Engine Idle-Stop Restart Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing engine idle-stop systems face challenges in coordinating the operation of electric parking brakes and starter motors simultaneously, leading to degraded engine restart quality and brake assistance due to shared electrical supply constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method that sequentially directs current to either the starter motor or the electric parking brake based on the timing of requests, ensuring that both components can operate without overloading the vehicle's electrical system by prioritizing one over the other during concurrent demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If current is supplied to both the starter motor and electric parking brake simultaneously, then both functions can be activated at the same time, but the electrical supply cannot provide sufficient current leading to degraded engine restart quality and degraded brake assistance
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines which component (starter or brake) should be prioritized based on pre-established criteria before current is supplied. The controller evaluates the timing of requests and system state in advance to decide the current allocation sequence, ensuring that the higher-priority component receives sufficient current while the lower-priority component waits or receives reduced current.
Solution Approach 2:
The current allocation is dynamically adjusted based on real-time system conditions and request timing. The controller continuously monitors the state of the starter and brake systems, and adjusts current distribution dynamically rather than using a fixed allocation scheme, allowing optimal performance under varying operational conditions.
2Reliability
If current is directed sequentially to the starter motor and electric brake based on request timing, then electrical supply is managed effectively, but one component must wait for the other
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines the current allocation sequence in advance based on the timing of requests from the starter and brake systems. By evaluating request timing beforehand, the controller can establish a prioritization scheme that minimizes delays while ensuring electrical supply constraints are not violated.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller continuously monitors and re-evaluates the operational state and request timing of both the starter and brake systems at periodic intervals. This allows the system to dynamically adjust current allocation between components, ensuring that when one component completes its operation or its request timing changes, the other component can receive current without excessive delay.
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
This approach improves the quality of engine restart and parking brake assistance by managing electrical supply effectively, preventing excessive current drain and ensuring reliable operation of both systems.
Implementation Method 1
a starter motor, to crank the engine
Implementation Method 2
an electric brake to apply a braking force
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for restarting an engine that can be selectively deactivated during idle-stop conditions. In one embodiment, current is directed to a starter motor and an electric brake sequentially by limiting the current supplied to one while current is supplied to the other, an order of delivering the current based on a timing of a restart request relative to an electric brake request, as well as vehicle operating conditions at the time the requests were received. By coordinating the operation of a starter motor with the operation of an electric brake, loading of the engine system's electrical supply can be reduced.