초록 ▼

An electronically controlled braking system includes at least one central control unit, the at least one central control unit operable to assign identifiers during an identifier assignment routine, a first distributed electronic control unit, a second distributed electronic control unit and a contro

An electronically controlled braking system includes at least one central control unit, the at least one central control unit operable to assign identifiers during an identifier assignment routine, a first distributed electronic control unit, a second distributed electronic control unit and a control network over which the at least one control unit, the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit are communicable. The identifiers include a first identifier and a second identifier, one of which is assigned to the first distributed electronic control unit and the other which is assigned to the second distributed electronic control unit at least in part based upon the timing of identification signals generated by the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit reaching the central control unit via the control network.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An electronically controlled braking system comprising: at least one central control unit, said at least one central control unit operable to assign identifiers during an identifier assignment routine; a first distributed electronic control unit; a second distributed electron

What is claimed is: 1. An electronically controlled braking system comprising: at least one central control unit, said at least one central control unit operable to assign identifiers during an identifier assignment routine; a first distributed electronic control unit; a second distributed electronic control unit; a control network over which said at least one control unit, said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit are communicable; and wherein the identifiers comprise a first identifier and a second identifier, wherein one of the first identifier or the second identifier is assigned to said first distributed electronic control unit and the other of the first identifier or the second identifier is assigned to said second distributed electronic control unit at least in part based upon the positions of said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit within the braking system, and wherein the positions of said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit within the braking system are determined at least in part by the timing of identification signals generated by said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit reaching said central control unit via said control network. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the identification signals are generated by said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit in response to a wake-up signal being transmitted by said central control unit via said control network. 3. The system of claim 2: wherein said control network comprises a wired network which electrically connects said at least one control unit with said first distributed electronic control unit, and said second distributed electronic control unit with said first distributed electronic control unit, and wherein after the wake-up signal is received by said first distributed electronic control unit, said first distributed electronic control unit introduces a time delay before relaying the wake-up signal to said second distributed electronic control unit. 4. The system of claim 2 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted simultaneously to both of said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein said control network comprises a wireless network. 6. The system of claim 1: wherein said at least one central control unit further generates control signals during operation, each control signal including at least one identifier; wherein said control signals are received by said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit; and wherein each control signal is acted upon by said first distributed electronic control unit only if that control signal includes the identifier assigned to said first distributed electronic control unit and each control signal is acted upon by said second distributed electronic control unit only if that control signal includes the identifier assigned to said second distributed electronic control unit. 7. The system of claim 2 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted when a vehicle is first started. 8. The system of claim 2 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted periodically or from time to time. 9. The system of claim 2 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted when said central control unit senses that a distributed electronic control unit has been added to or removed from said control network. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit are associated with brake components which are actuated by a force selected from the group consisting of an electrical force, a hydraulic force, a pneumatic force and combinations of these. 11. An electronically controlled braking system comprising: at least one central control unit, said at least one central control unit operable to assign identifiers during an identifier assignment routine; a first pair of distributed electronic control units; a second pair of distributed electronic control units; a control network by which said at least one control unit, said first pair of distributed electronic control units, and said second pair of distributed electronic control units are communicable; and wherein the identifiers comprise a first identifier, a second identifier, a third identifier and a fourth identifier, and wherein one of the first identifier, the second identifier, the third identifier or the fourth identifier is assigned to each of the distributed electronic control units at least in part based upon the positions of each of the distributed electronic control units within the braking system, and wherein the positions of each of the distributed electronic control units within the braking system are determined at least in part by the timing of identification signals generated by said first pair of distributed electronic control units and said second pair of distributed electronic control units reaching said central control unit via said control network. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the identification signals are generated by said first pair of distributed electronic control units and said second pair of distributed electronic control units in response to a wake-up signal being transmitted by said central control unit via said control network. 13. The system of claim 12: wherein said control network comprises a wired network which electrically connects said at least one control unit with said first pair of distributed electronic control units, and said second pair of distributed electronic control units with said first pair of distributed electronic control units, and wherein after the wake-up signal is received by said first pair of distributed electronic control units, said first pair of distributed electronic control units introduces a time delay before relaying the wake-up signal to said second pair of distributed electronic control units. 14. The system of claim 12 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted simultaneously to both of said first pair of distributed electronic control units and said second pair of distributed electronic control units. 15. The system of claim 11 wherein said control network comprises a wireless network. 16. The system of claim 11 wherein said first pair of distributed electronic control units is associated with brake components disposed on a first axle of a vehicle and wherein said second pair of distributed electronic control units is associated with brake components disposed on a second axle of the vehicle. 17. The system of claim 11: wherein said at least one central control unit further generates control signals during operation, each control signal including at least one identifier; wherein the control signals are received by each of the distributed electronic control units; and wherein each control signal is acted upon by each distributed electronic control unit only if that control signal includes the identifier assigned to that distributed electronic control unit. 18. The system of claim 12 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted when a vehicle is first started. 19. The system of claim 12 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted periodically or from time to time. 20. The system of claim 12 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted when said central control unit senses that a distributed electronic control unit has been added to or removed from said control network. 21. The system of claim 11 wherein said first pair of distributed electronic control units and said second pair of distributed electronic control units are associated with brake components which are actuated by a force selected from the group consisting of an electrical force, a hydraulic force, a pneumatic force and combinations of these. 22. A method of operating an electronically controlled braking system, said method comprising the steps of: receiving identification signals from a first distributed electronic control unit and a second distributed electronic control unit; and assigning one of a first identifier or a second identifier to the first distributed electronic control unit and assigning the other of the first identifier or the second identifier to the second distributed electronic control unit at least in part based upon the positions of the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit within the braking system, and wherein the positions of the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit within the braking system are determined at least in part by the timing of the identification signals being received from the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit. 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising, before said receiving step, the step of transmitting a wake-up signal to the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit, and wherein the identification signals are generated by said first distributed electronic control unit and said second distributed electronic control unit in response to the wake-up signal. 24. The method of claim 23: wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted to the second distributed electronic unit through the first distributed electronic control unit, and further comprising the step of introducing a time delay in the first distributed electronic control unit before relaying the wake-up signal to the second distributed electronic control unit. 25. The method of claim 23 wherein the wake-up signal is transmitted simultaneously to both of the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit. 26. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of: generating control signals during operation, each control signal including at least one identifier; receiving the control signals with the first distributed electronic control unit and the second distributed electronic control unit; acting upon the control signals with the first distributed electronic control unit only if that control signal includes the identifier assigned to the first distributed electronic control unit; and acting upon the control signals with the second distributed electronic control unit only if that control signal includes the identifier assigned to the second distributed electronic control unit. 27. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of transmitting a wake-up signal is performed when a vehicle is first started. 28. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of transmitting a wake-up signal is performed periodically or from time to time. 29. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of transmitting a wake-up signal is performed when a distributed electronic control unit has been added to or removed from the braking system.