Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments herein relate to the field of vehicles, and, more specifically, to devices, methods, and systems for vehicles to be stopped in a delayed fashion in the event of an emergency power loss.

Background

[0002] Vehicles of all types and configurations are equipped with braking systems. These braking systems often include one or more emergency or fail safe systems configured to bring the vehicle to a stop in a variety of emergency situations. These fail safe systems may engage in situations such as a sudden or unexpected loss of power, a failure of the primary braking system, or other scenario in which the vehicle must be arrested. The emergency braking system on a vehicle may be engaged manually in some implementations, such as the parking or emergency brake on an automobile, or automatically, such as the emergency system equipped to an elevator to arrest a fall in the event of a failure of the hoist mechanism.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] Embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompany! ng d rawi ngs.

[0004] Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing a first example process for stopping a vehicle in a potentially delayed fashion in the event of an emergency situation, according to various embodiments.

[0005] Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing a second example process for stopping a vehicle in a potentially delayed fashion in the event of an emergency situation, according to various embodiments. [0006] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a first example system that could be used to implement the example processes of Figs. 1 or 2, according to various embodiments.

[0007] Fig.4 is a block diagram of a second example system using a brake controller that could be used to implement the example processes of Figs. 1 or 2, according to various embodiments.

[0008] Fig. 5 depicts a materials handling vehicle with a tiller and illustrating braking and coasting position ranges, according to various embodiments.

[0009] Fig. 6 is a block diagram of an example computer that can be used to implement some or all of the components of the example methods and systems disclosed herein, according to various embodiments.

[0010] Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a computer-readable storage medium that can be used to implement some of the components of the system or methods disclosed herein, according to various embodiments.

Detailed Description of Disclosed Embodiments

[0011] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the

accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown byway of illustration embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0012] Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent.

[0013] The description may use perspective-based descriptions such as up/down, back/front, and top/bottom. Such descriptions are merely used to facilitate the discussion and are not intended to restrict the application of disclosed embodiments.

[0014] The terms "coupled” and "connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, "connected” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical contact with each other. "Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical contact. However, "coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0015] For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "A/B” or in the form "A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "at least one of A, B, and C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "(A)B” means (B) or (AB) that is, A is an optional element.

[0016] The description may use the terms "embodiment” or "embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms "comprising,” "including,” "having,” and the like, as used with respect to

embodiments, are synonymous, and are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.).

[0017] With respect to the use of any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various

singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

[0018] Emergency braking systems can be implemented in a variety of different fashions. Some systems employ mechanical means such as springs, levers, cables, weights, hydraulic systems, and other similar structures, to apply the braking mechanism. Other systems employ electrical means such as coils, relays, contactors, and other similar devices. Still other systems employ some combination of the foregoing. Means to detect an emergency situation (where a vehicle is configured to automatically detect the situation) can likewise use mechanical, electrical, or a combination of the two to determine when a loss of power or other emergency situation is encountered, and so trigger the emergency braking mechanism. [0019] Some vehicles, such as automobiles, may provide a lever or pedal mechanically connected to the emergency brake that can be actuated by the driver. While the driver can typically modulate the emergency braking mechanism to control the rate of stop, such systems usually lack an automatic application function and instead rely upon the driver to detect an emergency system and actuate the emergency braking mechanism. For automatic systems, while detection of an emergency condition is usually automatic or presumed, in contrast and regardless of the way in which the mechanism(s) is/are deployed, often modulation of the braking to control the rate of slowing is not present. When an emergency situation is detected or the emergency brakes are otherwise triggered, the emergency braking mechanism is simply applied at a preset force to arrest the vehicle as quickly as possible.

[0020] Immediate full application of the emergency braking mechanism may lead to undesirable results in some circumstances for some vehicles. For example, where the vehicle is loaded with cargo, the sudden deceleration brought about by full brake application can cause the cargo to shift or topple. The operator of the vehicle (and/or any passengers) may likewise be jolted uncomfortably or thrown into vehicle structures or cargo, or ejected from the vehicle. I n some situations, such as where the vehicle is operating on surfaces that do not offer optimal traction, sudden full application of the emergency braking mechanism may result in loss of traction of one or more wheels, resulting in a skid or slide and a potential loss of control. In such scenarios, even with a loss of power and/or the service brakes, continued controllable movement of the vehicle is often preferable to a sudden full application of brakes. The operator may still be able to maneuver the disabled vehicle and allow it to coast to a stop, while immediate full brake application may result in an out of control vehicle.

