Intelligent Advanced Engine Braking System

Abstract

A system and method for slowing a vehicle. Road conditions around a vehicle are monitored to determine whether the road conditions are hazardous. An engine control unit is notified of the hazardous road conditions and modifies operation of the engine control unit in response to the hazardous road conditions. When an operator of the vehicle wishes to slow the vehicle, an indication is received indicating an intent to slow the vehicle. Thereafter, the vehicle is slowed based on the modified operation of the engine control unit by applying a vacuum to increase a vacuum in a manifold of the engine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the control of a vehicle during braking, and more particularly, to the control of a vehicle during braking when dangerous road conditions exist.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles travel on roads around the world. Weather and road conditions are constantly changing. Some of these road conditions can make it difficult for a driver to decelerate the vehicle so as to maintain control of the vehicle. The development of an anti-lock braking system has helped to maintain control of the vehicle and improve the safety of automobiles.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an engine braking system of a vehicle. The system includes an internal combustion engine and an engine control unit that controls the engine. A transmission is connected to the engine to transmit the rotational energy of the engine to the vehicle wheels. A braking system is present to suppress the rotation of the wheels using a mechanical approach. An external road condition detector is present to detect road conditions and determine whether those conditions are dangerous. The vehicle is augmented by a vacuum system connected to the engine that increases the vacuum in the engine manifold during operation of the engine in response to the detected dangerous road conditions.

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a computer-implemented process for decelerating a vehicle. The process monitors road conditions around the vehicle and determines whether those road conditions are dangerous. If the process determines that the road conditions are dangerous, it notifies the engine control unit of the dangerous road conditions. The process further changes the operation of the engine control unit in response to the dangerous road conditions. When the operator of the vehicle desires to decelerate the vehicle, an instruction indicating the intention to decelerate the vehicle is received. The process then decelerates the vehicle based on the changed operation of the engine control unit by applying a vacuum to increase the vacuum in the engine manifold.

[0005] The drawings included in this disclosure are incorporated herein and form part thereof. These drawings illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the descriptions, help to illustrate the principles of this disclosure. The drawings are illustrative of certain embodiments and do not limit this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of a content distribution system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This flowchart illustrates a process for optimizing the delivery of content to users in a multi-user content distribution system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing a computing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary cloud computing environment. [Figure 5] This illustrates a set of functional abstraction layers provided by a cloud computing environment in one exemplary embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] While the present invention is open to various modifications and alternative forms, details of which are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail, the intention is not to limit the invention to the specific embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the scope of the invention.

[0008] Aspects of this disclosure relate to the control of a vehicle during braking, and more particularly to the control of a vehicle during braking in the presence of hazardous road conditions. While this disclosure is not necessarily limited to such uses, various aspects of this disclosure may be recognized through discussion of various examples using this context.

[0009] Vehicles travel on roads around the world, carrying passengers and cargo. Weather and road conditions are constantly changing. Some of these road conditions, such as snow, ice, and rain, can make it difficult for drivers to slow down a vehicle so that they can maintain control of it. Anti-lock braking systems help maintain vehicle control, but they are not always the most effective. Anti-lock braking systems often result in increased stopping distances in certain road conditions. This is due to the on / off nature of brake application in the vehicle. This increase in stopping distance is most commonly observed on snow- or ice-covered roads. Increased stopping distances can lead to more avoidable collisions. These collisions cause millions of dollars in damages annually to both vehicles and cargo damaged as a result of the collision. Therefore, systems that complement anti-lock braking systems to help both maintain vehicle control and reduce stopping distances can lead to safer transport of both people and cargo.

[0010] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the components of the intelligent engine braking system 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The system 100 installed in a vehicle includes an engine 110, an engine control unit 120, a transmission 130, a braking system 140, and an external road condition detector 150.

