Accelerator Pedal Gradient Detection for Vehicle State
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems fail to accurately detect a driver's request for a specific driving state, such as sailing, due to reliance on manual acceptance signals and sensitivity to accelerator pedal dynamics, leading to inconsistent vehicle state transitions.
Innovation Solution
A method that evaluates the idle state of the accelerator pedal through first and second accelerator pedal gradients in specific time intervals, allowing for the detection of intentional or unintentional driver requests, independent of pedal movement dynamics, to determine the vehicle's driving state and transition accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system relies on manual acceptance signals and is sensitive to accelerator pedal dynamics, then the vehicle can respond to driver inputs, but the detection of driver requests becomes inconsistent and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameters from simple pedal position to a combination of pedal gradient (first derivative) and acceleration (second derivative). This parameter transformation allows the system to filter out normal driving dynamics while capturing genuine driver requests for state transitions, thereby improving reliability without requiring complex additional hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual acceptance signals (mechanical/physical interaction) with an automated detection system based on mathematical evaluation of pedal dynamics. The control unit automatically evaluates the gradient and acceleration parameters to detect driver intent, eliminating the need for manual confirmation while maintaining system reliability
2Productivity
If the system uses manual acceptance signals for state transitions, then the driver has control, but the transition process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-detection of driver intent by automatically evaluating pedal gradient and acceleration parameters. The control unit independently determines when a driver requests a state transition without requiring manual confirmation, enabling rapid automated response while preserving driver control through the natural physics of pedal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors and evaluates pedal dynamics in real-time, preparing to detect driver requests before they are fully executed. By preliminarily analyzing the gradient and acceleration parameters, the system can immediately respond to driver intent as it emerges, minimizing response time and eliminating delays associated with manual acceptance signals
3Measurement precision
If the system is sensitive to accelerator pedal dynamics, then it can detect driver input, but it becomes influenced by normal pedal movement patterns rather than genuine driver requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the detection from simple pedal position to a multi-parameter evaluation including first gradient (dp/dt) and second gradient (d²p/dt²). This parameter transformation creates a signature pattern that distinguishes genuine driver requests (sudden, sustained changes) from normal driving dynamics (gradual, oscillating changes), thereby improving measurement precision while filtering out harmful interference
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mathematical derivatives (gradient calculations) as intermediary parameters between the physical pedal position and the detection decision. These intermediary parameters act as a filter that translates raw pedal movement data into meaningful driver intent signals, eliminating the direct influence of normal pedal dynamics while preserving genuine driver requests
Data Source
AI summary
A method detects a driving state of a vehicle. The vehicle has a drive train with at least one drive and an accelerator pedal. A rest state of the accelerator pedal is determined by evaluating an operating point position of the accelerator pedal by a first accelerator pedal gradient in a first time interval, and checking whether the first accelerator pedal gradient within the first time interval is less than a maximum value.