[0021] A system that delays application of the emergency braking mechanism, where possible, in the event of an emergency situation may inhibit the occurrence of undesirable results. Emergency situations may arise from a variety of circumstances, such as loss of vehicle power due to a battery failure, power or drive system failure, fault condition in the vehicle controller or otherwise detected by the vehicle controller, or another cause that may compromise continued functioning of the vehicle. Depending upon the situation of the vehicle at the time of fault occurrence, it may not be necessary to actuate the emergency braking mechanism. For example, if the vehicle was travelling forward at a normal operating speed, such as at a roughly constant speed, it may be safe to allow the vehicle to coast to a stop following power failure.

[0022] Disclosed embodiments include a system that monitors for a fault as discussed above, e.g. power failure, controller fault, detects the position of a vehicle’s controls, and determines whether the operator was braking the vehicle. If so, the system can immediately engage the emergency brake. If, however, the system detects that the vehicle was not being braked, the system can delay application of the emergency brake and allow the vehicle to coast. In other embodiments, if the operator was braking the vehicle, the system may first engage the service brakes to normally slow the vehicle until a predetermined speed is reached, then engage the emergency brake. Some embodiments may monitor the status of the operator controls periodically or continually following detection of a fault, and either allow the vehicle to coast or apply the service brakes depending upon how the operator manipulates the controls, followed by application of the emergency brake either after a predetermined time elapses, or the vehicle speed slows sufficiently. The operator is thereby allowed to continue to control the vehicle as before the emergency situation, potentially allowing obstacle avoidance and/or bringing the vehicle to a stop in a more desirable location or position. Further, if the operator nevertheless commands braking, e.g. a down slope or collision with an obstacle or person is imminent, the system can immediately engage the emergency brake.

[0023] Referring to Fig. 1, the logical operations of a first example method 100 for automatically braking a vehicle to a stop that experiencing an emergency situation, such as a loss of power and/or a control system fault, is depicted. The operations of example method 100 may be performed in whole or in part. One or more operations may be omitted or added, or the order changed, as may be possible without sacrificing the results of the method. Some embodiments may be employed on a vehicle configured for handling of materials or goods, such as a pallet truck or fork lift. However, method 100 could be employed with any vehicle that includes an automatic emergency braking system, such as cars, trucks, trains, motorcycles, bicycles, elevators, trolleys, and any other suitably equipped vehicle.

[0024] Starting with operation 102, an emergency condition, such as a vehicle power loss or vehicle controller fault, is detected. Detection may be accomplished by any technique suitable for a given vehicle implementation. For example, loss of power to a traction motor may be detected by monitoring for a deviation from normal current flowing through the traction motor, and/or at another point in the power delivery circuitry between the power source (such as a battery) and the traction motor(s).

Thermocouples or other temperature sensors may detect on overheat condition on one or more components in the power delivery circuitry and/or the traction motor(s) that necessitates a shutdown. A vehicle controller or traction motor controller may include self-diagnostics that may indicate an error or fault in the controller that would prevent or otherwise jeopardize continued operation of the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, monitoring circuitry external to the controller may detect a fault condition. Other types of faults that may result in a condition where the vehicle should be brought to a halt may be detected by any technique suitable to the particular condition.

[0025] Vehicle power loss may further be detected depending upon how the power loss is experienced. For example, a vehicle power loss may be registered if the battery voltage drops below a predetermined threshold level necessary to sustain vehicle power and/or to prevent battery damage. Other battery parameters may be monitored, such as temperature. For example, a vehicle power loss may be registered if the battery

temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold to prevent battery damage. In some such embodiments, the battery may be still able to provide sufficient power to the vehicle but at a risk of damage; in such embodiments, the vehicle controller may consider such a condition as a loss of power to prevent vehicle damage. Other conditions may be detected, such as a traction motor overheating, or a break in electrical connectivity with the traction motor.

[0026] In operation 102, although vehicle power loss is the described emergency situation, method 100 is equally applicable in other emergency situations, such as an error or glitch in a vehicle control system (e.g. motor control), in the vehicle service brakes (e.g. service brakes are applied but fail to engage), a detected loss of traction, a vehicle fire, or any other situation where delayed application of full braking is desirable to allow the operator to maintain control. The emergency situation may be detected by any suitable method, and may vary depending upon how method 100 is implemented.

