Traction Control Guidance for Real-Time Vehicle Friction Conditions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heavy-duty vehicle operators face challenges in determining the optimal traction control settings for varying friction conditions, as they lack the necessary experience and data to manually adjust settings effectively, leading to potential loss of traction and safety issues.

Innovation Solution

A traction control guidance system that utilizes a controller to receive friction data from sensors or vehicle systems, compares it to stored profiles, and provides recommended traction control settings to the driver through a graphical user interface, allowing for automatic activation of selected settings to enhance traction based on current conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vehicle is equipped with multiple traction control features, then the traction control capability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because the user must manually determine which features to activate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraction control capabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically monitors friction conditions using sensors and autonomously determines the appropriate traction control settings without requiring user intervention. The controller compares real-time friction data to stored profiles and automatically activates the recommended traction control features, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring manual user configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors friction conditions through sensors and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust traction control settings. The controller receives real-time friction data, compares it to stored profiles, and automatically modifies the activation of traction control features based on the current friction conditions, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the user manually determines traction control settings, then the adaptability to specific conditions is improved, but the loss of time for setting adjustment increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to friction conditionsVSAvoidtime for setting adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-stores multiple friction condition profiles with their corresponding optimal traction control settings in memory before operation. When a friction condition is detected, the controller quickly compares real-time data against these pre-prepared profiles and immediately activates the matching settings, eliminating the time required for manual analysis and adjustment while maintaining adaptability to various friction conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If automated traction control setting recommendation is implemented, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs multiple functions: it monitors friction conditions using sensors, compares data to stored profiles, generates traction control setting recommendations, and automatically activates settings. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional controller, the system improves ease of operation while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity compared to having separate dedicated components for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4335711A1Traction control guidance system for providing guided traction control settings based on vehicle friction conditions
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 VOLVO TRUCK CORP
  • EP4335711A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4335711A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4335711A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Traction control guidance system for providing guided traction control settings based on vehicle friction conditions. The traction control guidance system is configured to receive data relating to friction conditions experienced by the vehicle. The traction control guidance system is configured to compare the friction data to recommended traction control setting stored in memory according to a traction control setting guidance profile and provide to a user/driver the recommendations for traction control settings to be activated as traction control setting guidance. If the user/driver accepts the traction control setting guidance, this will cause a vehicle controller to activate the traction control settings according to the traction control settings included in the traction control setting guidance. In this manner, the user/driver is presented with recommended traction control settings to be activated for the current friction conditions of the vehicle without having to manually determine and set the desired traction control settings.