Vehicle Pedal Position Control Using a Single Camera
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pedal position sensors in vehicles degrade over time due to mechanical wear, leading to reduced accuracy, and existing infrared sensor technologies require multiple sensors for each pedal, increasing complexity and vulnerability to wear.
Innovation Solution
A camera captures images of multiple pedals, which are then analyzed by a control unit to determine pedal positions, eliminating the need for multiple sensors and reducing mechanical wear by using a single component for multi-pedal detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple infrared sensors are used for each pedal, then the risk of mechanical wear is reduced, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor functions into a single camera system. Instead of using separate infrared sensors for each pedal (accelerator, brake, clutch), one camera captures images containing all pedals simultaneously. The control unit then analyzes the image to determine positions of multiple pedals, reducing component count while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera serves multiple functions: it detects positions of different pedals (accelerator, brake, clutch), eliminates the need for pedal-specific sensors, and provides a universal solution for multi-pedal monitoring. This multi-functional approach reduces system complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used for each pedal, then individual pedal detection is accurate, but the system becomes more vulnerable to sensor degradation and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical infrared sensors with an optical camera system. Instead of using infrared transmission and reflection measurements that require precise mechanical alignment and are prone to wear, the system uses visible light imaging. This substitution eliminates mechanical wear issues while maintaining the ability to accurately detect pedal positions through image analysis.
3Device complexity
If a single camera is used to capture multiple pedals, then the number of components is reduced, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring individual pedal positions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image as an intermediary between the camera and the control unit. The camera captures an image containing all pedals, and this image serves as the mediator that the control unit analyzes to determine individual pedal positions. This intermediary approach simplifies the hardware while providing sufficient information for accurate measurement through image processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling actuators based on pedal positions in a vehicle is described. The system comprises a control unit and a camera. The camera is configured to capture an image containing two or more pedals in a vehicle and to provide the image to the control unit. The control unit is configured to determine for each pedal, based on the provided image, the current position of the pedal relative to a fixed structure in the vehicle or relative to a reference position of the pedal, and control, based on the determined position, an actuator associated with the pedal.