Adaptive Force Feedback for Dual-Drive Vehicle Torque Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicles with dual drive units struggle to optimally adapt the force level in response to changing peripheral conditions during driving, limiting the maximum range in which the vehicle can operate solely on one drive unit, such as the electric motor, without switching to the internal combustion engine.
Innovation Solution
A control unit processes driver requests and generates control signals to adjust the force level on a device like an accelerator pedal, incorporating various peripheral conditions to determine when switching from electric-only to mixed or internal combustion engine-only operation is beneficial or necessary, ensuring efficient energy use and representing the electric travel range plausibly to the driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the force level is set high to encourage electric-only operation, then energy efficiency is improved, but the driver may perceive the electric travel range as unrealistic when peripheral conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The force level is made dynamically adjustable based on peripheral conditions such as vehicle speed, acceleration, and driver behavior. The control unit continuously adapts the force level within a predetermined range to reflect current driving conditions, allowing the system to optimize energy efficiency while maintaining realistic driver feedback about electric travel range
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides force feedback through the driver's request device (accelerator pedal) that reflects the current electric travel range. When peripheral conditions change, the force level is adjusted to provide realistic feedback to the driver about the maximum range in which the vehicle can operate in electric-only mode, preventing misleading information while maintaining energy efficiency
2Adaptability or versatility
If the force level is adjusted frequently to reflect changing conditions, then adaptability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs multiple functions: it manages the transition between drive units, calculates the force level based on peripheral conditions, and provides feedback to the driver. By consolidating these functions in a single control unit, the system achieves continuous adaptation without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system adjusts the force level parameter within a predetermined range based on changes in peripheral conditions. This parameter adjustment approach allows continuous adaptation to changing driving conditions while maintaining a relatively simple control structure, as only one key parameter (force level) needs to be modified rather than reconfiguring the entire system
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle has two drive units that can be operated jointly or individually to generate drive torque. The motor vehicle also has a device for predefining a driver's request. The device for predefining the driver's request is embodied so that a force level (K) with an increased restoring force is present within an adjustment range of the device. A control unit processes the driver's request and generates a control signal for actuating the drive units. The control unit operates so that, starting from a driving mode in which only one drive unit for generating a positive drive torque is active, switching over occurs from one drive unit to the other or the other drive unit also is activated when the force level is exceeded. At least one feature that characterizes the force level (K) can be varied based peripheral conditions.