[0027] Following detection of vehicle power loss, in operation 104 the position of the actuating mechanism for the vehicle’s service brakes is detected to determine whether it is in a brake position. For example, for commonly available pallet trucks equipped with a tiller arm the tiller arm moves through an arc from a vertical position to a horizontal position that is substantially parallel with the floor. When the tiller arm is at, or near, either the vertical position or the horizontal position the tiller arm position causes the vehicle’s brakes to be applied. This configuration will be described in greater detail herein with respect to Fig. 5. Other vehicles may employ different brake actuation mechanisms, such as a pedal, lever, or hand grip. The mechanism for detecting the position of the brake actuation mechanism will depend upon the specifics of a given embodiment, including the type of brake actuation mechanism. For example, where a tiller has one or more brake actuation ranges, the position may be detected by an encoder indicating the tiller position within its arc. Where the actuation mechanism is a pedal, lever, or handle, a microswitch or similar structure may be closed when the brakes are actuated. In still other possible embodiments, the vehicle may be equipped with a brake controller, which can signal when the brakes are actuated.

[0028] If the actuating mechanism is in a brake position (the "YES” path from operation 104), then in operation 106, the emergency braking system is immediately engaged, to bring the vehicle to a stop. Where the brakes are actuated, method 100 may assume that the operator is intending to bring the vehicle to a halt, such as to avoid a collision, and so cause the emergency brakes to immediately apply. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments the vehicle’s service brakes may rely upon power delivery for operation. Other embodiments may involve the traction motor, such as where the service brakes at least partially include regenerative braking, where the traction motor is reconfigured to act as a generator and thereby convert the vehicle’s inertia into electrical current to be feed back into the battery and/or into a resistive load. In such scenarios, the detected fault may potentially compromise the service brakes, leaving engaging the emergency brake the preferable option.

[0029] If the brake actuating mechanism is in a non-brake position (the "NO” path from operation 104), then in operation 108 the vehicle is allowed to coast, and a timer is set. Where the brakes are not actuated, example method 100 may assume that the vehicle is not in immediate danger of collision, and so the vehicle may be allowed to coast for a period of time corresponding to the set timer, to allow it to naturally decrease in speed due to rolling resistance. The timer is thus set to an appropriate period of time that the vehicle may be allowed to coast. In some embodiments, this amount is approximately 15 seconds, while in other embodiments, this amount may vary. Relatively heavier vehicles may require a greater time (e.g. trains may require substantially greater times), while relatively lighter vehicles and/or vehicles that may be slowed by some resistance (such as an all-terrain vehicle that traverses over sand) may have a shorter timer prior to brake application.

[0030] The amount of time may further vary depending upon the vehicle

configuration and the typical amount of deceleration the vehicle experiences over time when coasting. In some embodiments, the amount of load may be detected, which may impact the coast time. For example, a heavier load, when at speed, has a greater inertia that may result in a longer coast time to decelerate to a predetermined lower speed, particularly when relatively solid wheels are employed that do not present significant rolling resistance. Similarly, where the vehicle is lightly loaded the coast time may be reduced, as the rolling resistance is comparatively greater than vehicle inertia. The selection of wheel type may impact deceleration during coasting for a given amount of load. These various factors may be considered when selecting an appropriate timer length. In some embodiments, the timer length may be preselected during vehicle assembly, tuning, or during testing, such as at the assembly factory. In other embodiments, the timer length may be preselected by the vehicle owner or operator. In still other embodiments, the timer length may be dynamically computed based upon sensed values such as vehicle speed at the time of fault detection and/or vehicle load. [0031] In operation 110, the position of the brake actuation mechanism is again detected to determine whether it is in a brake position, as described above in connection with operation 104. If it is (the "YES” path from operation 110), the method 100 proceeds to operation 106, described above, where the emergency braking system is immediately engaged.

[0032] If, however, the actuation mechanism remains in a non-brake position (the "NO” path from operation 110), then in operation 112, the timer is checked to determine if it has elapsed. If the timer is still running (the "NO” path from operation 112), method 100 returns back to operation 110. If the timer has elapsed (the "YES” path from operation 112), method 100 proceeds to operation 106, and the emergency brake system is engaged. In still other embodiments, a speed-based approach may be employed rather than a timer, with a threshold speed established. In such embodiments, when the vehicle’s sensed speed drops below the threshold speed, the brakes may be engaged. Thus, in operation 112, rather than determining whether the timer has elapsed, method 100 would determine whether the vehicle speed had dropped below the threshold speed.

