Vehicle Brake Control Using Travel State to Evaluate Clutch Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current brake control systems for vehicles require extensive design changes and sensor attachments to evaluate clutch connection and disconnection states, leading to increased work and reliability challenges.

Innovation Solution

A controller that selectively uses primary and secondary information to determine the actual state of clutch connection and disconnection, allowing brake control based on the relationship between secondary information and travel state information, thereby reducing the need for extensive sensor monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If motion monitoring of input and output shafts is used to evaluate clutch state reliability, then reliability of clutch state information is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to required sensor attachments and design changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of clutch state informationVSAvoidsensor attachment and design change
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces travel state information (vehicle speed, acceleration, gear position) as an intermediary parameter to indirectly evaluate clutch state reliability. Instead of directly monitoring clutch shaft motion with sensors, the system uses readily available travel state data to infer whether the clutch state information is reliable, thereby avoiding direct sensor attachment to the clutch mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses existing sensors that already monitor vehicle travel state (speed, acceleration, gear position) to perform the reliability evaluation function. These sensors serve dual purposes: providing travel state information for control decisions and simultaneously evaluating clutch state reliability, eliminating the need for dedicated clutch monitoring sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If extensive sensor monitoring is implemented to evaluate clutch state, then measurement precision of clutch state is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to extensive work required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclutch state detection accuracyVSAvoidextensive work for sensor installation
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes existing travel state sensors serve multiple functions: they provide data for vehicle control decisions and simultaneously enable clutch state reliability evaluation. This multi-functional use of existing sensors achieves precise clutch state assessment without requiring dedicated sensors or extensive manufacturing work.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the evaluation parameters from direct mechanical measurements (shaft motion) to operational parameters (vehicle speed, acceleration, gear position). This parameter transformation allows reliability evaluation using existing sensor data without requiring new sensors or mechanical modifications to the clutch system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If primary information alone is used for brake control, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of brake control deteriorates when clutch state information is needed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system simplicityVSAvoidbrake control reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where travel state information continuously monitors clutch state reliability. When the evaluation indicates high reliability, secondary clutch state information is integrated with primary brake control signals. This feedback-based selective integration maintains simple device architecture while ensuring reliable brake control when conditions permit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3395633B1Control device and control method
Publication Date: 2021.05.19 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3395633B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3395633B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3395633B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention has a purpose of improving applicability of a controller and a control method to a vehicle, the controller and the control method executing brake control in which primary information is selectively supplemented by secondary information that is information on an assumed state related to connection and disconnection of a clutch. A determination section 5A1 and a brake control section 5A4 are provided, the determination section 5A1 determining whether an actual state related to the connection and the disconnection of the clutch matches the assumed state in accordance with a relationship between the secondary information and travel state information indicative of a travel state of the vehicle, and the brake control section 5A4 executing the brake control by using the primary information but not the secondary information in the case where the determination section 5A1 determines that the actual state does not match the assumed state.