may be a braking event initiated and / or commanded by the driver's control unit. For example, the braking event may result from an operator moving the brake pedal 31 from the released position to or toward the depressed position to activate the braking system 26 and apply braking torque, pressure, or force. Various methods may be used to detect a braking event. In some examples, the braking event may be detected based on a deceleration rate of the vehicle 10. In some examples, the braking event may be detected based on an activation or command signal indicating application of the brakes of the braking system 26.The trigger module 110 generates trigger data 122 containing data indicating detection of the braking event.

[0046] In various examples, the brake cycle monitoring module 112 receives as input the trigger data 122 generated by the trigger module 110. The brake cycle monitoring module 112 monitors the vehicle status during the braking cycle in response to detecting the braking event. In some examples, the brake cycle monitoring module 112 monitors the deceleration rate of the vehicle 10 during a braking cycle. In such examples, the deceleration rate may be provided as one of the observable conditions or derived from one or more of the observable conditions. The vehicle status, deceleration rate, and / or other characteristics of the vehicle 10 indicated by or derived from the sensor data 120 may be analyzed and / or compared to stopping criteria. In some examples, the stopping criteria may be stored in the data storage device 32 or the computer-readable storage device or media 46.In some examples, the comparison based on the stop criteria may result in the brake cycle monitoring module 112 performing various actions. In some examples, the stop criteria may specify conditions under which the brake cycle monitoring module 112 continues the monitoring activities, terminates the monitoring activities, or generates brake cycle monitoring data 124. For example, the brake cycle monitoring module 112 may terminate the monitoring activities if the deceleration rate exceeds a deceleration threshold indicating activation of the ABS 35 during the braking cycle.As another example, the brake cycle monitoring module 112 may continue monitoring activities when the speed of the vehicle 10 is greater than a speed threshold indicating an impending complete stop (i.e., a complete stop event) of the vehicle 10, while the deceleration rate is less than the aforementioned deceleration threshold. As another example, the brake cycle monitoring module 112 may initiate a reduction in the braking torque of the braking system 26 when the speed of the vehicle 10 is below the speed threshold and the deceleration rate is below the deceleration threshold.In some examples, a complete stop of the vehicle 10 may be considered imminent if, for example, the vehicle 10 is calculated, based on its speed and deceleration rate, to come to a complete stop within two seconds or less, such as one second or less. The brake cycle monitoring data 124 includes various data indicating that the current conditions of the vehicle 10 are desirable for initiating autonomous and / or automatic braking assistance.

[0047] In various examples, the soft stop control module 114 receives as input the sensor data 120. The soft stop control module 114 also receives as input the brake cycle monitoring data 124 generated by the brake cycle monitoring module 112. The soft stop control module 114 determines a deceleration rate or deceleration profile suitable for reducing the compression of the front suspension system 35b when stopping the vehicle 10 such that little or no rebound motion occurs when the vehicle 10 comes to a complete stop. In some examples, the deceleration rate or deceleration profile may be based on a lookup table or chart stored in the data storage device 32 or the computer-readable storage device or media 46.The soft stop control module 114 generates soft stop control data 126 including various data configured to command the braking system 26 of the vehicle 10 to adjust the braking torque applied thereby to decelerate the vehicle 10 at the desired deceleration rate or deceleration profile (e.g., at a variable or changing deceleration rate). The soft stop control module 114 may communicate the soft stop control data 126 to the braking system 26.

[0048] With reference to Fig. 3 and with continued reference to Fig. 1-2 shows a flowchart of a method 200 for brake assistance for the vehicle 10, as performed, for example, by the system 100 according to various examples. As can be seen from the description, the order of the method 200 is not limited to the Fig.3, but may be executed in one or more varying orders, as is possible in accordance with the present description. In various examples, method 200 may be scheduled to run based on one or more predetermined events and / or may run continuously during operation of vehicle 10.

[0049] In one example, method 200 may begin at 210. In some examples, method 200 may begin in response to detecting a braking event of vehicle 10.

[0050] At 212, method 200 may include monitoring for wheel slip. In some examples, a wheel speed sensor of vehicle 10 may be configured to detect wheel slip. If wheel slip is detected at 214, ABS 36 is expected to intervene at 222, and method 200 may end at 226.

[0051] At 216, method 200 may include monitoring the deceleration rate and speed of vehicle 10. At 218, the deceleration rate is compared to a deceleration threshold. If the deceleration rate exceeds the deceleration threshold at 218, ABS 36 is expected to intervene at 222, and method 200 may exit at 226. If the deceleration rate is less than the deceleration threshold at 218, method 200 may continue at 220. In some examples, the deceleration threshold represents a deceleration rate corresponding to wheel slip. For example, the deceleration threshold may be based on a deceleration rate associated with a particular probability of wheel slip occurring.