[0033] The vehicle in the example embodiment of Fig. 1 is described as equipped with a tiller, which may provide both steering and braking control, as well as acceleration, depending upon the type of vehicle. In other embodiments, braking may be provided by a control separate from a tiller, such as a brake pedal or similarly suitable control. In such implementations, for operations 104 and 110, the position of the brake control, e.g.

actuated or not actuated, may be determined.

[0034] While operations 104 and 110 are described as a polling or checking action, e.g. the tiller position is detected, this is not intended to imply an actual functional step or some form of ongoing active monitoring, but rather a logical one. Some embodiments may be state based, e.g. application of the brake may be a yes/no condition, where the timer is set in operation 108. The emergency brake remains unapplied until either a signal is received that the timer elapses (operation 112), or the brake is applied (operation 110).

[0035] Fig. 2 depicts the operations of a second example method 200 for automatically braking a vehicle to a stop that experiencing an emergency situation, such as a loss of power and/or a control system fault, is depicted. Method 200 shares several operations in common with method 100. These common operations will not be discussed in detail; rather, the reader is directed to the corresponding operations of method 100 for a detailed explanation. The operations of example method 200 may be performed in whole or in part. One or more operations may be omitted or added, or the order changed, as may be possible without sacrificing the results of the method.

[0036] In operation 202, an emergency condition is detected, similar to operation 102. Following detection of an emergency condition, in operation 204 the position of the vehicle’s brake actuation mechanism is determined, similar to operation 104. If the brakes are not actuated (the "NO” path from operation 204), method 200 proceeds to operation 208, where the vehicle is allowed to coast and a timer is set, similar to operation 108.

[0037] If the brakes have been actuated (the "YES” path from operation 204), method 200 proceeds to operation 206. In operation 206, the service brakes of the vehicle may be engaged. The service brakes may be capable of being modulated in application similar to how they would be modulated during normal vehicle operation. In this way, the operator can control braking similar to normal operation, and may be able to bring the vehicle to a controlled stop without needing to resort to the emergency brake.

[0038] Following operation 206, in operation 214 the speed of the vehicle may be monitored in some embodiments to determine if the vehicle is below a predetermined speed. In some embodiments, if not, (the "NO” path from operation 214), method 200 proceeds back to operation 204, for continued monitoring of the brake actuator condition. If, however, the vehicle speed is below the predetermined speed, method 200 may proceed to operation 216 and the emergency brake is applied, similar to operation 106 of method 100. In some embodiments, method 200 may stay on operation 206 as long as the service brakes are applied, and will not proceed to operation 214 unless the service brakes are no longer actuated. In such an embodiment, the operator may bring the vehicle to a controlled stop by keeping the service brakes engaged until the vehicle halts, without need for emergency brake actuation.

[0039] In embodiments, operation 214 can act as a back stop to the service brakes, particularly in situations where the detected fault or emergency condition may impact the functioning of the service brakes. Embodiments where the service brakes are not tied to the power system, e.g. purely mechanical, may not require monitoring of the speed. In some embodiments, the method 200 may terminate at operation 214 if the vehicle is brought to a halt using the serivce brakes. The predetermined speed may be set at the factory, in some embodiments, based upon vehicle characteristics (e.g. vehicle weight and/or emergency braking mechanism effectiveness). In other embodiments, the predetermined speed may be set by the owner or operator of the vehicle. In still other embodiments, the predetermined speed may be dynamically set during operation based on parameters such as vehicle loading, center of gravity, etc.

[0040] Similarly, following operation 208, method 200 proceeds to operation 210, where the position of the brake actuation mechanism is determined, similar to operation 204. If the brakes are actuated (the "YES” path from operation 210), then the method 200 proceeds to operation 206, as described above. If the brakes are not actuated (the "NO” path from operation 210), then method 200 proceeds to operation 212 and the status of the timer is checked, similar to operation 112 of method 100. If the timer has not elapsed (the "NO” path from operation 212), then method 200 proceeds back to operation 210; otherwise (the "YES” path from operation 212), then method 216 and the emergency brake is applied, similar to operation 106 of method 100.

