Dual-Backup Brake Control Layout for Lower-Cost Redundant Braking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle brake systems with dual MCUs increase deployment difficulty and costs while ensuring brake safety, as they require complex cabling and high performance from both controllers to maintain redundancy.

Innovation Solution

A dual-backup brake system with independent controllers for front and rear wheel brake apparatuses, allowing each controller to provide redundancy for the other, reducing cabling complexity and lowering performance requirements, and incorporating a backup brake apparatus to ensure safety even in controller failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two MCUs are disposed to separately control EMBs with full redundancy, then brake safety is improved, but device complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake safetyVSAvoidcabling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The brake control system is segmented into two independent control paths: the first controller manages front wheel brake apparatuses while the second controller manages rear wheel brake apparatuses. This segmentation allows each controller to have reduced functionality and cabling requirements while maintaining overall system redundancy and safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each controller is designed to potentially control both front and rear wheel brake apparatuses, providing multi-functionality. The first controller can control front brakes normally or take over rear brakes in failure scenarios, and vice versa for the second controller, ensuring brake safety through flexible redundancy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If two MCUs are disposed to separately control EMBs with full redundancy, then brake safety is improved, but costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake safetyVSAvoiddeployment difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments control functions between two controllers with different capability requirements. The first controller has full functionality while the second controller has reduced functionality, allowing cost optimization through asymmetric design while maintaining safety through redundancy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second controller is designed as a lower-cost, simpler alternative that can still provide adequate control for rear brakes or take over front brakes in emergency situations. This asymmetric design reduces overall system costs while maintaining brake safety through the backup capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Device complexity

If signal connection relationships are reduced between controllers and brake apparatuses, then cabling difficulty decreases, but control flexibility may be limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecabling complexityVSAvoidcontroller flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The controller assignments are dynamic rather than fixed. The first controller can control front brakes under normal conditions or take over rear brakes in failure scenarios, and the second controller can control rear brakes normally or take over front brakes. This dynamic reconfiguration maintains control flexibility while reducing permanent cabling requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 system ensures vehicle brake safety by allowing each controller to operate independently, reducing deployment complexity and costs, and providing redundant brake functionality through a backup mechanism, ensuring safe operation even in controller or motor failures.

Implementation Method 1

an electro-mechanical brake (electro-mechanical brake, EMB) is an electric brake apparatus that uses a motor to drive a mechanical piston to brake a wheel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic conversion: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

The brake is configured to: receive a brake force output by the brake motor or the backup brake apparatus, and brake a wheel of the vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP4696570A1Dual-backup vehicle braking system and vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 HUAWEI DIGITAL POWER TECH CO LTD
  • EP4696570A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4696570A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4696570A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a dual-backup brake system of a vehicle and a vehicle, to reduce costs of the brake system and decrease difficulty of deploying the brake system on the vehicle. The brake system includes a first controller, a second controller, a backup brake apparatus, a front wheel brake apparatus, and a rear wheel brake apparatus. The front wheel brake apparatus and the rear wheel brake apparatus each includes a brake motor and a brake. The brake is configured to receive a brake force output by the brake motor or the backup brake apparatus. The first controller is configured to: based on a vehicle travel signal and a brake signal that is output by a brake pedal of the vehicle, output a first control signal, and control the brake motor of the front wheel brake apparatus to output a brake force, or control the brake of the front wheel brake apparatus and the brake of the rear wheel brake apparatus to receive the brake force output by the backup brake apparatus. The second controller is configured to: based on the first control signal, control the brake motor of the rear wheel brake apparatus to output the brake force, or control the brake of the front wheel brake apparatus and the brake of the rear wheel brake apparatus to receive the brake force output by the backup brake apparatus.