Vehicle Control Device for Dispersing Engine Startups Near Emission Zones

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The operation of internal combustion engines near the boundary of low emission zones leads to noise and exhaust emissions that adversely impact the environment, as vehicles quickly restart engines after exiting these zones to recharge batteries.

Innovation Solution

A control device disperses the startup and shutdown positions of internal combustion engines among multiple vehicles using GPS, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and centralized server control to minimize concentration of engine operations near emission zone boundaries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the internal combustion engine is stopped in low emission zones and only the electric motor is used, then air pollution is reduced, but the amount of electric power consumed increases and the battery needs to be recharged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair pollutionVSAvoidelectric power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary charging of the battery using the internal combustion engine before the vehicle enters the low emission zone. The control device determines that the vehicle will enter a low emission zone and activates the engine to charge the battery in advance, ensuring sufficient electric power is available when the engine needs to be stopped for environmental reasons.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the internal combustion engine is restarted after exiting the low emission zone to recharge the battery, then electric power consumption is balanced, but noise and exhaust emissions adversely impact the environment near the zone boundary

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery chargingVSAvoidnoise and exhaust emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of restarting the engine immediately after exiting the low emission zone (which would cause pollution near the boundary), the system inverts the timing by charging the battery before entering the zone. This reverses the sequence of engine operation to achieve the opposite temporal pattern, eliminating harmful emissions from the sensitive boundary area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Use of energy by moving object

If multiple vehicles restart their internal combustion engines simultaneously near the low emission zone boundary, then each vehicle can maintain its energy balance, but the concentrated engine operations create significant environmental impact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy balanceVSAvoidconcentrated noise and emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control device receives information from other vehicles about their engine operation status and uses this feedback to adjust its own engine control decisions. By monitoring whether other vehicles are restarting their engines near the zone boundary, the system can avoid simultaneous restarts and disperse engine operations across different locations and times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control device acts as an intermediary that coordinates engine operations among multiple vehicles. By communicating with other vehicles and mediating their engine restart decisions, the system distributes engine operations across different vehicles and time periods, preventing concentrated emissions and noise from multiple engines starting simultaneously near the zone boundary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4008893B1Control device of vehicle and internal combustion engine control device

Publication Date: 2026.02.11 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

The control device of a vehicle 1, 1', 1" comprises a position estimating part 15 configured to estimate a position of the vehicle, and a power output part 16 configured to control the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to output power for running use. The power output part is configured to determine a startup position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits from a low emission zone requesting the internal combustion engine be stopped so that startup positions of internal combustion engines of a plurality of vehicles are dispersed at surroundings of the low emission zone.