Dynamic Sampling Vehicle Prognosis Using Smartphone Accelerometer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle prognosis systems rely solely on historical onboard diagnostic (OBD) data, neglecting road conditions and driver behavior, which significantly impact vehicle performance and maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A real-time vehicle prognosis system integrating a dynamically oriented 3-axis accelerometer and GPS in personal communication devices, capturing road conditions and driver behavior without external orientation aids, using a lower sampling frequency to reduce battery consumption and enhance data processing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If higher sampling frequency is used to capture road condition data, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic sampling frequency adjustment based on vehicle motion state. When the vehicle is stationary or moving at low speed, a lower sampling frequency (e.g., 10Hz) is used to conserve battery. When the vehicle accelerates or enters high-speed motion, the sampling frequency automatically increases (e.g., to 100Hz) to capture road condition data with sufficient precision. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between measurement precision and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the sampling frequency parameter according to vehicle operating conditions. By monitoring vehicle speed and acceleration parameters, the system adjusts the data acquisition rate accordingly, using higher sampling rates only when necessary for accurate road condition assessment, thereby optimizing the balance between data quality and power consumption.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors and devices are integrated for comprehensive vehicle monitoring, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the personal communication device (smartphone) perform multiple functions: it serves as an accelerometer for road condition detection, a GPS receiver for location tracking, and a data processing unit for prognosis analysis. By leveraging the multi-functionality of existing consumer devices, the system achieves reliable comprehensive monitoring without adding dedicated specialized hardware for each function, thus managing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the vehicle's OBD diagnostic system with the personal communication device's sensors and processing capabilities. Instead of maintaining separate independent systems, the patent combines them into an integrated prognosis system where data from both sources are fused and analyzed together, improving reliability through data correlation while reducing overall system complexity through consolidation.
3Measurement precision
If accelerometer orientation is corrected using external devices like magnetometer and gyroscope, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service orientation correction where the accelerometer uses its own raw data and gravitational reference to compute its orientation relative to the vehicle coordinate system. The system processes the accelerometer's z-axis data to determine pitch and roll angles, and uses vehicle speed and acceleration data to calculate yaw angle, all without requiring external magnetometers or gyroscopes. This self-contained approach maintains measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of additional orientation-sensing devices.
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
Enables effective real-time vehicle condition monitoring, reducing maintenance costs by incorporating road and driver data, allowing for remote analysis and insurance premium adjustments based on driving behavior, while conserving device power.
Implementation Method 1
a 3-axis accelerometer configured to capture data relating to road condition
Implementation Method 2
Global positioning systems (GPS) for assisting driver to plan his route
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A system and method for a real-time prognosis of a vehicle comprising a personal communication device comprising an arbitrarily oriented three-axis accelerometer configured to capture a pitch motion and/or roll motion of the vehicle and an onboard diagnostics system communicably connected with the personal communication device enabling bi-directional communication. The personal communication device comprising a processor configured for geometric mapping of a three dimensional Cartesian coordinate of the three-axis accelerometer with the vehicle. The processor virtually orients the coordinates of three-axis accelerometer to coincide with the coordinates of the vehicle. The arbitrarily oriented three-axis accelerometer is configured to capture a road condition and a driver behaviour using a sampling rate between 4 Hertz (Hz) to 10 Hertz (Hz). The system for the real-time prognosis of the vehicle, wherein the real-time prognosis utilizes at least one predictive analysis model to determine real-time prognosis for the said vehicle.