Adaptive Stop-Start Controller for Motor Vehicles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stop/start vehicle systems fail to adapt automatically to a driver's performance-oriented driving style, leading to unnecessary engine shutdowns and increased fuel consumption and emissions when the driver switches back to an economy-oriented mode without manually re-enabling the stop/start functionality.
Innovation Solution
A controller that monitors vehicle parameters during a drive cycle to determine the driving style and overrides engine shutdown when a performance-oriented style is detected, automatically resuming normal stop/start functionality when the driving style changes to economy-oriented, using a driver behavior index calculated from parameters like acceleration, brake pressure, and pedal positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the engine control system automatically stops the engine to save fuel, then fuel economy is improved, but the system fails to adapt to performance-oriented driving styles causing unnecessary engine shutdowns and increased fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the stop/start functionality based on the detected driving style. When a performance-oriented driving style is detected, the system suspends automatic engine stopping. When an economy-oriented driving style is detected, the system resumes automatic engine stopping. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the fuel economy system versatile enough to respond to different driving conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors vehicle parameters (accelerator pedal position, brake pressure, longitudinal acceleration) to detect the driver's current driving style and uses this feedback to automatically adjust whether engine stopping should occur. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to driving style changes without manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between fuel economy and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual override means are provided for performance mode, then adaptability is improved, but driver workload increases due to need to manually re-enable stop/start functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects when the driver transitions to a performance-oriented driving style and autonomously suspends the stop/start functionality without requiring manual intervention. Similarly, when the driver returns to economy-oriented driving, the system automatically resumes the functionality. This self-service approach eliminates the need for manual mode switching, reducing driver workload while maintaining full adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses continuous feedback from vehicle parameters to automatically determine when to enable or disable stop/start functionality based on detected driving style. This automated feedback-driven control resolves the contradiction by providing adaptability without requiring manual operation from the driver.
3Loss of energy
If stop/start functionality is always active, then fuel consumption is reduced, but emissions increase when driver switches to performance mode without manual override
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors vehicle parameters to detect performance-oriented driving style and uses this feedback to automatically suspend stop/start functionality, preventing unnecessary engine restarts that would increase emissions. When economy-oriented driving is detected, the system resumes stop/start functionality to reduce fuel consumption. This feedback-driven automatic adjustment resolves the contradiction between reducing fuel consumption and preventing harmful emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically enables or disables stop/start functionality based on real-time detection of driving style. This dynamic behavior ensures the system maintains fuel efficiency during economy driving while automatically preventing emissions increases during performance driving, resolving the contradiction between energy loss and harmful factors.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect of the invention there is provided a motor vehicle comprising an engine, the vehicle being operable automatically to stop the engine responsive to a determination that the engine is not required to provide torque to drive the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises control means operable to monitor a value of one or more parameters associated with the vehicle during a drive cycle, the control means being arranged automatically to determine whether a current driving style of a driver corresponds to an economy-oriented driving style or a performance-oriented driving style responsive to the value of the one or more parameters over time during the drive cycle, the control means being operable to over-ride stopping of the engine when it is determined that the driving style of the driver corresponds to a performance-oriented style.