Fuel-saving control unit gradient detection prevents stalling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fuel-saving control devices stop functioning when the surplus driving force becomes smaller than a threshold value, leading to potential vehicle stalling during uphill travel, which impairs driver convenience and fuel-saving performance.

Innovation Solution

A fuel-saving control device that continues to apply fuel-saving control by gradually decreasing the correction value as the front gradient increases, and maintains control even when the distance to the gradient start position exceeds a certain threshold, ensuring the vehicle does not stall during uphill travel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the fuel-saving control is stopped when the surplus driving force becomes smaller than the threshold value, then the fuel-saving performance is maintained, but the vehicle may stall when traveling uphill

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoidvehicle stalling prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device performs preliminary action by detecting the front gradient in advance and predicting potential uphill travel conditions. When an ascending gradient equal to or greater than a second threshold value is detected, the system proactively adjusts the fuel injection amount before the vehicle actually encounters the steep uphill section, preventing stalling while maintaining fuel efficiency during normal conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the fuel-saving control strategy based on real-time gradient detection and vehicle state. The fuel injection correction value is modified continuously according to the detected front gradient, allowing the control system to transition smoothly between fuel-saving mode and power-assurance mode rather than using fixed on/off control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of energy

If the fuel-saving control continues when the front gradient is steep, then the vehicle may stall, but fuel-saving performance is maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoiddriver convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control device implements feedback by continuously monitoring the front gradient, vehicle speed, and accelerator operation. When the vehicle is detected to be traveling on an ascending gradient equal to or greater than a second threshold value, the system feeds back this information to adjust the fuel injection amount, ensuring adequate power delivery while maintaining fuel efficiency during normal operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes control parameters dynamically based on gradient detection. The fuel injection correction value is adjusted as a function of the detected front gradient, transitioning from a fixed threshold-based control to a continuous parameter adjustment that adapts to road conditions, thereby maintaining both fuel efficiency and driving convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3527451B1Fuel-saving control device and fuel-saving control method
Publication Date: 2022.06.08 ISUZU MOTORS LTD
  • EP3527451B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3527451B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3527451B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fuel-saving control device (100) equipped with: a surplus drive force calculation unit (101) for calculating surplus drive force; a fuel-saving control unit (102) for executing a fuel-saving control which lowers and corrects the indicated fuel injection amount according to the accelerator position when the surplus drive force reaches or exceeds a threshold, and stopping the fuel-saving control when the surplus drive force falls below the threshold; a vehicle position detection unit (107) for detecting the vehicle position; a map information storage unit (108) for storing map information; a downshift operation detection unit (109) for detecting a downshifting operation; and a forward gradient identification unit (110) for identifying the forward gradient on the basis of the vehicle position and the map information. Therein, the fuel-saving control unit (102) stops the fuel-saving control when a downshifting operation is detected and the forward gradient is an uphill grade equal to or greater than a threshold.