US3790855A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic control module for anti-skid braking systems
Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Inc
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Filing: 1972-12-04
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1992-12-04
Abstract
Abstract An electronic control module for an automatic anti-skid braking system for vehicles such as automobiles. A velocity-sensing mechanism associated with a vehicle operates while the vehicle is in motion to produce a pulse train having a frequency varying in direct proportion to the rotational velocity of the rear wheels. The varying-frequency pulse train is converted to an amplitudevarying dc ''''velocity'''' voltage signal, also directly proportional to the rotational velocity of the rear wheels, and differentiated by a capacitor included in a differentiatoramplifier circuit to produce positive-going and negative-going voltage pulses corresponding respectively, to increases and decreases in the voltage level of the ''''velocity'''' voltage signal. The negative-going voltage pulses, corresponding to decreases in velocity, are then amplified and inverted by the differentiator-amplifier circuit and compared with a dc ''''deceleration'''' reference voltage having a value corresponding to a predetermined value of wheel deceleration existing during braking of a vehicle and indicating the imminence of a skidding or wheel lock-up situation. If the wheel deceleration of a vehicle being braked exceeds the predetermined value of wheel deceleration at any given moment, thereby indicating an impending wheel lock-up situation, and, in addition, the decelerating vehicle is traveling at a velocity exceeding a predetermined cut-out velocity below which anti-skid braking operation is not considered necessary (e.g., below five miles/hour), an output pulse is produced by the differentiatoramplifier circuit which exceeds the value of the dc ''''deceleration'''' reference voltage level. A load control pulse is then produced and applied to a load control circuit. The load control circuit operates in response to the load control pulse, and also to voltages from a vehicle deceleration switch associated with the vehicle, to apply to a load (e.g., a brakecontrol mechanism) control signals of either a first repetition rate or a second repetition rate for releasing the brakes of the vehicle. Control signals of the first repetition rate are applied to the load when a first voltage is produced by the deceleration switch during an impending wheel lock-up situation and control signals of the second repetition rate are applied to the load when a second voltage is produced by the deceleration switch during an impending wheel lock-up situation. The first voltage is produced by the deceleration switch when the vehicle being braked is decelerating at a rate less than a predetermined rate and, when it occurs during an impending wheel lock-up situation, indicates that the road surface on which braking is taking place has a low coefficient of friction, that is, it is a wet road surface or a snow, ice, or oil-covered surface. The second voltage is produced by the deceleration switch when the vehicle being braked is decelerating at a rate greater than the predetermined rate and, when it occurs during an impending wheel lock-up situation, indicates that the road surface on which braking is taking place has high coefficient of friction, that is, it is a dry road surface.
Inventors
- 👤 A Hillman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:43
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60T; B60T8/00; B60T8/17; B60T8/176; B60T8/1763; B60T8/17633
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
328 words
An electronic module for an anti-skid braking system for operating the brake control mechanism of a wheeled vehicle, comprising: first means operative while the vehicle is in motion to provide a velocity signal representative of the rotational velocity of at least one wheel of the vehicle; second means coupled to the first means and operative to detect decreases in the value of the velocity signal produced by the first means and to produce output signals corresponding to the decreases; third means coupled to the second means and operative to compare the value of each output signal produced by the second means with the value of a deceleration reference signal corresponding to a predetermined value of wheel deceleration indicating the imminence of a wheel lock-up condition and to produce an output signal whenever the value of an output signal produced by the second means bears a predetermined relationship to the value of the deceleration reference signal; deceleration means associated with the vehicle and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate less than a predetermined rate to produce a first control signal and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate greater than the predetermined rate to produce a second control signal; and load control means coupled to the third means and to the deceleration means and having an output connection adapted to be coupled to the brake control mechanism of the vehicle, said load control means being operative in response to an output signal produced by the third means and in response to a first control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a first train of output pulses having a first repetition rate, and operative in response to an output signal produced by the third means and in response to a second control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a second train of output pulses having a second repetition rate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
328 words