[0041] It will be observed that the paths of method 200 may allow for the timer to be set in operation 208 (from the "NO” path from operation 204), then nevertheless proceed to engaging the service brakes in operation 206. In some such embodiments, the timer may continue to run through multiple potential iterations of operations 204, 206, 208, and 210; if the timer elapses while the service brake is applied, the emergency brake would thus be actuated upon releasing the service brake via a path of operations 214,

104, 206, 210, and 212. In other embodiments, the timer may be reset each time operation 208 is executed, so that actuating the service brakes effectively resets the timer. In still other embodiments, the "YES” path from operation 212 may instead proceed to operation 214. In such an embodiment, the emergency brake may be applied regardless of whether the timer has elapsed if it is detected that the vehicle speed is sufficiently slow that the emergency brake may be applied. [0042] In some embodiments, a combination of steps of methods 100 and 200 may be utilized. For example, a vehicle may implement method 200 by default. However, if the emergency condition detected in operation 202 would affect the application of the service brake in operation 206, e.g., the traction motor could not be utilized for regenerative braking, or the service brakes cannot be applied or are otherwise

unavailable, then the vehicle may revert to the operations of method 100, where the vehicle is either allowed to coast (operation 108) or is the emergency brake is applied (operation 106). In still other embodiments, the service brakes may be available on a limited basis, e.g. via some reserve power. In such an embodiment, method 200 may be followed until it is determined that the service brakes are no longer available or effective, at which point the vehicle will revert to the operations of method 100.

[0043] Fig. 3 depicts a block diagram of the components of a possible system 300 for controlled engagement of the emergency brake system. System 300 may be used to implement either of example methods 100 or 200, or another suitable method. System 300 includes a battery power source 302, which may supply power to various vehicle components, such as a traction motor, vehicle controller, lamps, accessories, etc. Battery power 302 may be connected to a fault relay 304, configured to control the flow of current through system 300 to the emergency brake 318. Battery power 302 may be any battery or other similar power source appropriate for operating a vehicle. Battery types may include lead-acid, nickel metal hydride, lithium ion, lithium polymer, or another suitable power source. Battery power 302 may be the main vehicle battery, such as on an electric vehicle, or may be a separate stand-alone power source, dedicated to the emergency braking system.

[0044] Fault relay 304 accepts as inputs signals from one or more power fault sensors 306 and/or one or more controller fault sensors 308. As seen in Fig. 3, these signals may be logically OR’d, so that a detection of a fault from either of sensors 306 or 308 will trigger fault relay 304. Fault relay 304 may be implemented as an electro mechanical relay, a series of relays, one or more solid state switches (such as a MOSFET bank), a logic device such as an FPGA, or another suitable switching mechanism that can be selectively triggered via a signal. With respect to example methods 100 and 200, fault relay 304 logically implements operation 102/202.

[0045] If fault relay 304 is triggered, it signals brake application relay 310. Brake application relay may accept as input a brake control position sensor 312. As described herein, when brake control position sensor 312 signals that the service brake actuation mechanism has been triggered (brakes applied), then brake application relay 310 may trigger actuation of the service brakes 316, which may at least partially include

regenerative braking, depending upon the implementing vehicle. In some embodiments, batter power 302 may be connected to the service brakes 316 to allow application. If, however, the brake control position sensor 312 indicates the brake actuation mechanism has not been applied (brakes not applied), then then brake application relay 310 may signal the timer/speed sensor relay 313. With respect to example methods 100 and 200, brake application relay 310 may logically implement operations 104, 108, 110, 204, 206, 208 and 210. Brake application relay 310 may be implemented using similar components and/or in a similar fashion as fault relay 304, or may be implemented using different suitable components, as discussed below.

[0046] Brake control position sensor 312, as discussed above with respect to method 100, may be any suitable device capable of determining whether the operator is attempting to actuate the service brakes. The nature of sensor 312 will depend upon the specifics of a given vehicle implementation. For example, the brake control position sensor 312 may be an encoder encoding the position of a tiller, such as in a vehicle 1500, discussed herein with respect to Fig. 5. Other implementation may employ microswitches, encoders, hall effect sensors, or any other appropriate device that can determine if the brake actuation mechanism has been actuated.

[0047] Brake application relay 310 may signal a timer/speed sensor 314 to either commence a timer and/or monitor vehicle speed. For example, if brake application relay 310 detects that the brake actuation mechanism is not actuated, viz. the operator is not attempting to apply the service brakes, timer/speed sensor 314 may initiate a timer, as discussed above with respect to operations 108 and 208 of methods 100 and 200, respectively. Alternatively or additionally, brake application relay 310 may signal timer/speed sensor 314 that the brake actuation mechanism is actuated, and cause timer/speed sensor 314 to instead begin monitoring the vehicle speed for dropping below a predetermined speed, as discussed above with respect to operation 214 of method 200. In other embodiments, timer/speed sensor 314 may being monitoring vehicle speed any time a fault is detected via fault relay 304, regardless of the condition of a brake actuation mechanism. In still other embodiments, timer/speed sensor 314 may only monitor speed if brake application relay 310 indicates that the brake actuation mechanism is not actuated, and may further not include a timer.

