US 12,071,117 B2
Braking control apparatus and method for use in an associated multiple-steer vehicle
Ryan S. Hurley, Lakewood, OH (US); James M. Cooper, Jr., Independence, OH (US); Jereme C. Morrow, Highland Village, TX (US); Deepak K. Komandur, San Mateo, CA (US); Nirav K. Parikh, North Ridgeville, OH (US); and Subashish Sasmal, Avon, OH (US)
Assigned to BENDIX COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SYSTEMS LLC, Avon, OH (US)
Filed by Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, Avon, OH (US)
Filed on Jan. 31, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/162,390.
Prior Publication US 2024/0253605 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B60T 8/1769 (2006.01); B60T 8/172 (2006.01); B60T 13/68 (2006.01)
CPC B60T 8/1769 (2013.01) [B60T 8/172 (2013.01); B60T 13/683 (2013.01); B60T 2270/10 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A braking control apparatus for use in an associated multiple-steer vehicle having first and second steerable axles, and a plurality of drive axles, the braking control apparatus comprising:
an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to receive a vehicle braking signal to effect a braking operation in the associated vehicle, the ECU comprising:
a processor device;
a non-transitory memory device operatively coupled with the processor device; and
brake control logic stored in the memory device, the brake control logic being executable by the processor device to generate steerable and drive wheel brake control signals to perform the braking operation in the associated multiple-steer vehicle based on the received vehicle braking signal;
a first electro-pneumatic module (EPM) operatively coupled with the ECU, the first EPM being responsive to the steerable wheel brake control signal received from the ECU to effect axle-by-axle braking control of steerable wheel brakes of the first and second steerable axles of the associated vehicle by:
selectively delivering pressurized air to a first brake group of two or more steerable wheel brakes on the first steerable axle of the associated vehicle; and
selectively delivering the pressurized air to a second brake group of two or more steerable wheel brakes on the second steerable axle of the associated vehicle different from the first steerable axle of the associated vehicle; and
a second EPM operatively coupled with the ECU, the second EPM being responsive to the drive wheel brake control signal received from the ECU to effect wheel-by-wheel braking control of drive wheel brakes of the plurality of drive axles of the associated vehicle by:
selectively delivering pressurized air to a third brake group of two or more drive wheel brakes on a first side of the associated vehicle; and
selectively delivering the pressurized air to a fourth brake group of two or more drive wheel brakes on a second side of the associated vehicle opposite from the first side of the associated vehicle,
wherein the processor device executes the brake control logic to generate the steerable and drive wheel brake control signals for effecting the axle-by-axle and the wheel-by-wheel braking control of the steerable wheel brakes and the drive wheel brakes of the associated vehicle, respectively, based on the received vehicle braking signal to perform the braking operation in the associated multiple-steer vehicle.