Patent ID: 8046146

Claim:
A method for adaptively determining an anti-lock braking strategy for an anti-lock braking system, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic braking system including anti-lock braking functionality and stability control functionality, the anti-lock braking functionality responsive to a wheel skid by preventing a locked wheel condition, the stability control functionality responsive to vehicle instability by providing vehicle stability control through vehicle braking; sensing a wheel slip condition following a driver application of pressure to a vehicle brake pedal; activating the anti-lock braking functionality in response to detection of a wheel slip condition following the driver application of pressure to a vehicle brake pedal to determine a first anti-lock braking strategy in response to the sensed wheel slip condition; calculating a maximum distance to stop the vehicle; calculating a minimum distance to stop the vehicle; monitoring a distance differential of at least one target in proximity to a driven vehicle to determine an available distance to stop based on the distance differential; determining a second anti-lock braking strategy by blending anti-lock braking functionality and a vehicle stability control functionality where the blending is based upon an applicable one of the following three criteria: if the available distance to stop is greater than the calculated maximum distance to stop the vehicle, if the available distance to stop is less than calculated minimum distance to stop the vehicle, and if the available distance to stop is less than the maximum distance to stop but greater than the minimum distance to stop; and applying the second anti-lock braking strategy to enhance the stopping of the vehicle.