Control method and apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a control method and apparatus. The method comprises: acquiring first information, the first information indicating a grade value of a slope on which a vehicle is located, and the vehicle comprising a parking brake system and an electric service brake system; and, when the grade value exceeds a first threshold, instructing the electric service brake system to be in a first mode, the electric service brake system being used to keep the vehicle stationary when the electric service brake system is in the first mode. The embodiments of the present application can be applied to an intelligent vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and can keep the vehicle stationary on the slope when a hill-hold capability of the parking brake system of the vehicle is insufficient, thereby avoiding safety risks caused by vehicle rollback.

Description

Control methods and devices Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent vehicles, and more specifically, to a control method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In situations where there are road surface defects or traffic accidents on the road where the vehicle is located, the vehicle may need to be parked for an extended period. When parked on a flat road for a long time, even if the vehicle's parking brake system malfunctions, there is not a significant risk to the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. However, in scenarios with slopes, such as parking lot entrances, passageways between parking levels, and uphill or downhill sections of open roads, ensuring that the vehicle remains stable and does not roll away is crucial to ensuring the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a control method and apparatus that can keep a vehicle stationary on a slope when the parking brake system's slope holding capacity is insufficient, thereby avoiding the safety risks caused by the vehicle rolling downhill.

[0004] In a first aspect, a control method is provided. This method can be executed by a control device (such as a computing platform), or by components of the control device (such as a processor, processing circuitry, chip, module, or unit), or by a system or vehicle containing the control device.

[0005] The method includes: acquiring first information, the first information indicating the slope value of the slope where the vehicle is located, the vehicle including a parking brake system and an electric vehicle brake system; when the slope value exceeds a first threshold, instructing the electric vehicle brake system to be in a first mode; wherein, when the electric vehicle brake system is in the first mode, it is used to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0006] In this application, when the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located exceeds a first threshold, the electric vehicle braking system is controlled to enter a first mode to keep the vehicle stationary. This allows the vehicle to remain stationary on the ramp even when the parking brake system's braking performance is insufficient, thus avoiding the safety risks caused by the vehicle rolling downhill. In particular, in scenarios where certain intelligent driving functions are activated and the user is far away, this provides the user with sufficient processing time.

[0007] In some possible implementations, indicating that the electric vehicle braking system is in a first mode when the gradient value exceeds a first threshold may include: indicating that the electric vehicle braking system is in the first mode based on a first braking force when the gradient value exceeds the first threshold. The first braking force may be the braking force required by the vehicle's service braking system to keep the vehicle stationary, and the service braking system may include an electric vehicle braking system.

[0008] In this application, the electric vehicle braking system is controlled to be in a first mode according to the first braking force, which can effectively control the workload of the electric vehicle braking system, avoid the sudden drop in the working time of the electric vehicle braking system due to excessive workload, and improve the working time of the electric vehicle braking system.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the vehicle may also include a hydraulic service braking system. The method may further include: when the gradient value exceeds a first threshold, instructing the hydraulic service braking system to enter a second mode; wherein, when the hydraulic service braking system is in the second mode, it is used to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0010] In this application, when the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located exceeds a first threshold, the hydraulic service brake system is controlled to enter a second mode to keep the vehicle stationary. This allows the vehicle to remain stationary on the ramp even when the parking brake system's braking performance is insufficient, thus avoiding the safety risks caused by the vehicle rolling away. In particular, in scenarios where certain intelligent driving functions are activated and the user is far away, this provides the user with sufficient time to react.

[0011] In some possible implementations, when the first braking force is less than or equal to the braking capacity of the electric service braking system and less than or equal to the braking capacity of the hydraulic service braking system, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode. Alternatively, when the first braking force is greater than the braking capacity of the electric service braking system, and / or the first braking force is greater than the braking capacity of the hydraulic service braking system, the first mode can be a second cooperative mode. In the first cooperative mode, the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system can operate alternately, and in the second cooperative mode, they can operate simultaneously.

[0012] Taking an electric vehicle braking system, including a drive motor, as an example, when the drive motor provides braking force to keep the vehicle stationary, since the motor rotor hardly rotates, all the electrical energy supplied to the motor will be converted into heat energy, leading to an increase in motor temperature. When the motor temperature rises, its braking performance will decrease. Similarly, for a hydraulic vehicle braking system, if the brake fluid in the hydraulic brake lines remains at a high pressure for an extended period, it will cause the temperature of the hydraulic vehicle braking system to rise, thus reducing its braking performance.

[0013] In this application, by controlling the electric and hydraulic service braking systems to operate alternately, the service braking system in a resting state can effectively dissipate heat, thereby slowing down the temperature rise rate of a single service braking system. This prevents a rapid increase in operating temperature caused by continuous operation of a single service braking system, thus extending the overall service braking system's operating time. Furthermore, by controlling the electric and hydraulic service braking systems to operate simultaneously, the workload of a single service braking system can be reduced, further extending the overall service braking system's operating time.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode, and the method may further include: acquiring the temperature of the first braking subsystem during operation; when the temperature exceeds a second threshold, controlling the first braking subsystem to stop operating, and controlling the second braking subsystem to operate. The first braking subsystem can be one of an electric service braking system and a hydraulic service braking system, and the second braking subsystem can be the other of an electric service braking system and a hydraulic service braking system.

[0015] In this application, the hydraulic service braking system and the electric service braking system are controlled to work alternately according to the operating temperature, which can avoid the temperature of a single service braking system from becoming too high and can effectively extend the working time of the entire system.

[0016] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode, and the method may further include: when the operating duration of the first braking subsystem is greater than or equal to a third threshold, controlling the first braking subsystem to stop operating and controlling the second braking subsystem to operate. The first braking subsystem can be one of an electric service braking system and a hydraulic service braking system, and the second braking subsystem can be the other of an electric service braking system and a hydraulic service braking system.

[0017] A single service braking system can experience excessive temperature rise when operating continuously for extended periods. This leads to a sharp decrease in its operational time and makes effective heat dissipation difficult even when switched to a non-operating (resting) state within a short time. In this application, the hydraulic and electric service braking systems are controlled to operate alternately based on the operating duration. This avoids the sharp drop in operational time caused by prolonged continuous operation of a single service braking system. Furthermore, the timely switching facilitates timely heat dissipation, reducing the rate of temperature rise throughout the process, thereby effectively extending the overall operational time of the service braking system.

[0018] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be the second cooperative mode, and the method may further include: when the first mode is the second cooperative mode, controlling the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system to share the first braking force.

[0019] In this application, by reasonably distributing the braking force required by the service braking system, the workload of the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system can be kept within a suitable range. This can prevent a sharp reduction in the working time of a single service braking system due to excessive workload, thereby increasing the working time of the entire service braking system.

[0020] In some possible implementations, the method may further include: when the first braking force exceeds the capability of the service braking system, controlling the vehicle's steering wheels to point in a first direction, which may be inclined to the direction of extension of the ramp.

[0021] In this application, when the slope of the slope where the vehicle is located is large, by controlling the steering wheel, the wheel deflection force at the steering wheel can have a component that resists the vehicle rolling downhill, thereby assisting the parking brake system to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0022] In some possible implementations, the method may further include: acquiring information about the vehicle's surrounding environment; and, based on the surrounding environment information, controlling the vehicle to move from its current position to and park at a first position. When the vehicle is parked at the first position, the steering wheels may point in a second direction.

[0023] In this application, by controlling the vehicle to travel to the first position, a larger angle can be formed between the direction of the steering wheel and the direction of the slope, so that the wheel bias force can provide a larger component to resist the vehicle rolling downhill, thereby reducing the workload of the braking system.

[0024] In some possible implementations, the first position can be located on the ramp, and the second direction can be inclined to the direction of the ramp's extension.

[0025] In some possible implementations, the vehicle is parked horizontally on the ramp at a first position; or, in a second direction, it is perpendicular to the direction in which the ramp extends.

