GRILL BLADE CONTROL FOR BRAKE COOLING

Abstract

A vehicle control system for a vehicle may include a brake assembly for applying negative torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle, a grille assembly that directs airflow over the brake assembly when open and prevents airflow towards the brake assembly when closed, and a controller that calculates a target brake temperature, wherein the controller is operatively coupled with the grille assembly to control the positioning of the grille assembly based on a comparison of a current brake temperature with the target brake temperature.

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

[0001] Example embodiments generally relate to vehicle aerodynamics and more particularly relate to controllable aerodynamic shutters for cooling brakes based on situational awareness. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Vehicles, and electric vehicles in particular, can often benefit from good aerodynamic performance. For example, electric vehicles can increase the driving range for a given battery capacity or can achieve the same driving range with a smaller battery if aerodynamics are improved. Meanwhile, with further vehicle electrification, it is also becoming increasingly common for electric components to contribute to braking torque application. While air can be used in conjunction with cooling brake components, such cooling can reduce aerodynamic performance. Thus, it may be desirable to develop an optimal balance between aerodynamic performance and temperature control for brake components. BRIEF PRESENTATION OF SOME EXAMPLES

[0003] According to an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle control system may be provided for a vehicle. The system may include a brake assembly for applying negative torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle, a grille shutter assembly that directs airflow over the brake assembly when opened and prevents airflow toward the brake assembly when closed, and a controller that calculates a target brake temperature, the controller being operatively coupled to the grille shutter assembly to control positioning of the grille shutter assembly based on a comparison of a current brake temperature to the target brake temperature.

[0004] In another exemplary embodiment, a method for providing selective air cooling to a brake assembly of a vehicle may be provided. The method may include receiving status information from a sensor network of the vehicle, determining a target temperature for a brake component of a brake assembly based on the status information, comparing a current brake temperature to the target temperature, and controlling airflow to cool the brake component via positioning an aerodynamic device based on the comparison of the current brake temperature and the target temperature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MULTIPLE VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0005] Having thus generally described the invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale and in which: Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a vehicle control system according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of some components of a vehicle control system of the vehicle control system of Fig. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a vehicle having a grille panel assembly according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a control algorithm for controlling a grille panel assembly disposed on the vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment; and Fig. 5 illustrates a block diagram of a method for providing a balance between brake cooling and vehicle aerodynamic performance according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] Some exemplary embodiments will now be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, of the exemplary embodiments are shown. Indeed, the examples described and illustrated in this specification should not be construed as limiting the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, the term "or," as used in this specification, should be interpreted as a logical operator that evaluates to true when one or more of its operands are true.As used in this document, active coupling is understood to mean a direct or indirect connection which in any case enables a functional connection of components which are actively coupled to one another.

[0007] Some exemplary embodiments described herein may provide an improved automated aerodynamic control system that balances the provision of cooling to brake components with aerodynamic performance. Effectively, exemplary embodiments aim to keep brake components as cool as possible, whenever feasible given aerodynamic considerations. In some cases, the control system provided in this document may utilize information about the vehicle payload, vehicle routing, or other environmental factors, which may be known in advance or in real time, and may use such information to define a target temperature, below which efforts may be made to maintain brake components.When the brakes remain cool, aerodynamic performance can be maximized by closing grille shutters to prevent cooling airflow. However, as the brakes warm up, the grille shutters can be opened proportionally until such temperatures reach a level where fully open shutters can be supplied while reducing aerodynamic performance. Furthermore, in challenging situations where higher temperatures are encountered, biasing brake torque application away from friction braking can also be accomplished. Optimizing the balance between component cooling and aerodynamic performance may allow for improved range for future electric vehicles (EVs) for a given battery capacity.However, the benefits of optimizing such a balance can extend beyond EVs to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. As a result, vehicle performance and driver satisfaction can also be improved.

[0008] Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a vehicle control system 100 of an exemplary embodiment. The components of the vehicle control system 100 may be integrated into a vehicle 110 (e.g., by being operatively coupled to a chassis of the vehicle 110 and / or electronic control systems of the vehicle 110). It should be noted that the components of Fig. 1 may be connected to the chassis of the vehicle 110, it is understood that such a connection may be direct or indirect. Furthermore, some of the components of the vehicle control system 100 may be connected to the vehicle 110 via interconnections to other components of either the chassis or other systems or components.