[0048] Once the timer elapses and/or the speed drops below the predetermined threshold, as discussed above with respect to methods 100 and 200, timer/speed sensor 314 may trigger the emergency brake 318 to apply, to bring the vehicle to a halt. In some embodiments, timer/speed sensor 314 may act as a relay to complete a connection between battery power 302 and the emergency brake 318. In such an embodiment, each of fault relay 304, brake application relay 310, and timer/speed sensor 314 must close to complete the circuit and energize the emergency brake 318 to actuation, which is the logical result of reaching operations 106 or 216 of methods 100 or 200, respectively.

[0049] In other embodiments, the emergency brake 318 may be designed in a fail safe fashion, where it is held from engagement by supplying battery power. For example, emergency brake 318 may be configured to be actuated by a spring, but is held back from engagement via powering a solenoid. Such an emergency brake will automatically engage to halt the vehicle should power be removed, thus allowing the spring to engage the brake. In such an embodiment, the various relays 304, 310, and 314 can instead act in concert to interrupt the flow of current from battery power 302 to the emergency brake 318, thereby causing the emergency brake 318 to actuate. Such a configuration has the added advantage that, should battery power 302 fail or otherwise become disconnected, the emergency brake 318 will automatically engage to prevent a scenario where the vehicle has no functional braking system. In still other embodiments, emergency brake 318 may include modulating functionality, where the amount of force exerted by the emergency brake 318 to slow and arrest vehicle travel can be varied, similar to the service brakes. In such embodiments, the force exerted by the emergency brake 318 may be varied depending upon the speed of the vehicle and/or the sensed load of the vehicle, to both ensure that the emergency brake 318 can effectively stop the vehicle, but also to ensure that the emergency brake 318 does not cause the wheels to lock up or the vehicle to otherwise go out of control upon emergency brake 318 actuation.

[0050] It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that Fig. 3 is a logical block diagram, and is not intended to represent the actual connections between various components, which will vary depending upon the specifics of a given implementing vehicle.

[0051] The various components of system 300 may be implemented using discrete circuitry, such as properly configured relays, diodes, resistors, and/or other suitable components, via one or more microcontrollers or computing devices (such as computer device 500, described below with respect to Fig. 6) that may be running software, firmware, microcode, or some combination of the same, custom and/or programmable components such as an ASIC or FPGA, or a combination of any of the foregoing.

[0052] Fig.4 depicts a second example system 400 that may be used to implement method 100 or 200. System 400 includes a brake control unit 402, which is in

communication with the vehicle power system 404, vehicle controller 406, brake actuation sensor 408, a timer 410, and a brake actuator 412, which in turn may connect to the service brakes 414 and the emergency brake 416. Brake control unit 402 may be implemented using discrete circuitry, via one or more microcontrollers or computing devices (such as computer device 500, described below with respect to Fig. 6) that may be running software, firmware, microcode, or some combination of the same, custom and/or programmable components such as an ASIC or FPGA, or a combination of any of the foregoing. In embodiments, brake control unit 402 is configured to implement one or more of the operations of method 100 and/or method 200.

[0053] In embodiments, brake control unit 402 receives signals from or otherwise monitors the status of vehicle power system 404 and vehicle controller 406. These signals may be from sensors, self diagnostics, and/or any other suitable mechanism for detection of a fault. In some embodiments, brake control unit 402 may only be connected to vehicle controller 406, with vehicle controller 406 monitoring the status of vehicle power system 404 for potential faults, and notifying the brake control unit 402. Brake control unit 402 in turn may monitor vehicle controller 406 for any fault conditions.

[0054] When a fault in either power system 404 or controller 406 is detected, brake control unit 402 then may determine the status of a brake actuation mechanism from brake actuation sensor 408, e.g. whether the operator is attempting to actuate the vehicle service brakes. Depending on the status reported by brake actuation sensor 408 and whether brake control unit 402 is executing method 100, method 200, or some other method, brake control unit 402 may signal brake actuator 412 to either engage the service brakes 414, the emergency brake 416, or neither, to let the vehicle coast. The brake control unit 402 in conjunction with brake actuator 412 may further allow the service brake 414 to be applied to varying levels. For example, the brake actuation sensor 408 may convey information about the extent to which the brake actuation mechanism is actuated by the vehicle operator, which in turn can be used by the brake actuator 412 to achieve the operator’s desired level of application of the service brake 414. Similarly, brake control unit 402 can signal brake actuator 412 to release the service brakes 414 when brake control unit 402 determines that the brake actuation mechanism is no longer actuated, such as via brake actuation sensor 408.