[0026] In this application, by controlling the vehicle to stop horizontally in the first position, or by making the steering wheel point perpendicular to the direction of the ramp, the braking force required by the braking system can be further reduced, the workload of the braking system can be further reduced, and the working time of the braking system can be further extended.

[0027] In some possible implementations, the distance between the first position and the current position can be less than or equal to the fifth threshold.

[0028] In this application, by controlling the vehicle to park at the first location closest to the current location, the user's car-finding process can be simplified.

[0029] In some possible implementations, controlling the vehicle's steering wheels to point in the first direction may include: controlling the vehicle to park at its current position and controlling the steering wheels to point in the first direction.

[0030] In this application, by controlling the vehicle to park at its current position and controlling the steering wheel to point in the first direction, the vehicle can remain stationary at its current position even when the performance of the parking brake system is insufficient, which is beneficial for users to find their vehicles.

[0031] In some possible implementations, the parking brake system may include a first brake caliper and a second brake caliper, which may be respectively mounted on both sides of the vehicle. The method may also include determining the hill-climbing capability based on the state of the first and second brake calipers.

[0032] In some possible implementations, the state of the brake caliper can include a normal state or a fault state. At least one of the first brake caliper and the second brake caliper can be in a normal state.

[0033] In this application, by fully utilizing the brake calipers in the parking brake system that are in normal working order to provide braking force to the vehicle, the braking force required by the service brake system can be reduced, thus extending the service brake system's operational time. In particular, this allows for sufficient time for the user to react when the user is far from the vehicle.

[0034] In some possible implementations, the slope value being within a first threshold can include: the slope value being less than or equal to the safe parking slope; or, the slope value being greater than the safe parking slope, and the vehicle remaining stationary for the first time period after the parking system is activated on the slope. The safe parking slope can be determined based on a safety margin and the ideal parking capacity.

[0035] In this application, the slope of the ramp is assessed based on the safe parking slope to determine whether the slope is within a first threshold, and thus whether the service braking system needs to intervene to prevent the vehicle from rolling back. This can effectively improve the accuracy of the judgment on the rollback, that is, it can reduce the vehicle rollback caused by inaccurate judgment, and also reduce the unnecessary intervention of the service braking system caused by inaccurate judgment.

[0036] Secondly, a control method is provided. The control method includes: acquiring first information, the first information indicating the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located; when the slope value exceeds a fourth threshold, controlling the vehicle's steering wheels to point in a first direction, the first direction being inclined to the extension direction of the ramp.

[0037] In some possible implementations, controlling the vehicle's steering wheels to point in the first direction may include: controlling the vehicle to park at its current position and controlling the steering wheels to point in the first direction.

[0038] In some possible implementations, the method may further include: acquiring information about the vehicle's surrounding environment; controlling the vehicle to travel from its current position to and park at a first position based on the surrounding environment information; wherein, when the vehicle is parked at the first position, the steering wheels point in a second direction.

[0039] In some possible implementations, the first position can be located on the ramp, and the second direction can be inclined to the direction of the ramp's extension.

[0040] Thirdly, an apparatus is provided that may include modules or units for implementing the methods of the first or second aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0041] Fourthly, an apparatus is provided that may include at least one processor coupled to at least one memory for storing computer programs or instructions. The at least one processor may be used to invoke and execute the computer program or instructions from the at least one memory, causing the apparatus to perform the methods of the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0042] Fifthly, a chip or chip system is provided, the chip including a processor and a communication interface; the processor reads instructions through the communication interface and can execute the methods in the first or second aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0043] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the methods of the first aspect or the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0044] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, comprising computer program code that, when executed on a computer, causes the methods in the first aspect or the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0045] Eighthly, a vehicle is provided, including means as described in the third or fourth aspect and any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0046] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle 100 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a driving scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the force state of each wheel according to an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram of another device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] For example, FIG1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle 100 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0056] Vehicle 100 may include a perception system 120 and a computing platform 150. The perception system 120 may include one or more sensors for sensing information about the environment surrounding vehicle 100. For example, the perception system 120 may include a positioning system, which may be a Global Positioning System (GPS), a BeiDou system, or another positioning system. The perception system 120 may also include one or more of the following: an inertial measurement unit (IMU), lidar, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic radar, and a camera device.

[0057] Some or all of the functions of vehicle 100 can be controlled by computing platform 150. Computing platform 150 may include one or more processors, such as processors 151 to 15n (n being a positive integer). A processor is a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, the processor can be a circuit with instruction read and execute capabilities, such as a central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a type of microprocessor), or digital signal processor (DSP). In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through the logical relationships of hardware circuits. These logical relationships are fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor may be a hardware circuit implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). In reconfigurable hardware circuits, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and configuring the hardware circuit can be understood as the processor loading instructions to implement some or all of the functions of the aforementioned units. In addition, it can also be hardware circuitry designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as an ASIC, such as a neural network processing unit (NPU), tensor processing unit (TPU), deep learning processing unit (DPU), etc. Furthermore, the computing platform 150 may also include a memory for storing instructions, and some or all of the processors 151 to 15n can call the instructions in the memory to implement the corresponding functions.

[0058] With the development of intelligent driving technology, vehicles are gradually evolving from purely manual driving modes to autonomous driving modes. Current and future vehicles may include one or more levels of autonomous driving, ranging from L0 to L5. These levels are based on the classification standards of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). L0 represents no automation; L1 represents driver assistance; L2 represents partial automation; L3 represents conditional automation; L4 represents high automation; and L5 represents full automation. Levels L1 to L3 involve monitoring road conditions and reacting to them collaboratively with the driver, but require the driver to take over dynamic driving tasks. Levels L4 and L5 allow the driver to completely transition into a passenger role. For example, through computing platform 150 (or a portion of the processors within computing platform 150) and perception system 120, vehicle 100 can achieve corresponding levels of intelligent driving functions, such as L2 to L5 autonomous driving functions.

[0059] When a vehicle is on a road with traffic accidents, road surface defects, or traffic congestion, it may be parked for an extended period. Especially when the road is on a slope, maintaining the vehicle's position and preventing it from rolling away is crucial for the safety of the vehicle and its occupants.

[0060] However, on the one hand, in some scenarios, the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located may be too steep and exceed the vehicle's parking capacity. Even if the parking brake system is functioning normally, the braking force provided by the parking brake system alone may not be enough to stop the vehicle on the ramp. On the other hand, the vehicle's parking brake system may malfunction, leading to a decrease in its parking capacity, which may also prevent the vehicle from parking on the ramp. In particular, when certain intelligent driving functions are activated, the user may be located far away, and there may be no other users in the vehicle, such as when automated valet parking (AVP) is activated. In such cases, if the vehicle rolls down the ramp due to its inability to park, it will pose a significant safety risk to surrounding vehicles and pedestrians.

[0061] Therefore, embodiments of this application provide a control method and apparatus.

[0062] For example, Figure 2 is a schematic flowchart of a control method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 200 can be executed by a control device (e.g., a computing platform 150), or by a unit or module within the control device, or by a processor (e.g., processor 15n), processing circuitry, or chip within the control device, or by a system or vehicle containing the control device. The method may include the following steps:

[0063] S210, Obtain first information, which can indicate the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located.

[0064] For example, the slope value can represent the ratio of the elevation gain to the horizontal distance of a slope. For instance, within a horizontal distance of 100 meters, a slope with an elevation gain of 12 meters has a slope value of 12%.

[0065] In some embodiments, the vehicle may be equipped with a slope sensor to determine the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located based on the information collected by the slope sensor.

[0066] In other embodiments, the vehicle may be equipped with an acceleration sensor. For example, when the vehicle is stationary on a slope, the vehicle's gravity will have a component along the vehicle's x-axis, which manifests as the vehicle having acceleration in its x-axis direction; based on the information collected by the acceleration sensor, the slope value of the slope where the vehicle is located can be calculated.

[0067] For example, information collected by the slope sensor and acceleration sensor can be obtained through the vehicle's internal communication circuitry.

