Electrical Load Status Detection for Heavy-Duty Vehicle Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy-duty vehicles face reliability issues in their electrical networks due to increased power consumption from additional external equipment, leading to potential premature fuse ageing, overheating, and network collapse, necessitating a method to estimate current consumption and detect anomalous conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method that measures global current consumption, detects activation/deactivation of electrical loads, calculates reference current consumption, and compares it with actual consumption to determine operational status, setting thresholds for nominal, anomalous, or overloaded conditions, with optional alarm signals and corrective actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional external equipment is installed to adapt the vehicle to particular uses, then the vehicle's functionality and adaptability are improved, but the electrical network reliability deteriorates due to increased power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a monitoring system that continuously measures current consumption of electrical loads and provides feedback to detect anomalous situations. The system compares measured current values against reference values and triggers alerts when thresholds are exceeded, enabling real-time detection of reliability issues caused by additional equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary monitoring system between the electrical loads and the electrical network. This intermediary system measures current consumption, compares it with reference values, and detects anomalies before they cause network collapse, thereby protecting the electrical network while allowing additional equipment to be installed.
2Power
If fuse rating is modified to accommodate higher current consumption, then the power capacity is improved, but the safety margin deteriorates leading to potential overheating and network collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurements of current consumption during normal operation to establish reference values before anomalous situations occur. This preliminary action creates a baseline that enables early detection of deviations, allowing corrective measures to be taken before overheating or network collapse occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors current consumption and provides feedback when measured values deviate from reference values beyond predetermined thresholds. This feedback mechanism enables real-time detection of unsafe conditions and allows for preventive corrective actions before harmful effects occur.
3Reliability
If the electrical network is designed to handle original equipment only, then the network safety is improved, but the versatility deteriorates as additional equipment cannot be installed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based monitoring system that measures current consumption and compares it with reference values. This enables the system to safely accommodate additional equipment by detecting when current consumption exceeds safe thresholds, thereby maintaining network safety while improving equipment compatibility.
4Measurement precision
If multiple measurements are taken to establish reference current consumption, then the measurement precision is improved, but the time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs multiple measurements of current consumption during preliminary operation to establish accurate reference values. This preliminary action during normal operation enables accurate baseline characterization without significantly impacting operational time, as the measurements are taken during regular vehicle use.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a control method for determining an operational status of an electrical load (1) of a heavy-duty vehicle (3), the control method comprising the steps : - measuring a global current consumption (11) of the electrical network (2) when the electrical load (1) is not activated, - detecting an activation of the electrical load (1), - measuring the global current consumption (12) of the electrical network (2) after the electrical load (1) has been activated, - determining an electrical current consumption (I_L) of the electrical load (1), - determining a reference current consumption (I_Ref) of the electrical load (1), - if the difference (d) between the determined electrical current consumption (I_L) of the electrical load (1) and the determined reference current consumption (I_Ref) is higher than a first predetermined threshold (Th1) and lower than a second predetermined threshold (Th2), the second predetermined threshold (Th2) being higher than the first predetermined threshold (Th1), set the operational status of the electrical load (1) to a first status called "nominal operation".