[0009] The vehicle control system 100 may include a grille shutter assembly 120 that may include one or more aerodynamic devices (e.g., a shutter, a strake, a vent, a baffle, or the like) that are movable in response to a control initiated by the vehicle control system 100 while the vehicle 110 is in motion. In its simplest form, the grille shutter assembly 120 may include a single aerodynamic device (e.g., a shutter) that may be disposed within a passage 122 having a grill formed in a portion of the body of the vehicle 110. The device (e.g., the shutter) may be repositioned within the passage 122 to change the amount of airflow 124 allowed into the grille and through the passage 122.Thus, for example, the aperture can be repositioned to change the device between an open state (in which airflow through the aperture is maximized) and a closed state (in which no airflow 124 is permitted through the aperture). Changes between the open state and the closed state, as well as changes in the position of the aperture in between, can all be considered state changes for the grille aperture assembly 120. Thus, for example, the open state can be 100% open, the closed state can be 0% open, and various (or even continuous) positions between the open and closed states can be included to define respective percentages of openness that the aperture can be in each respective position.The vehicle control system 100 may include programming and programmatically controlled physical structures that enable initiation of changes to the state of the grille panel assembly 120 based on various conditions or information related to vehicle status, vehicle location, routing, loading, and based on the control or preferences of the driver or operator.

[0010] The grille shutter assembly 120 of exemplary embodiments may be dynamically and intelligently controlled. The "intelligently controlled" nature of the grille shutter assembly 120 refers to the fact that automatic adjustments are made to optimize the positioning of the aerodynamic device(s) (e.g., the shutters). The "dynamic" nature of the grille shutter assembly 120 refers to the fact that they are enabled to dynamically reposition in response to real-time conditions and status information to actively change the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle 110, while also actively changing the amount of air cooling provided to the brake assembly 126 of the vehicle 110.Thus, for example, if the operator has enabled automatic control of the grille shutter assembly 120 by selecting a mode in which the vehicle control system 100 is operable, the state of the aerodynamic device(s) may be controlled based on status information, current location, and various other conditions experienced by the vehicle 110. Thus, for example, various changes in conditions or vehicle status may dynamically cause the state of the aerodynamic device(s) to change based on programmed rules or algorithms for controlling the grille shutter assembly 120.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle control system 100 may include a repositioning assembly (e.g., an actuator 130) that may be provided as part of the vehicle control system 100 to reposition or move the grille shutter assembly 120 under the control of a controller 140 (or control module) of the vehicle control system 100. In some cases, the controller 140 may be part of a vehicle dynamic module (VDM) or other control system of the vehicle 110 that is configured to perform other tasks that may or may not be related to aerodynamic control or power management. However, the controller 140 could, in some cases, be a dedicated or standalone controller. Furthermore, in some cases, the controller 140 may be a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.

[0012] The operator (or driver) can disable or enable the operation of actuator 130 using a user interface 132. For example, actuator 130 may be disabled in one or more modes, and in one or more other modes, actuator 130 may be capable of moving under the control of controller 140. As an alternative to directly disabling or enabling actuator 130, actuator 130 could be indirectly controlled via controller 140. Thus, in some cases, user interface 132 may interact with controller 140 instead of actuator 130. User interface 132 may be internal or external to vehicle 110. Thus, for example, if internal, user interface 132 may include switches, levers, buttons, a mouse, a touchscreen display, or any other suitable human machine interface (HMI).The user interface 132, if external, may also be, as examples, an external control console, a smartphone, or other interface component that can communicate wirelessly with the vehicle 110.

[0013] The actuator 130 may include a motion source (e.g., an electric motor, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, or the like) operatively coupled to the aerodynamic devices (e.g., a panel(s)) of the grille panel assembly 120, either directly or via linkages that are, in turn, operatively coupled to the aerodynamic devices of the grille panel assembly 120. Thus, the linkages may include, for example, mechanical structures (e.g., hinges, connectors, arms, rods, shape-changing materials, etc.) that operatively couple motion from an output of the motion source to the aerodynamic devices. In cases where the aerodynamic device is a single panel, such a panel may be associated with a corresponding instance of the passage 122 leading to each of the rear wheels, and in particular, the rear brakes located at the rear wheels.However, in some cases, four passages may be possible, with one at each of the front and rear wheels.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 140 may receive information used to determine the vehicle status (or environmental conditions) and location based on or in association with various components or subassemblies 150 of the vehicle 110. Additionally or alternatively, various sensors that may be operatively coupled to the components or subassemblies 150 may be included and provide inputs to the controller 140 used in determining the vehicle status and location. Such sensors may be part of a sensor network 160, and sensors of the sensor network 160 may be operatively coupled to the controller 140 (and / or the components or subassemblies 150) via a vehicle communication bus (e.g., a controller area network (CAN) bus) 170.

