Method for checking the functional status of a transport device coupled to a towing vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for checking the functional status of a transport device (3) coupled to a towing vehicle (2). The invention provides that the towing vehicle (2) generates sensor data characterizing parameters for the driving behavior of the towing vehicle (2) and the transport device (3). This sensor data is compared with model data obtained using a model for the towing vehicle (2) and a model for the transport device (3). Based on this comparison, the functional status of the transport device (3) is then assessed, in particular with regard to the occurrence of brake defects on the transport device (3).

Description

The invention relates to a method for checking the functional state of a transport device coupled to a towing vehicle.Vehicles often have, as special equipment or as a subsequently mounted accessory part, a trailer coupling or trailer coupling, to which a transport device such as, in particular, a load carrier, a vehicle trailer, a bicycle carrier, a boat trailer, a horse trailer or a residence can be coupled. The vehicle combination formed thereby, comprising the vehicle as a towing vehicle and the coupled transport device, can be used for a variety of purposes depending on the coupled transport device.In this case, a transport device coupled to the towing vehicle has a very great influence on the driving behavior of the towing vehicle and therefore also on the driving behavior of the entire vehicle combination comprising the towing vehicle and the transport device. In particular, a defect on the transport device, such as a defect on the brake system of the transport device, can lead to an unstable driving behavior of the vehicle combination. This on the one hand impairs the driving comfort for the vehicle occupants of the towing vehicle and on the other hand also increases the risk of an accident and thus jeopardises the safety of the vehicle occupants of the towing vehicle.DE 10 2015 013 461 A1 discloses a method and a device for monitoring a trailer brake of a vehicle trailer. In this case, a tensile and shear force is detected by means of a force measuring element, an associated acceleration is calculated from a change in a vehicle speed by means of a speedometer, and the mass of an un braked vehicle trailer is calculated from these values determined by means of an evaluation unit. A model calculation is used to determine a possible deviation of a current braking force from the braking force under normal conditions and thereby to enable an early warning of a towing vehicle user in the event of a change in the braking force and / or in the event of failure of the trailer brake of the vehicle trailer.Furthermore, DE 10 2007 030 222 A1 describes a method for stabilizing a vehicle, in which the vehicle is monitored with respect to rolling movements. When a rolling motion is detected, a substantially periodic yaw moment is automatically impressed on the vehicle, which yaw moment is substantially in phase opposition to the rolling motion. The yaw moment is thereby impressed by applying a wheel-specific drive torque distribution to the driven wheels, and in particular by an unsymmetrical drive torque distribution to the left wheel and the right wheel in at least one axle of the vehicle.Finally, DE 10 2017 113 336 A1 describes a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle, which has a service brake device which is electrically controllable by an electronic brake control device and is actuated by a pressure medium and is automatically controlled or regulated independently of the driver by a driver assistance system or an autopilot device. In the event of a failure of the electronic brake control device, an additional electronic control device detects brake blocking on the basis of data from a sensor device and then lowers the brake pressure compared to the brake pressure specification by the driver assistance system or the autopilot device.The invention is based on the object of specifying a method for checking the functional state of a transport device coupled to a towing vehicle, in which safe and reliable operation of the vehicle combination comprising the towing vehicle and the coupled transport device is made possible in a simple manner.This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for checking the functional state of a transport device coupled to a towing vehicle, having the features of claim 1.Advantageous further developments of the invention are part of the further patent claims.In the method according to the invention, in the case of a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and a transport device coupled to the towing vehicle, a check of the state of functioning of the transport device is carried out in a simple and efficient manner by sensor systems present in the towing vehicle for different application purposes and functions generating or ascertaining from the towing vehicle, characteristic variables of the vehicle combination comprising the towing vehicle and the transport device, which characteristic variables characterize the driving behavior of the towing vehicle and of the transport device. The towing vehicle is equipped with various sensor systems in order in particular also to provide comfort systems and safety systems of the towing vehicle with the necessary information about the driving state of the towing vehicle. On the basis of this comparison of the measured sensor data with the model data, the functional state of the transport device is then evaluated in a suitable manner.In particular, in the case of a deviation of the measured sensor data from the model data and thus in the case of a deviation of the measurement from the respective model, the degree of this deviation is evaluated in particular with regard to its relevance for the current journey of the vehicle combination and with regard to its relevance for the safety of the current and future operation of the vehicle combination. In the case