[0068] S220, when the slope value exceeds the first threshold, instructs the electric vehicle braking system to be in the first mode, the electric vehicle braking system being in the first mode to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0069] For example, the first threshold can indicate the hill-dwelling capability of the vehicle's parking brake system. The parking brake system can achieve parking using drum brakes, disc brakes, or other methods. For instance, in disc brakes, the parking brake system can include a brake disc and a brake caliper; parking can be achieved by controlling the brake caliper to tighten the brake disc.

[0070] In one example, the vehicle may be equipped with an electronic park brake (EPB) system. The EPB may employ disc brakes. The system may include brake discs, brake calipers, caliper motors, and an electronic parking brake controller; the system may also include a transmission mechanism for driving the caliper motor and brake calipers. Upon receiving a command to activate the parking brake system, the electronic parking brake controller can control the caliper motor to operate, causing the brake calipers to clamp onto the brake discs mounted on the wheels.

[0071] For example, the parking brake system's slope holding capacity can refer to the maximum slope value at which the parking brake system can keep the vehicle stationary without slipping.

[0072] Taking a parking brake system using disc brakes as an example, the parking brake system's hill-holding capacity can be related to the state of the brake calipers in the system. For example, the state of the brake calipers can be divided into normal state and fault state; the parking brake system's hill-holding capacity can be determined based on the state of the brake calipers in the parking brake system.

[0073] In some embodiments, it is assumed that the parking brake system includes multiple calipers, such as a first brake caliper and a second brake caliper. The first brake caliper and the second brake caliper may be respectively located on both sides of the vehicle (e.g., corresponding to the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel of the vehicle, respectively).

[0074] For example, assuming all the brake calipers in the parking brake system are in normal condition, and the parking brake system can stop the vehicle on a slope with a gradient of 12%, then the parking brake system's slope holding capacity is 12%.

[0075] For example, if some brake calipers in the parking brake system are in a faulty state (such as one of the first and second brake calipers being in a faulty state), and the maximum slope value at which the parking brake system can keep the vehicle from rolling back is reduced to 8%, then the parking brake system's ability to hold the vehicle on a slope will be reduced to 8%.

[0076] For example, when all the brake calipers in the parking brake system are malfunctioning, the parking brake system's parking capability will drop to 0%.

[0077] In this embodiment, by fully utilizing the brake calipers in the parking brake system that are in normal working order to provide braking force to the vehicle, the braking force required by the service brake system can be reduced, thus extending the service brake system's operational time. In particular, this allows for sufficient time for the user to react when the user is far from the vehicle.

[0078] In some possible implementations, during the vehicle design and testing phases, OEMs can calibrate the parking brake system's hill-holding capability. For example, with all brake calipers in the parking brake system in normal condition, calibration can determine the system's hill-holding capability under this condition. Alternatively, with some brake calipers in the parking brake system in normal condition while others are faulty, calibration can also determine the system's hill-holding capability under this condition.

[0079] In real-world scenarios, on the one hand, the vehicle's load may affect the actual hill-climbing ability of the parking brake system; on the other hand, as the vehicle's service life increases, even if all the brake calipers of the parking brake system are working properly, the actual hill-climbing ability of the parking brake system will decrease compared to the calibration result.

[0080] For ease of distinction, the parking brake system's hill-climbing capability specified before the vehicle leaves the factory can be called the ideal hill-climbing capability; the actual hill-climbing capability of the parking brake system can be called the actual hill-climbing capability.

[0081] In some embodiments, during vehicle use, the parking brake system's parking ability in a given state can be retrieved from the parking ability calibration results based on the state of each brake caliper in the parking brake system, and this value is used as a first threshold. In this case, the first threshold can represent the vehicle's ideal parking ability.

[0082] In other embodiments, the first threshold may represent the actual hill-climbing capability of the parking brake system.

[0083] In this embodiment, the need for the service braking system to intervene to prevent the vehicle from rolling back is determined based on the actual hill-holding capacity of the parking brake system. This helps improve the accuracy of the rollback judgment and reduces vehicle rollback caused by inaccurate judgment.

[0084] Because the reduction in a vehicle's actual hill-holding ability compared to its ideal hill-holding ability is often difficult to predict accurately, even if the ideal hill-holding ability of the parking brake system can be obtained, the accurate actual hill-holding ability may still be hard to determine. A safe hill-holding gradient can be used to assess a vehicle's actual hill-holding ability.

[0085] The safe parking slope can be determined based on the ideal parking capacity and the safety margin. For parking brake systems, even if the actual parking capacity is reduced compared to the ideal parking capacity, this reduction will not exceed the safety margin. In other words, the safety margin can be greater than the maximum reduction in actual parking capacity compared to the ideal parking capacity.

[0086] In one embodiment, the safety margin can be a certain percentage of the ideal slope holding capacity, such as 20% or 15%. For example, assuming the safety margin is 20% of the ideal slope holding capacity, if the ideal slope holding capacity is 10% slope, the corresponding safe slope holding capacity is 8%; that is, the actual slope holding capacity will still be greater than or equal to 8% slope.

[0087] In another embodiment, the safety margin can be a preset slope value, such as a 2% slope or a 1.5% slope. For example, assuming the safety margin is a 2% slope, if the ideal slope holding capacity is a 12% slope, then the corresponding safe slope holding capacity is 10%; that is, the actual slope holding capacity will still be greater than or equal to a 10% slope.

[0088] In some possible implementations, when the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located is less than or equal to the safe parking slope, the slope value can be considered to be within the actual parking slope capacity of the parking brake system; the slope value can be considered to not exceed the first threshold.

[0089] If the gradient of the slope where the vehicle is located exceeds the safe parking gradient, directly assuming that the gradient exceeds the actual parking capacity of the parking brake system may lead to a significant error in assessing the risk of rollback. For example, assuming the ideal parking capacity is a 12% gradient, the safe parking gradient is 10%, and the vehicle is on a 10.5% slope; if the actual parking capacity has only a small reduction (e.g., 0.5% gradient) or even no reduction compared to the ideal parking capacity, assuming that the slope (i.e., 10% gradient) exceeds the actual parking capacity and thus predicting a risk of rollback will result in a substantial deviation.

[0090] In some possible implementations, if the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located is greater than the safe parking slope, and the vehicle remains stationary during the first time period after the parking brake system is activated, it can be considered that the slope of the ramp is within the actual parking slope capacity of the parking brake system; it can be considered that the slope does not exceed the first threshold.

[0091] In this embodiment, the slope of the ramp is determined based on the safe parking slope to determine whether the slope is within the first threshold and whether the vehicle braking system needs to intervene to prevent the vehicle from rolling back. This can effectively improve the accuracy of the judgment on the rollback, that is, it can reduce the vehicle rollback caused by inaccurate judgment and reduce the unnecessary intervention of the vehicle braking system caused by inaccurate judgment.

[0092] For example, a vehicle may also include a service braking system. For instance, based on the method of transmitting braking force, service braking systems can be divided into electric service braking systems and hydraulic service braking systems. For example, for new energy vehicles such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, under certain operating conditions, the drive motor, as an energy conversion device, can also be used to provide braking force for the vehicle; accordingly, an electric service braking system may include a drive motor. As another example, a hydraulic service braking system may include devices such as a master cylinder, wheel cylinders, and brake lines.

[0093] A vehicle's service braking system may include at least one of an electric service braking system and a hydraulic service braking system. For example, a vehicle's service braking system may consist only of an electric service braking system. As another example, a vehicle's service braking system may consist only of a hydraulic service braking system. Yet another example, a vehicle's service braking system may include both a hydraulic service braking system and an electric service braking system.

[0094] In some possible implementations, for vehicles equipped with an electric braking system, when the gradient of the slope where the vehicle is located exceeds a first threshold, the electric braking system can be instructed to enter a first mode. In the first mode, the electric braking system can be used to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0095] In one example, in the first mode, the parking brake system may not be activated, and the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary may be provided solely by the electric service brake system.

