Vehicle Control System Towing Detection Mode Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems fail to accurately determine when a vehicle is towing a load, leading to inappropriate automatic mode selection and potential instability, especially when driving on different terrains like sand.

Innovation Solution

A control system that automatically detects towing by monitoring changes in drag, rolling resistance, and other parameters, and prevents selection of inappropriate operating modes, allowing manual override and notification to the user, ensuring safe and appropriate mode selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the system operates in automatic mode selection condition to automatically select appropriate operating modes, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates when the vehicle is towing a load due to inaccurate terrain determination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic mode selectionVSAvoidmode selection accuracy when towing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs preliminary detection of towing conditions by monitoring vehicle drag and rolling resistance before automatic mode selection is executed. When towing is detected, the system proactively disables automatic sand control mode selection, preventing the reliability issue from occurring in the first place

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors vehicle operating parameters including drag and rolling resistance to provide feedback on actual vehicle conditions. This feedback loop allows the system to distinguish between increased drag from sand terrain versus increased drag from towing a load, thereby maintaining reliable mode selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system allows automatic selection of sand control mode based on terrain detection, then the adaptability is improved, but the stability deteriorates when the vehicle is towing due to misinterpretation of terrain conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterrain-based mode adaptationVSAvoidvehicle stability when towing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system detects towing conditions in advance by monitoring vehicle drag and rolling resistance parameters before terrain-based automatic mode selection is activated. This preliminary detection prevents misinterpretation of terrain conditions that would otherwise cause instability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of allowing automatic sand control mode selection to proceed and then correcting errors, the system inverts the approach by disabling automatic sand mode selection entirely when towing is detected. This prevents the stability issue by reversing the normal automatic selection logic under towing conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2892776B1Vehicle control system and method

Publication Date: 2019.03.20 JAGUAR LAND ROVER LTD

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AI summary

The present invention relates to a control system for a motor vehicle, the system being operable in an automatic mode selection condition in which the system is configured to select automatically an appropriate system operating mode and to assume operation in said system operating mode, wherein when operating in the automatic mode selection condition the system is configured to prevent selection of a prescribed one or more operating modes if it is determined that the vehicle is towing a load.