Patent ID: 8364371

Claim:
A method for detecting functional integrity of a braking system, the braking system including a friction braking mechanism, a brake actuator for actuating the friction braking mechanism via a hydraulic pressure, a first sensor configured to sense the hydraulic pressure in the braking system, a second sensor configured to sense a displacement of the brake actuator, and a controller adapted for regulating the operation of the braking system, the method comprising: applying the brake actuator; sensing via the first sensor the displacement of the brake actuator; sensing via the second sensor the hydraulic pressure in the braking system; determining whether the sensed hydraulic pressure in the braking system corresponding to the sensed displacement of the brake actuator is within a predetermined acceptable range; and determining whether the sensed hydraulic pressure in the braking system corresponding to the sensed displacement of the brake actuator is within a second predetermined threshold range, and setting a second alert if the sensed hydraulic pressure in the braking system corresponding to the sensed displacement of the brake actuator is within the second predetermined threshold range.