Vehicle Cabin Humidity Modeling for External Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle cabin humidity monitoring systems are inadequate in detecting leaks, leading to potential water intrusion damage and increased warranty costs, while also being limited by cost constraints and compatibility with existing hardware.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing sensors and control modules with algorithms to detect leaks by measuring cabin humidity and determining threshold conditions, enabling real-time detection of large, small, or no leaks, and transmitting results to a human-machine interface and remote back-office system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current vehicle sensors and communications systems are used for monitoring vehicle cabin conditions, then the system achieves its intended purpose of monitoring, but the system is limited by cost constraints and compatibility with existing hardware
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the leak detection system compatible with preexisting vehicle hardware platforms. The system can operate on various sensor types (humidity sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors) and integrate with existing vehicle control modules, allowing the same detection algorithm to work across different vehicle models and years without requiring proprietary specialized hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses preexisting vehicle hardware and sensors to perform leak detection, rather than requiring entirely new specialized equipment. The vehicle's existing sensor network and communication systems are leveraged to provide the detection function, reducing the need for additional dedicated components and minimizing system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If a comprehensive sensor system is implemented to detect leaks, then detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves accurate leak detection using a universal approach that works with multiple sensor types already present in vehicles. Rather than requiring a specific expensive sensor, the system can process data from humidity sensors, temperature sensors, or pressure sensors that are commonly found in various vehicle configurations, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by using algorithmic processing to transform data from existing sensors into accurate leak detection results. The system monitors changes in humidity, temperature, or pressure parameters over time and uses these parameter variations to detect leaks, achieving high measurement precision without requiring specialized high-cost sensors.
3Reliability
If the system operates continuously to detect leaks, then detection reliability is improved, but operational complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic monitoring rather than truly continuous operation. It continuously receives data from sensors but processes and evaluates this data at periodic intervals or when specific conditions are met (such as when certain threshold values are exceeded). This approach maintains detection reliability by regularly checking for leaks while reducing operational complexity and computational burden compared to constant active processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where sensor data is continuously collected and fed into the detection algorithm, which then provides feedback about leak conditions. The system monitors cabin conditions and provides feedback when leak indicators are detected, allowing for reliable detection while managing operational complexity through conditional processing based on feedback from the sensor network.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively detects leaks, reducing customer dissatisfaction and warranty costs, while maintaining or decreasing manufacturing and operational complexity, and allowing for flexibility and upgradability across various vehicle platforms.
Implementation Method 1
A system and method for detecting external leaks utilizing a cabin humidity model
Data Source
AI summary
A system for detecting external leaks in a cabin of a vehicle includes sensors and onboard vehicle controls disposed on the vehicle. Control modules of the system have processors, memory, and input/output (I/O) ports. The I/O ports communicate with the sensors and onboard vehicle controls. The control modules execute program code portions stored memory. The program code portions include first and second algorithm portions. The first algorithm portion receives data from the sensors and controls and determines that the data from the sensors and controls meets initialization threshold values. When the data from the sensors and controls meets the threshold values, the second algorithm portion generates a cabin leak detection output including: a first output, a second output, or a third output. The first output indicates a large leak, the second output indicates no leak, and the third output indicates that a small leak has been detected.