Brake Motor Backup Control for Redundant Vehicle Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake motor control systems for vehicles with electromechanical braking devices lack redundancy, leading to potential failures if the primary control unit malfunctions, which can result in loss of braking functionality.
Innovation Solution
A brake motor control device with a connection unit that allows an additional control unit to take over the control of the electric brake motor in case of a fault, ensuring redundant control and maintaining braking functionality through integration with other braking system components like the ESP control unit or hydraulic brake actuator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single brake motor control unit is used to control the electric brake motor, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the system lacks redundancy and may fail completely if the control unit malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring a connection unit with backup driver units and logic units before any fault occurs. The connection unit is designed in advance to enable takeover control by an additional control unit (such as ESP control unit) if the primary brake motor control unit fails, thus ensuring reliability through pre-established redundancy mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection unit serves multiple functions: it acts as a communication interface between the brake motor control unit and additional control units, contains backup driver units that can take over motor control, and includes logic units for evaluating failure situations. This multi-functionality allows a single component to provide both normal operation support and fault tolerance.
2Device complexity
If the brake motor control unit is integrated into the ESP control unit, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because a single point of failure can affect both systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the brake motor control functions from the ESP control unit while maintaining communication through the connection unit. The brake motor control unit operates as an independent module with its own microcontroller and driver units, while the ESP control unit serves as an additional backup control source. This segmentation prevents single-point failure from affecting both systems simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection unit acts as an intermediary between the brake motor control unit and the ESP control unit. It provides standardized interfaces and communication protocols that enable the ESP control unit to take over brake motor control when needed, without requiring direct integration that would create shared failure points. The connection unit mediates the interaction while maintaining system independence.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a brake-motor control unit (24) for controlling an electric brake motor (13) of an electromechanical braking device (9) having a connection unit (28), to which an auxiliary control unit (11) for controlling the electric brake motor (13) in the event of a malfunction of the brake-motor control unit (24) can be connected.