[0096] In another example, in the first mode, the parking brake system can operate, and the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary can be provided by both the electric service brake system and the parking brake system. For vehicles whose service brake system only includes the electric service brake system, and for vehicles equipped with both electric and hydraulic service brake systems, in this example, the braking force missing from the parking brake system to keep the vehicle stationary can be supplemented by the electric service brake system.

[0097] In another example, for a vehicle also equipped with a hydraulic service brake system, in the first mode, the electric service brake system and the hydraulic service brake system can work together to keep the vehicle stationary. For example, the electric service brake system and the hydraulic service brake system can work alternately, thereby alternately providing braking force to the vehicle; in this case, the electric service brake system can intermittently provide braking force to keep the vehicle stationary, and the hydraulic service brake system can also intermittently provide braking force to keep the vehicle stationary. For another example, the hydraulic service brake system and the electric service brake system can share the braking force required by the service brake system to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0098] In some possible implementations, for vehicles equipped with a hydraulic service brake system, when the gradient of the slope where the vehicle is located exceeds a first threshold, the hydraulic service brake system can be instructed to enter a second mode. In the second mode, the hydraulic service brake system can be used to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0099] In one example, in the second mode, the parking brake system may not be activated, and the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary may be provided solely by the hydraulic service brake system.

[0100] In another example, in the second mode, the parking brake system can operate, and the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary can be provided by both the hydraulic service brake system and the parking brake system. For vehicles with only a hydraulic service brake system, and for vehicles equipped with both an electric service brake system and a hydraulic service brake system, in this example, the hydraulic service brake system can supplement the parking brake system in providing the braking force needed to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0101] In another example, for a vehicle also equipped with an electric service braking system, in the second mode, the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system can work together to keep the vehicle stationary. In this case, indicating that the electric service braking system is in the first mode, or indicating that the hydraulic service braking system is in the second mode, can mean indicating that the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system are in a certain cooperative working mode.

[0102] In some possible implementations, when the gradient of the slope where the vehicle is located exceeds a first threshold, the electric service braking system can be instructed to enter a first mode based on a first braking force. This first braking force can be the braking force required by the vehicle's service braking system to keep the vehicle stationary. For example, the first braking force can be the braking force required by the vehicle's service braking system to keep the vehicle stationary when the parking brake system is engaged; this first braking force can be determined based on the gradient of the slope where the vehicle is located and the parking brake system's slope-holding capability.

[0103] In this embodiment, the electric vehicle braking system is controlled to be in a first mode according to the first braking force, which can effectively control the workload of the electric vehicle braking system, avoid a sudden drop in the working time of the electric vehicle braking system due to excessive workload, and improve the working time of the electric vehicle braking system.

[0104] For example, when the parking brake system is activated, the first braking force can be determined based on the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located and the parking brake system's hill-holding capability.

[0105] In some possible implementations, the cooperative mode of the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system may include a first cooperative mode. In the first cooperative mode, the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system can operate alternately.

[0106] For example, in the first cooperative mode, the hydraulic service braking system may not be active during the period when the electric service braking system is operating (i.e., it may not provide braking force to the vehicle); and vice versa. As another example, in the first cooperative mode, during the switching process between the electric and hydraulic service braking systems, both systems can simultaneously provide braking force to the vehicle to prevent insufficient braking force from causing the vehicle to become stationary during the switching process; after the switching process is completed, one of the electric and hydraulic systems can provide braking force to the vehicle, while the other may not be active.

[0107] Electric vehicle braking systems, taking the drive motor as an example, provide braking force to keep the vehicle stationary. Since the motor rotor hardly rotates, all the electrical energy supplied to the motor is converted into heat, leading to an increase in motor temperature. When the motor temperature rises, its braking performance decreases. Similarly, for hydraulic vehicle braking systems, if the brake fluid in the hydraulic brake lines remains at a high pressure for an extended period, the temperature of the hydraulic braking system will rise, resulting in a decrease in its braking performance.

[0108] In this embodiment, by controlling the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system to work alternately, the service braking system in the resting state can effectively dissipate heat, thereby slowing down the temperature rise rate of a single service braking system and avoiding a rapid increase in the operating temperature of a single service braking system due to continuous operation, thus improving the working time of the entire service braking system.

[0109] In some possible implementations, the cooperative mode of the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system may include a second cooperative mode. In the second cooperative mode, the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system can operate simultaneously.

[0110] For example, in the second cooperative mode, the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system can work simultaneously without alternating, and the two can share the braking force required by the service braking system to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0111] In this embodiment, by controlling the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system to reasonably share the braking force required by the service braking system, the workload of both can be kept within a suitable range. This avoids a sharp reduction in the working time of a single service braking system due to excessive workload, thereby improving the working time of the entire service braking system.

[0112] In some possible implementations, for vehicles equipped with both an electric service braking system and a hydraulic service braking system, when the first braking force is less than or equal to the braking capacity of both the electric and hydraulic service braking systems, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode. Alternatively, when the first braking force is greater than the braking capacity of the electric service braking system, and / or the first braking force is greater than the braking capacity of the hydraulic service braking system, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode.

[0113] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode. The method may further include: acquiring the temperature of the first braking subsystem during operation; when the temperature exceeds a second threshold, controlling the first braking subsystem to stop operating and controlling the second braking subsystem to operate. The first braking subsystem is one of an electric vehicle braking system and a hydraulic vehicle braking system, and the second braking subsystem is the other of the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system.

[0114] In one example, when the electric service braking system is operating, its temperature can be monitored. If the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the electric service braking system can be stopped, and the hydraulic service braking system can be activated. Thus, the service braking system providing braking force to the vehicle will switch from the electric service braking system to the hydraulic service braking system. In this case, the electric service braking system can correspond to the first braking subsystem, and the hydraulic service braking system can correspond to the second braking subsystem.

[0115] Furthermore, during the operation of the hydraulic service braking system, its temperature can be monitored. If the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the hydraulic service braking system can be stopped, and the electric service braking system can be activated. Thus, the service braking system providing braking force to the vehicle will switch from the hydraulic system to the electric system. In this scenario, the hydraulic service braking system can correspond to the first braking subsystem, and the electric service braking system can correspond to the second braking subsystem.

[0116] In this way, the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system can work alternately, which can realize the first cooperative mode of operation.

[0117] In this embodiment, the hydraulic service braking system and the electric service braking system are controlled to work alternately according to the operating temperature, which can avoid the temperature of a single service braking system from becoming too high and can effectively extend the working time of the entire system.

[0118] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode, and the method further includes: when the working duration of the first braking subsystem is greater than or equal to a third threshold, controlling the first braking subsystem to stop working and controlling the second braking subsystem to work.

[0119] In one example, assume the first braking subsystem is an electric service braking system and the second braking subsystem is a hydraulic service braking system. When the electric service braking system is operating, its operating time can be monitored. If the operating time exceeds a certain threshold, the electric service braking system can be stopped, and the hydraulic service braking system can be activated. Thus, the service braking system providing braking force to the vehicle will switch from the electric service braking system to the hydraulic service braking system. Similarly, the service braking system providing braking force to the vehicle can be switched from the hydraulic service braking system to the electric service braking system.

[0120] In this way, the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system can work alternately, which can realize the first cooperative mode of operation.

[0121] A single service braking system can experience excessive temperature rise due to prolonged continuous operation, leading to a sharp decrease in its operational time. Furthermore, even when set to a non-operating state (i.e., a resting state) for a short period, effective heat dissipation is difficult. In this embodiment, the hydraulic and electric service braking systems are controlled to alternate operation based on the operating duration. This avoids the sharp decrease in operational time caused by prolonged continuous operation of a single service braking system. Moreover, the timely switching facilitates timely heat dissipation, reducing the rate of temperature rise throughout the process, thereby effectively extending the overall operational time of the service braking system.

[0122] The control method 200 provided by the embodiments of this application has been described above with reference to Figure 2. The control method 300 provided by the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to Figure 3. The scheme described in Figure 3 can be independent of the scheme described in Figure 2, or it can be combined with the scheme described in Figure 2 to form a new scheme. This will be explained uniformly here and will not be described separately below.