[0011] The engine 110 is a component of the system 100 that provides propulsion power to the vehicle. The engine 110 is an internal combustion engine 110 that uses gasoline, diesel, or natural gas as fuel to provide combustion within the engine 110. The engine 110 has one or more cylinders that compress fuel before ignition by the application of a spark or by compression of the fuel. Fuel is injected into the engine 110 using one or more fuel injectors associated with each cylinder present. The speed at which fuel is supplied to the engine 110 by the fuel injectors determines the speed at which the cylinders circulate through those stages. In one embodiment, the engine 110 is a four-stroke engine 110. In a four-stroke engine 110, the complete cycle of the cylinder combustion process occurs in four stages: an intake stage in which fuel and air are mixed; a compression stage in which the fuel-air mixture is compressed by the piston; a power stage in which the fuel-air mixture burns and pushes the piston down; and an exhaust stage in which gases from combustion are pushed out of the cylinder. The piston interacts with the crankshaft through the connecting rod as it moves through each stage to generate rotational power.

[0012] The engine control unit 120 is a component of system 100 that controls the functions of engine 110 and components associated with engine 110. The engine control unit 120 controls the amount of fuel supplied to engine 110 in response to the operation of the accelerator pedal. The engine control unit 120 also controls other functions and features of engine 110, such as valve timing or switching off various cylinders of engine 110 for fuel saving. The engine control unit 120 may also control the vacuum system 145 of this disclosure.

[0013] The transmission 130 is a component of system 100 that transmits rotational power from the engine 110 to the vehicle's wheels and tires 135, thereby enabling the vehicle to move. The transmission 130 matches the output of the engine 110 to the drive wheels. When the engine 110 is operating at a relatively high rotational speed compared to the rotational speed of the drive wheels at low speeds (for example, the engine is at 700 RPM while the wheels are at less than 10 RPM), the transmission 130 reduces the higher engine speed to a lower wheel speed, increasing torque in the process using one or more gears. Similarly, the opposite may be true at high speeds, i.e., the wheel speed is relatively higher than the engine speed. In this case, the transmission 130 increases the lower engine speed to match the higher wheel speed. The transmission 130 may switch between gears or gear ratios as the vehicle speed changes. The gears allow the transmission 130 to match the engine speed to the wheel speed. Furthermore, some gears can change the direction of wheel rotation, thus enabling forward and backward movement.

[0014] The transmission 130 is generally connected to the crankshaft of the engine 110, for example, via a flywheel, clutch, or fluid coupling. The output of the transmission 130 is transmitted via a driveshaft to one or more differentials that drive the wheels.

[0015] The braking system 140 is a component of system 100 that slows down or stops the vehicle by suppressing the rotation of the wheels by absorbing energy from the wheels. The braking system 140 converts rotational energy into another form of energy by applying friction to a portion of the wheel. Typically, heat is generated as a result of friction by applying brake pads to the rotor. However, in some approaches, braking action may be provided using additional resistance, such as by a regenerative braking system 140. The braking system 140 may be reinforced by an anti-lock braking system 143.

[0016] The anti-lock braking system 143 is an automatic system that applies the principles of threshold braking and pumping braking to help decelerate the vehicle while allowing the driver to maintain control of the vehicle without causing wheel lock. The anti-lock braking (ABS) system allows for improved vehicle control and reduced stopping distance on dry and some slippery surfaces. However, on loose gravel or snow-covered surfaces, the anti-lock braking system significantly increases the braking distance. This increased stopping distance can cause the vehicle to collide with an object (e.g., another vehicle or person) while the driver can still maintain steering control. However, on some surfaces such as ice, the anti-lock braking system 143 may become ineffective if all the wheels on which it is working stop rotating. Due to this cessation of rotation, the anti-lock braking system 143 perceives that the vehicle's movement has stopped, even though the vehicle is still sliding.

[0017] To reinforce the anti-lock braking system 143 in these and other situations, the braking system 140 further includes an engine braking system. The engine braking system assists in decelerating the vehicle using the resistance of the engine 110 and reduces wear on the brake pads or drums and rotors or a combination thereof. The engine braking system is used by the vehicle as an additional brake in conjunction with the anti-lock braking system 143 when certain road conditions are detected or when a braking action is detected. Unlike typical engine braking systems, the engine braking system includes vacuum reinforcement, which allows the system to be used in a wider variety of vehicles, such as passenger cars or light / medium-duty trucks and vans.

