EV Torque Mapping With Shift Timing Display Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric vehicles lack a mechanism to visually notify drivers of the optimal timing for gear shift operations, which are typically intuitive in manual transmission vehicles.

Innovation Solution

An electric vehicle equipped with a dummy gear shift operation member, a display device, and a control device that adjusts torque based on accelerator pedal and vehicle speed, displaying an indicator that changes with vehicle state to recommend gear shift timing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a dummy gear shift operation member and display device are added to notify drivers of gear shift timing, then the drivability and simulation of manual transmission experience is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovedrivabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display device serves multiple functions: it displays gear shift timing indicators, shows vehicle status information, and provides user guidance. By making the display device multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated notification devices, thereby improving drivability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a control device as an intermediary that processes information from the dummy gear shift operation member and generates appropriate display indicators. This intermediary component coordinates between the operation member and display device, enabling intelligent notification without requiring direct complex mechanical linkages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If an indicator that continuously changes with vehicle state is displayed, then the notification of gear shift timing becomes more intuitive and easy to understand, but the information processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation clarityVSAvoidcontrol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display indicator dynamically changes its state based on real-time vehicle conditions and gear shift timing. Instead of static notifications, the indicator adapts its display characteristics (such as brightness, position, or pattern) to reflect the current vehicle state, making the information more intuitive while using efficient dynamic display techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring vehicle state parameters and adjusting the display indicator accordingly. The control device receives input from sensors monitoring vehicle speed, acceleration, and other parameters, then updates the display in real-time to provide accurate gear shift timing information based on current conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4603316A1Electric vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4603316A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4603316A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4603316A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an electric vehicle (100) having an electric motor (4) as a drive source. The electric vehicle (100) comprises an accelerator pedal (22), a dummy gear shift operation member, a display device (21), a vehicle speed sensor, and a control device (101) that controls torque of the electric motor (4). The control device (101) executes switching a relationship of the torque of the electric motor (4) with respect to an operation amount of the accelerator pedal (22) and the vehicle speed in accordance with operation of the dummy gear shift operation member, displaying an indicator on the display device (21), the indicator continuously changing content in conjunction with driving wheel torque of the electric vehicle (100) and the vehicle speed, and notifying the driver of a timing at which the operation of the dummy gear shift operation member is recommended by the indicator.