Supplemental braking control system in autonomous vehicles
Described are devices, systems and methods for managing a supplemental brake control system in autonomous vehicles. In some aspects, a supplemental brake management system includes brake control hardware and software that operates with a sensing mechanism for determining the brake operational status and a control mechanism for activating the supplemental brake control in an autonomous vehicle, which can be implemented in addition to the vehicle's primary brake control system.
1. A system for managing braking in a vehicle, comprising:
a processor configured to:
monitor a speed and a deceleration of the vehicle in response to braking of primary brakes that are actuated;
determine whether to actuate supplemental brakes at some or all wheels of the vehicle, wherein a braking power distribution applied by the supplemental brakes to some or all wheels of the vehicle is controlled independently from the braking applied by the primary brakes; and
detect when additional braking is needed to substitute the primary brakes to slow or stop the vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect when additional braking is needed to supplement the primary brakes to slow or stop the vehicle.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a malfunction or a failure of a first system that controls the primary brakes; and
determine whether to actuate at least some of the supplemental brakes.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
monitor a braking power distributed to the primary brakes; and
determine whether to actuate the supplemental brakes at some or all of the wheels of the vehicle.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a second system that controls the supplemental brakes include air valves to couple to the primary brakes.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first system that includes the primary brakes coupled to at least one wheel of the vehicle; and
a second system that includes the supplemental brakes at one or more wheels of the vehicle.
7. A method of managing braking in a vehicle, comprising:
monitoring speed and deceleration of the vehicle in response to braking of primary brakes that are actuated;
determining whether to actuate supplemental brakes at some or all wheels of the vehicle, wherein a braking power distribution applied by the supplemental brakes to some or all wheels of the vehicle is controlled independently from the braking applied by the primary brakes; and
detecting when additional braking is needed to substitute the primary brakes to slow or stop the vehicle.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
detecting when additional braking is needed to supplement the primary brakes to slow or stop the vehicle.
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
detecting a malfunction or a failure of a first system that controls the primary brakes; and
determining whether to actuate at least some of the supplemental brakes.
10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
monitoring a braking power distributed to the primary brakes; and
determining whether to actuate the supplemental brakes at some or all of the wheels of the vehicle.
11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
monitoring one or more control parameters generated in a first system that controls the primary brakes; and
determining whether to actuate a second system that controls the supplemental brakes of some or all of the wheels of the vehicle.
12. A non-transitory computer readable program storage medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method, comprising:
monitoring speed and deceleration of a vehicle in response to braking of primary brakes that are actuated;
determining whether to actuate supplemental brakes at some or all wheels of the vehicle, wherein a braking power distribution applied by the supplemental brakes to some or all wheels of the vehicle is controlled independently from the braking applied by the primary brakes; and
detecting when additional braking is needed to substitute the primary brakes to slow or stop the vehicle.
13. The non-transitory computer readable program storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
detecting when additional braking is needed to supplement the primary brakes to slow or stop the vehicle.
14. The non-transitory computer readable program storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
detecting a malfunction or a failure of a first system that controls the primary brakes; and
determining whether to actuate at least some of the supplemental brakes.
15. The non-transitory computer readable program storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
monitoring a braking power distributed to the primary brakes; and
determining whether to actuate the supplemental brakes at some or all of the wheels of the vehicle.
16. The non-transitory computer readable program storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
monitoring one or more control parameters generated in a first system that controls the primary brakes; and
determining whether to actuate a second system that controls the supplemental brakes of some or all of the wheels of the vehicle.