Independent Backup Braking for Autonomous Vehicle Brake Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous driving vehicles require a reliable backup braking system to ensure safety in case of primary braking system failures, such as power or actuation failures, which conventional backup systems do not adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A secondary braking system that independently backs up primary braking controls by using an independent power supply, actuation devices, and redundant control circuitry, allowing it to intervene and correct malfunctioning primary braking procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional backup braking system is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability is insufficient because it does not provide independent backup for all braking controls
Solution Approach 1:
The braking control functions are segmented into three independent control procedures: longitudinal control, stability control, and standstill control. Each control procedure has its own dedicated backup mechanism, allowing selective redundancy without requiring complete system duplication. This segmentation enables the system to provide comprehensive backup coverage while avoiding the complexity of replicating the entire braking system.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup braking system is designed with multi-functional capability to perform multiple braking control procedures (longitudinal, stability, and standstill control) through a unified architecture. The backup system can independently execute any combination of these control functions, providing universal backup coverage across all braking operations without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.
2Reliability
If the primary braking system is used for all braking controls, then the device complexity is minimized, but the reliability fails when power or actuation failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of malfunction conditions in the primary braking system and pre-configures the backup system to take over specific control procedures. By detecting potential failures early and having the backup system ready to intervene, the system maintains reliability without requiring complex real-time switching mechanisms, thus avoiding excessive architectural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A control device acts as an intermediary between the primary and backup braking systems, managing the transition and coordination between them. This intermediary component simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the decision-making logic for backup activation, rather than requiring complex distributed control mechanisms across multiple subsystems.
3Reliability
If independent backup systems for each braking control are implemented, then the reliability is maximized, but the device complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The braking control functions are segmented into three independent control procedures: longitudinal control, stability control, and standstill control. Each control procedure has its own dedicated backup mechanism, allowing selective redundancy without requiring complete system duplication. This segmentation enables the system to provide comprehensive backup coverage while avoiding the complexity of replicating the entire braking system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The secondary braking system provides a reliable fallback to the primary braking system, ensuring continued safe operation of autonomous driving vehicles by independently providing backup braking procedures in case of primary system malfunctions.
Implementation Method 1
a first electric motor to generate a first pressure providing hydraulic power to two or more sets of braking actuators
Implementation Method 2
a second electric motor independent from the first electric motor, to generate a second pressure providing the hydraulic power
Implementation Method 3
a first multiple valves receiving the hydraulic power and operable to vary respective actuating braking pressures at the two or more sets of braking actuators
Implementation Method 4
a second multiple valves independent from the first multiple valves, to independently provide the backup braking procedures
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides systems and methods for providing a failsafe braking system to independently backup various braking controls, such as longitudinal control, stability control, and standstill control. For example, in addition to providing the longitudinal control, the stability control, and the standstill control in a primary braking system (PBS), a secondary braking system (SBS) may independently intervene a malfunctioning braking procedure (e.g., any one of the longitudinal control, the stability control, and the standstill control) of the PBS. The PBS malfunctions may be caused by power failure, actuation failure (e.g., failure of electric motor or otherwise loss of actuation pressure), or control failure (e.g., electronic control unit (ECU) or control circuitry failure). Thus, the SBS uses an independent set of power supply, actuation devices (e.g., motors, pumps, and/or valves), and provides a redundant control circuitry to back up the control circuitry of the PBS.