[0055] Further, where brake control unit 402, based upon the position of the brake actuation mechanism by the brake actuation sensor 408, and on detection of a fault in either the vehicle power system 404 or vehicle controller 406, determines to allow the vehicle to coast, brake control unit 402 will set timer 410 to a predetermined time. Timer 410 may be implemented using any suitable timing circuitry or mechanism, including discrete components, one or more mechanical devices, a programmable logic, as part of another module, or via any other suitable means. The length of this time was discussed above with respect to methods 100 and 200. Timer 410, upon elapsing, can signal brake control unit 402, which in turn signals brake actuator 412 to trigger the emergency brake 416. Brake control unit 402 may further receive speed information, such as from vehicle controller 406 or from a separate speed sensors. Depending on the method implemented by brake control unit 402, the brake control unit 402 may instruct brake actuator 412 to trigger the emergency brake 416 when the speed drops below a predetermined speed and/or the brake actuation sensor 408 indicates the brake actuation mechanism has been released. The action taken will depend upon the method implemented by brake control unit 402, such method 100 and/or method 200.

[0056] Further illustrated in Fig.4 is a battery 418 that is directly connected to the emergency brake 416. As discussed above with respect to Fig. 3 and system 300, the emergency brake 416 may be configured as a fail safe device, where the emergency brake 416 is held from actuation by a continuous current from battery 418. The emergency brake 416 thus may actuate by action of a spring or other mechanical device once power is removed. In such a configuration, brake actuator 412 can trigger the emergency brake 416 to actuate by cutting the flow of current from battery 418 to emergency brake 416. Still further, as discussed upon with respect to system 300, in some embodiments the emergency brake 416 may be capable of adjusting its application force. In some such embodiments, brake control unit 402 and/or brake actuator 412 may configure the emergency brake 416 to apply an amount of force appropriate for the vehicle’s speed and/or loading. Vehicle loading, similar to vehicle speed, may be obtained from vehicle controller 406, or may be separately sensed and provided directly to brake control unit 402.

[0057] Although Fig. 4 depicts various discrete blocks, these are logical distinctions, and not necessarily reflecting an actual implementation. In embodiments, one or more of the components of system 400 may be combined. For example, the timer 410 and brake actuator 412 may be a part of and/or integrated into brake control unit 402, in whole or in part. Other components may further be part of brake control unit 402. Brake control unit 402 itself may be integrated into, in part or in whole, vehicle controller 406.

[0058] Referring now to Fig. 5, an example vehicle 1500 that may implement methods 100 and/or 200, and may employ some or all components of either systesm 300 or 400 is depicted. Vehicle 1500 includes a tiller 1502. The tiller 1502, in the depicted embodiment, is used to steer the vehicle 1500, typically by pivoting about a yaw axis (defined is extending vertically from a horizontal surface). As described above, the tiller 1502, in embodiments, is also configured to swing along a plane vertical to the horizontal surface. This vertical plane may extend from approximately horizontal, e.g. parallel to the ground, to approximately vertical, e.g. perpendicular to the ground. In embodiments, this range may be divided into one or more segments, such as a first segment 1504, a second segment 1506, and a third segment 1508. The position of tiller 1502 in this plane may be detected using any suitable sensor device or devices connected to a tiller of the vehicle.

[0059] While tiller 1502 is within first segment 1504, the service brakes are not applied. If a fault is detected while tiller 1502 is within first segment 1504, the vehicle will be allowed to coast per the operations of either method 100 or 200. While the tiller 1502 is within either second segment 1506 or third segment 1508, the vehicle’s service brakes will be applied during normal vehicle operation. If a fault is detected, the vehicle’s emergency brake will be immediately actuated if the vehicle is implementing method 100, corresponding to operation 106. If the vehicle is implementing method 200, the service brakes may still be applied, corresponding to operation 206.

