Vehicle Throttle Control via Accelerometer and Gyroscope Grade Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicles, including hybrid and conventional cars, face significant fuel consumption issues during acceleration, especially in stop-and-go traffic and when driving uphill, leading to inefficient fuel use and increased emissions.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing a combination of an accelerometer and gyroscope to measure vehicle acceleration and orientation, generating speed fluctuation and slope data to modulate the engine throttle, implementing a feed-forward control system that anticipates and adjusts throttle input based on road grade, reducing the need for excessive acceleration and improving fuel efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If conventional cruise control systems allow vehicle speed to drop when initially climbing a hill, then the system simplifies control logic, but fuel consumption increases due to over-acceleration needed to catch back up to desired speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic complexityVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by detecting road grade changes before the vehicle actually climbs the hill using an accelerometer and gyroscope. The controller pre-adjusts the throttle position to compensate for the upcoming grade change, preventing speed drop in the first place rather than correcting it after the fact. This eliminates the need for over-acceleration while maintaining simple control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring vehicle acceleration and orientation data from sensors, comparing actual speed against desired speed, and adjusting throttle position accordingly. The feedback loop detects when the vehicle is slowing down on a grade and automatically compensates by increasing throttle, preventing the need for aggressive over-acceleration and reducing overall fuel consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If drivers over-accelerate to catch back up to desired speed after hill climb speed drop, then the vehicle maintains its speed target, but fuel consumption and emissions increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle speed maintenanceVSAvoidemissions

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system detects road grade changes using accelerometer and gyroscope data before the vehicle speed significantly drops. The controller pre-adjusts the throttle position to maintain speed throughout the hill climb, preventing the need for over-acceleration. This maintains the speed target while avoiding the harmful emissions associated with aggressive acceleration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If hybrid vehicles are used to improve fuel economy, then fuel consumption decreases, but vehicle cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel economyVSAvoidvehicle cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the vehicle's existing sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) and controller to implement fuel-saving grade compensation. Rather than requiring a hybrid powertrain with complex battery and motor systems, the system makes the conventional vehicle's existing components work more efficiently by using sensor data to pre-adjust throttle based on detected road grade, achieving fuel economy improvements without increasing vehicle cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces fuel consumption by minimizing unnecessary acceleration, particularly when driving uphill, and decreases emissions by optimizing throttle control, providing a cost-effective solution for improving fuel economy and reducing carbon monoxide emissions.

Implementation Method 1

an accelerometer configured to measure acceleration of a vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration measurement: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

a gyroscope configured to measure orientation of the vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitational orientation detection: Gyroscope

Data Source

PatentUS10857883B2Efficient control of fuel consumption in cars

Publication Date: 2020.12.08 UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS

AI summary

A system that includes an accelerometer configured to measure acceleration of a vehicle, a gyroscope configured to measure orientation of the vehicle, a memory having computer readable instructions, and a processor for executing the computer readable instructions. The computer readable instructions include performing at intervals: receiving acceleration data from the accelerometer; receiving orientation data from the gyroscope; combining the acceleration data and the orientation data to generate speed fluctuation and slope data for the vehicle; and transmitting the fluctuation and slope data to a controller of the vehicle. The controller utilizes the speed fluctuation and slope data to modulate an engine throttle of the vehicle.