Predictive Engine Stop-Start Control for Driver-Responsive Fuel Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems fail to effectively improve fuel efficiency by not adequately considering driver characteristics, preferences, and habits, especially during frequent acceleration and deceleration operations.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device that includes a driving characteristic computation unit, a preceding vehicle state prediction unit, and a driving state estimation unit. These units work together to predict the state of a preceding vehicle and estimate the driving state of the own vehicle, allowing for optimized engine control, such as coasting and engine start/stop based on predicted driving states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the engine is started and stopped frequently to respond to driver acceleration requests, then the acceleration performance is improved, but the fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of driving patterns and predicts future acceleration requests based on historical data and current context. By anticipating when acceleration will be needed, the engine can be kept running during periods of predicted activity, avoiding unnecessary stop-start cycles while still being ready to respond to acceleration requests promptly.
2Speed
If the engine is kept running to maintain readiness for acceleration, then the acceleration response is improved, but the fuel consumption increases during idle periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts engine operation strategy based on real-time analysis of driving patterns, vehicle context, and predicted future states. The engine control transitions between idle, stopped, and running states optimally, adapting to changing conditions rather than following fixed rules, thereby balancing readiness with fuel efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors driving behavior, vehicle state, and environmental conditions, using this feedback to refine predictions and adjust engine control strategies. By incorporating feedback loops that analyze actual driver behavior against predicted patterns, the system optimizes engine operation to match real-world usage while minimizing unnecessary fuel consumption.
3Loss of energy
If the engine stop-start system is implemented without considering driver characteristics, then the fuel efficiency is improved, but the drivability and driver comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system tailors engine control strategies to individual driver characteristics and specific driving contexts rather than applying uniform rules. By analyzing local patterns in driver behavior, vehicle usage, and environmental conditions, the system customizes when to stop or run the engine for each driving situation, preserving driver comfort while achieving fuel savings.
Data Source
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Figure 4(a)~4(d)
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device that controls an engine so as to improve fuel efficiency, with driving characteristics of a driver or an automatic driving system in consideration. A vehicle control device includes: a driving characteristic computation unit that computes driving characteristic parameters of an own vehicle on the basis of an intervehicle distance between a preceding vehicle and the own vehicle; a preceding vehicle state prediction unit that predicts a state of the preceding vehicle after a predetermined amount of time on the basis of the intervehicle distance; and a driving state estimation unit that estimates a driving state of the own vehicle after the predetermined amount of time on the basis of the state of the preceding vehicle after the predetermined amount of time predicted by the preceding vehicle state prediction unit and the driving characteristic parameters of the own vehicle computed by the driving characteristic computation unit.