Vehicle brake controller and vehicle brake control method

A vehicle brake controller is capable of executing limit control for limiting increase in braking force applied to front wheels by using a deceleration of a vehicle. The vehicle brake controller is configured to start the limit control when the deceleration of the vehicle becomes greater than or equal to a start determination value before a start determination time period elapses after a deceleration starting point in time, at which the deceleration of the vehicle is started by application of braking force at least to the front wheels. The vehicle brake controller is configured to end the limit control if the deceleration of the vehicle is less than an end determination value, which is greater than the start determination value, at a point in time when an end determination time period, which is longer than the start determination time period, has elapsed from the deceleration starting point in time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicle brake controller that adjusts braking force applied to wheels provided on a vehicle and to a vehicle brake control method.

When the vehicle is suddenly braked while running, the center of gravity of the vehicle may move forward. In particular, when the vehicle is suddenly braked while running on a high-μ road at a low speed, the center of gravity of the vehicle moves significantly forward, and a rear-wheel lift-up may occur, in which the vertical load of the rear wheels with respect to the road surface is reduced while the vertical load of the front wheels with respect to the road surface is increased. Since the occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up results in the unstable behavior of the vehicle, limit control for limiting increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels is preferably executed if there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up. When the limit control is executed, forward movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle is reduced, and the rear-wheel lift-up becomes less likely to occur.

When performing such limit control, it is necessary to estimate the amount of movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle, and determine whether there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-203810 discloses a method for calculating the pitch angle speed, which is the rate of change of the pitch angle of a vehicle body (hereinafter, referred to as a first method). The first method includes acquiring the rate of change of the up-down direction acceleration of the front portion of the vehicle body and the rate of change of the up-down direction acceleration of the rear portion of the vehicle body, and computing the pitch angle speed based on the two rates of change of the up-down direction acceleration. If the computed pitch angle speed is greater than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up due to the significant movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle.

However, in the first method, two up-down direction acceleration sensors need to be provided in the vehicle to detect the up-down direction acceleration of the front portion and the rear portion of the vehicle body. This increases the costs of the vehicle. Thus, a second method has been proposed that estimates whether there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up without using detection signals from the up-down direction acceleration sensors.

In the second method, elapsed time is measured from when deceleration of the vehicle associated with the braking operation by the driver is detected. If front-back direction deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a start determination value before the elapsed time reaches a predetermined start determination time period, it is determined that there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up due to the significant forward movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle. The front-back direction deceleration used in such determination process is a value based on a detection signal from a front-back direction acceleration sensor provided in the vehicle.

Since the front-back direction deceleration is a value acquired by subjecting a detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor to a process such as known filtering, the front-back direction deceleration changes after a delay from the actual deceleration of the vehicle. Also, since the front-back direction acceleration sensor used in such control is not necessarily always arranged at the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle, a response delay corresponding to the distance between the arrangement position and the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle may occur in the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor. Therefore, the start determination value is preferably set to a relatively small value to avoid delay in starting of the limit control.

However, disturbance such as vibration according to variation in the road surface reaction force that the vehicle wheels receive from the road and vibration associated with variation of the gear range of the transmission of the vehicle are likely to be superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor. Therefore, when the start determination value is set to a relatively small value, when the front-back direction deceleration is temporarily increased by the influence of the disturbance, the starting condition of the limit control is satisfied even though sudden braking is not performed. Thus, the limit control may be unnecessarily started. In this case, as compared to a case where the limit control is not executed, the braking force of the entire vehicle is decreased by the amount corresponding to the decrease in the braking force applied to the front wheels.

The start determination value is preferably set to a relatively large value to reduce unnecessary executions of the limit control described above. However, in this case, even if the vehicle is actually suddenly braked, the starting condition of the limit control is not easily satisfied, and the starting of the limit control may be delayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a vehicle brake controller that reduces decrease in the deceleration of a vehicle associated with unnecessary execution of a limit control while optimizing a starting point in time of the limit control, and a vehicle brake control method.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle brake controller is provided that is capable of executing limit control for limiting increase in braking force applied to a front wheel by using a deceleration of a vehicle based on a detection signal from a front-back direction acceleration sensor and of setting a point in time of start of the limit control. The vehicle brake controller is configured to: start the limit control when the deceleration of the vehicle becomes greater than or equal to a start determination value before a start determination time period elapses after a deceleration starting point in time, at which the deceleration of the vehicle is started by application of braking force at least to the front wheel, and end the limit control if the deceleration of the vehicle is less than an end determination value that is greater than the start determination value, at a point in time when an end determination time period that is longer than the start determination time period, has elapsed from the deceleration starting point in time.