An electronic module for an anti-skid braking system for operating the brake control mechanism of a wheeled vehicle, comprising: first means operative while the vehicle is in motion to provide a velocity signal representative of the rotational velocity of at least one wheel of the vehicle; second means coupled to the first means and operative to detect decreases in the value of the velocity signal produced by the first means and to produce output signals corresponding to the decreases; third means coupled to the second means and operative to compare the value of each output signal produced by the second means with the value of a deceleration reference signal corresponding to a predetermined value of wheel deceleration indicating the imminence of a wheel lock-up condition and to produce an output signal whenever the value of an output signal produced by the second means bears a predetermined relationship to the value of the deceleration reference signal; deceleration means associated with the vehicle and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate less than a predetermined rate to produce a first control signal and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate greater than the predetermined rate to produce a second control signal; and load control means coupled to the third means and to the deceleration means and having an output connection adapted to be coupled to the brake control mechanism of the vehicle, said load control means being operative in response to an output signal produced by the third means and in response to a first control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a first train of output pulses having a first repetition rate, and operative in response to an output signal produced by the third means and in response to a second control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a second train of output pulses having a second repetition rate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
An anti-skid braking system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the deceleration means includes a decelerometer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
An electronic modulE in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the load control means includes a dual-rate multivibrator circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
199 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 1 wherein the load control means includes: input means coupled to the third means and operative to receive each output signal produced by the third means, said input means being operative in response to each output signal produced by the third means to produce a corresponding output signal of a predetermined duration; and dual-rate multivibrator circuit means coupled to the input means and to the deceleration means and operative to receive each output signal produced by the input means and the first and second control signals produced by the deceleration means, said dual-rate multivibrator circuit means being operative in response to an output signal produced by the input means and a first control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce a first train of output pulses having a first repetition rate for the duration of the output signal produced by the input means, and operative in response to an output signal produced by the input means and a second control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce a second train of output pulses having a second repetition rate for the duration of the output signal produced by the input means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 4 wherein: the deceleration means includes a decelerometer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 5 wherein the load control means further includes: output means coupled to the input means and to the dual-rate multivibrator circuit means and operative to receive each output signal produced by the input means and each train of output pulses produced by the dual-rate multivibrator circuit means, said output means being operative in response to each output signal produced by the input means and a train of output pulses produced by the dual-rate multivibrator circuit means to invert and apply the train of output pulses to an output connection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the wheel of the vehicle is a rear wheel of the vehicle; and the first means includes a wheel velocity-sensing means associated with the rear wheel of the vehicle and operative while the vehicle is in motion to produce a pulse train having a frequency varying in direct proportion to the rotational velocity of the rear wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 7 wherein: the first means further includes means coupled to the wheel velocity-sensing means and operative to convert the pulse train produced by the wheel velocity-sensing means into a dc velocity signal having an amplitude varying in accordance with variations in the frequency of the pulse train produced by the wheel velocity-sensing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
153 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 7 wherein: the vehicle includes a drive shaft cooperating with the rear wheel of the vehicle; and the wheel velocity-sensing means comprises: a slotted disc adapted to be fixedly mounted on the drive shaft of the vehicle and adapted to rotate with the drive shaft; a light source adapted to be arranged on one side of the slotted disc, said slotted disc operating to chop light produced by the light source at a frequency varying in accordance with variations in the rotational velocity of the drive shaft; and a photoresponsive device on the other side of the slotted disc in optical alignment with the light source and operative to receive the light chopped by the slotted disc and to convert the chopped light to a train of pulse signals having a frequency varying in accordance with the variations in the rotational velocity of the drive shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
445 words
An electronic module for operating the brake control mechanism of a wheeled vehicle, comprising: first means operative while the vehicle is in motion to provide a velocity signal representative of the rotational velocity of at least one Wheel of the vehicle; second means coupled to the first means and operative to detect decreases in the value of the velocity signal produced by the first means and to produce output signals corresponding to the decreases; velocity circuit means coupled to the first means and operative when the velocity signal produced by the first means has a value greater than a predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined cutout velocity to produce an output signal; braking circuit means operative to produce an output signal whenever the vehicle is being braked; third means coupled to the second means and operative to compare the value of each output signal produced by the second means with the value of a deceleration reference signal corresponding to a predetermined value of wheel deceleration indicating the imminence of a wheel lock-up condition and to produce an output signal whenever the value of an output signal produced by the second means bears a predetermined relationship to the value of the deceleration reference signal; gating means coupled to the