of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data which is assessed as relevant, specific measures are taken, in particular information can be carried out to the driver of the towing vehicle and / or an adaptation of at least one driver assistance system of the towing vehicle which influences the driving behavior of the towing vehicle and / or of the transport device and / or of the vehicle combination can be carried out. Driver assistance systems of this type are increasingly used in vehicles in order to assist or relieve the driver of the vehicle in specific driving situations. Driver assistance systems are now in use in vehicles in a wide variety of embodiments, for example as lane keeping assist, emergency braking assist, passing assist, distance assist, turn assist or parking assist.When assessing the degree of the deviation of the sensor data from the model data, probability considerations for the occurrence of a deviation and for the degree of such a deviation are preferably carried out and / or, for this purpose, it is also possible in particular to preset percentage threshold values for the deviation of the sensor data from the model data.In an advantageous development of the invention, for the comparison between the measured sensor data and the model data and thus for the comparison between the measurement and model, in particular the following characteristic variables characterizing the driving behavior are measured or determined by sensor systems of the towing vehicle for the comparison between the measurement and model: the angle between the towing vehicle and the transport device and / or the distance between the towing vehicle and the transport device and / or the attitude of the towing vehicle and / or the attitude of the transport device and / or the slip angle of the towing vehicle and / or the braking power of the vehicle combination of towing vehicle and transport device during a braking process and / or the braking path of the vehicle combination of towing vehicle and transport device during a braking process. In this case, the angle between the direction of movement of the vehicle center of gravity of the towing vehicle and the vehicle longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle is referred to as the slip angle of the towing vehicle, wherein such an angle deviation occurs between the vehicle longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle and the spatial velocity vector of the towing vehicle during the driving operation of the vehicle combination, in particular when the vehicle combination is cornering. The smaller the sideslip angle of the towing vehicle and thus the deviation between the direction of movement of the vehicle center of gravity of the towing vehicle and the vehicle longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle, the fewer countermeasures have to be used at the chassis of the towing vehicle for stabilizing the vehicle combination. Consequently, the sideslip angle of the towing vehicle and in particular also the change or the gradient of the sideslip angle of the towing vehicle is a measure for assessing the driving stability of the vehicle combination when the vehicle combination is cornering. When the vehicle combination is rapidly cornering, the slip angle of the towing vehicle, which in this case occurs particularly strongly, and in particular its change or its gradient, can be perceived as very disturbing by the vehicle occupants of the towing vehicle and can lead to adverse effects or discomfort to the vehicle occupants of the towing vehicle.In a preferred development of the invention, the sensor data for observing the functional state of the towing vehicle and / or for observing the functional state of the transport device are obtained from the towing vehicle by means of sensor systems used as driver assistance systems, for example by means of electronic stability systems (ESC systems, ESP systems) or by means of anti-lock brake systems (ABS systems). Additionally or alternatively, inertial sensor systems or inertial navigation systems using inertial sensors such as acceleration sensors and rotation rate sensors can also be used, such as a global navigation satellite system (GNSS system) or an inertial navigation system (INS system). Furthermore, additionally or alternatively, deceleration sensor systems for determining the deceleration moment and / or optical sensor systems with passive optical sensors such as cameras and in particular with lateral cameras or rear cameras for the rear traffic and / or optical sensor systems with active optical sensors such as lasers can also be used. In addition or alternatively, ultrasonic sensor systems, radar sensor systems, sensor systems on the coupling head of the transport device and / or sensor systems on the trailer socket of the towing vehicle can also be used to generate sensor data. With the sensor systems mentioned, in particular, a precise measurement of the angle between the towing vehicle and the transport device is also made possible in the vehicle combination.In a further preferred development of the invention, for generating the model data of the model for the towing vehicle and for generating the model data of the model for the transport device, in particular also tire parameters such as the tire size of the tires of the towing vehicle and of the transport device, the tire pressure of the tires of the towing vehicle and of the transport device and any errors or defects relating to the tires of the towing vehicle and transport device are used. Additionally or alternatively, speed parameters of the towing vehicle and / or of the transport device can also be used for this purpose, such as wheel rotation signals or acceleration signals or yaw rate signals. In addition or alternatively, transport device parameters can also be used, such as the wheel base of the transport device, the distance between the draw mouth and the axis of the transport device, the weight of the transport device or the structural dimensioning of the transport device.The comparison of the sensor data with