Granted Patent B2

US 12,735,038 · App. 18/782,654 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventors: Mohammad Karimi (Pickering, CA); Matthew Weaver (Fenton, MI); Ryan Loveland (Rochester, MI); Tasneem R. Huq (Courtice, CA); Joshua Lo (Whitby, CA); Edward T. Heil (Howell, MI)

Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC

B60W30/18109B60W10/10B60W10/184B60W10/20B60W2510/12B60W2510/182B60W2510/20B60W2520/06B60W2520/10B60W2530/10B60W2540/12

Abstract

Claims (78)

1 . A method of operating a motor vehicle having a vehicle body, multiple road wheels attached to the vehicle body, and a decentralized brake system with multiple brake actuators each operable to decelerate a respective one of the road wheels, the multiple brake actuators including front-left (FL), front-right (FR), rear-left (RL), and rear-right (RR) brake actuators, the method comprising:

receiving, from each of multiple sensors operatively attached to the brake actuators, sensor data indicative of a measured actuator output of a respective one of the brake actuators, the sensor data including a respective force feedback value and a respective pressure feedback value for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators;

calculating, via a vehicle controller for each of the brake actuators, a normalized corner output using the measured actuator output and a respective commanded target actuator output for the brake actuator, the normalized corner outputs including FL, FR, RL and RR normalized corner outputs for the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators, respectively, and the commanded target actuator outputs including a respective target force value and a respective target pressure value for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators;

calculating, via the vehicle controller for each of the brake actuators, a weighted average using the normalized corner output of the brake actuator and a vehicle-calibrated weight value determined from a current vehicle speed and/or a current vehicle steering angle, wherein calculating the weighted average includes calculating a full-system average for all of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators based on all of the FL, FR, RL and RR normalized corner outputs;

calculating, via the vehicle controller, an actuator error percentage as an absolute value of a mathematical difference between the weighted averages of the brake actuators;

detecting, via the vehicle controller, an actuator fault when the actuator error percentage is greater than a vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold determined from the current vehicle speed and/or the current vehicle steering angle; and

commanding, via the vehicle controller responsive to determining the actuator error percentage is greater than the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold, operation of the decentralized brake system, a vehicle steering system, and/or a vehicle powertrain system to execute a vehicle-calibrated action to remediate the actuator fault.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the normalized corner output further includes:

determining, via the vehicle controller, an actuator type for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators; and

determining, via the vehicle controller for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators, a merged feedback value by merging the force feedback value and the pressure feedback value based on the actuator type for the brake actuator.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the weighted average includes:

calculating a right-side weighted average for the FR and RR brake actuators based on the FR and RR normalized corner outputs; and

calculating a left-side weighted average for the FL and RL brake actuators based on the FL and RL normalized corner outputs.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the actuator error percentage includes a lateral error percentage calculated as the absolute value of the mathematical difference between the right-side weighted average and the left-side weighted average, and wherein detecting the actuator fault includes the lateral error percentage exceeding a vehicle-calibrated lateral deviation threshold.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the weighted average includes:

calculating a front-side weighted average for the FR and FL brake actuators based on the FR and FL normalized corner outputs; and

calculating a rear-side weighted average for the RR and RL brake actuators based on the RR and RL normalized corner outputs.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the actuator error percentage includes a longitudinal error percentage calculated as the absolute value of the mathematical difference between the front-side weighted average and the rear-side weighted average, and wherein detecting the actuator fault includes the longitudinal error percentage exceeding a vehicle-calibrated longitudinal deviation threshold.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the actuator error percentage includes a system error percentage calculated as the absolute value of the mathematical difference between the full-system average and a target full-system average, and wherein detecting the actuator fault includes the system error percentage exceeding a vehicle-calibrated overall deviation threshold.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, via the vehicle controller responsive to the detected actuator fault, which of the brake actuators is a worst offending actuator based on the calculated normalized corner outputs and the calculated weighted averages.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retrieving, via the vehicle controller from a first calibration lookup table, the vehicle-calibrated weight value;

retrieving, via the vehicle controller from a second calibration lookup table, the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold; and

updating a weight and threshold data set to include the vehicle-calibrated weight value and the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the vehicle controller, the current vehicle speed, the current vehicle steering angle, and the commanded target actuator outputs for the brake actuators; and

updating a signal data set within a defined time domain to include the current vehicle speed, the current vehicle steering angle, the commanded target actuator outputs, and the measured actuator outputs.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the vehicle controller prior to receipt of the sensor data, a break request to activate the decentralized brake system; and

activating, via the vehicle controller responsive to receipt of the brake request, the brake actuators of the decentralized brake system to decelerate the road wheels of the motor vehicle.