[0018] The vacuum system 145 is a component of the braking system 140 that allows for an increase in the manifold vacuum of the engine 110 at engine speeds exceeding the idling speed. In the internal combustion engine 110, the manifold vacuum is highest when the engine 110 is idling and gradually decreases as the engine speed increases to higher RPMs. By increasing the manifold vacuum, the system can replicate the internal conditions that exist when the engine 110 is idling. To increase the manifold vacuum, a vacuum pump is connected to the intake port of the engine 110. When the vacuum pump is activated, the manifold vacuum increases, causing the engine 110 to work harder to maintain the same engine power and rotational speed. However, since no additional fuel is supplied to the engine, there is no additional force available to counteract the effects of the increased vacuum pressure. This increased workload demand causes the engine 110 to decelerate, which in turn causes the vehicle to decelerate as well, without any mechanical braking being applied to the vehicle.

[0019] The external road condition detector 150 is a component of a system that detects road conditions inside and around a vehicle. The detector 150 can determine road conditions using various sensors mounted on the vehicle. For example, the detector 150 can identify road conditions using cameras mounted around the vehicle, such as backup cameras or in-mirror cameras. For instance, if the road surface appears white in an image, the detector 150 can determine that the road is covered in snow. Other sensors, such as temperature sensors and vehicle stability control sensors, can be used to determine the external environment and the vehicle's response. The detector 150 can acquire additional information about road conditions. For example, information from a local government traffic monitoring system can be acquired and used by the detector 150 to assist in determining road conditions. Other information from traffic cameras, webcams, snowplow cameras, GPS, and other vehicles can be used to identify areas with road conditions that may pose a problem for maintaining safe and stable driving. This information can be received via networks such as cellular networks, Wi-Fi networks, mobile phones, or other connections.

[0020] If the detector 150 determines that dangerous road conditions such as snow or ice exist, it transmits this information to the engine control unit 120, which may then control the vacuum system 145 to assist in decelerating the vehicle as needed. For example, when the driver releases the accelerator pedal, the engine control unit 120 may increase the vacuum in the manifold to further enhance the effect of releasing the accelerator pedal. This can cause the vehicle to decelerate more dramatically than would be possible by adjusting the fuel to the engine 110. By decelerating the vehicle without using the brakes, the driver can maintain greater control of the vehicle than would be possible by braking, and can significantly reduce the stopping distance required in dangerous situations. In some embodiments, the detector 150 may also notify the anti-lock braking system 143 of dangerous road conditions. The ABS system can respond by delaying the application of the brakes or by changing how the ABS system is applied to the vehicle, further assisting in maintaining control of the vehicle and reducing the stopping distance.

[0021] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process 200 using the intelligent braking system 140 according to an embodiment. This process begins with the driver starting the vehicle and beginning to drive on a road or highway. This is shown in step 210.

[0022] When the vehicle is traveling on the road, the external road condition detector 150 monitors the road conditions. This is shown in step 220. The detector 150 can determine the road conditions using sensors mounted on the vehicle. For example, using a camera on the vehicle, it can be determined that the road is covered with snow or wet. In some embodiments, other sensors or systems on the vehicle can be used to monitor the road conditions. For example, the ABS system can provide the detector 150 with information that the ABS system has been operated several times, or the stability control system can provide information that the stability control system is being used to maintain the stability of the vehicle. The detector 150 can also receive information related to the road conditions from other external sources such as traffic cameras, snowplow cameras, other vehicles, GPS, Internet sources (such as news, weather, traffic websites). However, any information source can be used to provide information to the detector 150.

[0023] The detector 150 uses the received information about the road conditions to determine whether a dangerous road condition exists. This is shown in step 230. The detector 150 can determine that a dangerous road condition exists based on a comparison of the information / data received from various sensors, systems, and sources with the data from known situations that cause dangerous road conditions. For example, data related to snow on the road can be correlated with a dangerous road condition. This can be identified, for example, using a camera on the vehicle that indicates that the road surface is white. Other data can be compared, such as data received from a snowplow camera indicating that it is currently snowing (this data is not normally available except when it is snowing), or data received from a weather app that provides a weather forecast for the area. This data can be compared with the stored data indicating dangerous weather conditions to determine whether a dangerous road condition exists.