[0123] For example, Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another control method provided in an embodiment of this application. The executing entity of this method 300 may be a control device (such as a computing platform 150), or a component of the control device (such as a chip, processor, processing circuit, module, or unit included in the control device), or a system or vehicle containing the control device. This method 300 may include:

[0124] S310, Obtain first information, which indicates the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located.

[0125] For example, the relevant description of the first information can be referred to the relevant record in step S210.

[0126] S320, when the slope value exceeds the fourth threshold, the steering wheels of the vehicle are directed in a first direction, which is inclined to the direction of the slope's extension.

[0127] In some embodiments, the fourth threshold may be the first threshold in step S220. The description of the first threshold can be found in the relevant records of method 200, and will not be repeated here.

[0128] In some embodiments, the fourth threshold can be determined by the braking capacity of the service braking system. For example, in some scenarios, the service braking system and the parking braking system can work together to provide braking force to the vehicle; in this case, if the slope of the ramp exceeds not only the parking braking system's parking capacity but also the total braking capacity of the parking braking system and the service braking system, the vehicle can be considered to have exceeded the fourth threshold.

[0129] For example, the vehicle may employ front-wheel steering, or it may employ all-wheel steering. For instance, in all-wheel steering, the directions of the front and rear steering wheels may differ; correspondingly, the first direction corresponding to the front steering wheels may differ from the first direction corresponding to the rear steering wheels. When the front and rear steering wheels point in their respective first directions, the direction of the front steering wheels will be tilted towards the direction of the ramp's extension, and the direction of the rear steering wheels may also be tilted towards the direction of the ramp's extension.

[0130] In this embodiment of the application, when the slope of the slope where the vehicle is located is large, by controlling the steering wheel to turn, the wheel deflection force at the steering wheel can have a component that resists the vehicle rolling downhill, thereby assisting the parking brake system to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0131] In some possible implementations, controlling the vehicle's steering wheels to point in the first direction may include: controlling the vehicle to park at its current position and controlling the steering wheels to point in the first direction.

[0132] In this embodiment, by controlling the vehicle to park at its current position and controlling the steering wheel to point in the first direction, the vehicle can remain stationary at its current position even when the performance of the parking brake system is insufficient, which is beneficial for users to find their vehicles.

[0133] In some possible implementations, the method may further include: acquiring information about the vehicle's surrounding environment; and, based on the surrounding environment information, controlling the vehicle to travel from its current position to and park at a first position. When the vehicle is parked at the first position, the steering wheels point in a second direction.

[0134] In this embodiment, by controlling the vehicle to travel to the first position, the steering wheel can have a larger angle with the direction of the slope, so that the wheel bias force can provide a larger component to resist the vehicle rolling downhill, thereby reducing the workload of the braking system.

[0135] In some possible implementations, the first position can be located on the ramp, and the second direction can be inclined to the direction of the ramp's extension.

[0136] In some possible implementations, the vehicle may be parked horizontally on the ramp in a first position, or the second direction may be perpendicular to the direction in which the ramp extends.

[0137] In this embodiment of the application, by controlling the vehicle to stop horizontally in the first position, or by making the steering wheel point perpendicular to the direction of the ramp, the braking force required by the braking system can be further reduced, the workload of the braking system can be further reduced, and the working time of the braking system can be further extended.

[0138] In some possible implementations, the distance between the current position and the first position can be less than or equal to a fifth threshold. For example, this fifth threshold could be 20 meters, 25 meters, etc.

[0139] In this embodiment of the application, by controlling the vehicle to park at a first location that is closer to the current location, the user's process of finding the vehicle can be simplified.

[0140] The following description, in conjunction with Figure 4, illustrates the extension direction, first direction, first position, and second direction of the ramp.

[0141] For example, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a driving scenario provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0142] In Figure 4(a), a side view of the ramp is used; in Figures 4(b) to (f), a top view of the ramp is used. In addition, in Figures 4(b) to (d), it is assumed that the vehicle uses front-wheel steering; in Figures 4(e) and (f), it is assumed that the vehicle uses all-wheel steering.

[0143] Referring to Figure 4(a), assume that the vehicle is currently at position 1 on the ramp, and that the steering wheel is pointing in the direction of the ramp's extension (i.e., direction 0).

[0144] In one example, the ramp is wide enough to allow a vehicle to come to a stop across it. For instance, if the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary exceeds the braking system's capacity, the vehicle's steering wheels can be turned from direction 0 to direction 1, and the vehicle can travel along a planned path to position 2, eventually coming to a stop across the ramp, as shown in Figure 4(b). In this example, direction 1 can correspond to a first direction, direction 2 can correspond to a second direction, position 1 can correspond to the current position, and position 2 can correspond to the first position.

[0145] In another example, the ramp has a narrow width, making it impossible for the vehicle to park horizontally. For instance, the vehicle's steering wheels can be turned to direction 3, allowing the anti-eccentric force on the steering wheels to partially compensate for the insufficient braking capacity; by combining the braking force provided by the parking brake system and / or the service brake system, the vehicle can be kept stationary at position 1, as shown in Figure 4(c). In this example, direction 3 can correspond to the first direction.

[0146] In another example, referring to Figure 4(d), the vehicle's steering wheels can be controlled to turn from direction 0 to direction 4, and travel along the planned path to position 3; when the vehicle stops at position 3, its steering wheels can point to direction 5. Compared to Figure 4(c), in Figure 4(d), after the vehicle stops, the angle between the direction of the steering wheels (i.e., direction 5) and the direction of the ramp's extension (i.e., direction 0) is larger; correspondingly, the anti-eccentric force at the steering wheels can resist the component of gravity along the ramp to a greater extent. In this example, direction 4 can correspond to the first direction, direction 5 can correspond to the second direction, and position 3 can correspond to the first position.

[0147] In another example, referring to (e) in Figure 4, the front steering wheels of the vehicle can be controlled to turn from direction 0 to direction 3, and the rear steering wheels of the vehicle can be controlled to turn from direction 0 to direction 6. In this example, for the front steering wheels, direction 3 can correspond to the first direction; for the rear steering wheels, direction 6 can correspond to the first direction.

[0148] In another example, referring to (f) in Figure 4, the four wheels of the vehicle can be controlled to point in directions 7 to 10 respectively. In this example, for the left front wheel, direction 7 can correspond to the first direction; for the right front wheel, direction 8 can correspond to the first direction; for the left rear wheel, direction 9 can correspond to the first direction; and for the right rear wheel, direction 10 can correspond to the first direction.

[0149] The following description, in conjunction with Figure 5, uses the scenario shown in Figure 4(c) as an example to illustrate the force situation of the vehicle.

[0150] Referring to Figure 5, the right front wheel is subjected to anti-eccentricity force 1, and the left front wheel is subjected to anti-eccentricity force 2. Under the action of the braking system, the two rear wheels are subjected to braking force 1 and braking force 2, respectively. Since the front wheels are turning to the left, anti-eccentricity force 1 can have a component 1 along the direction of the slope, and a component 2 perpendicular to the direction of the slope. Similarly, anti-eccentricity force 2 can have a component 3 along the direction of the slope, and a component 4 perpendicular to the direction of the slope. Components 1 and 2 can resist the component of gravity along the slope, and combined with braking force 1 and braking force 2, can keep the vehicle stationary on the slope.

[0151] The method 300 has been illustrated above with reference to Figures 3 to 5. In some embodiments, methods 200 and 300 may be combined with each other. For example, when the first braking force exceeds the capability of the service braking system, the steering wheels of the vehicle may be controlled to point in a first direction.

