Remote Vehicle Accessory Control With Safety-Gated Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The automation of accessories in specially-equipped vehicles has not been sufficiently addressed, posing an obstacle to solving the labor shortage in the transportation industry due to the lack of drivers.
Innovation Solution
An accessory control system that includes a vehicle state determining section, a vehicle-surrounding-safety monitoring section, a remote instruction receiving section, an accessory control section, and an accessory driving section, which collectively perform automatic control of vehicle accessories based on vehicle state, safety monitoring, and remote instructions, ensuring safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual operation of accessories is used, then operational control is simple and direct, but labor shortage cannot be addressed and driver burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
A remote operation terminal is introduced as an intermediary device that allows operators to control accessories from a remote location. The terminal communicates with the vehicle's control system through communication modules, enabling automated accessory operation without requiring the driver to manually operate controls. This resolves the contradiction by providing automation while keeping the control interface separate from the vehicle operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is segmented into independent functional modules: a remote operation terminal for input, communication modules for data transmission, and control modules for executing commands. This modular segmentation allows automation to be implemented without overwhelming system complexity, as each module can be developed and maintained independently.
2Productivity
If automated control of accessories is implemented, then labor shortage can be addressed, but safety risks may increase without proper monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates multiple sensors that continuously monitor accessory operation status, vehicle state, and surrounding environment. This feedback is transmitted to both the remote operation terminal and local display devices, allowing real-time monitoring and immediate response to any abnormal conditions. The feedback mechanism ensures safety while enabling automated operation, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Before accessory operation is executed, the system performs preliminary safety checks by monitoring surrounding environment conditions and vehicle state. The control module only permits operation when safety conditions are met, preventing dangerous operations before they can occur. This preliminary action ensures that automated operation maintains high productivity without compromising safety.
3Extent of automation
If remote operation terminal is added, then automation capability is enhanced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The remote operation terminal is designed to control multiple different accessories through a unified interface. The same terminal can operate wings, beds, drums, or pumping sections depending on the vehicle configuration. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control systems for each accessory, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining high automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses communication modules to transmit and receive digital signals that represent control commands and status information. Instead of direct mechanical or electrical connections for each control function, digital copies of control information are transmitted wirelessly or through communication buses, reducing the physical complexity of the control system while maintaining full automation capability.
4Reliability
If comprehensive safety monitoring is implemented, then operation safety is ensured, but system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The safety monitoring system operates periodically rather than continuously. Sensors monitor accessory operation status and surrounding environment at regular intervals, transmitting data to the control module. This periodic operation ensures safety monitoring is effective while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring, resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy usage.
Data Source
AI summary
The accessory control system of the present disclosure includes: a vehicle state determining section that determines a state of a vehicle; a vehicle-surrounding-safety monitoring section that monitors safety in surroundings of the vehicle; a remote instruction receiving section that receives, from an external apparatus, instruction information for operating an accessory; an accessory control section that performs control of an operation of the accessory based on a determination result of the vehicle state determining section, a monitoring result obtained by the vehicle-surrounding-safety monitoring section, and the instruction information received by the remote instruction receiving section; and an accessory driving section that drives the accessory based on the control by the accessory control section.