Vehicle Drive Acceleration Monitoring for Inadvertent Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring and controlling vehicle drive safety do not adequately address inadvertent acceleration, which can occur due to faults in the electric machine or external factors, and may not provide sufficient safety responses.
Innovation Solution
The method involves acceleration monitoring to detect inadvertent acceleration, with responses including neutral torque requests for the electric machine, gear shifting, and engine-based actions, as well as alternative monitoring via rotational speed monitoring to ensure safety and reliability, and includes fault responses based on braking requests and external force detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acceleration monitoring is used to detect inadvertent acceleration, then safety response capability is improved, but false detection may occur due to external factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary evaluation mechanism that considers multiple factors (braking request status, external force detection) before triggering safety responses. This mediator layer filters out false positives from acceleration monitoring by cross-referencing with other sensor data and system states, thereby maintaining high safety response capability while reducing false detections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where acceleration monitoring results are continuously evaluated against braking request status and external force detection. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust its response threshold dynamically, improving measurement precision by distinguishing between legitimate inadvertent acceleration and normal driving conditions.
2Reliability
If the electric machine is limited to generator operation only, then safety is improved by preventing counterproductive actions, but functionality is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic control to the electric machine's operational modes. Instead of a static limitation to generator operation only, the system dynamically switches between motor and generator modes based on real-time detection of inadvertent acceleration and fault conditions. This dynamic approach maintains safety by preventing counterproductive motor operation during faults while preserving full functionality during normal operation.
3Reliability
If multiple monitoring methods (acceleration and rotational speed) are used, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a unified monitoring framework where a single control unit performs both acceleration monitoring and rotational speed monitoring functions. This multi-functional approach increases reliability through cross-validation of multiple sensors while minimizing device complexity by consolidating monitoring logic in one centralized system rather than requiring separate monitoring subsystems.
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 method effectively mitigates inadvertent acceleration by ensuring safe operation of the vehicle drive, increasing reliability and safety through appropriate responses to faults and external conditions, and preventing counterproductive actions from the electric machine.
Implementation Method 1
an actual vehicle acceleration is determined, for example, with the aid of an acceleration sensor
Implementation Method 2
The electric machine may in particular be an electric machine which is operable as a motor, for example, a starter-generator
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the safe operation of a drive of a motor vehicle, the drive being controlled by at least one control unit, including acceleration monitoring in which the allowability of an operating state of the drive results as a function of a comparison of an ascertained actual acceleration with an allowable acceleration, a fault response being initiated as a function of whether a braking request is present, if the comparison shows that an inadvertent acceleration is present.