[0152] For example, referring to FIG4, when the slope of the ramp exceeds the parking brake system's parking capacity, and when the braking force required by the service brake system to keep the vehicle stationary exceeds the service brake system's capacity, the vehicle's steering wheels can be controlled to turn from direction 0 to a direction inclined towards the extension direction of the ramp, such that the steering wheel's pointing direction is inclined towards the extension direction of the ramp. For example, referring to FIG4(b), the steering wheels can be controlled to turn from direction 0 to direction 1, and the vehicle can be controlled to eventually stop at position 2. As another example, referring to FIG4(c), the steering wheels can be controlled to turn from direction 0 to direction 3, and the vehicle can be controlled to stop at the current position (i.e., position 1).

[0153] In this embodiment, by controlling the steering wheel, the wheel deflection force at the steering wheel can have a component that resists vehicle rollover, thereby reducing the workload of the braking system. In particular, for electric and hydraulic vehicle braking systems, reducing the workload can extend their working time, thus providing users with sufficient processing time.

[0154] For example, assuming the vehicle has AVP enabled, the following describes possible combinations of methods 200 and 300 in conjunction with Figure 6.

[0155] For example, Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 600 may include the following steps:

[0156] S610 controls the normal driving of the vehicle.

[0157] For example, when the road is clear, the vehicle can be controlled to drive normally.

[0158] S620 monitors the time a vehicle spends on a slope when it is parked.

[0159] In actual operation, vehicles may stop, such as at intersections, while navigating congested areas, or upon reaching a target parking space. In some scenarios, parking may occur on a ramp. Vehicles may include a service braking system and a parking braking system, which can be used to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0160] For example, in a scenario where parking occurs on a slope, the service brake system can keep the vehicle stationary for short periods, while the parking brake system can keep it stationary for longer periods. For instance, if the parking time on a slope is less than or equal to 3 minutes, the service brake system can keep the vehicle stationary; if the parking time exceeds 3 minutes, the parking brake system can be activated to keep the vehicle stationary. Similarly, when a vehicle decelerates to zero speed, the service brake system can keep the vehicle stationary; furthermore, if the service brake system keeps the vehicle stationary for more than 3 minutes, the parking brake system can be activated.

[0161] In the example above, the time threshold used to determine whether to activate the parking brake system can be 3 minutes; in some possible implementations, the time threshold can also be other values, such as 40 seconds, 2 minutes, or 5 minutes.

[0162] In one example, in scenarios where the vehicle is on a slope on an open road, on a ramp at the entrance of an underground parking garage, or in a passageway between parking garage levels, the vehicle may be stuck on the ramp for an extended period if other vehicles ahead are broken down / in an accident, or if the road is damaged. In another example, for a vehicle on a ramp at the entrance / exit of an underground parking garage, the vehicle may be stuck on the ramp for an extended period if the gate ahead malfunctions, or if the parking garage restricts entry due to insufficient available spaces. In yet another example, the parking space the vehicle intends to enter may be located on a ramp, and the vehicle will remain parked on the ramp for an extended period after parking in that space.

[0163] If the vehicle intends to continue driving without the vehicle's parking time on the slope exceeding the first threshold, the process can proceed to step S610. If the vehicle's parking time on the slope exceeds the first threshold, the process can proceed to step S630.

[0164] S630, activate the parking brake system and obtain the operating status of the parking brake system.

[0165] For example, the operating state of the parking brake system may include the state of each brake caliper in the parking brake system; the parking slope capability of the parking brake system can be determined based on the state of each brake caliper in the parking brake system.

[0166] For the method of determining the slope holding capacity, please refer to the relevant records in Method 200, which will not be repeated here.

[0167] S640, used to determine if a vehicle will roll back down a slope.

[0168] For example, the parking brake system's slope holding capacity can be used to determine whether a vehicle will roll back. For instance, assuming the ideal slope holding capacity of the parking brake system is 8%; if the slope of the slope where the vehicle is located is less than 8%, it can be assumed that the vehicle will not roll back.

[0169] In one example, the relationship between the slope value of the ramp and the ideal parking brake system's parking capacity can be used to determine whether a vehicle is rolling back.

[0170] In another example, considering the decrease in actual parking capacity compared to ideal parking capacity, a safe parking slope can be used to assess the actual parking capacity of the parking brake system and determine whether the vehicle will roll back. In this case, step S640 may include steps S641 and S642.

[0171] S641, determine whether the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located is greater than the safe parking slope.

[0172] For a description of the safe slope gradient, please refer to the relevant records in Method 200.

[0173] For example, when the safe parking slope is greater than or equal to the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located, it can be assumed that the vehicle will not roll back down the ramp, and the process can proceed to step S670; when the safe parking slope is less than the slope of the ramp where the vehicle is located, it can be assumed that the vehicle is at risk of rolling back down the ramp but will not necessarily roll back down the ramp, and the process can proceed to step S642 to further determine whether the vehicle will roll back down the ramp.

[0174] S642 determines whether the vehicle speed can be maintained at 0 for a preset time after the parking brake system is activated.

[0175] In one example, the preset duration can be 3 seconds. In another example, the preset duration can be 5 seconds. In possible implementations, the value of the preset duration can be set according to requirements.

[0176] When the gradient of the slope where the vehicle is located exceeds the safe parking gradient, the gradient of the slope may be less than the actual parking performance if the actual parking performance deteriorates less than the ideal parking capacity; conversely, the gradient may be greater than the actual parking performance if the actual parking performance deteriorates more than the ideal parking capacity. Combining this with the vehicle's speed can determine whether the vehicle will roll back down the slope and whether the gradient of the current slope exceeds the actual parking performance of the parking brake system.

[0177] In one embodiment, if the safe parking slope is less than the slope of the slope where the vehicle is currently located, and the vehicle can remain stationary on the slope for a long time after the parking brake system is activated, it can be assumed that the vehicle will not roll back down the slope, and the slope value of the slope where the vehicle is currently located is less than the actual parking capacity.

[0178] In another embodiment, if the safe parking slope is less than the slope of the current slope where the vehicle is located, and the vehicle cannot remain stationary after the parking brake system is activated, it can be assumed that the slope value of the current slope exceeds the vehicle's actual parking capacity, and it can be determined that the vehicle will roll away.

[0179] In another embodiment, when the parking brake system is activated, the service brake system can be disengaged. Since disengaging the service brake system requires a certain amount of time, although the vehicle speed is zero when the parking brake system is activated, the vehicle may not be able to remain stationary as the service brake system disengages. If, after the parking brake system is activated, the duration of the zero speed is less than a preset duration, it can be assumed that the gradient of the slope the vehicle is currently on exceeds the vehicle's actual parking capacity, and the vehicle will roll back down the slope.

[0180] S650 controls the operation of the vehicle's braking system.

[0181] In some embodiments, the vehicle braking system can provide braking force solely through the electric service braking system. For example, since the drive motor is connected to the wheels, maintaining the speed of the drive motor at 0 speed through closed-loop control can maintain the speed of the wheels at 0 speed, thereby keeping the vehicle stationary. As another example, by applying a magnetic field to the rotor of the drive motor, the rotor can be locked; since the drive motor is connected to the wheels, locking the drive motor can make the speed of the wheels zero.

[0182] In other embodiments, the braking force for the vehicle can be provided solely by the hydraulic service braking system. For example, by adjusting the pressure of the brake fluid in the brake wheel cylinders, the pressure applied to the brake disc by the brake calipers can be adjusted, thereby regulating the braking force provided to the vehicle. As another example, the braking force required by the service braking system to keep the vehicle stationary can be determined based on the gradient of the slope and / or the vehicle's load; furthermore, the operation of the hydraulic service braking system can be controlled based on this required braking force to increase the operational time of the hydraulic service braking system.

[0183] It is understandable that prolonged high-load operation of a single type of subsystem will lead to overheating of components, which in turn will cause a decline in its braking performance and even affect its service life.

[0184] In one example, the electric service braking system and the hydraulic service braking system can be controlled to work alternately to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0185] In another example, the electric and hydraulic service braking systems can be controlled to operate simultaneously. In this scenario, both systems can provide braking force to the vehicle at the same time. In this mode, each subsystem can operate under lower loads, which helps extend the service braking system's availability time.