[0015] The components or subassemblies 150 may include, for example, the brake assembly 126 and / or a wheel assembly of the vehicle 110. Sensors associated with the brake assembly 126 may provide inputs to the controller 140 such as brake pedal position, brake torque requests, or brake pressure. Sensors associated with the wheel assembly may provide information about vehicle speed, wheel angle, etc. Other sensors of the sensor network 160, which may be operatively coupled to the brake assembly, the wheel assembly, or other parts of the vehicle 110, may provide information regarding brake torque, brake torque ratio, the rate of change of the vehicle's speed, the speeds / angles of individual wheels, etc.Other examples of the components or subassemblies 150 and / or corresponding sensors of the sensor network 160 may provide information regarding pitch, yaw, pitch rate, yaw rate, lateral G-force, throttle position, select button positions associated with chassis and / or vehicle control selections, etc. Thus, the sensors may include, for example, an inclinometer, a gyroscope, an inertial measurement unit, and / or the like. In some cases, the sensor network 160 may further include sensors for detecting weather conditions, road conditions, or the like. For example, humidity sensors and temperature sensors may detect wet or icy roads, ambient temperature, brake component temperature, and / or the like.

[0016] Road conditions may also be determined in some cases using cameras, microphones, rain sensors, and / or the like. Thus, the sensor network 160 may also include, for example, one or more cameras operating in the visible light spectrum, infrared cameras, lidar, and / or the like to detect debris or other obstacles or road conditions. However, in some cases, the cameras may also detect a location or position relative to a specific characteristic of the road ahead. For example, the cameras may detect a turn or a straight line and various sloped conditions. Furthermore, the cameras may detect a magnitude of the slope, the turn, or the length of the straight line.In an exemplary embodiment, the cameras may also be capable of comparing image data with previously captured images to determine if the location at which the vehicle 110 is currently operating also happens to be a location at which the vehicle 110 has operated in the past. If a location correlation occurs, comparisons may be made between previous traversals of the location to determine an optimal setting (or at least one setting to use) for the grille shutter assembly 120 at the location (either currently or in the near future). However, the location could alternatively be determined using other means. For example, global positioning system (GPS) data or other location sensors could also or alternatively be employed.

[0017] Accordingly, the controller 140 may, for example, be capable of receiving numerous different parameters, indications, and other information that may pertain to or be indicative of various situations or conditions associated with the vehicle status. The controller 140 may also receive information indicative of the vehicle location. The controller 140 may then be configured to use the received information defining the vehicle status and / or location in association with executing one or more control algorithms that may be used to provide instructions to the actuator 130 to control a state (or positions) of the aerodynamic device or devices of the grille shutter assembly 120.

[0018] Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of various components of the vehicle control system 100 of an exemplary embodiment in more detail. In this regard, the controller 140 may, for example, receive status information 200 (e.g., from the sensor network 160) via the vehicle communication bus 170. The status information 200 may include any or all of the types of information described above and / or the like. The controller 140 may also or alternatively receive location information or more specific route information 202, for example, from one or both of a camera (which may acquire image data indicative of various environmental or topographical aspects of the operating environment of the vehicle 110) and a GPS device 204.

[0019] The status information 200 may, in some cases, include information about braking torque requests 206, which indicates the amount of negative torque requested to be applied to wheels of the vehicle 110 using the brake assembly 126. The brake assembly 126 may include friction brakes and, in some cases, electromechanical brakes (or other electrically operated braking components). In some examples, the braking force distribution may be assigned between electric and mechanical braking options, as discussed in more detail below. The status information 200 may also include information about the payload or load of the vehicle 110. Thus, for example, ground clearance sensors 208 may provide ground clearance information as part of the status information 200, where the ground clearance information indicates how much load the vehicle 110 is currently carrying.Other sensors of the sensor network 160 may also provide other information (e.g., ambient temperature, combined vehicle mass, etc.).

[0020] Processing circuitry (e.g., a processor 210 and a memory 212) in the controller 140 may process the status information 200 and the location information, or more specifically, the route information 202, by executing one or more control algorithms. The control algorithms may include instructions stored for retrieval and execution by the processor 210 through the memory 212. In some cases, the memory 212 may further store one or more tables (e.g., lookup tables), models, etc., and various calculations and / or applications may be executed using information in the tables or models, the status information 200, and / or the route information 202.