[0024] If it is determined that there is no dangerous road condition, the detector 150 returns to step 220 and continues to monitor the road condition. However, if it is determined that there is a dangerous road condition, the detector 150 notifies the engine control unit 120 of the situation. This is shown in step 240.

[0025] The engine control unit 120 responds to this instruction by changing its operation in consideration of the detected situation. This is shown in step 250. The engine control unit 120 can modify the way the unit responds to the movement of the vehicle's accelerator or brake pedal or both in response to an instruction to decelerate. This instruction is shown in step 255. For example, the engine control unit 120 can respond to the pulling up of the accelerator pedal, which indicates a desire to reduce speed, by reducing the fuel flow rate to the engine 110.

[0026] Furthermore, the engine control unit 120 can operate the vacuum pump to increase the vacuum in the manifold of the engine 110. This increase in manifold vacuum causes the engine 110 to work harder to maintain the same RPM. Since there is no additional fuel to provide a force above the vacuum, the engine 110 begins to decelerate at a faster rate than if only the fuel flow rate were decreased. This deceleration of the engine 110 causes the vehicle itself to decelerate without the need to apply additional braking action. The deceleration of the vehicle using the engine control unit 120 is shown in step 260.

[0027] In some embodiments, the engine control unit 120 communicates with the ABS system to indicate the presence of a dangerous road condition. This indication may modify how the ABS system operates, as shown in step 270. The ABS system may modify its operation to minimize the use of brakes when the engine control unit 120 detects a dangerous condition. The ABS system may delay the application of brakes when light brake pressure is applied to the brake pedal, allowing the deceleration of the engine 110 to cause a decrease in speed. Alternatively, the ABS system may allow the application of brakes but perform an anti-locking process before the wheels actually lock up.

[0028] Referring now to Figure 3, a high-level block diagram of an exemplary computer system 301 that may be used to implement one or more of the methods, tools, and modules described herein, as well as any related functions (for example, using one or more processor circuits or computer processors of a computer) in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure discussed in the above figures. In some embodiments, the main components of the computer system 301 may include one or more CPUs 302, a memory subsystem 304, a terminal interface 312, a storage interface 316, an I / O (input / output) device interface 314, and a network interface 318, all of which may be connected to communicate directly or indirectly via a memory bus 303, an I / O bus 308, and an I / O bus interface unit 310 for intercomponent communication.

[0029] The computer system 301 may include one or more general-purpose programmable central processing units (CPUs) 302A, 302B, 302C, and 302D, collectively referred to herein as CPU 302. In some embodiments, the computer system 301 may include multiple processors, which is typical for relatively large systems, while in other embodiments, the computer system 301 may instead be a single-CPU system. Each CPU 302 can execute instructions stored in the memory subsystem 304 and may include one or more levels of onboard cache.

[0030] System memory 304 may include computer system-readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 322 or cache memory 324. Computer system 301 may further include other removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile computer system storage media. As merely an example, a storage system 326 for reading and writing non-removable non-volatile magnetic media, such as a “hard drive,” may be provided. Not shown, a magnetic disk drive for reading and writing removable non-volatile magnetic disks (e.g., “flexible disks”), or an optical disk drive for reading and writing removable non-volatile optical disks, such as CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, or other optical media, may be provided. In addition, memory 304 may include flash memory, such as a flash memory stick drive or flash drive. Memory devices may be connected to the memory bus 303 by one or more data medium interfaces. Memory 304 may include at least one program product having a set of program modules (e.g., at least one) configured to perform the functions of various embodiments.

[0031] In Figure 3, the memory bus 303 is shown as a single bus structure providing a direct communication path between the CPU 302, the memory subsystem 304, and the I / O bus interface 310. However, in some embodiments, the memory bus 303 may include multiple different buses or communication paths that can be provided in any of various forms, such as point-to-point links in hierarchical, star, or web configurations, multiple hierarchical buses, parallel and redundant paths, or any other suitable type of configuration. Furthermore, while the I / O bus interface 310 and I / O bus 308 are shown as single units, the computer system 301 may, in some embodiments, include multiple I / O bus interface units 310, multiple I / O buses 308, or both. Additionally, while multiple I / O interface units are shown separating the I / O bus 308 from various communication paths leading to various I / O devices, in other embodiments, some or all of the I / O devices may be directly connected to one or more system I / O buses.