the model data, i.e. the comparison of the model with the real and measured behavior, can be carried out by means of fuzzy logic or by means of neural networks or by means of rules or by means of characteristic maps.Preferably, influences of the tire pressure at the towing vehicle and the transport device are taken into account in the comparison of the sensor data with the model data and, additionally or alternatively, influences of the loading state of the transport device are also taken into account, which can be determined in particular by means of a force measurement at the trailer coupling or by means of driving resistances by means of coasting curves. Furthermore, influences of the external temperature and / or the roadway condition can also be taken into account, for example by determining the coefficient of friction dependent on the roadway condition and thus on the roadway surface or on the roadway conditions. Additionally or alternatively, influences of the angle between the towing vehicle and the transport device can also be taken into account, wherein, in the case of an angle between the towing vehicle and the transport device that is present, in particular a transmission to a straight-ahead travel of the vehicle combination is carried out as a uniform scenario.In a further preferred development of the invention, in the case of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data which is assessed as relevant, information is provided to the driver of the towing vehicle in different warning levels as a function of the probability and the degree or severity of a defect on the transport device and / or as a function of the route data relating to the current journey of the vehicle combination. Here, the topology of planned or current travel routes also plays a certain role, since, for example, a longer trip on a downhill pass road is classified as highly relevant, while a short distance to the destination to be followed or a soon reaching of the destination is classified as not highly relevant. The information to the driver of the towing vehicle can also be carried out as a function of current external conditions to be expected, for example as a function of the weather conditions, for example whether snow or rain is to be expected, and as a function of the road conditions.In the case of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data that is assessed as relevant, an adaptation, in particular of the ACC system of the towing vehicle and / or of the ABS system of the towing vehicle and / or of speed control systems of the towing vehicle, can also be carried out as corresponding driver assistance systems of the towing vehicle. For example, in an ACC system, the predefined value for the safety distance of the vehicle combination can be increased and / or the braking behavior of the vehicle combination can be changed to a more detensive behavior. In an ABS system, permitted brake deceleration values for the vehicle combination can be reduced and thus adapted, for example. In a speed control system, for example, the current speed of the vehicle combination can be reduced or the maximum possible or permitted speed of the vehicle combination can also be reduced. Here, too, this can be carried out in different adaptation levels or different adaptation scenarios or warning levels depending on the probability and the degree or severity of a defect on the transport device and / or depending on the route data relating to the current journey of the vehicle combination.As the functional state of the transport device, in particular a functional state of a braking system of the transport device is checked. In particular, during the checking of the brake system, an occurrence of at least one defect of the brake system is detected during the evaluation and / or, in particular, also various defects of the brake system are evaluated during the checking. The method according to the invention preferably checks the behavior of the vehicle combination comprising the towing vehicle and the transport device with respect to the occurrence of brake defects at the brake system of the transport device. In this case, one-sided brake defects on the brake system of the transport device can in particular also be determined by evaluating the torque resulting therefrom or the decline in the overall braking power can be determined on the brake system of the transport device.In a further preferred development of the invention, for validating the evaluation of the functional state of the transport device and in particular for validating the presence of brake defects on the transport device, test braking is carried out under uniform or normalized conditions. This is carried out in particular by the ACC system of the towing vehicle under controlled conditions. Test braking can be carried out when certain specifications or criteria are fulfilled. Criteria that can be taken into account in particular are: the traffic situation is checked for fitness, in particular to the effect that no rearward traffic is present; the road topology and the road conditions are checked for fitness, in particular to the effect that there is a straight route guidance, that there is no gradient, that no problematic road conditions are present as a result of moisture or cold; a check is made for the presence of obvious deficiencies or defects such as faulty tire pressures etc.; the position of the driver of the towing vehicle of the vehicle combination is checked, in particular to the effect that the driver of the towing vehicle of the vehicle combination has his hands on the steering wheel, wherein this check can be carried out, for example, by means of a driver observation camera or by means of sensors integrated in the steering wheel of the towing vehicle; A message has been made to the driver of the vehicle combination about the planned test braking for verifying the brake of the transport device; a confirmation has been made by the driver of the towing vehicle of the vehicle combination with regard to knowing the planned test braking. The