[0021] The processor 210 may be configured to execute a control algorithm 220 or multiple instances of the control algorithm 220 in series or in parallel for respective different wheels. Thus, for example, each individual instance of a wheel (and corresponding associated brake components) may have its own control determination made by an instance of the control algorithm 220. Alternatively, a control determination made by the control algorithm 220 may be applied to all instances of the wheels and brakes. Fig. 2, it is shown that the grille aperture assembly 120 includes four different aperture elements 230 (e.g., aperture element No. 1, aperture element No. 2, aperture element No. 3, and aperture element No. 4). This arrangement assumes that there are four separate instances of the aperture 122 from Fig. 1 associated with each of four wheels of the vehicle 110, and the brake assembly 126 would therefore also include four separate local brake assemblies at each wheel (where such local brake assemblies include friction and / or electrically operable brake components). However, some embodiments may only apply apertures to rear wheels (and corresponding rear brakes). The processor 210 may have sufficient speed and processing power to ensure that the status information 200 and route information 202 received via the vehicle communication bus 170 are both received and processed in real time (or near real time) to cause corresponding

[0022] Changes may be made to the positioning of the grille panel assembly 120 (and to specific panel elements thereof).

[0023] As noted above, the controller 140 may concurrently execute one or more control algorithms to control the grille shutter assembly 120 in a situation-aware manner. The controller 140 may perform calculations or determinations associated with the control algorithms to ultimately position the shutter elements 230 of the grille shutter assembly 120 in a manner that optimizes cooling of the brake assembly 126 while also considering aerodynamic performance.

[0024] The status information 200 may, as noted above, be provided by sensors of the sensor network 160. Inputs such as sound information, humidity data, steering angle, vehicle speed, braking torque requirements, wheel speed, ground clearance, etc. from various components may be included in the status information 200. Meanwhile, the route information 202 (or more generally, location information) may be used to determine whether various road segments likely to require significant braking are encountered along the route or in the near future.In this regard, the route information 202 may indicate that downhill road sections, winding roads, high traffic areas, elevation, towing status, historical driver profile information / behavior, or any other road conditions that typically require increased braking activity are located along the route or in the immediate future path of the vehicle 110.

[0025] The controller 140 may receive the status information 200 and the route information 202 to derive, determine, or confirm a segment classification, rating, or characterization related to brake usage across the segment. The classification, rating, or characterization may be used either alone or in conjunction with other status information 200 to provide input to a thermal model 240 that determines a target temperature 242, which may apply to a road segment or for a given period of time. The target temperature 242 may define a temperature below which the brake assembly 126 may be considered sufficiently cooled, so that no additional cooling support is needed.If the brake assembly 126 (or a portion thereof) exceeds the target temperature 242, measures may be taken to improve or increase cooling of the brake assembly 126 by opening the grille panel assembly 120, as described in more detail below.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the thermal model 240 used to determine the target temperature 242 may consider a number of different factors related to calculating the target temperature 242. In this regard, for example, a high payload, towing, ambient temperature, altitude, sloped surfaces, and the like may all provide inputs to the thermal model 240 to determine the target temperature 242, as each of these may impact heating or cooling rates for the components of the brake assembly 126. The thermal model 240 may also consider temperature change rates to predict future temperature spikes based on current and expected rates of increase to change the target brake temperature at different intervals or upon encountering specific stimuli or trigger conditions.Thus, the target temperature 242 may be set, for example, taking into account a derivative of the temperature rise, the distance from a base setpoint otherwise used in determining the target temperature 242, or other conditional real-time factors. Furthermore, in some cases, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication may be employed to share temperature heating or cooling rates occurring at different locations, so that a vehicle approaching a given location can use information already encountered by another vehicle at the location to determine the target temperature 242 to be used for the given location.Historical information associated with the same or other vehicles may also be used and may be weighted in the thermal model 240 calculations based on age or other conditions similar to the currently prevailing conditions. Thus, if the weather is different, for example, historical information may be given less weight, but if the weather conditions are substantially similar, historical information may be given more weight.

[0027] The status information 200 that may be provided to the controller 140 may include the current brake temperature of the brake assembly 126 (or specific components thereof). The brake temperature may be an actual current temperature 250, which may be provided by a temperature sensor 252 disposed near each respective brake component (e.g., pads, shoes, calipers, drums, etc.) of the brake assembly 126 to measure such a temperature. However, in some cases, either as an alternative to measuring the actual temperature or as a backup, a temperature estimator 260 may be employed to provide an estimated current temperature 262. The temperature estimator 260 may use a thermal model (e.g.,similar to thermal model 240) that estimates the actual temperature (rather than a target or desired temperature) for a given set of input conditions (e.g., obtained from status information 200 and / or route information 202). Thus, while target temperature 242 defines a desired or threshold temperature above which enhanced cooling is desirable, estimated current temperature 262 may utilize a model trained on actual data demonstrating brake temperatures generated under various different driving conditions.