[0052] At 220, method 200 may include comparing the speed to a speed threshold. If the speed is greater than the speed threshold, method 200 may include continuing to monitor the deceleration rate and speed at 216. If the speed is below the speed threshold at 220, method 200 may include reducing the braking torque applied by braking system 26 to reduce compression within front suspension system 35b and thereby reduce rebound motion that may occur during a complete stop of vehicle 10. Method 200 may end at 226. In some examples, method 200 ends in response to a complete stop event of vehicle 10.

[0053] The systems and methods disclosed herein offer several advantages over certain existing systems and methods. For example, driver-initiated, controlled, or commanded braking during a braking event often results in a rebound motion upon complete stop of the vehicle 10, resulting from a rapid reduction in compression within the suspension system 35 due to the forward momentum of the vehicle 10. The systems and methods disclosed herein enable intervention in the driver-initiated, controlled, or commanded braking and provide for an automatic or autonomous reduction in the braking torque, pressure, or force applied by the braking system 26 of the vehicle 10 during and / or concurrent with the driver-initiated, controlled, or commanded braking.This reduction in braking torque may allow the front suspension system 35b to gradually decompress, thereby reducing rebound when the vehicle 10 comes to a complete stop. In some examples, the rebound may be reduced to the point where it is imperceptible to the driver of the vehicle 10. This may improve ride quality and increase the lifespan of the vehicle's components.

[0054] Although at least one embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be understood that numerous variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the description in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description is intended to provide those skilled in the art with a convenient guide for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes in the function and arrangement of elements may be made without departing from the scope of the description as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof.

Claims

[1] A method for providing braking assistance for a vehicle, the method comprising: Receiving, from one or more sensors of the vehicle, sensor data indicating an observable condition of the vehicle; Detecting, with one or more processors, a braking event of the vehicle; monitoring, with the one or more processors, a vehicle status of the vehicle including a deceleration rate of the vehicle during a braking cycle in response to detecting the braking event, wherein the vehicle status and the deceleration rate are based on the observable condition; Processing the sensor data with the one or more processors to determine whether the vehicle status will trigger activation of an anti-lock braking system, ABS, of the vehicle; and Outputting, with the one or more processors, one or more control signals to command a braking system of the vehicle to reduce braking torque applied by the braking system to the wheels of the vehicle at a rate sufficient to reduce compression of a front suspension system of the vehicle prior to a complete stop of the vehicle in response to the deceleration rate meeting a stopping criteria and a determination that the vehicle status will not trigger activation of the ABS. [2] The method of claim 1, further comprising: Estimating a complete stop event for when the vehicle is expected to stop, based at least in part on the deceleration rate; and Generating the one or more control signals to command the braking system to reduce the braking torque over a period of two seconds or less prior to the complete stop event. [3] The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the braking event is based on the observed condition. [4] The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes data indicative of wheel slip of the wheels of the vehicle, and a determination is made that the vehicle status triggers activation of the ABS in response to detection of wheel slip. [5] The method of claim 1, wherein a determination is made that the vehicle status will trigger activation of the ABS in response to the deceleration rate exceeding a deceleration threshold. [6] Vehicle braking assistance system, comprising: a sensor system comprising one or more sensors configured to detect an observable condition of the vehicle; a control unit in operative communication with the sensor system and a braking system of the vehicle, the control unit being configured, by means of one or more processors: to receive sensor data from the sensor system indicating the observable state of the vehicle; to detect a braking event of the vehicle; monitor a vehicle status of the vehicle including a deceleration rate of the vehicle during a braking cycle in response to detecting the braking event, wherein the vehicle status and the deceleration rate are based on the observable condition; process the sensor data to determine whether the vehicle status triggers activation of an anti-lock braking system, ABS, of the vehicle; and output one or more control signals to command a braking system of the vehicle to reduce braking torque applied by the braking system to the wheels of the vehicle at a rate sufficient to reduce compression of a front suspension system of the vehicle prior to a complete stop of the vehicle in response to the deceleration rate meeting a stopping criterion and a determination that the vehicle status will not trigger activation of the ABS. [7] The system of claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to communicate with the one or more processors: to estimate a complete stop event, when the vehicle is expected to stop, based at least in part on the deceleration rate; and generate the one or more control signals to command the braking system to reduce the braking torque over a period of two seconds or less prior to the complete stop event. [8] The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to detect, with the one or more processors, the braking event of the vehicle based on the observable condition. [9] The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor data includes data indicative of wheel slip of the wheels of the vehicle, and the controller is configured, with the one or more processors, to determine that the vehicle status triggers activation of the ABS in response to the detection of wheel slip. [10] The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured, with the one or more processors, to determine that the vehicle status triggers activation of the ABS in response to the deceleration rate exceeding a deceleration threshold.

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