With the above-mentioned configuration, if the deceleration of the vehicle becomes greater than or equal to the start determination value before the elapsed time after the deceleration starting point in time reaches the start determination time period, the limit control is started, so that increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels is limited, and thus reducing occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up. If disturbance is superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor, the deceleration of the vehicle significantly fluctuates by the influence of the disturbance. Thus, the starting condition of the limit control may be satisfied at the point in time at which the deceleration is temporarily increased, and the limit control may be unnecessarily started. However, in this case, since the deceleration does not keep increasing even after the limit control is started, the deceleration of the vehicle at the point in time at which the end determination time period has elapsed after the deceleration starting point in time is unlikely to be greater than or equal to the end determination value. As a result, the limit control is promptly ended if the limit control is unnecessarily started by the influence of the disturbance.

That is, the start determination value may be set to a relatively small value. Even if the limit control is unnecessarily started by setting the start determination value as described above, the unnecessarily started limit control is promptly ended by providing the end determination value, which is greater than the start determination value. After ending the limit control, braking force applied to the front wheels is promptly increased. Thus, while optimizing the starting point in time of the limit control, it is possible to reduce decrease in the deceleration of the vehicle due to the execution of the unnecessary limit control.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle brake controller is provided that is capable of executing limit control for limiting increase in braking force applied to a front wheel by using a deceleration of a vehicle based on a detection signal from a front-back direction acceleration sensor and of setting a point in time of start of the limit control. The vehicle brake controller is configured to: start the limit control when a first deceleration difference is greater than or equal to a start determination change amount, wherein the first deceleration difference is a difference between a deceleration of the vehicle at a deceleration starting point in time, at which the deceleration of the vehicle is started by application of braking force at least to the front wheel, and a deceleration of the vehicle at a point in time at which a start determination time period has elapsed after the deceleration starting point in time, and end the limit control when a second deceleration difference is less than an end determination change amount that is greater than the start determination change amount, wherein the second deceleration difference is a difference between the deceleration of the vehicle at the deceleration starting point in time and a deceleration of the vehicle at a point in time at which an end determination time period that is longer than the start determination time period, has elapsed after the deceleration starting point in time.

With the above-mentioned configuration, when the first deceleration difference is greater than or equal to the start determination change amount, increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels is limited by starting the limit control, and occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up is reduced. When disturbance is superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor, the starting condition of the limit control may be satisfied since the deceleration is temporarily increased, and the limit control may be unnecessarily started. However, in this case, the deceleration does not keep increasing even after the limit control is started, and the second deceleration difference is unlikely to exceed the end determination change amount. As a result, if the limit control is unnecessarily started by the influence of the disturbance, the limit control is promptly ended.

That is, the start determination change amount may be set to a relatively small value. Even if the limit control is unnecessarily started by setting the start determination change amount as described above, the unnecessarily started limit control is promptly ended by providing the end determination change amount, which is greater than the start determination change amount. As a result, braking force applied to the front wheels is promptly increased. Thus, while optimizing the starting point in time of the limit control, it is possible to reduce decrease in the deceleration of the vehicle due to the execution of the unnecessary limit control.

When the vehicle is running on an uphill road, even if the driver applies the brakes suddenly, the center of gravity of the vehicle is unlikely to move forward. Thus, the possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up is low. Therefore, when the vehicle is running on an uphill road, execution of the limit control is preferably inhibited. Therefore, if the disturbance is superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor when the vehicle is running on an uphill road, the limit control is prevented from being unnecessarily started.

When the vehicle is running on a downhill road, the gravity acting on the vehicle body acts on the front-back direction acceleration sensor. That is, when the vehicle is stopped on the downhill road, the deceleration of the vehicle is offset by the amount corresponding to the gradient of the road and is greater than zero. Therefore, if the start determination value is set to the same value regardless of the gradient of the road when the vehicle is running on a downhill road, the starting point in time of the limit control may vary according to the gradient of the road on which the vehicle is running.

Also, if the end determination value is set to the same value regardless of the gradient of the road, when the limit control is unnecessarily executed by disturbance superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor, the greater the gradient of the road, the more unlikely the end condition of the limit control may be satisfied. Thus, when the vehicle is running on a downhill road, the greater the gradient of the road, the greater the start determination value and the end determination value are preferably set. Thus, variation of the starting point in time of the limit control is reduced when the vehicle is running on a downhill road, and the unnecessarily started limit control is properly ended.