[0028] Regardless of whether the current temperature value is the actual current temperature 250 or the estimated current temperature 262, the current temperature value may be used by the control algorithm 220 to determine how to control the panel elements 230 of the grille panel assembly 120. In this regard, the control algorithm 220 may, for example, compare the current temperature value to the target temperature 242 to make determinations regarding control of the grille panel assembly 120. Furthermore, in some cases, several different trigger, threshold, or target temperature values ​​may be defined for various different corresponding actions by the controller 140 via the control algorithm 220. Based on the determination made, the control algorithm 220 may then generate a control instruction 270 to reposition the grille panel assembly 120.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the control algorithm 220 may include tables of values ​​or positions for the aperture elements 230, where entries are made into the tables using specific vehicle parameters (e.g., speed, braking torque, current brake temperature, road segment characterizations, loading information, elevation, etc.). Various other vehicle parameters may be entry values ​​in such tables or may be weighting factors or modifiers of either the table entry values ​​or the resulting values ​​or positions of the aperture elements 230. For example, ground clearance, yaw rate, tire age, wheel diameter, vehicle weight, and / or the like may be modifiers in the manner described above. Calculations may also take into account various vehicle status conditions (e.g., weight, weight distribution, passengers, load, fuel status, tire condition, etc.) and weather conditions (e.g.,The control algorithm may take into account other factors (e.g., the vehicle's ambient temperature, wet roads, icy roads, etc.) to tailor handling to the road surface conditions at a given time. Furthermore, the control algorithm 220 may include iterative strategies to achieve a target setting in real time.

[0030] In some embodiments, the control algorithm 220 may reference a reference table 280, which may include correction factors to be applied to temperature estimates (as opposed to actual temperature measurements). The reference table 280 may include corrections based on any of the status information 200 that may be provided, or may be a fixed value that provides a buffer against the potential for inaccuracies in estimates that may be made by the temperature estimator 260. However, in some embodiments, the reference table 280 may also (or alternatively) be used to record data for the application of machine learning to improve the performance of the system over time.Thus, for example, a neural network or other machine learning module may be employed in conjunction with the reference table 280 to allow the estimates of the temperature estimator 260 to be improved over time, particularly if actual data can be compared to estimated values ​​over time to increase the accuracy of the model performance over time.

[0031] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a potential embodiment of the vehicle 110 of Fig. 1. In this regard, the vehicle 110 may include a body 300 attached to the chassis of the vehicle 110. Front wheels 310 and rear wheels 320 may be operatively coupled to the chassis, and a grille portion 330 of the grille panel assembly 120 may be made of Fig. 1 may be disposed on portions of the body 300 that are near (and in front of) each respective one of the front wheels 310 and / or rear wheels 320. The grille portion 330 may, in some cases, be conformal to the body 300 and direct air toward the panels (e.g., the panel elements 230) in respective passages that further direct the air toward individual brake components of the brake assembly 126. Although Fig. 3 shows front and rear wheels 310 and 320, each including instances of the grille portion 330 associated therewith, in some cases it may be possible for only the front wheels 310 or only the rear wheels 320 to have brake cooling as described herein.

[0032] Fig. 4 illustrates a block diagram showing operations that may be associated with the control algorithm of an exemplary embodiment. In this regard, the vehicle may initially be started with a key at operation 400, and a determination may be made as to whether the vehicle is moving at operation 410. If the vehicle is not moving (i.e., parked), the grille shutters may be fully opened at operation 420. In this regard, since the vehicle is not moving, airflow and associated cooling may be permitted without impacting the vehicle's aerodynamics. However, it should be understood that in some instances, it may be desirable to close the grille shutters even when it is not moving, such as when certain weather conditions exist.For example, if it is raining or snowing, it may be desirable to fully close the grille shutters when the vehicle is not moving (and potentially also when it is moving), for example, if the brakes are not above a calibrated threshold temperature. Meanwhile, if the vehicle is moving, balancing cooling and aerodynamic considerations may be accomplished, and a target brake temperature may be determined for vehicle conditions (e.g., indicated by status information 200 and route information 202) at operation 430. The estimated or actual current temperature may be measured at operation 440, and then a determination may be made at operation 450 as to whether the current (estimated or actual) brake temperature is greater than the target brake temperature.If the current brake temperature is not greater than the target brake temperature, there may be no need to increase cooling via airflow directed toward the brake system components, and the flow may return to operation 440. However, if the current brake temperature is greater than the target brake temperature, then some action to increase cooling may be desired.

