Steering-Wheel Transmission Selector for Misoperation-Resistant Gear Shifts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle transmission selectors lack effective measures to prevent erroneous gear switching due to misoperation, especially at low speeds and during cruise control, and often require complex operations, which can lead to unintended gear changes.
Innovation Solution
A transmission selector with a control circuit and switches integrated into the steering wheel, allowing intuitive operation by switching gears based on speed thresholds and long-press operations, and integrating cruise control and shift-by-wire functions to simplify operations and reduce component count by co-locating the transmission selector element and gear shift indicator within the driver's field of view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the transmission selector integrates cruise control and gear shifting functions using the same switches, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to risk of erroneous gear switching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing speed threshold parameters (first threshold and second threshold) to differentiate between cruise control mode and gear shifting mode. When vehicle speed exceeds the first threshold, the system enables gear shifting function; when speed is below the threshold, cruise control function is enabled. This dynamic parameter-based mode switching resolves the contradiction by ensuring reliable function differentiation while maintaining ease of operation through unified switch usage.
2Ease of operation
If the system enables gear shifting at low speeds using the same switches as cruise control, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential misoperation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses speed threshold parameters to dynamically change system behavior. A first threshold distinguishes between cruise control and gear shifting modes, while a second threshold (lower than the first) provides an additional safety margin. This multi-level parameter approach ensures that gear shifting is only enabled when speed is sufficiently high, preventing misoperation while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors vehicle speed and uses this feedback to dynamically enable or disable specific functions. The control unit receives speed signals and automatically adjusts the operational state of the switches based on current speed conditions, providing real-time feedback control that prevents erroneous gear switching while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If separate gear display portion is provided, then the reliability of gear indication is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gear display function with the existing meter device by integrating a gear display portion into it. The gear display portion utilizes the same display resources and spatial location as the meter device, eliminating the need for a separate dedicated gear display component. This integration maintains reliable gear indication while reducing overall device complexity and component count.
Solution Approach 2:
The meter device is designed to serve multiple functions: it displays both traditional meter information and gear position information through the integrated gear display portion. This multi-functional design allows a single component to fulfill multiple roles, reducing the total number of components needed while maintaining reliable gear indication functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a transmission selector for a vehicle. The transmission selector for a vehicle includes: a transmission selector element including a first switch and a second switch, and a control circuit. When the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a first threshold, the control circuit switches the current gear to D in response to the selection operation received by the first switch, and the control circuit switches the current gear to R in response to the selection operation received by the second switch. When the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the first threshold and the vehicle meets the specified conditions, the control circuit controls the vehicle to switch the current gear in response to a long-press operation whose execution of the selection operation received by the first switch or the second switch reaches a first specified time.