[0032] In some embodiments, the computer system 301 may be a multi-user mainframe computer system, a single-user system, or a server computer or similar device that receives requests from other computer systems (clients) but has little or no direct user interface. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the computer system 301 may be implemented as a desktop computer, a portable computer, a laptop or notebook computer, a tablet computer, a pocket computer, a telephone, a smartphone, a network switch or router, or any other suitable type of electronic device.

[0033] Figure 3 is intended to show typical main components of an exemplary computer system 301. However, in some embodiments, individual components may be more or less complex than those shown in Figure 3, and there may be components other than or in addition to those shown in Figure 3, and the number, types, and configuration of such components may vary.

[0034] One or more programs / utilities 328, each having at least one set of program modules 330, may be stored in memory 304. A program / utility 328 may include a hypervisor (also called a virtual machine monitor), one or more operating systems, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data. Each or several combinations of the operating systems, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data may include an embodiment of a networking environment. A program 328 or program module 330, or both, typically perform functions or methods in various embodiments.

[0035] While this disclosure includes a detailed description of cloud computing, it should be understood that the embodiments of the teachings described herein are not limited to cloud computing environments. Rather, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in conjunction with any other type of computing environment that is currently known or may be developed in the future.

[0036] Cloud computing is a service delivery model that enables convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing, memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal administrative effort or interaction with service providers. This cloud model may include at least five features, at least three service models, and at least four deployment models.

[0037] The features are as follows:

[0038] On-demand self-service: Cloud consumers can unilaterally set server time and computing power, such as network storage, automatically as needed, without requiring human interaction with the service provider.

[0039] Broad network access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that facilitate use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).

[0040] Resource pooling: A provider's computing resources are pooled to be delivered to multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with various physical and virtual resources dynamically allocated and reallocated as needed. Consumers typically have no control or knowledge of the exact location of the resources provided, but a sense of location-independentness exists in that they can pinpoint the location at a more abstract level (e.g., country, state, or data center).

[0041] Rapid Scalability: Capabilities can be delivered quickly and flexibly, sometimes automatically, to scale out instantly, and released quickly to scale in instantly. To consumers, the available capacity for delivery often appears limitless and can be purchased at any amount at any time.

[0042] Measured Services: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource utilization by leveraging metric capabilities at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource utilization can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency to both the providers and consumers of the services being used.

[0043] The service model is as follows:

[0044] Software as a Service (SaaS): The capability offered to consumers is the use of a provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure. These applications are accessible from various client devices through thin-client interfaces such as web browsers (e.g., web-based email). Consumers do not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including networks, servers, operating systems, storage, or individual application capabilities, except for potentially limited user-specific application configuration settings.

[0045] Platform as a Service (PaaS): The capability offered to consumers is the ability to deploy applications they have created or obtained, using programming languages ​​and tools supported by the provider, onto a cloud infrastructure. Consumers do not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including networks, servers, operating systems, or storage, but they can control the deployed applications and, in some cases, the configuration of the application hosting environment.

[0046] Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The capability offered to consumers is to provide processing, storage, networking, and other basic computing resources, allowing consumers to deploy and run any software, including operating systems and applications. Consumers do not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, but they can control the operating system, storage, and deployed applications, and in some cases, have limited control over selected networking components (e.g., host firewalls).

[0047] The deployment model is as follows:

[0048] Private Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is operated exclusively for a particular organization. The cloud infrastructure can be managed by that organization or a third party, and can reside on-premises or off-premises.

[0049] Community Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations to support a specific community that shares common concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policies, and compliance considerations). The cloud infrastructure can be managed by these organizations or third parties and can reside on-premises or off-premises.

[0050] Public Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public or large industry groups and is owned by organizations that sell cloud services.

[0051] Hybrid Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is a composite of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain separate entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technologies (e.g., cloud bursting for load balancing between clouds) that enable data and application portability.

[0052] Cloud computing environments are service-oriented, emphasizing state independence, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is the infrastructure, which includes a network of interconnected nodes.