[0033] Accordingly, at operation 460, another determination may be made regarding comparing the current brake temperature to another threshold or target value, which in this case may be a full-open temperature setpoint. If the current brake temperature is not greater than the target brake temperature and the full-open temperature at operation 460, the grille shutters may be partially opened at operation 470 to reduce the current brake temperature to less than the target brake temperature. After operation 470, the flow may return to operation 440.

[0034] Instead, if the current brake temperature is above both the target brake temperature and the full open temperature, a further determination may be made at operation 480 as to whether the temperature is also above a maximum desired temperature. The maximum desired temperature may be a value that is within a buffer amount of the maximum design temperature for the corresponding brake component. If the temperature is not above the maximum desired temperature, the orifices may remain fully open at operation 490 before flow returns to operation 440 for further monitoring. However, if the current brake temperature is above the maximum desired temperature, friction braking may be reduced at operation 495.Reducing friction braking can effectively mean introducing bias into the braking allocations normally made between friction sources and non-friction sources (e.g., regenerative braking) to counteract friction braking. This means that future braking torque requirements will be met more proportionally via frictionless (and therefore less heat-inducing) braking means.

[0035] As the vehicle 110 approaches its final destination (e.g., either a geofenced area around the final destination or within a given distance from the final destination), it may be desirable to initiate different target temperatures. In this regard, since the vehicle 110 is likely to be parked soon, it may be desirable to increase cooling (and decrease brake temperatures) before the vehicle 110 is parked and the parking brake is applied. Accordingly, in some cases, the target temperature 242 may be reduced as the final destination is approached (e.g., if known from the route information 202). Since electromechanical brakes are sometimes also used as parking brakes, the brake shoes may need to be adjusted as the brakes cool down to ensure the parking brake is appropriately set.By commanding a lower temperature before parking, the time the vehicle 110 must be awake to monitor brake temperatures and / or make brake adjustments associated with the cooling components can be minimized or at least reduced. As noted above, altitude may also play a role in the target temperature setting, as cooling occurs more slowly at higher altitudes.

[0036] Other modifications to the normal operation of the control algorithm 220 from Fig. 4 may also be possible. For example, if aggressive braking occurs when approaching winding roads, reaching high-traffic areas, or encountering or about to encounter steep inclines, the brake shutters may be opened preemptively and before temperatures are allowed to rise to reach target temperature 242.

[0037] Fig.5 illustrates a block diagram of a method for providing selective air cooling to a brake assembly of a vehicle. The method may include receiving status information from a sensor network of the vehicle at operation 500 and determining a target temperature for a brake component of a brake assembly based on the status information at operation 510. The method may further include comparing a current brake temperature to the target temperature at operation 520 and controlling airflow to cool the brake component via positioning an aerodynamic device based on the comparison of the current brake temperature and the target temperature at operation 530. In some cases, the target brake temperature may be determined based on a thermal model that determines the target temperature based on route information defining a future route of the vehicle.In an exemplary embodiment, the target brake temperature may be determined based on a thermal model that determines the target temperature based on status information, including vehicle loading information indicated by ride height sensors. In some cases, controlling airflow may include at least partially opening the aerodynamic device in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature, modulating a degree to which the aerodynamic device is open to maintain the current brake temperature lower than the target temperature, and fully opening the aerodynamic device in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature and a threshold temperature for full opening.In an exemplary embodiment, controlling airflow further includes influencing compliance with braking torque requests away from using friction brakes in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature, the full-open threshold temperature, and a maximum desirable temperature. In some cases, the current brake temperature may be an estimated current brake temperature generated based on a thermal model or an actual current brake temperature measured via a temperature sensor located near the brake assembly.

[0038] Accordingly, a vehicle control system may be provided for a vehicle, and in some cases, the vehicle control system may more specifically be an aerodynamic control system and / or a brake temperature control system. The system may include a repositionable aerodynamic device disposed on a portion of the vehicle that is controllable to balance aerodynamic efficiency with brake cooling capacity.Furthermore, in some cases, the system may include a brake assembly for applying negative torque to wheels of the vehicle, a grille shutter assembly that directs airflow over the brake assembly when opened and prevents airflow toward the brake assembly when closed, and a controller that calculates a target brake temperature, the controller being operatively coupled to the grille shutter assembly to control positioning of the grille shutter assembly based on a comparison of a current brake temperature to the target brake temperature.