The deceleration starting point in time may be the starting point in time of the braking operation by the driver. However, the deceleration starting point in time may be set even if the vehicle is not substantially decelerating because of a small amount of braking operation performed by the driver. Therefore, when the driver applies the brakes such that the brake operation amount is increased from the state where the brake operation amount is small (hereinafter, referred to as a first state), the deceleration starting point in time is set before the vehicle starts to substantially decelerate. Thus, the starting condition of the limit control is less likely to be satisfied.

Furthermore, vehicles have been proposed that automatically apply the brakes suddenly before the driver applies the brakes when an obstacle is detected in front of the vehicle. Even when sudden braking is automatically performed in such vehicles, the limit control is preferably performed when there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up due to forward movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle. However, if the deceleration starting point in time is set to the starting point in time of the braking operation by the driver, the limit control cannot be performed even if there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up.

Thus, the deceleration starting point in time is preferably set to a point in time at which the deceleration of the vehicle becomes greater than or equal to a braking determination value, which is less than the start determination value. Accordingly, the point in time at which the vehicle has started to substantially decelerate from when application of braking force to at least the front wheels has been started can be set as the deceleration starting point in time. As a result, the limit control is started at a proper point in time. Also, since the deceleration starting point in time is set regardless of whether the driver is applying the brakes, the limit control is started when there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up also in the vehicle that automatically applies the brakes.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a vehicle brake control method is provided that includes: acquiring a deceleration of a vehicle based on a detection signal from a front-back direction acceleration sensor; setting a deceleration starting point in time, at which deceleration of the vehicle is started by application of braking force at least to a front wheel; starting to limit increase in the braking force applied to the front wheel when the deceleration of the vehicle becomes greater than or equal to a start determination value before a start determination time period elapses after the deceleration starting point in time; and ending limiting increase in the braking force applied to the front wheel if the deceleration of the vehicle is less than an end determination value that is greater than the start determination value, at a point in time when an end determination time period, which is longer than the start determination time period, has elapsed from the deceleration starting point in time. According to this configuration, advantages equivalent to those of the first and second aspects are obtained.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle brake controller and a vehicle brake control method according to one embodiment will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 6E. In the description herein, the cycle time of a main processing routine is 6 msec.

As shown inFIG. 1, a braking device11is mounted on a vehicle including (in this embodiment, four) wheels (a right front wheel FR, a left front wheel FL, a right rear wheel RR, and a left rear wheel RL). The braking device11includes a fluid pressure generating device20, to which a brake pedal12is coupled, a brake actuator30, which adjusts braking force applied to the wheels FR, FL, RR, RL, and a brake controller, which is a controller40in the present embodiment. The controller40controls the brake actuator30.

The fluid pressure generating device20includes a booster21, which boosts force applied to the brake pedal12by a driver, and a master cylinder22, which generates brake fluid pressure (hereinafter, referred to as MC pressure) in accordance with the force applied to the brake pedal12boosted by the booster21. During braking operation by the driver, brake fluid corresponding to the MC pressure generated in the master cylinder22is supplied from the master cylinder22to wheel cylinders15a,15b,15c,15dindividually corresponding to the vehicle wheels FR, FL, RR, RL via the brake actuator30. Then, braking force corresponding to the brake fluid pressure (hereinafter, referred to as WC pressure) that is generated in the wheel cylinders15ato15dis applied to the vehicle wheels FR, FL, RR, RL.

The brake actuator30includes a first hydraulic circuit31, which is connected to the wheel cylinder15afor the right front wheel and the wheel cylinder15dfor the left rear wheel, and a second hydraulic circuit32, which is connected to the wheel cylinder15bfor the left front wheel and the wheel cylinder15cfor the right rear wheel. The first hydraulic circuit31includes a path33afor the right front wheel and a path33dfor the left rear wheel. The second hydraulic circuit32includes a path33bfor the left front wheel and a path33cfor the right rear wheel. The paths33ato33dinclude normally-open type solenoid valves, which are pressure booster valves34a,34b,34c,34din the present embodiment, and normally-closed type solenoid valves, which are reducing valves35a,35b,35c,35din the present embodiment. The pressure booster valves34a,34b,34c,34dare actuated when regulating increase in the WC pressure of the wheel cylinders15ato15d. The reducing valves35a,35b,35c,35dare actuated when decreasing the WC pressure.

Furthermore, the hydraulic circuits31,32include reservoirs361,362, which temporarily store the brake fluid that has flowed out from the wheel cylinders15ato15dvia the reducing valves35ato35d, and pumps371,372, which draw in the brake fluid that is temporarily stored in the reservoirs361,362and discharge the brake fluid toward the master cylinder22of the hydraulic circuits31,32. The pumps371,372are actuated by a common drive motor38.

The controller40will now be described.

Wheel speed sensors SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4for detecting the wheel speed (outer circumference speed) of the wheels FR, FL, RR, RL, a front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5for detecting acceleration in the front-back direction of the vehicle, and a brake switch SW1for detecting operation of the brake pedal12are electrically connected to an input-side interface of the controller40, which functions as a control unit. The front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5outputs a detection signal that has a positive value during vehicle acceleration and a detection signal that has a negative value during deceleration of the vehicle on a road that is parallel to the horizontal surface. Thus, acceleration based on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5is a positive value when the vehicle is stopped on an uphill road, and is a negative value when the vehicle is stopped on a downhill road.

The valves34ato34d,35ato35d, and the drive motor38are electrically connected to an output-side interface of the controller40. The controller40controls the operation of the valves34ato34d,35ato35d, and the drive motor38based on various detection signals from the various sensors SE1to SE5and the brake switch SW1.

The controller40includes a microcomputer constituted by components such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The ROM of the microcomputer previously stores programs for performing various control processes, and information such as various maps and various threshold values. Furthermore, the RAM stores various kinds of information that is rewritten as needed while a non-illustrated ignition switch of the vehicle is on.

When the driver brakes suddenly, the center of gravity of the vehicle significantly moves forward so that a rear-wheel lift-up may occur, in which the vertical load of the rear wheels RR, RL with respect to the road is reduced. Therefore, if it is determined that there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up during braking operation by the driver, limit control is preferably performed for limiting increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL. When the limit control is performed, forward movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle is reduced, and the vertical load of the rear wheels RR, RL with respect to the road surface becomes less likely to be reduced. This reduces the occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up.

In the limit control of the present embodiment, the pressure booster valves34a,34bfor the front wheels FR, FL are closed and opened repeatedly. Accordingly, in response to the increase in the MC pressure in the master cylinder22, the WC pressure in the wheel cylinders15a,15bfor the front wheels FR, FL is increased after a delay. As a result, in contrast to the increase in the braking force applied to the rear wheels RR, RL, the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL is gradually increased.

Various processing routines executed by the controller40for reducing occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up during braking operation by the driver will now be described.

First, an information acquiring process routine will be described with reference to flowchart shown inFIG. 2.

The information acquiring process routine is executed at every predetermined cycle that is set in advance. In the information acquiring process routine, the controller40acquires a vehicle body speed VS based on the wheel speed of at least one of the vehicle wheels FR, FL, RR, RL (step S11). Subsequently, the controller40acquires a first deceleration DVS based on the acquired body speed VS (step S12). More specifically, the controller40acquires the body acceleration by calculating the time derivative of the body speed VS, and acquires the first deceleration DVS by multiplying the body acceleration by −1. Thus, the first deceleration DVS is a negative value during vehicle acceleration, and is a positive value during deceleration of the vehicle.

The controller40then acquires the deceleration, which is a second deceleration Gx, based on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5(step S13). The second deceleration Gx is a value acquired by multiplying the acceleration by −1 based on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5. Thus, in the present embodiment, step S13corresponds to an acquiring step. The controller40and the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5constitute an acquiring unit, which acquires the deceleration of the vehicle. Subsequently, the controller40increments a gradient timer Tr by one (step S14).

The controller40then subtracts the second deceleration Gx acquired in step S13from the first deceleration DVS acquired in step S12to obtain the difference value DVsub (step S15). Subsequently, the controller40adds the difference value DVsub computed in step S15to an integrated gradient value σG, and sets the resultant as a new integrated gradient value σG (step S16). The controller40determines whether the gradient timer Tr updated in step S14has surpassed a determination time Trth (for example, 67 time cycles, that is, 402 msec.) that has been set in advance (step S17). When the gradient timer Tr is less than or equal to the determination time Trth (step S17: NO), the controller40proceeds to step S20, which will be discussed below.

When the gradient timer Tr exceeds the determination time Trth (step S17: YES), the controller40divides the integrated gradient value σG computed in step S16by the determination time Trth to obtain a gradient estimation value Gslope (step S18). The gradient estimation value Gslope has a positive value when the road surface is an uphill road, and has a negative value when the road is a downhill road. The controller40resets the gradient timer Tr and the integrated gradient value σG to zero (step S19), and proceeds to step S20.

At step S20, the controller40determines whether the road surface on which the vehicle is running is an uphill road based on the gradient estimation value Gslope computed in step S18. More specifically, if the gradient estimation value Gslope is greater than an uphill road determination value (>0) that is previously set for determining whether the road is an uphill road, the controller40determines that the road surface is an uphill road. If the controller40determines that the road surface is an uphill road (step S20: YES), an inhibition flag FLG1is set to ON (step S21), and the information acquiring process routine is temporarily suspended. If the controller40determines that the road surface is not an uphill road (step S20: NO), the inhibition flag FLG1is set to OFF (step S22), and the information acquiring process routine is temporarily suspended.

The start determination process routine executed after the information acquiring process routine will now be described with reference to flowchart inFIG. 3. The start determination process routine is a process routine for setting the starting point in time of the limit control.

In the start determination process routine, the controller40determines whether the brakes are operated based on the detection signal from the brake switch SW1(step S31). If the brakes are not operated (step S31: NO), the controller40resets a start determination timer Ts and an end determination timer Tf to zero (step S32), and temporarily suspends the start determination process routine. If the brakes are being operated (step S31: YES), the controller40determines whether the inhibition flag FLG1is OFF (step S33). If the inhibition flag FLG1is ON (step S33: NO), the controller40proceeds to step S32. That is, in the present embodiment, even if the driver applies the brakes suddenly, execution of the limit control is inhibited in a case where the road surface on which the vehicle is running is an uphill road.

If the start control flag FLG2is OFF (step S34: YES), the controller40performs a corrective process for correcting a braking determination value KG1and a start determination value KG2based on the gradient of the road surface (step S36). More specifically, the controller40subtracts the gradient estimation value Gslope from a basic value KG1base (for example, 0.2 G) to obtain the braking determination value KG1. Similarly, the controller40subtracts the gradient estimation value Gslope from the basic value KG2base (for example, 0.5 G) to obtain the start determination value KG2. As a result, when the vehicle is running on a downhill road, the greater the gradient of the road surface, the greater the value of the braking determination value KG1and the start determination value KG2are set. The braking determination value KG1is a determination value for determining whether the vehicle has substantially started to decelerate due to the braking operation by the driver. The start determination value KG2is a determination value for determining whether sudden braking that reduces the vertical load of the rear wheels RR, RL is applied.

The controller40determines whether the second deceleration Gx acquired in step S13is greater than or equal to the braking determination value KG1(step S37). If the second deceleration Gx is less than the braking determination value KG1(step S37: NO), it is determined that the deceleration of the vehicle is extremely small since the braking force applied to the vehicle is small although the driver is applying the brakes, and the controller40proceeds to the aforementioned step S32.

If the second deceleration Gx is greater than or equal to the braking determination value KG1(step S37: YES), it is determined that the vehicle has started to substantially decelerate in response to the braking operation by the driver, and the controller40increments the start determination timer Ts and the end determination timer Tf by one (step S38). That is, in the present embodiment, the point in time when the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the braking determination value KG1is set as a deceleration starting point in time. Therefore, the start determination timer Ts and the end determination timer Tf correspond to the elapsed time from the deceleration starting point in time. Thus, in the present embodiment, step S37corresponds to a setting step for setting the deceleration starting point in time when the deceleration of the vehicle is started in response to the braking operation by the driver. The controller40constitutes a setting unit for setting the deceleration starting point in time.

Subsequently, the controller40determines whether the conditions including that the second deceleration Gx is greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2and that the start determination timer Ts is less than or equal to the previously set start determination time period KT2(for example, 10 cycle time, that is, 60 msec.) are both satisfied (step S39). If at least one of the conditions including that the second deceleration Gx is greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2and that the start determination timer Ts is less than or equal to the start determination time period KT2is not satisfied (step S39: NO), the controller40temporarily suspends the start determination process routine.

If both the conditions including that the second deceleration Gx is greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2and that the start determination timer Ts is less than or equal to the start determination time period KT2are satisfied (step S39: YES), the controller40starts the limit control (step S40). Thus, in the present embodiment, step S40corresponds to a limit start step that starts limiting increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL when the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2before the start determination timer Ts reaches the start determination time period KT2. The controller40constitutes a limit start unit that starts limiting increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL. The controller40sets the start control flag FLG2to ON (step S41), and temporarily suspends the start determination process routine.

The end determination process routine executed subsequently to the start determination process routine will now be described with reference to flowchart shown inFIG. 4. The end determination process routine is a process routine for ending, at an early stage, the limit control that has been started unnecessarily.

In the end determination process routine, the controller40determines whether the start control flag FLG2is ON (step S51). If the start control flag FLG2is OFF (step S51: NO), since the limit control is not executed, the controller40temporarily suspends the end determination process routine. If the start control flag FLG2is ON (step S51: YES), the controller40determines whether the inhibition flag FLG1is OFF (step S52). If the inhibition flag FLG1is ON (step S52: NO), since the road surface on which the vehicle is running is an uphill road, the controller40proceeds to step S56, which will be discussed below.

If the inhibition flag FLG1is OFF (step S52: YES), the controller40performs the corrective process for correcting an end determination value KG3for determining the end point in time of the limit control that has been unnecessarily started in accordance with the road surface gradient (step S53). More specifically, the controller40subtracts the gradient estimation value Gslope from a basic value KG3base (for example, 0.8 G) to obtain the end determination value KG3. As a result, when the road surface is a downhill road, the greater the road surface gradient, the greater the end determination value KG3is set. In the present embodiment, the end determination value KG3is set to a great value that the second deceleration Gx does not exceed when the brakes are not applied suddenly.

Subsequently, the controller40determines whether the end determination timer Tf updated in steps S35, S38is greater than or equal to an end determination time period KT3(for example, 20 cycle time, that is, 120 msec.) that has been set in advance (step S54). If the end determination timer Tf is less than the end determination time period KT3(step S54: NO), the controller40temporarily suspends the end determination process routine. If the end determination timer Tf is greater than or equal to the end determination time period KT3(step S54: YES), the controller40determines whether the second deceleration Gx acquired in step S13is less than the end determination value KG3(step S55).

If the second deceleration Gx is greater than or equal to the end determination value KG3(step S55: NO), it is determined that the current braking operation by the driver is a sudden braking, and the controller40temporarily suspends the end determination process routine to continue the limit control. If the second deceleration Gx is less than the end determination value KG3(step S55: YES), it is determined that the current limit control has been unnecessarily started, and the controller40proceeds to the next step S56.

At step S56, the controller40ends the limit control that is being executed. More specifically, the controller40sets an indicated current value for the pressure booster valves34a,34bof the front wheels FR, FL to zero, and maintains the pressure booster valves34a,34bin the opened state. Thus, in the present embodiment, step S56corresponds to a limit ending step that ends limiting increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL if the second deceleration Gx is not greater than or equal to the end determination value KG3, that is, if the second deceleration Gx is less than the end determination value KG3although the end determination timer Tf has surpassed the end determination time period KT3. The controller40constitutes an ending unit that ends limiting of increase in the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL.

The controller40sets the inhibition flag FLG1and the start control flag FLG2to OFF (step S57), and resets the start determination timer Ts and the end determination timer Tf to zero (step S58). Thereafter, the controller40temporarily suspends the end determination process routine.

Operation of the vehicle according to the present embodiment will now be described.

First, a case where the limit control is started at an proper point in time since there is a possibility of occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up will be described with reference to timing charts inFIGS. 5A to 5E.

As shown inFIGS. 5A and 5C, when the driver starts to apply the brakes at a first point in time t11while the vehicle is running, the braking force is applied to the vehicle wheels FR, FL, RR, RL, and the vehicle starts to decelerate. As shown inFIG. 5B, when the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the braking determination value KG1at a second point in time t12based on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5, the start determination timer Ts and the end determination timer Tf start to count. That is, the second point in time t12corresponds to the deceleration starting point in time in the present embodiment.

As shown inFIG. 5B, at a third point in time t13when the start determination timer Ts reaches the start determination time period KT2, the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the braking determination value KG2. That is, a first deceleration difference ΔGX1(ΔGX1=GX2−GX1) between the second deceleration Gx1at the second point in time t12, which is the deceleration starting point in time, and the second deceleration Gx2at the third point in time t13, at which the start determination time period KT2has elapsed after the deceleration starting point in time, becomes greater than or equal to a start determination change amount KDGx1.

Then, since the starting condition of the limit control is satisfied at the third point in time t13, the limit control is started as shown inFIG. 5D. In the limit control, the pressure booster valves34a,34bfor the front wheels are repeatedly opened and closed. In the present embodiment, when the deceleration starting point in time is set, the limit control is started even before the third point in time t13if the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2before the third point in time t13.

Thereafter, the second deceleration Gx is further increased even when the limit control is being executed as shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B. Then, at a fourth point in time t14at which the end determination timer Tf reaches the end determination time period KT3, the limit control is continued since the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the end determination value KG3. That is, a second deceleration difference ΔGx2(ΔGx2=GX3−GX1) between the second deceleration Gx1at the second point in time t12, which is the deceleration starting point in time, and the second deceleration Gx3at the fourth point in time t14becomes greater than or equal to an end determination change amount KDGx2, which is greater than the start determination change amount KDGx1.

Therefore, the control of the pressure booster valves34a,34bas described above is continued. As a result, while the MC pressure in the master cylinder22is rapidly increased in response to the braking operation by the driver, the increase in the WC pressure in the wheel cylinders15a,15bfor the front wheels is limited from the third point in time t13as shown inFIG. 5E. In this manner, since the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL is gradually increased, forward movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle is reduced as compared to a case where the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL is rapidly increased. This reduces the occurrence of the rear-wheel lift-up.

A case where the limit control is unnecessarily started due to a significant disturbance superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5, such as when the vehicle passes over a step, will now be described with reference to timing charts inFIGS. 6A to 6E.

As shown inFIGS. 6A,6B, and6C, when the driver starts to apply the brakes at a first point in time t21while the vehicle is running, the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the braking determination value KG1based on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5at a second point in time t22. As a result, the start determination timer Ts and the end determination timer Tf start to count from the second point in time t22. That is, in this case, the second point in time t22corresponds to the deceleration starting point in time.

From the second point in time t22, since a significant disturbance is superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5, the second deceleration Gx significantly fluctuates by the influence of the disturbance. Therefore, even if the brakes are not actually applied suddenly, the second deceleration Gx may become greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2before a third point in time t23at which the start determination timer Ts reaches the start determination time period KT2. In this case, since the first deceleration difference ΔGx1is greater than or equal to the start determination change amount KDGx1, the limit control is unnecessarily started as shown inFIGS. 6D and 6E.

However, in this case, even if the second deceleration Gx significantly fluctuates due to the influence of the disturbance, the amount of braking operation performed by the driver is not great. Thus, at the fourth point in time t24, at which the end determination timer Tf reaches the end determination time period KT3, the second deceleration Gx is less than the end determination value KG3as shown inFIG. 6B. That is, the second deceleration difference ΔGx2is less than the end determination change amount KDGx2.

As a result, the unnecessarily started limit control is ended as shown inFIGS. 6D and 6E. Then, the pressure booster valves34a,34bfor the front wheels are no longer controlled, and the WC pressure in the wheel cylinders15a,15bfor the front wheels promptly increases to approximate the WC pressure in the master cylinder22. Thus, the braking force applied to the front wheels FR, FL is promptly increased, and decrease in the actual deceleration of the vehicle due to execution of the unnecessary limit control is reduced.

As described above, the present embodiment has the following advantages.

(1) In the present embodiment, in addition to the start determination value KG2and the start determination change amount KDGx1for determining the start of the limit control, the end determination value KG3and the end determination change amount KDGx2for determining the end of the limit control are provided. Thus, since the start determination value KG2and the start determination change amount KDGx1can be set to small values, the limit control is started at an proper point in time when the driver applies the brakes suddenly that may cause the rear-wheel lift-up.

Setting the start determination value KG2and the start determination change amount KDGx1to small values may allow the limit control to be unnecessarily started by the influence of the disturbance superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5. However, the unnecessarily started limit control is promptly ended by providing the end determination value KG3and the end determination change amount KDGx2. This reduces decrease in the deceleration of the vehicle due to execution of the unnecessary limit control.

(2) Furthermore, execution of the limit control is inhibited when the vehicle is running on an uphill road, where the rear-wheel lift-up is unlikely to occur. Therefore, when the vehicle is running on an uphill road, the limit control is prevented from being unnecessarily started even if the disturbance is superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5.

(3) In the present embodiment, if it is determined that the road surface on which the vehicle is running has become an uphill road, the currently executed limit control is ended. Thus, unnecessary execution of the limit control is reduced under the running condition where the rear-wheel lift-up is unlikely to occur.

(4) If the road surface on which the vehicle is running is a downhill road, the determination values KG1, KG2, KG3are corrected to greater values as the gradient of the road surface is increased. By correcting the braking determination value KG1as described above, the deceleration starting point in time is prevented from being set at a point in time when the vehicle is substantially hardly decelerated while running on a downhill road. This reduces the likeliness that the starting condition of the limit control being difficult to satisfy.

Also, variation of the starting point in time of the limit control due to the road surface gradient is reduced by correcting the start determination value KG2.

If the end determination value KG3is not corrected in accordance with the road surface gradient, the end condition of the limit control is less likely to be satisfied when the limit control is unnecessarily started by the influence of the disturbance on a downhill road with a steep gradient. This is because the second deceleration Gx takes a value that is offset in the positive direction by the amount corresponding to the road surface gradient. In this point, even if the limit control is unnecessarily started by the influence of the disturbance, the end condition of the limit control is easily satisfied by correcting the end determination value KG3based on the road surface gradient. Thus, the unnecessarily started limit control is properly ended.

(5) As a method for ending the unnecessarily started limit control, a method is considered in which the limit control is ended when the second deceleration Gx is decreased before the end determination timer Tf reaches the end determination time period KT3. However, in this case, if electrical noise is superimposed on the detection signal from the front-back direction acceleration sensor SE5, the second deceleration Gx acquired in the current point in time may be less than the second deceleration Gx acquired in the previous point in time, and may result in malfunction where the limit control is erroneously ended. Also, if the vehicle passes over a step during gentle braking, starting and ending of the limit control may be repeated. In this point, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether the end condition of the limit control is satisfied based on the second deceleration Gx at the point in time at which the end determination timer Tf reaches the end determination time period KT3. As a result, the possibility of occurrence of the above two problems is reduced.

The above described embodiment may be modified as follows.

The deceleration starting point in time may be a point in time at which the driver starts applying the brakes. In this case, the start determination time period KT2and the end determination time period KT3may be longer than the case in the above described embodiment.

In a case where sensors are provided for detecting the amount of braking operation performed by the driver and the MC pressure in the master cylinder22, a point in time at which the brake operation amount or the MC pressure becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined braking determination value may be set as a deceleration starting point in time.

The start determination value KG2may be a constant value regardless of the road surface gradient.

The end determination value KG3may be a constant value regardless of the road surface gradient.

In a case where the loading of the vehicle is great, the second deceleration Gx changes after a delay with respect to the deceleration of the vehicle as compared to a case where the loading is small. Thus, the greater the loading of the vehicle, the greater the value of the start determination time period KT2may be set. Also, the greater the loading of the vehicle, the longer the end determination time period KT3may be set. However, even if at least one of the start determination time period KT2and the end determination time period KT3is corrected according to the loading, the end determination time period KT3is longer than the start determination time period KT2.

Also, when the loading of the vehicle is great, since the load ratio of the rear wheels RR, RL is great, the rear-wheel lift-up is less likely to take place for the deceleration of the vehicle as compared to a case where the loading is small. Thus, the braking determination value KG1and the start determination value KG2may be corrected to a greater value as the loading of the vehicle is increased. This reduces variation of the starting point in time of the limit control due to the loading of the vehicle.

If it is determined that the vehicle is running on an uphill road after the limit control is started, the limit control may be continued. In this case, the process of step S52is omitted in the above-mentioned end determination process routine.

Even if the road surface on which the vehicle is running is an uphill road, the limit control may be started when the conditions including that the start determination timer Ts is less than or equal to the start determination time period KT2and that the second deceleration Gx is greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2are both satisfied. In this case, in the above-mentioned start determination process routine, the process of step S33is omitted.

The limit control may be started after the start determination timer Ts reaches the start determination time period KT2even if the second deceleration Gx becomes greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2before the start determination timer Ts reaches the start determination time period KT2.

The limit control may be started when the second deceleration Gx at the point in time when the start determination timer Ts reaches the start determination time period KT2is greater than or equal to the start determination value KG2.

Even if the limit control is started, the limit control may be ended at the point in time when the second deceleration Gx becomes less than the start determination value KG2before the end determination timer Tf reaches the end determination time period KT3. Accordingly, the unnecessarily started limit control is ended at an early stage.

In the limit control, the pressure booster valves34a,34bfor the front wheels may be held in the closed state.

The brake actuator may be one that the braking force applied to the vehicle wheels FR, FL, RR, RL can be adjusted even when the driver is not applying the brakes. In the braking device including such a brake actuator, the limit control may be started when the starting condition of the limit control is satisfied even in a case where sudden braking is automatically performed.