Fuel Level Indicator Detecting Vehicle Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle collisions, determining the roll orientation and potential fuel leaks becomes challenging without functional rollover sensors or when occupants are unable to communicate, as existing systems lack redundancy and real-time information dissemination to first responders.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that monitors fuel levels and collision events, using a fuel-level indicator with a float, rod, and variable resistor to assess vehicle orientation and potential fuel leaks, transmitting information wirelessly to remote servers for emergency responders, even in the absence of rollover sensors or conscious occupants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If rollover sensors are installed to detect vehicle orientation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel-level indicator system is designed to serve multiple functions: its primary function of measuring fuel level is enhanced to also detect vehicle roll orientation and potential fuel leaks. By making the existing fuel-level indicator multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate rollover sensors, thereby improving measurement precision without significantly increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel-level indicator system monitors its own operational status and vehicle orientation using existing components. The system uses the fuel level data from its own sensors to infer vehicle orientation and detect anomalies, enabling self-diagnosis without requiring additional dedicated detection systems
2Loss of information
If real-time fuel level monitoring is implemented, then information availability to first responders is improved, but loss of time in collision response increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors and stores fuel level data before collision events occur. By maintaining real-time fuel level information and vehicle orientation data in memory during normal operation, the system ensures that critical information is immediately available at the moment of collision, eliminating delays associated with post-collision detection
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously feeds back fuel level information to the controller, which processes this data in real-time to detect anomalies and determine vehicle orientation. This continuous feedback loop ensures that up-to-date information is always available for immediate transmission to first responders upon collision detection
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
Provides reliable and redundant information on vehicle orientation and fuel leak risks to first responders, ensuring appropriate rescue measures and safety protocols are taken, even in autonomous vehicle scenarios or when occupants are incapacitated.
Implementation Method 1
The float is buoyant and rests on a surface of the fuel in the fuel tank
Data Source
AI summary
A method of monitoring a vehicle includes monitoring a precollision fuel level, detecting a collision event, and detecting a vehicle orientation based at least on the precollision fuel level and a postcollision fuel level. The method can be executed by a controller having a processor and a memory storing processor-executable instructions where the processor is programmed to monitor the precollision fuel level, detect the collision event, and detect the vehicle orientation based on at least a precollision fuel level and a postcollision fuel level.