test braking is then carried out with parameters advantageous for the testing and with a continuous observation of the braking process, after which an evaluation of the test braking is then carried out. Subsequently, a message or information to the driver of the towing vehicle about the determined result of the braking process can be carried out as test braking.If a fault or defect is present on the transport device and thus in the event of a fault with a specific relevance, the fault or defect present can be entered into the fault diagnosis system of the towing vehicle and, if appropriate, information can be provided to the driver with regard to a message deemed necessary to be sent to a workshop.In the method according to the invention, in the case of a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and a transport device, the functional state of the transport device can be determined reliably in a simple and effective manner, since this takes place using a sensor system already present in the towing vehicle. In addition, various influencing factors are also taken into account when comparing the model data with the measurement data, such that any deviation of the measurement data from the model data and thus any presence of an error or defect on the transport device can be detected precisely and reliably.An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawing with FIGS. 1 to 4.The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and a transport device in the event of a one-sided brake defect at the brake system of the transport device; FIG. 2 shows a further schematic illustration of a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and a transport device in the event of a one-sided brake defect at the brake system of the transport device; FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and a transport device in the event of a brake defect on both sides at the brake system of the transport device; and FIG. 4 shows an exemplary sequence in the method for checking the functional state of the transport device of a vehicle combination.In the case of a vehicle combination 1 comprising a towing vehicle 2 and a transport device 3 coupled to the towing vehicle 2, for example a vehicle trailer coupled to a trailer coupling of the towing vehicle 2 as transport device 3, the functional state of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3 is checked during the journey of the vehicle combination 1, in particular with regard to the occurrence of brake defects on the brake system of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3. This check takes place during the travel of the vehicle combination 1, in particular permanently or at specific time intervals.Any defects on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3 have significant effects on the braking behavior of the towing vehicle 2 and consequently also on the braking behavior of the vehicle combination 1. If a malfunction of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3 is ascertained on account of defects in the brake system of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3 and a relevant deviation of the measured driving behavior of the vehicle combination 1 from the model behavior caused by this, the driver of the towing vehicle 2 can be warned in various warning levels depending on the relevance and thus the severity of the assumed defect in the brake system of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3, and at the same time or alternatively an adaptation of specific driver assistance systems of the towing vehicle 2 can be carried out. In addition, even in the case of a suspected defect on the brake system of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3 for plausibility checking or for verifying the defect on the brake system of the vehicle trailer as transport device 3, a specialized maneuver in the form of test braking of the vehicle combination 1 can be carried out under normalized or uniform conditions.In the vehicle combination 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprising a towing vehicle 2 and a vehicle trailer 3 coupled to the towing vehicle 2 by means of the drawbar 5 via a towing device 4, a defect has occurred at one brake 7 of the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3, while the other brake 8 of the brake system 5 of the vehicle trailer 3 operates without defects.This one-sided brake defect on the vehicle trailer 3, as shown in FIG. 1, on the left brake 7 of the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3, results in a torque 9 acting in the clockwise direction on the vehicle trailer 3, and this torque 9 acting on the vehicle trailer 3 is transmitted to the towing vehicle 2 via the drawbar 5 and the towing device 4 on the towing vehicle 2. A linearly acting force acts on the towing device 4 of the towing vehicle 2 as a result, which force presses the towing device 4 of the towing vehicle 2 to the right. This in turn results in a counterclockwise torque 10 acting on the towing vehicle 2, which also results in a change in the slip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2, defined as the difference between the speed vector 12 of the towing vehicle 2 and the institution 13 of the towing vehicle 2. the slip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2 is measured permanently by means of sensor systems of the towing vehicle 2 during the travel of the vehicle combination 1, and this measured slip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2 is compared with a motion model for the vehicle combination 1 consisting of the towing vehicle 2 and the vehicle trailer 3 on the basis of a model comparison. On the basis of this comparison and in particular on the basis of a deviation of the measured values of the sideslip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2 from the model values, it is then possible to infer the presence of a corresponding brake defect on the vehicle trailer 3.According to FIG. 2, the relationship of a changing sideslip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2 to