12 . A non-transient, computer-readable medium (CRM) storing instructions executable by a vehicle controller of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including multiple road wheels and a decentralized brake system with multiple brake actuators each operable to decelerate a respective one of the road wheels, the multiple brake actuators including front-left (FL), front-right (FR), rear-left (RL), and rear-right (RR) brake actuators, the instructions, when executed, causing the vehicle controller to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from each of multiple sensors operatively attached to the brake actuators, sensor data indicative of a measured actuator output of a respective one of the brake actuators, the sensor data including a respective force feedback value and a respective pressure feedback value for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators;

calculating, for each of the brake actuators, a normalized corner output using the measured actuator output and a respective commanded target actuator output for the brake actuator, the normalized corner outputs including FL, FR, RL and RR normalized corner outputs for the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators, respectively, and the commanded target actuator outputs including a respective target force value and a respective target pressure value for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators;

determining a vehicle-calibrated weight value from a current vehicle speed and/or a current vehicle steering angle;

calculating, for each of the brake actuators, a weighted average using the normalized corner output of the brake actuator and the vehicle-calibrated weight value, wherein calculating the weighted average includes calculating a full-system average for the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators based on the FL, FR, RL and RR normalized corner outputs;

calculating an actuator error percentage as an absolute value of a mathematical difference between the weighted averages of the brake actuators;

determining a vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold from the current vehicle speed and/or the current vehicle steering angle;

detecting an actuator fault when the actuator error percentage is greater than the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold; and

commanding, responsive to determining the actuator error percentage is greater than the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold, operation of the decentralized brake system to execute a vehicle-calibrated brake action to remediate the actuator fault.

13 . The non-transient CRM of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the vehicle controller to perform operations comprising:

receiving, prior to receipt of the sensor data, a break request to activate the decentralized brake system; and

activating, responsive to receipt of the brake request, the brake actuators of the decentralized brake system to decelerate the road wheels of the motor vehicle.

14 . A motor vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a plurality of road wheels attached to the vehicle body;

a prime mover attached to the vehicle body and configured to drive one or more of the road wheels to thereby propel the motor vehicle;

a decentralized brake system attached to the vehicle body and including a plurality of brake actuators each independently operable to decelerate a respective one of the road wheels to thereby slow or stop the motor vehicle, the brake actuators including front-left (FL), front-right (FR), rear-left (RL), and rear-right (RR) brake actuators;

a plurality of brake sensors each operatively attached to a respective one of the brake actuators; and

a vehicle controller communicatively connected to the decentralized brake system and the brake sensors, the vehicle controller being programmed to:

receive a break request to activate the decentralized brake system;

responsive to receiving the brake request, activate the brake actuators of the decentralized brake system to decelerate the road wheels of the motor vehicle;

receive, from each of the brake sensors, sensor data indicative of a measured actuator output of a respective one of the brake actuators, the sensor data including a respective force feedback value and a respective pressure feedback value for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators;

calculate, for each of the brake actuators, a normalized corner output using the measured actuator output and a respective commanded target actuator output for the brake actuator, the normalized corner outputs including FL, FR, RL and RR normalized corner outputs for the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators, respectively, and the commanded target actuator outputs including a respective target force value and a respective target pressure value for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators;

determine a vehicle-calibrated weight value from a current vehicle speed and/or a current vehicle steering angle

calculate, for each of the brake actuators, a weighted average using the normalized corner output of the brake actuator and the vehicle-calibrated weight value, wherein calculating the weighted average includes calculating a full-system average for the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators based on the FL, FR, RL and RR normalized corner outputs;

calculate an actuator error percentage as an absolute value of a mathematical difference between the weighted averages of the brake actuators;

determine a vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold from the current vehicle speed and/or the current vehicle steering angle;

detect an actuator fault when the actuator error percentage is greater than the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold; and

responsive to determining the actuator error percentage is greater than the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold, command operation of the decentralized brake system, a vehicle steering system, and/or a vehicle powertrain system to execute a vehicle-calibrated action to remediate the actuator fault.

15 . The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein:

calculating the weighted average includes calculating a right-side weighted average for the FR and RR brake actuators based on the FR and RR normalized corner outputs, and calculating a left-side weighted average for the FL and RL brake actuators based on the FL and RL normalized corner outputs,

the actuator error percentage includes a lateral error percentage calculated as the absolute value of the mathematical difference between the right-side weighted average and the left-side weighted average, and

detecting the actuator fault includes the lateral error percentage exceeding a vehicle-calibrated lateral deviation threshold.

16 . The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein:

calculating the weighted average includes calculating a front-side weighted average for the FR and FL brake actuators based on the FR and FL normalized corner outputs; and calculating a rear-side weighted average for the RR and RL brake actuators based on the RR and RL normalized corner outputs,

the actuator error percentage includes a longitudinal error percentage calculated as the absolute value of the mathematical difference between the front-side weighted average and the rear-side weighted average, and

detecting the actuator fault includes the longitudinal error percentage exceeding a vehicle-calibrated longitudinal deviation threshold.

17 . The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein:

the actuator error percentage includes a system error percentage calculated as the absolute value of the mathematical difference between the full-system average and a target full-system average, and

detecting the actuator fault includes the lateral error percentage exceeding a vehicle-calibrated overall deviation threshold.

18 . The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to determine which of the brake actuators is a worst offending actuator based on the calculated normalized corner outputs and the calculated weighted averages.

19 . The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to:

retrieve, from a first calibration lookup table, the vehicle-calibrated weight value;

retrieve, from a second calibration lookup table, the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold; and

update a weight and threshold data set to include the vehicle-calibrated weight value and the vehicle-calibrated fault deviation threshold.

20 . The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein calculating the normalized corner output further includes:

determining an actuator type for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators; and

determining, for each of the FL, FR, RL and RR brake actuators, a merged feedback value by merging the force feedback value and the pressure feedback value based on the actuator type for the brake actuator.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (17)