[0053] System 100 can be used in a cloud computing environment. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary cloud computing environment 450 according to one embodiment. As shown, the cloud computing environment 450 includes one or more cloud computing nodes 454 that can communicate with local computing devices used by cloud consumers, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or mobile phone 454A, a desktop computer 454B, a laptop computer 454C, or an automotive computer system 454N or a combination thereof. The nodes 454 can communicate with each other. They can be physically or virtually grouped in one or more networks, such as private, community, public, or hybrid clouds or a combination thereof as described herein (not shown). This enables the cloud computing environment 450 to provide infrastructure, platforms, or software or a combination thereof as a service, eliminating the need for cloud consumers to maintain resources on their local computing devices. The computing device types 454A–N shown in Figure 4 are for illustrative purposes only, and it is understood that the computing node 454 and the cloud computing environment 450 can communicate with any type of computerized device (for example, using a web browser) via any type of network or network-addressable connection or both.

[0054] Referring now to Figure 5, a set of functional abstraction layers provided by the cloud computing environment 450 (Figure 4) is shown. It should be understood in advance that the components, layers, and functionalities shown in Figure 5 are for illustrative purposes only and that embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. As illustrated, the following layers and corresponding functionalities are provided:

[0055] The hardware and software layer 560 includes hardware and software components. Examples of hardware components include a mainframe 561, a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture-based server 562, a server 563, a blade server 564, a storage device 565, and network and networking components 566. In some embodiments, the software components include network application server software 567 and database software 568.

[0056] The virtualization layer 570 provides an abstraction layer that may offer examples of virtual entities such as virtual servers 571, virtual storage 572, virtual networks 573 including virtual private networks, virtual applications and operating systems 574, and virtual clients 575.

[0057] For example, the management layer 580 may provide the functions described below. Resource provisioning 581 provides dynamic procurement of computing resources and other resources used to perform tasks within the cloud computing environment. Measurement and pricing 582 provides cost tracking as resources are used within the cloud computing environment and billing or invoices for the consumption of these resources. For example, these resources may include application software licenses. Security provides identification and verification of cloud consumers and tasks, as well as protection of data and other resources. User portal 583 provides consumers and system administrators with access to the cloud computing environment. Service level management 584 provides allocation and management of cloud computing resources to meet the required service levels. Service Level Agreement (SLA) planning and execution 585 provides pre-arrangement and procurement of cloud computing resources that are expected to be needed in the future in accordance with the SLA.

[0058] The workload layer 590 provides examples of the functionality that can be utilized in a cloud computing environment. Examples of workloads and functions that can be provided from this layer include mapping and navigation 591, software development and lifecycle management 592, content delivery and processing 593, data analysis processing 594, transaction processing 595, and databases 596.

[0059] The present invention may be a system, method, apparatus, or computer program product or combination thereof in an integration of any possible level of technical detail. The computer program product may include one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.

[0060] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction-executing device. A computer-readable storage medium may be, but is not limited to, electronic storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, i.e., flash memory), static random-access memory (SRAM), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital multipurpose disks (DVDs), memory sticks, flexible disks, mechanically encoded devices such as punch cards or grooved raised structures on which instructions are recorded, and any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable storage media used herein should not be interpreted as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through optical fiber cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0061] The computer-readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from computer-readable storage media to each computing / processing device, or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, or a wireless network, or a combination thereof. The network may include copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, or edge servers, or a combination thereof. A network adapter card or network interface within each computing / processing device receives computer-readable program instructions from the network and transfers the computer-readable program instructions for storage on computer-readable storage media within each computing / processing device.

[0062] Computer-readable program instructions for performing the operation of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, configuration data for integrated circuits, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk® and C++, and procedural programming languages ​​such as the C programming language or similar programming languages. Computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), or a connection may be made to an external computer (for example, via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuits, including, for example, a programmable logic circuit, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA), can execute computer-readable program instructions by personalizing the electronic circuit using state information of computer-readable program instructions to perform aspects of the present invention.

