Start-Stop Engine Shutdown Prevention via Brake Pedal Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic start-stop systems for internal-combustion engines in vehicles often turn off the engine unnecessarily, causing discomfort and inefficiency, especially in situations where the driver wants to remain stationary, and lack intuitive methods for the driver to prevent automatic shutdowns, particularly in vehicles with automatic transmissions.
Innovation Solution
A method that allows drivers to prevent automatic engine shutdown by releasing the brake pedal within a predefined time interval after stopping, utilizing a start-stop device that integrates with the engine control unit and includes a holding function to maintain the vehicle's position, using sensors to detect brake pressure or torque, and providing visual or haptic signals to inform the driver of the option to prevent engine shutdown.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the internal-combustion engine is automatically turned off when the vehicle is braked to a stop and held at a stop for a predefined time interval, then fuel consumption is reduced, but the driver loses the ability to prevent unwanted shutdowns in certain traffic situations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the driver to actively press a button or perform a specific action to prevent engine shutdown, the system inverts the logic: the engine shutdown is automatically prevented if the driver simply releases the brake pedal within the predefined time interval. This intuitive inversion allows the driver to easily override unwanted shutdowns without adding complexity to the operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the driver's natural braking behavior as the control mechanism. By monitoring whether the brake pedal is released within the predefined time interval after the vehicle comes to a stop, the system automatically determines whether to prevent engine shutdown, eliminating the need for separate control interfaces or additional driver actions.
2Loss of energy
If the engine is automatically turned off at any stop, then fuel efficiency improves, but comfort deteriorates when the driver needs to remain stationary briefly
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts engine shutdown behavior based on real-time driver actions. By monitoring the brake pedal status within a predefined time interval after stopping, the system can adaptively prevent shutdown when the driver releases the brake, allowing brief stationary periods without engine restart, thus maintaining comfort while preserving fuel efficiency for longer stops.
3Loss of information
If the brake pedal position is monitored to prevent engine shutdown, then driver intent is better recognized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake pedal position sensor serves multiple functions: it controls vehicle braking, indicates brake application status, and provides input for the start-stop system's shutdown prevention logic. By utilizing an existing sensor for multiple purposes, the system recognizes driver intent without adding dedicated hardware or increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a corresponding system are provided for automatically turning off an internal-combustion engine in a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission, by use of a start-stop device which automatically turns off the internal-combustion engine when the vehicle is braked to a stopped position and was held in the stopped position for a predefined time interval by operating the brake pedal. Within the predefined time interval after the stopped position was reached, the motor vehicle driver is able to prevent the automatic turning-off of the internal-combustion engine. The turning-off of the internal-combustion engine is prevented when the brake pedal is released by the driver within the predefined time interval.