[0039] The system of some embodiments may include additional features, modifications, enhancements, and / or the like to accomplish further tasks or improve system performance. The additional features, modifications, enhancements, and / or the like may be added in any combination with each other. The following is a list of various additional features, modifications, and enhancements, each of which may be added individually or in any combination with each other. For example, the current brake temperature may be an estimated current brake temperature generated based on a thermal model.In an exemplary embodiment, the thermal model may generate the estimated current brake temperature based on input status information including a friction brake torque request, a vehicle speed, an ambient temperature, a wheel radius, and an altitude. In some cases, the current brake temperature may be an actual current brake temperature measured via a temperature sensor located near the brake assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the target brake temperature may be determined based on a thermal model. In some cases, the thermal model may determine the target brake temperature based on route information defining a future route of the vehicle.In an exemplary embodiment, the thermal model may determine the target brake temperature based on status information including vehicle loading information indicated by ride height sensors. In some cases, the vehicle loading information may be indicated by ride height sensors or a user input defining a towing status of the vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the brake assembly may include brakes on rear wheels of the vehicle, and the grille shutter assembly may include a grille disposed in a vehicle body portion proximate each respective one of the rear wheels of the vehicle and a movable shutter associated with each instance of the grille. In some cases, in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature, the controller may at least partially open the grille shutter assembly.In an exemplary embodiment, the controller modulates a degree to which the grille shutter assembly is open to maintain the current brake temperature lower than the target brake temperature. In some cases, in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature and a full-open threshold temperature, the controller may fully open the grille shutter assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature, the full-open threshold temperature, and a maximum desirable temperature, the controller may bias satisfaction of brake torque requests toward a different braking source, which in some cases may generally be away from utilizing friction brakes or toward other friction brakes in other cases.In an exemplary embodiment, the controller may employ machine learning to modify a control algorithm used to determine the target brake temperature. In some cases, the target temperature may be modified based on proximity to a final location associated with a route of the vehicle.

[0040] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which these inventions belong in light of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the accompanying drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the particular implementations disclosed, and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that, although the foregoing descriptions and the accompanying drawings describe embodiments in terms of certain exemplary combinations of elements and / or functions, different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims.In this regard, other combinations of elements and / or functions than those expressly described above are also contemplated, for example, as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Where advantages, benefits, or solutions to problems are described herein, it is to be understood that such advantages, benefits, and / or solutions may be applicable to some embodiments, but not necessarily to all embodiments. Thus, any advantages, benefits, or solutions described herein should not be considered critical, required, or essential to all embodiments or to what is claimed herein. Although specific terms are employed in this specification, they are used only in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.

[0041] According to the present invention, a vehicle control system is provided, comprising: a brake assembly for applying negative torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle; a grille shutter assembly that directs airflow over the brake assembly when opened and prevents airflow toward the brake assembly when closed; and a controller that calculates a target brake temperature, the controller being operatively coupled to the grille shutter assembly to control positioning of the grille shutter assembly based on a comparison of a current brake temperature with the target brake temperature.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the current brake temperature is an estimated current brake temperature generated based on a thermal model.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the thermal model generates the estimated current brake temperature based on input status information including a friction brake torque request, a vehicle speed, an ambient temperature, a wheel radius, and an altitude.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the current brake temperature is an actual current brake temperature measured via a temperature sensor located near the brake assembly.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the target brake temperature is determined based on a thermal model.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the thermal model determines the target brake temperature based on route information defining a future route of the vehicle.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the thermal model determines the target brake temperature based on status information including vehicle loading information indicated by ride height sensors.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the vehicle loading information is indicated by ground clearance sensors or a user input defining a towing status of the vehicle.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the brake assembly comprises brakes on rear wheels of the vehicle, and wherein the grille panel assembly comprises a grille disposed in a vehicle body portion proximate each respective one of the rear wheels of the vehicle and a movable panel associated with each instance of the grille.

[0050] According to one embodiment, in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature, the controller at least partially opens the grille panel assembly.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the controller modulates a degree to which the grille shutter assembly is open to maintain the current brake temperature lower than the target brake temperature.

[0052] According to one embodiment, in response to the current brake temperature being greater than the target brake temperature and a full opening threshold temperature, the controller fully opens the grille panel assembly.

[0053] According to one embodiment, in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature, the full opening threshold temperature, and a maximum desirable temperature, the controller influences satisfaction of brake torque requests toward a different braking source.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the controller uses machine learning to modify a control algorithm used to determine the target brake temperature.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the target brake temperature is modified based on proximity to a final location associated with a route of the vehicle.