velocity circuit means, the braking circuit means, and to the third means and operative to receive the output signals produced by said means, said gating means being operative only in response to output signals produced by the velocity circuit means and the braking circuit means to gate therethrough an output signal produced by the third means; deceleration means associated with the vehicle and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate less than a predetermined rate to produce a first control signal and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate greater than the predetermined rate to produce a second control signal; and load control means coupled to the gating means and to the deceleration means and having an output connection adapted to be coupled to the brake control mechanism of the vehicle, said load control means being operative in response to an output signal gated from the third means through the gating means and in response to a first control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a first train of output pulses having a first repetition rate, and operative in response to an output signal gated from the third means through the gating means and in response to a second control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a second train of output pulses having a second repetition rate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
445 words
An electronic module for operating the brake control mechanism of a wheeled vehicle, comprising: first means operative while the vehicle is in motion to provide a velocity signal representative of the rotational velocity of at least one Wheel of the vehicle; second means coupled to the first means and operative to detect decreases in the value of the velocity signal produced by the first means and to produce output signals corresponding to the decreases; velocity circuit means coupled to the first means and operative when the velocity signal produced by the first means has a value greater than a predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined cutout velocity to produce an output signal; braking circuit means operative to produce an output signal whenever the vehicle is being braked; third means coupled to the second means and operative to compare the value of each output signal produced by the second means with the value of a deceleration reference signal corresponding to a predetermined value of wheel deceleration indicating the imminence of a wheel lock-up condition and to produce an output signal whenever the value of an output signal produced by the second means bears a predetermined relationship to the value of the deceleration reference signal; gating means coupled to the velocity circuit means, the braking circuit means, and to the third means and operative to receive the output signals produced by said means, said gating means being operative only in response to output signals produced by the velocity circuit means and the braking circuit means to gate therethrough an output signal produced by the third means; deceleration means associated with the vehicle and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate less than a predetermined rate to produce a first control signal and operative when the vehicle decelerates at a rate greater than the predetermined rate to produce a second control signal; and load control means coupled to the gating means and to the deceleration means and having an output connection adapted to be coupled to the brake control mechanism of the vehicle, said load control means being operative in response to an output signal gated from the third means through the gating means and in response to a first control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a first train of output pulses having a first repetition rate, and operative in response to an output signal gated from the third means through the gating means and in response to a second control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce and apply to the output connection thereof a second train of output pulses having a second repetition rate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An anti-skid braking system in accordance with claim 10 wherein: the deceleration means includes a decelerometer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 10 wherein: the load control means includes a dual-rate multivibrator circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
199 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 10 wherein the load control means includes: input means coupled to the third means and operative to receive each output signal produced by the third means, said input means being operative in response to each output signal produced by the third means to produce a corresponding output signal of a predetermined duration; and dual-rate multivibrator circuit means coupled to the input means and to the deceleration means and operative to receive each output signal produced by the input means and the first and second control signals produced by the deceleration means, said dual-rate multivibrator circuit means being operative in response to an output signal produced by the input means and a first control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce a first train of output pulses having a first repetition rate for the duration of the output signal produced by the input means, and operative in response to an output signal produced by the input means and a second control signal produced by the deceleration means to produce a second train of output pulses having a second repetition rate for the duration of the output signal produced by the input means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
An eleCtronic module in accordance with claim 13 wherein: the deceleration means includes a decelerometer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
96 words
An electronic module in accordance with claim 13 wherein the load control means further includes: output means coupled to the input means and to the dual-rate multivibrator circuit means and operative to receive each output signal produced by the input means and each train of output pulses produced by the dual-rate multivibrator circuit means, said output means being operative in response to each output signal produced by the input means and a train of output pulses produced by the dual-rate multivibrator circuit means to invert and apply the train of output pulses to an output connection.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |