Patent Publication Number: US-2022219545-A1

Title: Apparatus and method for controlling electro-mechanical brake

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0004168, filed on Jan. 12, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling an electro-mechanical brake. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     The contents described herein provide only background information and do not constitute the related art. 
     In a situation in which a vehicle slipping phenomenon occurs, when optimum braking is not performed according to a traveling state of a vehicle and a condition of a ground surface, risk of an accident may be greater. Accordingly, an electro-mechanical brake (EMB), which may be precisely controlled when compared to a hydraulic brake and allow a structure of an overall brake system to be simplified, is being developed. 
     An EMB is an apparatus in which an actuator driven by a motor is installed on a caliper and directly brakes a vehicle using a driving force of the motor without a medium such as a brake fluid. In this case, a center electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to transmit a command signal related to braking of a WCU installed in the actuator of each of wheels, and the signal is exchanged between the center ECU and the WCU using controller area network (CAN). 
     Using the EMB, a conventional brake system (CBS), an anti-lock brake system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), and the like may be realized. Particularly, the ABS is configured to prevent a vehicle slipping phenomenon by quickly and automatically adjusting a braking pressure applied to a wheel of a vehicle according to a slip ratio calculated from a travel state of the vehicle. 
     However, when vehicle braking is controlled using the conventional CAN communication, and when a decrease and an increase in braking force are repeatedly required as in the ABS, signal delay may occur. Although the center ECU and the WCU may be connected using a wire without using the CAN communication, in this case, there are problems in that a size and complexity of an overall brake system are increased, and manufacturing costs are also increased. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to providing a control apparatus of an electro-mechanical brake, which is capable of securing stability of vehicle braking control including anti-lock brake system (ABS) control by solving a signal delay problem while using conventional controller area network (CAN) communication, and a method of controlling the same. 
     According to at least one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for controlling a plurality of electro-mechanical brakes (EMBs) configured to control, using a motor, braking of front wheels and rear wheels of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of wheel control units (WCUs) configured to control the motor to cause the plurality of EMBs to generate a plurality of braking forces corresponding to a plurality of braking signals, respectively; a center electronic control unit (ECU) configured to transmit the plurality of braking signals to the plurality of WCUs; and a plurality of bus lines comprising first and second bus lines and extending between the center ECU and the plurality of WCUs, wherein the center ECU is further configured to: transmit, via the first bus line, at least one of the plurality of braking signals to at least one of the plurality of WCUs; and transmit, via the second bus line, the other braking signal or signals to the other WCU or WCUs. 
     Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method performed by a center electric control unit (ECU) electrically connected to a plurality of wheel control units (WCUs) via a plurality of bus lines, the plurality WCUs configured to control a plurality of electro-mechanical brakes (EMBs) configured to control braking of front and rear wheels of a vehicle, the method comprising: calculating a slip ratio of each of the front and rear wheels; generating, based on the slip ratio of each of the front and rear wheels, a plurality of braking signals configured to control the plurality of EMBs; and transmitting, via the plurality of bus lines, the plurality of braking signals to the plurality of WCUs, wherein the plurality of bus lines comprises first and second bus lines, and at least one of the plurality of braking signals is transmitted via the first bus line, and the other braking signal or signals are transmitted via the second bus line. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing exemplary embodiments thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a configuration of a control apparatus of an electro-mechanical brake (EMB) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a first bus line and a second bus line of a controller area network (CAN) communication module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C  are views showing an example of first and second braking signals being transmitted according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, like reference numerals preferably designate like elements, although the elements are shown in different drawings. Further, in the following description of some embodiments, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted for the purpose of clarity and for brevity. 
     Additionally, alphanumeric codes such as first, second, i), ii), a), b), etc., in numbering components are used solely for the purpose of differentiating one component from the other but not to imply or suggest the substances, the order, or sequence of the components. Throughout this specification, when parts “include” or “comprise” a component, they are meant to further include other components, not excluding thereof unless there is a particular description contrary thereto. 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a configuration of a control apparatus of an electro-mechanical brake (EMB) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a first bus line and a second bus line of a controller area network (CAN) communication module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a control apparatus of an EMB according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include all or some of a brake pedal  100 , a center electronic control unit (ECU)  110 , wheel control units (WCUs)  120 , motors  130 , a first bus line  150 , and a second bus line  160 . Meanwhile, the EMB may be provided as four EMBs corresponding to wheels of a vehicle and configured to brake front wheels and rear wheels of the vehicle using the motor  130 . 
     Each element of the apparatus or method in accordance with the present invention may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. The functions of the respective elements may be implemented in software, and a microprocessor may be implemented to execute the software functions corresponding to the respective elements. 
     Various embodiments of systems and techniques described herein can be realized with digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and/or combinations thereof. The various embodiments can include implementation with one or more computer programs that are executable on a programmable system. The programmable system includes at least one programmable processor, which may be a special purpose processor or a general purpose processor, coupled to receive and transmit data and instructions from and to a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. Computer programs (also known as programs, software, software applications, or code) include instructions for a programmable processor and are stored in a “computer-readable recording medium.” 
     The computer-readable recording medium may include all types of storage devices on which computer-readable data can be stored. The computer-readable recording medium may be a non-volatile or non-transitory medium such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a compact disc ROM (CD-ROM), magnetic tape, a floppy disk, or an optical data storage device. In addition, the computer-readable recording medium may further include a transitory medium such as a data transmission medium. Furthermore, the computer-readable recording medium may be distributed over computer systems connected through a network, and computer-readable program code can be stored and executed in a distributive manner. 
     The brake pedal  100  is an apparatus used when a user tries to decrease a speed of the vehicle or to stop the vehicle and is disposed at a driver side of the vehicle to be pressed using a user&#39;s body, for example, the foot. In addition, a stroke sensor (not shown) configured to detect a stroke amount of the brake pedal  100  when the driver presses the brake pedal  100  may be installed on the brake pedal  100 . 
     The center ECU  110  is configured to transmit braking signals to the plurality of WCUs  120 . In addition, the center ECU  110  may be configured to calculate a slip ratio of the front wheel and a slip ratio of the rear wheel of the vehicle. Accordingly, the center ECU  110  may be electrically connected to a wheel speed sensor (not shown) installed in the wheel. The wheel speed sensor may detect a rotational speed of the wheel, and the rotational speed, which is detected by the wheel speed sensor, of the wheel is transmitted to the center ECU  110 . In addition, the center ECU  110  may be electrically connected to the stroke sensor, and in this case, a stroke amount, which is detected by the stroke sensor, of the brake pedal  100  may be transmitted to the center ECU  110 . 
     The center ECU  110  may include a braking calculation unit  112  in order to calculate the slip ratio and a braking force. The slip ratio may be calculated using a speed of the vehicle and a rotational speed of the wheel, and a method of calculating the slip ratio is well known as a known technology. The braking calculation unit  112  may calculate the braking force required for each of the wheels on the basis of the slip ratio calculated for each wheel. 
     For example, when it is determined that a wheel lock phenomenon, which is a phenomenon in which the wheel stops rotation, occurs at one or more of the wheels as a result of calculating slip ratios, the braking calculation unit  112  may repeatedly calculate a braking force to repeatedly decrease and increase the braking force of the wheel in order to realize an anti-lock brake system (ABS). 
     Meanwhile, the center ECU  110  may include an in-vehicle communication unit  114  in order to transmit the braking signals to the plurality of WCUs  120 . The in-vehicle communication unit  114  is configured to transmit the braking signals corresponding to the braking forces calculated by the braking calculation unit  112  to the plurality of WCUs  120 . In addition, the center ECU  110  may receive a rotational speed of the wheel from the wheel speed sensor using the in-vehicle communication unit  114 . The in-vehicle communication unit  114  may be formed using, for example, controller area network (CAN) communication. 
     In this case, the braking signal may include an increase signal to increase the braking force of the EMB and/or a decrease signal to decrease the braking force of the EMB. 
     The WCU  120  controls the motors  130  so that the plurality of EMBs generate the braking forces corresponding to the braking signals. Accordingly, the WCU  120  may be included in or installed on the motor  130 . 
     In addition, the WCUs  120  include a front left (FL) WCU  122 , a front right (FR) WCU  124 , a rear right (RR) WCU  126 , and a rear left (RL) WCU  128 . That is, a front WCU (not shown) includes the FL WCU  122  and the FR WCU  124 , and a rear WCU (not shown) includes the RR WCU  126  and the RL WCU  128 . 
     The motor  130  rotates in a forward or reverse direction to generate a rotational force according to control of the WCU  120 . The rotational force generated by the motor  130  is transmitted to a gear box (not shown), and the gear box, which receives the rotational force, is configured so that a spindle (not shown) moves linearly. 
     When the spindle of the gear box moves linearly, a piston (not shown) attached to one end of a caliper body (not shown) moves forward or rearward, and accordingly, the brake pad (not shown) connected to the piston pressurizes a disc (not shown) to generate a braking force. In the present disclosure, since a structure related to driving of the motor  130  and the gear box are well known technology to those skilled in the art, drawings and detailed descriptions related thereto will be omitted. 
     The first bus line  150  may electrically connect the plurality of WCUs  120  and the center ECU  110  and may serve to transmit a first braking signal  350  (see  FIG. 3 ) to at least one of the WCUs. In this case, the first braking signal  350  is a braking signal transmitted thereto using the first bus line  150 . 
     The second bus line  160  may electrically connect the plurality of WCUs  120  and the center ECU  110  and may serve to transmit a second braking signal  360  (see  FIG. 3 ) to the remaining WCUs excluding the WCU which receives the first braking signal  350 . In this case, the second braking signal  360  is a braking signal transmitted thereto using the second bus line  160 . 
     That is, both of the first bus line  150  and the second bus line  160  may electrically connect the plurality of WCUs  120  and the center ECU  110  and may transmit the braking signals in parallel. Accordingly, the center ECU  110  may transmit the braking signals to at least some of the plurality of WCUs  120  and the remaining WCUs  120  using different bus lines. 
     A control apparatus of a conventional EMB is configured to transmit a braking signal using a first bus line  150  and configured to transmit a braking signal using the second bus line  160  when the first bus line  150  fails. The control apparatus of the EMB of the present disclosure is configured to transmit the braking signals using the first bus line  150  and the second bus line  160  at the same time or at different times without additionally including a separate bus line and is not necessarily limited such that the braking signal is transmitted through the second bus line  160  only when the first bus line  150  fails. That is, the conventional EMB also includes two bus lines for realizing redundancy, but in the present disclosure, redundancy may also be realized, and since two bus lines are used at normal times, the braking signals may be transmitted more quickly. 
       FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C  are views showing an example of first and second braking signals being transmitted according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3A , each of the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  may be transmitted to one WCU among the front WCUs  122  and  124  and one WCU among the rear WCUs  126  and  128 . 
     In this case, the center ECU  110  may transmit the first braking signal  350  to one front WCU and one rear WCU among the plurality of WCUs  120  using the first bus line  150 . In addition, the center ECU  110  may transmit the second braking signal  360  to the other front WCU and the other rear WCU among the plurality of WCUs  120  using the second bus line  160 . 
     That is, as illustrated in  FIG. 3A , the first braking signal  350  may be transmitted to the FL WCU  122  and the RR WCU  126 , and the second braking signal  360  may be transmitted to the FR WCU  124  and the RL WCU  128 . However, as long as the first braking signal  350  is transmitted to one of the FL WCU  122  and the FR WCU  124  and one of the RL WCU  128  and the RR WCU  126  and the second braking signal  360  is transmitted to the remaining WCUs excluding the WCUs to which the first braking signal  350  is transmitted, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the transmission method as in  FIG. 3A . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B , the first braking signal  350  may be transmitted to the front WCUs  122  and  124  corresponding to the front wheels of the vehicle, and the second braking signal  360  may be transmitted to the rear WCUs  126   a  and  128  corresponding to the rear wheels of the vehicle. 
     In this case, the center ECU  110  may transmit the first braking signal  350  to the front WCUs  122  and  124  among the plurality of WCUs  120  using the first bus line  150  and may transmit the second braking signal  360  to the rear WCUs  126  and  128  among the plurality of WCUs  120  using the second bus line  160 . 
     That is, as illustrated in  FIG. 3B , the first braking signal  350  may be transmitted to the FL WCU  122  and the FR WCU  124 , and the second braking signal  360  may be transmitted to the RR WCU  126  and the RL WCU  128 . 
     As in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , since each of the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  is transmitted to two WCUs among the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 , a transmission speed may be higher when compared to a case in which the braking signal is transmitted to the four WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  using one bus lines. 
     That is, referring to  FIG. 2 , when the braking signal is transmitted to four WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  using one bus lines, since the braking signal is sequentially transmitted in order from the FL WCU  128 , the braking signal, which is arrived at the RL WCU  128 , may be transmitted at the latest. Accordingly, since the first bus line  150  and the second bus line  160  share and transmit the braking signals transmitted to the WCUs  120 , when quick braking is required, for example, when an ABS operates, the braking signal may be more quickly transmitted to the WCUs  120 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3C , the first braking signal  350  may be transmitted to the FL WCU  122 , and the second braking signal  360  may be transmitted to the FR WCU  124 , the RR WCU  126 , and the RL WCU  128 . In a situation in which any one of the WCUs is controlled extremely quickly, the present disclosure may be configured as in  FIG. 3C . 
     In addition, the center ECU  110  may determine WCUs, to which the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  are to be transmitted, among the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  according to a travel state of the vehicle and a state of the ground surface. For example, the determination of the WCUs, to which the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  are transmitted, may be changed continuously among the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 . 
     For example, whenever the ABS operates, the center ECU  110  may store data about the braking signals transmitted to the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  and distribute the braking signals transmitted to the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  using the stored data and a feedback system. Accordingly, using the travel state of the vehicle, the state of the ground surface, the data when the ABS operates, and the like, the center ECU  110  may determine which braking signals should be transmitted to which WCUs among the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 , and in this case, may determine a case, in which the braking signal may be transmitted the most quickly, to distribute the braking signals to the first bus line  150  and the second bus line  160 . 
     Meanwhile, each of the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  may include an increase signal and/or a decrease signal, and the decrease signal may be transmitted to the WCU  120  prior to transmitting the increase signal. That is, the center ECU  110  may transmit the decrease signal to the plurality of WCUs  120  prior to transmitting the increase signal. For example, when each of the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  are transmitted to two WCUs, among the braking signals, a signal transmitted first may be the decrease signal. 
     When the ABS operates, the wheel, on which wheel lock occurs, requires quick control when compared to the other wheels, and particularly, securing rotation of the wheel by quickly decreasing a braking force is important. That is, decreasing the braking force is required to be performed more quickly than increasing the braking force, and thus the decrease signal may be transmitted to the WCU  120  prior to transmitting the increase signal. 
     In addition, when the decrease signal is transmitted to the front WCUs  122  and  124  and the rear WCUs  126  and  128  among the plurality of WCUs  120 , the decrease signal may be preferentially transmitted to the rear WCUs  126  and  128 . When a wheel lock phenomenon occurs on the rear wheel, there is a high probability that a more dangerous situation, that is, a situation in which the vehicle loses balance, occurs in terms of posture control when compared to a case in which a wheel lock phenomenon occurs on the front wheel. Accordingly, since the rear wheel needs to be controlled relatively more quickly, when the decrease signal should be transmitted to all of the front WCUs  122  and  124  and the rear WCUs  126  and  128 , the decrease signal may be preferentially transmitted to the rear WCUs  126  and  128 . 
