Aerodynamic Actuation Command Determination Using Lookup Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerodynamic systems require predictive models and iterative solvers to determine actuation commands for aerodynamic elements, leading to a high computational burden and complexity in achieving desired aerodynamic forces.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that determines target positions for front and rear aerodynamic elements using measured vehicle state parameters from previous time steps, eliminating the need for online predictive models by employing interpolation techniques and characterization datasets to calculate optimal deployment positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If predictive models and iterative solvers are used to determine actuation commands for aerodynamic elements, then aerodynamic force targets can be achieved, but computational burden increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes aerodynamic characteristics offline for various aerodynamic element positions and vehicle states, storing results in lookup tables. During real-time operation, the controller simply queries these pre-computed tables based on current sensor readings, eliminating the need for complex predictive models and iterative solvers. This preliminary action transfers computational burden from online to offline operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified representations of complex aerodynamic relationships by storing pre-computed characteristic data in lookup tables. Instead of solving complex aerodynamic equations in real-time, the system uses interpolated values from these tabulated representations, which capture the essential aerodynamic behavior without requiring full computational models.
2Measurement precision
If predictive models are used online to determine actuation commands, then aerodynamic control accuracy is maintained, but computational time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes aerodynamic characteristics for various operating conditions offline and stores them in lookup tables. During real-time control, the controller queries these pre-computed tables using current vehicle state and desired force targets, obtaining accurate actuation commands without performing complex calculations. This maintains control accuracy while reducing computational time to simple table lookups and interpolations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates tabulated copies of complex aerodynamic relationships that can be quickly queried during real-time operation. These lookup tables contain pre-computed aerodynamic characteristics for various element positions and vehicle states, allowing the system to maintain control accuracy through interpolated values without requiring complex predictive models during time-critical operations.
3Reliability
If iterative solvers are employed to solve aerodynamic actuation commands, then force target achievement is possible, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes the results of iterative solver operations offline for various aerodynamic scenarios, storing the solutions in lookup tables. During real-time operation, the controller determines actuation commands by querying these pre-computed solutions based on current vehicle state and force targets, completely avoiding the need for iterative solvers during time-critical control operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified tabulated representations of complex aerodynamic solutions that were originally obtained through iterative methods. These lookup tables contain pre-computed actuation commands for various force targets and vehicle states, allowing the controller to achieve force targets through simple table lookups and interpolations without requiring iterative solving capability in real-time.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle has first and second portions, with a front aerodynamic element located in the first portion and a rear aerodynamic element located in the second portion. The front and rear aerodynamic elements are each independently movable to respective deployment positions between respective stowed positions and respective fully-extended positions. A controller is operatively connected to each of the front and rear aerodynamic elements and has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory. The controller is programmed to obtain a front target position (Tf,n) for the front aerodynamic element at a current time step (n) based at least partially on at least one vehicle state parameter at a previous time-step (n−1) and a detected position (Dr,n-1) of the rear aerodynamic element at the previous time-step (n−1).