[0063] Aspects of the present invention will be described herein with reference to flowcharts or block diagrams, or both, of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It will be understood that each block in a flowchart or block diagram, or both, and combinations of blocks in a flowchart or block diagram, or both, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0064] These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, or another programmable data processing device to generate a machine, such that instructions executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate means for performing functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart or block diagram or both. These computer-readable program instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can be instructed to function in a particular manner to a computer, a programmable data processing device, or other device or a combination thereof, such that the computer-readable storage medium on which the instructions are stored contains a product containing instructions that perform a manner of functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart or block diagram or both.

[0065] Computer-readable program instructions can also be loaded into a computer, other programmable device, or other device to generate a computer execution process in which the instructions performed on the computer, other programmable device, or other device carry out a series of operational steps on the computer, other programmable device, or other device, so that the instructions performed on the computer, other programmable device, or other device carry out a function / action specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart or block diagram or both.

[0066] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible embodiments of the systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction containing one or more executable instructions for performing a specified logical function(s). In some alternative embodiments, the functions described in a block may occur in an order different from the order shown in the drawings. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, depending on the associated functionality, or the blocks may be executed in reverse order. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, or both, and any combination of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, or both, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a specified function or action or executes a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0067] The various embodiments described herein are presented for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be exhaustive or limitful to the disclosed embodiments. Numerous modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the ordinary art without departing from the scope of the embodiments described herein. The terms used herein have been chosen to describe the principles of the embodiments, practical applications or technical improvements to the art found in the market, or to enable other those skilled in the ordinary art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An engine braking system for a vehicle, The engine and An engine control unit configured to control the operation of the engine, A transmission configured to transmit rotational energy from the engine to multiple wheels of the vehicle, A braking system configured to suppress the rotation of the plurality of wheels by at least one mechanical means, An external road condition detector configured to determine the road conditions inside and around the vehicle, A vacuum system connected to the engine, configured to increase the vacuum in the manifold associated with the engine while the engine is operating, wherein the vacuum system is used to decelerate the vehicle based on the determination, and Engine braking system, including

2. The engine braking system according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum system increases the vacuum in the manifold when the engine is operating at a speed exceeding the engine's idling speed.

3. The engine braking system according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum system is operated in response to the external road condition detector detecting a dangerous road condition.

4. The engine braking system according to claim 3, wherein the vacuum system is operated by the engine control unit.

5. The engine braking system according to claim 4, wherein the engine control unit operates the vacuum system in response to the release of the accelerator of the vehicle.

6. The engine braking system according to claim 1, wherein the braking system further includes an anti-lock braking system.

7. The engine braking system according to claim 6, wherein the anti-lock braking system is configured to delay the application of the at least one mechanical means in response to the operation of the vacuum system.

8. The engine braking system according to claim 1, wherein the engine control unit is configured to prevent additional fuel from being supplied to the engine when the vacuum system is in operation.

9. The engine braking system according to claim 1, wherein the external road condition detector is configured to receive road condition information via a network connection.

10. The engine braking system according to claim 1, wherein the external road condition detector is configured to receive road condition information from a sensor located on the vehicle.

11. A method for slowing down a vehicle, The aforementioned vehicle will be used to monitor road conditions, The road conditions are determined using an external road condition detector, To notify the engine control unit of the aforementioned road conditions, To change the operation of the engine control unit in response to the aforementioned road conditions, Receiving instructions from the operator of the vehicle indicating an intention to decelerate the vehicle, Based on the aforementioned determination, the vacuum in the engine manifold controlled by the engine control unit is increased by applying a vacuum, thereby decelerating the vehicle based on the modified operation of the engine control unit. A method that includes this.

12. Delaying the application of mechanical braking systems The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the delay is performed by an anti-lock braking system.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein slowing down the vehicle prevents additional fuel from being supplied to the engine when the vacuum is applied.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the vacuum is applied when the engine is operating at a speed exceeding the engine's idling speed.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein monitoring includes receiving information from a sensor mounted on the vehicle or from an external source of the vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the instruction is to lift the accelerator pedal inside the vehicle.

18. A computer program for causing a computer to perform the method described in any one of claims 11 to 17.

19. A computer-readable storage medium recording the computer program described in claim 18.

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