specific driver assistance systems of the towing vehicle 2 is to be explained. A changing slip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2 also has an influence in particular on specific driver assistance systems of the towing vehicle 2, in particular on driver assistance systems for transverse guidance of the towing vehicle 2. This measure can be used, in addition to the measured values for the sideslip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2, to check the plausibility of any incorrect behavior at the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3. Because of the slip angle 11 of the towing vehicle 2 which is increased in the event of a one-sided brake defect on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3, the towing vehicle 2 is namely pushed away from the center of the track 15 of the driving track 14 in a quasi-manner and therefore no longer follows the center of the track 15 of the driving track 14, whereupon driver assistance systems for transversely guiding the towing vehicle 2 again react with an additional steering force corresponding to a counter-steering. Since this effect occurs only during braking maneuvers of the vehicle combination 1 comprising the towing vehicle 2 and the vehicle trailer 3 and in particular also as a function of the braking force during the braking maneuver, this can also be unambiguously assigned to a brake defect by the driver assistance systems for transversely guiding the towing vehicle 2.In the vehicle combination 1 shown in FIG. 3 comprising a towing vehicle 2 and a vehicle trailer 3 coupled to the towing vehicle 2 by means of the drawbar 5 via a towing device 4, only a reduced braking power compared to the normal state is present on both brakes 7, 8 of the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3.This double-sided brake defect on the vehicle trailer 3 with a double-sided reduced braking power, according to FIG. 3, both on the left brake 7 of the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3 and on the right brake 8 of the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3, results in an increased force effect via the drawbar 5 on the towing device 4 of the towing vehicle 2. This braking force, which is significantly increased compared to the normal case, is detected by means of sensor systems of the towing vehicle 2, for example by means of a force measurement by means of sensor systems on the coupling head of the towing device 4 or tow coupling of the towing vehicle 2.This influence of two-sided defects on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3 on the braking behavior of the vehicle combination 1 is checked by a comparison with models. If a malfunction of the vehicle trailer 3 due to this defect at the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3 is determined from the model behavior, depending on the relevance and thus the severity of the assumed defect at the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3, the driver of the towing vehicle 2 can be warned in different warning levels and at the same time or alternatively an adaptation of specific driver assistance systems of the towing vehicle 2 can be carried out. In particular, an anti-lock brake system can be adapted as a driver assistance system of the towing vehicle 2. In addition, in this case as well, for plausibility checking or for verifying the defect at the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3, a specialized maneuver in the form of test braking of the vehicle combination 1 can be carried out under standardized or uniform conditions.According to FIG. 4, the essential method steps in the method according to the invention for checking the functional state of the brake system 6 of a vehicle trailer are shown by way of example as transport device 3.During the travel of the vehicle combination 1 from the towing vehicle 2 and the vehicle trailer 3, in a first method step 16 the vehicle combination 1 and in particular also the vehicle trailer 3 are monitored permanently by means of sensor systems of the towing vehicle 2. The sensor data generated from this are compared, as described, with model data for the towing vehicle 2 and for the vehicle trailer 3.In the case of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data, it is assessed in the second method step 17 on the basis of probability considerations whether a defect is present on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3 and how relevant this defect is. For this purpose, a threshold value for the probability of a defect on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3 can be predefined, for example. Only when it is exceeded is a defect on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3 then also assumed to be present.In a third method step 18, a test braking of the vehicle combination 1 comprising the towing vehicle 2 and the vehicle trailer 3 is carried out under normalized conditions in order to plausibly confirm the acceptance of a defect at the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3, and the result of the test braking is included in the evaluation with respect to a defect at the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3.In a fourth method step 19, a warning or information item is carried out to the driver of the towing vehicle 2 as a function of the evaluated relevance of a defect present on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3. The relevance of a defect present on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3 can be classified taking into account different criteria and assigned to different warning levels, in which different scenarios take place in each case with regard to the warning or information to the driver of the towing vehicle 2.In a fifth method step 20, at the same time as the fourth method step 19, an adaptation or adaptation of specific driver assistance systems of the towing vehicle 2 is carried out as a function of the evaluated relevance of a defect present on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3. In this case, for example, a