Vehicle Pressure Sensor Good Check Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle systems lack the ability to automatically determine when a sensor malfunction has ended, often requiring manual intervention to clear errors caused by electromagnetic interference or other issues, leading to prolonged activation of warning lights and system modifications.
Innovation Solution
A controller with a malfunction monitoring module, failure handling module, and signal checking module that performs 'good checks' on sensors to verify their return to normal operation, using electronic non-volatile memory and processing units to store fault information and drive cycle data, and reset indicators and systems accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If malfunction monitoring functions use large tolerances and fewer conditions to avoid misdetection, then reliability improves, but false good checks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring function is divided into two separate modules: a malfunction monitoring module with liberal tolerances to detect potential issues, and a good check module with strict tolerances to confirm recovery. This segmentation allows each module to optimize its parameters for its specific purpose without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary malfunction monitoring with loose criteria to identify potential problems early, then applies a subsequent good check with strict criteria to verify actual recovery before clearing the malfunction indicator. This two-stage preliminary action ensures reliable detection while avoiding false positives.
2Measurement precision
If manual intervention is required to clear sensor errors, then measurement precision is maintained, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis and automatic recovery confirmation through the good check module. When the sensor returns to acceptable parameters, the system automatically clears the malfunction indicator without requiring technician intervention, enabling the system to service itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors sensor output and provides feedback to determine when recovery has occurred. The good check module uses strict tolerances to confirm proper sensor function, then automatically resets the system state, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that eliminates manual reset requirements.
3Reliability
If warning lights remain activated until manual reset, then reliability is maintained, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The malfunction indicator state is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically transitions the warning light from activated to deactivated state when the good check confirms sensor recovery, allowing the system to adapt its operational state based on real-time sensor performance without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical reset process is replaced with an electronic automated system. The good check module electronically determines recovery and automatically clears the malfunction indicator, substituting the manual technician action with an electronic control function that improves productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanism for determining whether a malfunctioning pressure sensor has returned to a normal or acceptable operating range. The mechanism includes controllers and methods that perform a “good check” on the sensor to determine whether the sensor has returned to normal or acceptable operation after a malfunction has been detected. When a previously-malfunctioning sensor passes the “good check,” warning lights (or tell-tale) indicators are shut off and systems that relied upon information from the malfunctioning sensor return to normal operation.