[0186] In some possible implementations, step S650 may include steps S651 to S653:

[0187] S651, select the operating mode of the service braking system.

[0188] In some embodiments, a first cooperative mode can be employed when the capabilities of both the electric and hydraulic service braking systems are greater than or equal to the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary. In the first cooperative mode, while one of the electric or hydraulic service braking systems is operating, the other can be in a resting state. For example, when the hydraulic service braking system is in a resting state, the brake fluid pressure in the brake lines will decrease; correspondingly, the components of the hydraulic service braking system can be adequately cooled.

[0189] In other embodiments, a second cooperative mode may be used when the capacity of one of the electric and hydraulic service braking systems is less than the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary.

[0190] S652 controls the operation of the electric vehicle braking system according to the working mode.

[0191] For example, information can be sent to the controller of the electric vehicle braking system to activate the electric vehicle braking system, depending on the operating mode. Furthermore, information can also be sent to the controller to indicate the braking force that the electric vehicle braking system needs to provide to the vehicle.

[0192] S653 controls the operation of the hydraulic service brake system according to the working mode.

[0193] For example, information can be sent to the controller of the hydraulic service brake system to activate the hydraulic service brake system according to the operating mode; information can also be used to indicate the braking force that the hydraulic service brake system needs to provide to the vehicle.

[0194] Steps S652 and S653 will be described with reference to the following embodiments.

[0195] In some embodiments, in the first cooperative mode, when the continuous working time of the electric vehicle braking system exceeds a certain threshold (e.g., 2 minutes), the electric vehicle braking system can be controlled to stop working, and the hydraulic vehicle braking system can be controlled to provide braking force to the vehicle; when the continuous working time of the hydraulic vehicle braking system exceeds a certain threshold (e.g., 1 minute), the electric vehicle braking system can be switched to provide braking force to the vehicle.

[0196] In other embodiments, in the first cooperative mode, the operating temperature of the subsystem can be monitored, and when the operating temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the system can switch to another subsystem. For example, for a hydraulic service braking system, the operating temperature of one or more components such as the master cylinder, wheel cylinders, and brake lines can be monitored; in the first cooperative mode, during the operation of the hydraulic service braking system, when the operating temperature of these components exceeds the corresponding preset range, the system can switch to an electric braking subsystem to provide braking force to the vehicle.

[0197] In some embodiments, it is assumed that the braking force required by the service braking system to keep the vehicle stationary is braking force A. In the second cooperative mode, a portion of braking force A can be achieved through the electric service braking system, and another portion through the hydraulic service braking system. For example, braking force A can be calculated based on at least one of the vehicle's load, the gradient of the current slope, and the parking capacity. Furthermore, the sharing ratio of braking force A between the electric and hydraulic service braking systems can be based on the performance allocation of these two subsystems. Alternatively, the sharing ratio of braking force A between the two subsystems can be dynamically adjusted based on their operating temperatures.

[0198] The S660 can control the vehicle's steering wheels to a first position when the braking force required to keep the vehicle stationary exceeds the performance of the service braking system.

[0199] When the steering wheels are in their first position, there is an angle between the direction of travel of the steering wheels and the direction of extension of the ramp. For example, if there is enough space on the current ramp to allow the vehicle to stop horizontally, the vehicle can be controlled to move along the ramp until it comes to a stop horizontally; when the vehicle is stopped horizontally on the current ramp, the angle between the direction of travel of the steering wheels and the direction of extension of the current ramp is 90°. Alternatively, if there is not enough space on the current ramp to allow the vehicle to stop horizontally, the steering wheels can be controlled to turn left or right, resulting in a larger angle between the direction of travel of the steering wheels and the direction of extension of the ramp.

[0200] S670, Exit Intelligent Driving Function.

[0201] The intelligent driving function can be disengaged when the vehicle is parked on a slope.

[0202] In this embodiment, when the vehicle is traveling with AVP function, if the gradient of the slope on which the vehicle is located exceeds the parking brake system's rated slope performance, the vehicle can remain stationary on the slope by reasonably controlling the service brake system and steering wheel operation. In particular, when there is no user inside the vehicle or when the user is far from the vehicle, this method allows the vehicle to remain stationary on the slope for as long as possible, thus providing the user with sufficient time to process the situation.

[0203] The method provided by the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above with reference to Figures 2 to 6. The apparatus provided by the embodiments of this application will now be described in detail below with reference to Figures 7 and 8. The description of the apparatus embodiments corresponds to the description of the method embodiments; therefore, any content not described in detail can be found in the method embodiments above.

[0204] For example, FIG7 shows a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 2000 provided in an embodiment of this application. The apparatus 2000 may include modules or units for implementing the above-described method embodiments.

[0205] For example, the device 2000 may include an acquisition unit 2010 and a processing unit 2020.

[0206] In one design, the device 2000 may be a control device for implementing method 200, or the device 200 may be a component of the aforementioned control device (such as a chip, processor, processing circuit, etc.); or the device 2000 may be a system or vehicle that includes the aforementioned control device.

[0207] The device 2000 can implement the steps or processes corresponding to those performed by the control device in the above method embodiments. The acquisition unit 2010 can be used to perform operations related to the transmission and reception of the control device in the above method embodiments; the processing unit 2020 can be used to perform processing operations related to the control device in the above method embodiments.

[0208] For example, the acquisition unit 2010 can be used to: acquire first information, which may indicate the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located. The processing unit 2020 can be used to: instruct the electric vehicle braking system to be in a first mode when the slope value exceeds a first threshold.

[0209] In some possible implementations, the processing unit 2020 can be used to: when the gradient value exceeds a first threshold, instruct the electric vehicle braking system to be in a first mode based on the first braking force.

[0210] In some possible implementations, the processing unit 2020 can also be used to: instruct the hydraulic service braking system to be in a second mode when the slope value exceeds a first threshold.

[0211] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode. The acquisition unit 2010 can also be used to: acquire the operating temperature of the first braking subsystem during operation; the processing unit 2020 can also be used to: control the first braking subsystem to stop working and control the second braking subsystem to operate when the operating temperature exceeds a second threshold.

[0212] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be a first cooperative mode. The processing unit 2020 can also be used to: control the first braking subsystem to stop working and control the second braking subsystem to work when the working duration of the first braking subsystem is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

[0213] In some possible implementations, the first mode can be the second cooperative mode. The processing unit 2020 can also be used to: control the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system to share the first braking force when the first mode is the second cooperative mode.

[0214] In some possible implementations, the processing unit 2020 can also be used to: control the vehicle's steering wheels to point in a first direction when the first braking force exceeds the capacity of the service braking system, the first direction being inclined to the direction of extension of the ramp.

[0215] In some possible implementations, the acquisition unit 2010 can also be used to: acquire information about the vehicle's surrounding environment; the processing unit 2020 can also be used to: control the vehicle to travel from its current position to and park at a first position based on the surrounding environment information. When the vehicle is parked at the first position, the steering wheels can point in a second direction.

[0216] In some possible implementations, the processing unit 2020 can be used to: control the vehicle to park at the current position and control the steering wheels to point in the first direction.

[0217] In some possible implementations, the processing unit 2020 can also be used to: determine the hill-holding capacity based on the state of the first brake caliper and the second brake caliper.

[0218] In some possible implementations, the state of the brake caliper can include a normal state or a fault state. At least one of the first brake caliper and the second brake caliper can be in a normal state.

[0219] In another design, the device 2000 may be a control device for implementing method 300, or the device 300 may be a component of the aforementioned control device (such as a chip, processor, processing circuit, etc.); or the device 2000 may be a system or vehicle that includes the aforementioned control device.

[0220] The device 2000 can implement the steps or processes corresponding to those performed by the control device in the above method embodiments. The acquisition unit 2010 can be used to perform operations related to the transmission and reception of the control device in the above method embodiments; the processing unit 2020 can be used to perform processing operations related to the control device in the above method embodiments.