[0060] Fig. 6 illustrates an example computer device 500 that may employ or be used to implement, in whole or in part, the apparatuses and/or methods described herein (e.g., method 100, method 200, portions of system 300, and brake control unit 402), in accordance with various embodiments. As shown, computer device 500 may include a number of components, such as one or more processor(s) 504 (one shown) and at least one communication chip 506. In various embodiments, the one or more processor(s) 504 each may include one or more processor cores. In various embodiments, the one or more processor(s) 504 may include hardware accelerators to complement the one or more processor cores. In various embodiments, the at least one communication chip 506 may be physically and electrically coupled to the one or more processor(s) 504. In further implementations, the communication chip 506 may be part of the one or more

processor(s) 504. In various embodiments, computer device 500 may include printed circuit board (PCB) 502. For these embodiments, the one or more processor(s) 504 and communication chip 506 may be disposed thereon. In alternate embodiments, the various components may be coupled without the employment of PCB 502.

[0061] Depending on its applications, computer device 500 may include other components that may be physically and electrically coupled to the PCB 502. These other components may include, but are not limited to, memory controller 526, volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 520), non-volatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) 524, flash memory 522, storage device 554 (e.g., a hard-disk drive (HDD)), an I/O controller 541, a digital signal processor (not shown), a crypto processor (not shown), a graphics processor 530, one or more antennae 528, a display (not shown), a touch screen display 532, a touch screen controller 546, a battery 536, an audio codec (not shown), a video codec (not shown), a global positioning system (GPS) device 540, a compass 542, an accelerometer (not shown), a gyroscope (not shown), a speaker 550, a camera 552, and a mass storage device (such as hard disk drive, a solid state drive, compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD)) (not shown), and so forth.

[0062] In some embodiments, the one or more processor(s) 504, flash memory 522, and/or storage device 554 may include associated firmware (not shown) storing programming instructions configured to enable computer device 500, in response to execution of the programming instructions by one or more processor(s) 504, to practice all or selected aspects of the object detection enhancement methods described herein. In various embodiments, these aspects may additionally or alternatively be implemented using hardware separate from the one or more processor(s) 504, flash memory 522, or storage device 554.

[0063] The communication chips 506 may enable wired and/or wireless

communications for the transfer of data to and from the computer device 500. The term "wireless” and its derivatives may be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, techniques, communications channels, etc., that may communicate data through the use of modulated electromagnetic radiation through a non-solid medium. The term does not imply that the associated devices do not contain any wires, although in some

embodiments they might not. The communication chip 506 may implement any of a number of wireless standards or protocols, including but not limited to Wi-Fi, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Bluetooth, derivatives thereof,

Zigbee,as well as any other long-range wireless protocols that are designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, and beyond. The computer device 500 may include a plurality of communication chips 506. For instance, a first communication chip 506 may be dedicated to shorter range wireless communications such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a second communication chip 506 may be dedicated to longer range wireless communications such as GPS, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, Ev-DO, and others.

[0064] Communications chips 506 may be used to implement the transmitter, receiver, or transceiver components of apparatus 100, such as part of or in

communication with vehicle systems manager 140 and/or control system 120.

[0065] In various implementations, the computer device 500 may be a laptop, a netbook, a notebook, an ultrabook, a smartphone, a computer tablet, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a desktop computer, or a server. In further implementations, the computer device 500 may be any other electronic device that processes data.

[0066] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present disclosure may be embodied as methods or computer program products. Accordingly, the present disclosure, in addition to being embodied in hardware as earlier described, may take the form of an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to as a "circuit,” "module” or "system.” Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in any tangible or non-transitory medium of expression having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium. Fig. 7 illustrates an example computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that may be suitable for use to store instructions that cause an apparatus, in response to execution of the instructions by the apparatus, to practice selected aspects of the present disclosure. As shown, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium 602 may include a number of programming instructions 604. Programming instructions 604 may be configured to enable a device, e.g., computer 500, in response to execution of the programming instructions, to implement (at least aspects of) method 100, method 200, brake control unit 402, any other suitable portion or component disclosed herein, as well as some portions or all of the various methods disclosed herein and/or recited in the claims attached hereto. In alternate embodiments, programming instructions 604 may be disposed on multiple computer-readable non-transitory storage media 602 instead. In still other embodiments, programming instructions 604 may be disposed on computer- readable transitory storage media 602, such as, signals. [0067] Any combination of one or more computer usable or computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non- exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-usable medium may include a propagated data signal with the computer-usable program code embodied therewith, either in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The computer usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc.

[0068] Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user’s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user’s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

[0069] The present disclosure is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program

instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

[0070] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer- readable medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

[0071] The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

[0072] Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope. For example, battery power is discussed for various embodiments, however electrical power could be provided by a hydrogen fuel cell or other suitable power source. Those with skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments may be implemented in a very wide variety of ways. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.