distance control system of the towing vehicle 2 and / or an anti-lock braking system of the towing vehicle 2 can be adapted accordingly by adapting the respective parameters. An adaptation of these driver assistance systems of the towing vehicle 2 can be carried out in different adaptation stages, taking into account different criteria, depending on the relevance of the defect present on the brake system 6 of the vehicle trailer 3.List of reference characters1 Vehicle combination 2 Towing vehicle 3 Transport device / vehicle trailer 4 Towing device 5 Drawbar 6 Brake system Vehicle trailer 7 Left brake Vehicle trailer 8 Right brake Vehicle trailer 9 Torque Vehicle trailer 10 Torque Towing vehicle 11 Float angle Towing vehicle 12 Speed vector Towing vehicle 13 Attitude Towing vehicle 14 Lane 15 Center Lane 16 Method step 1 17 Method step 2 18 Method step 3 19 Method step 4 20 Method step 5References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 10 2015 013 461 A1

[0004] DE 10 2007 030 222 A1

[0005] DE 10 2017 113 336 A1

[0006]

Claims

Method for checking the functional state of a transport device (3) coupled to a towing vehicle (2), characterized in that characteristic variables characterizing sensor data for the driving behavior of the towing vehicle (2) and of the transport device (3) are generated by the towing vehicle (2), and in that the sensor data are compared with model data obtained with the aid of a model for the towing vehicle (2) and a model for the transport device (3), and the functional state of the transport device (3) is evaluated with the aid of this comparison.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in the case of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data, the degree of the deviation is assessed, and in that, in the case of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data assessed as relevant, information is provided to the driver of the towing vehicle (2) and / or an adaptation of at least one driver assistance system of the towing vehicle (2) is carried out.Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that an evaluation of the degree of deviation of the sensor data from the model data is carried out on the basis of probability considerations and / or on the basis of a threshold value for the deviation of the sensor data from the model data.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that sensor data are determined by the towing vehicle (2) for the angle between the towing vehicle (2) and the transport device (3) and / or for the distance between the towing vehicle (2) and the transport device (3) and / or for the institution (13) of the towing vehicle (2) and / or for the institution of the transport device (3) and / or for the slip angle (11) of the towing vehicle (2) and / or for the braking power of the vehicle combination (1) comprising the towing vehicle (2) and the transport device (3) during a braking process and / or for the braking path of the vehicle combination (1) comprising the towing vehicle (2) and the transport device (3) during a braking process.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that sensor data are generated by the towing vehicle (2) by means of driver assistance systems and / or by means of inertial sensor systems and / or by means of wheel rotational speed sensor systems and / or by means of deceleration sensor systems and / or by means of optical sensor systems and / or by means of ultrasonic sensor systems and / or by means of radar sensor systems and / or by means of sensor systems on the coupling head of the transport device (3) and / or by means of sensor systems on the trailer socket of the towing device (4) of the towing vehicle (2).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that tyre parameters and / or speed parameters and / or transport device parameters are used for the model data of the model for the towing vehicle (2) and of the model for the transport device (3).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the comparison of the sensor data with the model data is carried out by means of fuzzy logic or by means of neural networks or by means of rule sets or by means of characteristic maps.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, when comparing the sensor data with the model data, values for the tyre pressure are used for the towing vehicle (2) and for the transport device (3) and / or for the loading state of the transport device (3) and / or for the external temperature and / or for the roadway condition and / or for the angle between the towing vehicle (2) and the transport device (3).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, in the case of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data which is assessed as relevant, information is provided to the driver of the towing vehicle (2) in different warning levels as a function of the probability and the severity of a defect on the transport device (3) and / or as a function of route data of the current journey of the vehicle combination (1) and / or as a function of current and / or expected external conditions.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, in the event of a deviation of the sensor data from the model data which is assessed as relevant, the ACC system of the towing vehicle (2) and / or of the ABS system of the towing vehicle (2) and / or of speed control systems of the towing vehicle (2) is adapted.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a functional state of a brake system (6) of the transport device (3) is checked as the functional state of the transport device (3), in particular an occurrence of at least one defect of the brake system (6) is detected during the evaluation during the checking of the brake system (6) and / or defects of the brake system (6) are evaluated during the checking.Method according to Claim 11, characterized in that, in order to validate the evaluation of the functional state of the brake system (6) of the transport device (3), at least one test braking is carried out under normalized conditions.

Images