[0221] For example, the acquisition unit 2010 can be used to: acquire first information, which may indicate the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located. The processing unit 2020 can be used to: when the slope value exceeds a first threshold, control the steering wheels of the vehicle to point in a first direction, the first direction being inclined to the extension direction of the ramp.

[0222] In some possible implementations, the processing unit 2020 can be used to: control the vehicle to park at the current position and control the steering wheels to point in the first direction.

[0223] In some possible implementations, the processing unit 2020 can also be used to: acquire information about the vehicle's surrounding environment; control the vehicle to travel from its current position to and park at a first position based on the surrounding environment information; wherein, when the vehicle is parked at the first position, the steering wheels point in a second direction.

[0224] It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the above-mentioned corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0225] It should also be understood that the division of units in the above device is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. All units of the above device can be implemented entirely through processor-invoked software, entirely through hardware circuits, or partially through processor-invoked software with the remaining parts implemented through hardware circuits.

[0226] In specific implementations, the aforementioned acquisition unit 2010 can be implemented by at least one transceiver or transceiver-related circuitry, and the processing unit 2020 can be implemented by at least one processor or processor-related circuitry. In one example, one or more processors control the vehicle's steering wheels to point in a first direction when the gradient value exceeds a first threshold. In another example, one or more processors instruct the electric vehicle braking system to be in a first mode when the gradient value exceeds the first threshold. Exemplarily, in specific implementations, the device 2000 can be a computing platform 150 (such as an autonomous driving domain controller, a vehicle control unit, a controller coupled with autonomous driving functions and intelligent cockpit functions in a cockpit and intelligent driving integrated architecture, etc.); or, it can be a chip or processor disposed in these controllers.

[0227] For example, FIG8 is a schematic block diagram of another device 3000 provided in an embodiment of this application. The device 3000 may include a processor 3010, an interface circuit 3020, and a memory 3030. The processor 3010, the interface circuit 3020, and the memory 3030 are connected via internal connection paths. The memory 3030 is used to store instructions, and the processor 3010 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory 3030, so that the interface circuit 3020 can receive / send some parameters. Optionally, the memory 3030 may be coupled to the processor 3010 via an interface, or it may be integrated with the processor 3010.

[0228] It should be noted that the aforementioned interface circuit 3020 may include, but is not limited to, transceiver devices such as input / output interfaces, to enable communication between device 3000 and other devices or communication networks.

[0229] In some embodiments, the device 3000 can be used to implement the methods 200, 300, or 600 described above. For example, the first information can be obtained through the interface circuit 3020.

[0230] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer program code. When the computer program code is run on a computer, it causes the computer to execute any of the method embodiments in Figures 2 to 6 above, and any possible implementation thereof.

[0231] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program code or instructions that, when executed by a computer's processor, cause the processor to implement any of the method embodiments in Figures 2 to 6 above, and any possible implementation thereof.

[0232] This application also provides an intelligent driving device, which may include the above-described device 2000 or 3000.

[0233] For example, the intelligent driving device can be a vehicle. The vehicle involved in this application embodiment is a vehicle in a broad sense, which can be a means of transportation (such as commercial vehicles, passenger cars, motorcycles, flying cars, trains, etc.), industrial vehicles (such as forklifts, trailers, tractors, etc.), engineering vehicles (such as excavators, bulldozers, cranes, etc.), agricultural equipment (such as lawnmowers, harvesters, etc.), amusement equipment, toy vehicles, etc. For example, the vehicle in this application can include pure electric vehicles (pure electric vehicle / battery electric vehicle, pure EV / battery EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), range-extended electric vehicles (REEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), or new energy vehicles (NEV), etc.

[0234] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0235] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0236] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0237] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0238] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0239] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0240] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain first information, the first information indicating the slope value of the slope where the vehicle is located, the vehicle including a parking brake system and an electric vehicle brake system; When the gradient value exceeds a first threshold, the electric vehicle braking system is indicated to be in a first mode; When the electric vehicle braking system is in the first mode, it is used to keep the vehicle stationary.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of instructing the electric vehicle braking system to be in a first mode when the slope value exceeds a first threshold includes: When the slope value exceeds a first threshold, the electric vehicle braking system is instructed to be in the first mode according to the first braking force, wherein the first braking force is the braking force required by the vehicle's service braking system to keep the vehicle stationary, and the service braking system includes the electric vehicle braking system.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The vehicle also includes a hydraulic service braking system, and the method further includes: When the slope value exceeds the first threshold, the hydraulic service braking system is indicated to be in a second mode; When the hydraulic service braking system is in the second mode, it is used to keep the vehicle stationary.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, When the first braking force is less than or equal to the braking capacity of the electric vehicle braking system, and less than or equal to the braking capacity of the hydraulic vehicle braking system, the first mode is the first cooperative mode; or, When the first braking force is greater than the braking capacity of the electric vehicle braking system, and / or the first braking force is greater than the braking capacity of the hydraulic vehicle braking system, the first mode is the second cooperative mode. In the first cooperative mode, the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system work alternately, while in the second cooperative mode, the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system work simultaneously.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first mode is the first collaboration mode, and the method further includes: Obtain the operating temperature of the first braking subsystem during operation; When the operating temperature exceeds the second threshold, the first braking subsystem is controlled to stop working, and the second braking subsystem is controlled to operate. The first braking subsystem is one of the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system, and the second braking subsystem is the other of the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The first mode is the first collaboration mode, and the method further includes: When the operating time of the first braking subsystem is greater than or equal to the third threshold, the first braking subsystem is stopped and the second braking subsystem is activated. The first braking subsystem is one of the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system, and the second braking subsystem is the other of the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first mode is the second collaboration mode, and the method further includes: When the first mode is the second cooperative mode, the electric vehicle braking system and the hydraulic vehicle braking system are controlled to share the first braking force.

8. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the first braking force exceeds the capability of the service braking system, the vehicle's steering wheels are controlled to point in a first direction, which is inclined to the direction of extension of the ramp.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle; Based on the surrounding environment information, control the vehicle to travel from the current position to and park at the first position; When the vehicle is parked in the first position, the steering wheel points in the second direction.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first position is located on the ramp, and the second direction is inclined to the extension direction of the ramp.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The distance between the first position and the current position is less than or equal to the fifth threshold.

12. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Controlling the steering wheels of the vehicle to point in a first direction includes: Control the vehicle to park at its current position, and control the steering wheels to point in the first direction.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The parking brake system includes a first brake caliper and a second brake caliper, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the vehicle; The method further includes: The slope holding capacity is determined based on the state of the first brake caliper and the second brake caliper.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The condition of the brake caliper includes normal condition or fault condition; At least one of the first brake caliper and the second brake caliper is in normal condition.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, The slope value being within the first threshold includes: The slope value is less than or equal to the safe slope; or, The slope value is greater than the safe parking slope, and the vehicle remains stationary for the first time period after the parking system is activated on the slope. The safe slope gradient is determined based on the safety margin and the ideal slope capacity.

16. A control method, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain first information, which indicates the slope value of the ramp where the vehicle is located; When the ramp value exceeds a fourth threshold, the vehicle's steering wheels are controlled to point in a first direction, which is inclined to the extension direction of the ramp.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, Controlling the steering wheels of the vehicle to point in a first direction includes: Control the vehicle to park at its current position, and control the steering wheels to point in the first direction.

18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle; Based on the surrounding environment information, control the vehicle to travel from the current position to and park at the first position; When the vehicle is parked in the first position, the steering wheel points in the second direction.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The first position is located on the ramp, and the second direction is inclined to the extension direction of the ramp.

20. An apparatus, characterized in that, include: A module or unit for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. An apparatus, characterized in that, include: The device includes at least one processor coupled to at least one memory for executing computer instructions stored in the memory to cause the device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

22. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the apparatus as described in claim 20 or 21.

23. A chip or chip system, characterized in that, It includes at least one processing circuit, the at least one processing circuit being used to run a computer program, causing the chip or chip system to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

24. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

25. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes computer program code that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

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