Vehicle Control System Resolving Conflicting Pedal and Sensor Signals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In urgent situations, vehicle operators may incorrectly apply the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal, leading to potential collisions, as existing systems fail to effectively manage conflicting input signals from sensors and pedal positions.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines the action to take when conflicting input signals are received, by analyzing the concurrent receipt of sensor signals indicating a need to reduce speed and accelerator pedal signals, and matches the pedal position usage profiles to either brake or accelerator profiles, triggering the brake to actuate and potentially sending warning signals or preventing speed increases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the accelerator pedal is positioned to the right of the brake pedal and operated by the right foot, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because operators may apply pressure to the incorrect pedal in urgent situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors accelerator and brake pedal positions through sensors and compares actual pedal application with expected operational patterns. When a mismatch is detected (e.g., accelerator pressed when brake should be applied), the system provides corrective feedback by overriding the accelerator signal and activating the brake, thereby preventing incorrect pedal application while maintaining the standard pedal layout
Solution Approach 2:
A control system acts as an intermediary between the pedal inputs and vehicle speed control. This intermediary analyzes the context of pedal application, determines whether the operator intended to accelerate or brake, and mediates the conflicting signals by selecting the appropriate action, thus resolving the reliability issue without changing the physical pedal arrangement
2Measurement precision
If sensor signals indicating need to reduce speed are processed concurrently with accelerator pedal signals, then the measurement precision and response time are improved, but the device complexity increases due to conflicting input signal management
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of signal priority dynamically based on the detected situation. When sensor signals indicate an urgent need to reduce speed (such as obstacle detection), the system shifts priority from accelerator signals to brake signals, effectively resolving conflicts without requiring complex additional hardware by leveraging existing sensor and actuator capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
An action to be performed by a vehicle in response to conflicting input signals can be determined. A sensor signal and an accelerator pedal signal can be received. The sensor signal can indicate a possible need to reduce a speed of the vehicle. The accelerator pedal signal can indicate that an accelerator pedal has been set to a position to increase the speed. An existence of first and second conditions can be determined. The first condition can be that a receipt of the accelerator pedal signal occurred concurrently with a receipt of the sensor signal. The second condition can be that a manner in which the accelerator pedal was set to the position is a better match to a brake pedal usage profile than to an accelerator pedal usage profile. In response to the existence of the first and the second conditions, a brake can be caused to be actuated.