     Meanwhile, the center ECU  110  may transmit the decrease signal to each of the plurality of WCUs  120  alternately using the first bus line  150  and the second bus line  160 . For example, it may be configured that the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 , to which the first braking signal and the second braking signal are transmitted, are not changed for a predetermined time, and in this case, the decrease signal may be transmitted to each of the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  alternately using the first bus line  150  and the second bus line  160  according to control of the center ECU  110 . 
     In the case of a general braking situation, even when the ABS operates, since a case, in which the decrease signal is transmitted to three or more WCUs, hardly occurs, even when each of the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  is transmitted to two WCUs, a case, in which the decrease signal is delayed significantly, does not occur. In addition, when the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 , to which the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  are transmitted, are fixed, a method of transmitting the signal may be simplified. 
     Meanwhile, in  FIG. 3 , it is illustrated that the braking signals are transmitted to all of the WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 , but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto. That is, the braking signal may not be transmitted to the WCU which does not need to receive the braking signal. 
     The method of controlling the EMB according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a method performed by the center ECU  110  electrically connected to the plurality of WCUs  120 , which control the plurality of EMBs configured to brake the front wheels and rear wheels of the vehicle through at least two bus lines  150  and  160 . 
     The center ECU  110  calculates slip ratios of the wheels. The plurality of braking signals  350  and  360  for controlling the plurality of EMBs are generated in the WCUs  120  on the basis of the calculated slip ratios. The generated plurality of braking signals  350  and  360  are transmitted to the plurality of WCUs  120  using at least two bus lines  150  and  160 . In this case, the braking signals may be transmitted using the in-vehicle communication unit  114 . In this case, at least one of the plurality of braking signals  350  and  360  may be transmitted to the plurality of WCUs  120  using the bus line different from the remaining bus line used for the remaining braking signal. 
     A process of transmitting the plurality of braking signals  350  and  360  may include a process of transmitting the first braking signal  350  to one front WCU and one rear WCU among the plurality of WCUs  120 . In this case, the process of transmitting the plurality of braking signals  350  and  360  may include a process of transmitting the second braking signal  360  to the other front WCU and the other rear WCU among the plurality of WCUs  120 . 
     Meanwhile, the process of transmitting the plurality of braking signals  350  and  360  may include a process of transmitting the first braking signal  350  to the front WCUs  122  and  124  among the plurality of WCUs  120  and a process of transmitting the second braking signal  360  to the rear WCUs  126  and  128  among the plurality of WCUs  120 . 
     In addition, the process of transmitting the plurality of braking signals  350  and  360  may include a process of transmitting the decrease signal to the plurality of WCUs  120  prior to transmitting the increase signal. In this case, when the decrease signal is transmitted to the front WCUs  122  and  124  and the rear WCUs  126  and  128  among the plurality of WCUs  120 , the decrease signal may be preferentially transmitted to the rear WCUs  126  and  128 . 
     Accordingly, the plurality of EMBs generates braking forces corresponding to the braking signals according to control of the plurality of WCUs  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  which receive the first braking signal  350  and the second braking signal  360  described above. 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, since a signal delay problem is solved while using the conventional CAN communication provided in the vehicle, there is an effect of securing stability of vehicle braking control including ABS control. 
     According to the present embodiment, there is an effect of securing stability of vehicle braking control including ABS control by solving a signal delay problem even using conventional CAN communication. 
     Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible, without departing from the idea and scope of the claimed invention. Therefore, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described for the sake of brevity and clarity. The scope of the technical idea of the present embodiments is not limited by the illustrations. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill would understand the scope of the claimed invention is not to be limited by the above explicitly described embodiments but by the claims and equivalents thereof.