Automated Drivetrain Gear Pairing for Vehicle Immobilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automated drive trains face challenges in immobilizing vehicles effectively due to issues with clutch engagement and gear shifting, particularly in dual-clutch transmissions, where simultaneous gear engagement can lead to drive train distortion and immobilization failures.

Innovation Solution

A method that prioritizes gear pairings for immobilization, using a dynamic priority list that updates based on successful or unsuccessful shifting attempts, ensuring that only viable gear pairs are attempted, and adjusting the list to avoid unnecessary attempts on non-shiftable gears, allowing for safer and faster immobilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two gears are engaged simultaneously for immobilization, then the drivetrain is blocked and vehicle immobilization is achieved, but drive train distortion may occur leading to immobilization failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmobilization reliabilityVSAvoiddrive train distortion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic priority list that is updated based on shifting attempts. When a gear cannot be shifted, the system dynamically removes it from the priority list and reorders remaining gears, transforming a static gear engagement approach into a dynamic adaptive system that avoids distorted drivetrain states.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system monitors the success or failure of gear shifting attempts and uses this feedback to update the priority list. If a gear engagement fails, the system learns from this outcome and adjusts subsequent engagement attempts, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents repeated attempts at problematic gear combinations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple gear pairings are attempted for immobilization, then the probability of successful immobilization increases, but the time required for immobilization increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmobilization success probabilityVSAvoidimmobilization time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-establishes a priority list of gear pairings ordered by their likelihood of successful engagement. By preparing this ordered list in advance and systematically attempting gears in priority order, the system efficiently finds a working combination without wasting time on unlikely candidates, thus maintaining quick immobilization while ensuring high success probability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of gear engagement priority dynamically. Instead of attempting all gear pairings equally or in a fixed sequence, the system adjusts the engagement priority based on real-time feedback from shifting attempts, optimizing the balance between success probability and time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a fixed gear pairing is used for immobilization, then the control system is simple, but the system cannot adapt to shifting failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidadaptability to shifting failures
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms a static control approach into a dynamic one by implementing an updateable priority list. The system maintains simplicity by using a straightforward list structure but achieves adaptability through dynamic updates based on shifting outcomes, allowing it to respond to failures without requiring complex control logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control system serves itself by automatically updating its own priority list based on observed shifting successes and failures. This self-adjusting mechanism eliminates the need for external intervention or complex adaptive algorithms, maintaining system simplicity while achieving versatility in handling various shifting scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3287669B1Driving method for drive train and transmission assembly for drive train
Publication Date: 2021.05.05 MAGNA PT B V & CO KG
  • EP3287669B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3287669B1 patent drawingFigure 4A
  • EP3287669B1 patent drawingFigure 4B

AI summary

Method (40) for controlling an automated powertrain (10) of a motor vehicle to immobilize the motor vehicle, wherein the powertrain (10) has a transmission arrangement with a plurality of gear stages (1-7, R) which are at least partially independently selectable, wherein for immobilization a gear pairing (PG1-PG2) is engaged which has a first pairing gear stage (PG1) and a second pairing gear stage (PG2) to block the powertrain (10), wherein for immobilization a plurality of gear pairings (PG1-PG2) are available which are stored in a priority list (PL1-PL2), comprising the steps of first attempting (S10-S12) to engage the first pairing gear stage (PG1) from a gear pairing (PG1-PG2) to be used, and depending on whether this attempt was successful, either attempting (S16-S18) to engage the second to switch to the mating gear stage (PG2), or to attempt toto switch a first pairing gear stage of a subsequent gear stage pairing (PG1-PG2) in the priority list (PL1; PL2).