Vehicle Brake Control Unit State Transition for Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle brake systems lack an efficient method to manage power consumption and maintain safety-critical monitoring functions during periods of inactivity, particularly in electric brake motors used for parking brakes, where continuous operation is not necessary.
Innovation Solution
A control unit that can transition between a waking state, a sleep state, and a powered-off state, with the sleep state allowing for reduced power consumption while still enabling monitoring via sensor signals, and automatic reactivation upon detection of specific conditions, ensuring safety-critical functions can be maintained without driver intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the control unit remains continuously active to monitor safety-critical functions, then safety monitoring capability is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically transitions between three operational states: waking state (full functionality), sleep state (reduced functionality with monitoring), and powered-off state (minimal functionality). This dynamic state adjustment allows the system to adapt its power consumption and monitoring capability according to real-time safety requirements, resolving the contradiction between continuous monitoring and power saving
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit implements periodic monitoring during sleep state by evaluating sensor signals at defined intervals rather than continuously processing all inputs. This periodic evaluation maintains safety-critical monitoring functions while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous operation
Solution Approach 3:
The control unit performs preliminary safety checks by evaluating sensor signals before transitioning from sleep to waking state. This preliminary action ensures that safety-critical functions are maintained without requiring continuous full operation, as the system proactively checks for safety-relevant changes and only activates fully when necessary
2Use of energy by moving object
If the control unit transitions to sleep state to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but response time to safety-critical events increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements a feedback mechanism where sensor signals continuously evaluate safety-relevant parameters even during sleep state. When changes exceed predefined thresholds, the system immediately transitions from sleep to waking state, ensuring rapid response to safety-critical events while maintaining energy efficiency during normal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit uses sensor signals as intermediaries to detect safety-relevant changes in the environment. These sensor signals act as triggers that can wake the control unit from sleep state when necessary, allowing the system to maintain low power consumption while still responding quickly to critical events through the intermediary detection mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for activating and deactivating a control unit which can be used to control an electrically activatable assembly, the control unit is switched between a waking state, a sleep state and a deactivated state, wherein in the sleep state, the control device is disabled but can be transferred into the waking state by means of a sensor signal.