[0056] According to the present invention, a method is provided for providing selective air cooling to a brake assembly of a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving status information from a sensor network of the vehicle; determining a target temperature for a brake component of a brake assembly based on the status information; comparing a current brake temperature with the target temperature; and controlling airflow for cooling the brake component via positioning an aerodynamic device based on the comparison of the current brake temperature and the target temperature.

[0057] In one aspect of the invention, the target brake temperature is determined based on a thermal model that determines the target temperature based on one of route information defining a future route of the vehicle and status information including vehicle loading information indicated by ride height sensors.

[0058] In one aspect of the invention, controlling the airflow comprises at least partially opening the aerodynamic device in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature, modulating a degree to which the aerodynamic device is open to maintain the current brake temperature lower than the target temperature, and fully opening the aerodynamic device in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature and a threshold temperature for full opening.

[0059] In one aspect of the invention, controlling the airflow further comprises influencing satisfaction of braking torque requests toward another braking source in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature, the full opening threshold temperature, and a maximum desirable temperature.

[0060] In one aspect of the invention, the current brake temperature is an estimated current brake temperature generated based on a thermal model or an actual current brake temperature measured via a temperature sensor located near the brake assembly.

Claims

[1] Vehicle control system, the system comprising: a brake assembly for applying negative torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle; a grille assembly that directs airflow over the brake assembly when open and prevents airflow toward the brake assembly when closed; and a controller that calculates a target brake temperature, the controller being operatively coupled to the grille cover assembly to control positioning of the grille cover assembly based on a comparison of a current brake temperature with the target brake temperature. [2] The system of claim 1, wherein the current brake temperature is an estimated current brake temperature generated based on a thermal model that generates the estimated current brake temperature based on input status information including a friction brake torque request, a vehicle speed, an ambient temperature, a wheel radius, and an altitude. [3] The system of claim 1, wherein the current brake temperature is an actual current brake temperature measured via a temperature sensor located proximate the brake assembly, and wherein the target brake temperature is determined based on a thermal model. [4] The system of claim 3, wherein the thermal model determines the target brake temperature based on route information defining a future route of the vehicle, or wherein the thermal model determines the target brake temperature based on status information including vehicle loading information indicated by ride height sensors. [5] The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle loading information is indicated by ride height sensors or a user input defining a towing status of the vehicle. [6] A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the brake assembly comprises brakes on rear wheels of the vehicle, and wherein the grille panel assembly comprises a grille disposed in a vehicle body portion proximate each respective one of the rear wheels of the vehicle, and a movable panel associated with each instance of the grille. [7] The system of any preceding claim, wherein the controller at least partially opens the grille shutter assembly in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature. [8] The system of claim 7, wherein the controller modulates a degree to which the grille shutter assembly is open to maintain the current brake temperature lower than the target brake temperature, or wherein the controller fully opens the grille shutter assembly in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature and a threshold temperature for full opening. [9] The system of claim 8, wherein the controller influences satisfaction of brake torque requests toward a different braking source in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target brake temperature, the full open threshold temperature, and a maximum desirable temperature. [10] The system of claim 8, wherein the controller uses machine learning to modify a control algorithm used to determine the target brake temperature. [11] A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the target brake temperature is modified based on proximity to a final location associated with a route of the vehicle. [12] A method of providing selective air cooling to a brake assembly of a vehicle, the method comprising: Receiving status information from a vehicle sensor network; Determining a target temperature for a brake component of a brake assembly based on the status information, Comparing a current brake temperature with the target temperature; and Controlling an airflow to cool the brake component by positioning an aerodynamic device based on the comparison of the current brake temperature and the target temperature. [13] The method of claim 12, wherein the target temperature is determined based on a thermal model that determines the target temperature as follows: based on route information defining a future route of the vehicle or based on status information including vehicle loading information provided by ground clearance sensors. [14] The method of claim 12, wherein controlling the airflow comprises at least partially opening the aerodynamic device in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature, modulating a degree to which the aerodynamic device is open to maintain the current brake temperature lower than the target temperature, and fully opening the aerodynamic device in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature and a threshold temperature for full opening, and wherein controlling the airflow further comprises influencing satisfaction of braking torque requests towards another braking source in response to the current brake temperature being higher than the target temperature, the threshold temperature for full opening, and a maximum desirable temperature. [15] The method of claim 12, wherein the current brake temperature is an estimated current brake temperature generated based on a thermal model or an actual current brake temperature measured via a temperature sensor located proximate the brake assembly.

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