Vehicle Energy Management Using Driver Intention Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy management systems in motor vehicles face challenges in optimizing the compromise between system energy consumption and functions availability for the driver, often resulting in limitations due to fixed dependencies on vehicle usage modes.
Innovation Solution
An energy management system that uses an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to determine the driver's intended actions based on their location and movement within the vehicle, selectively powering only the necessary components while reducing power to non-essential ones, thereby optimizing energy consumption and function availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all electrically controllable components are activated simultaneously, then complete function availability is achieved, but battery power consumption exceeds delivery capacity causing random operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the activation state of components based on real-time driver intention prediction. Instead of static activation based on vehicle modes, the ECU continuously monitors driver behavior patterns and selectively activates only those components the driver is likely to use next, creating a dynamic balance between availability and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary activation of components based on predicted driver intentions before the driver actually requests them. By analyzing current driver actions and predicting future needs, the system proactively powers up relevant components in advance, ensuring immediate availability while avoiding the need to keep all components continuously active.
2Loss of energy
If components are deactivated to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but function availability is reduced due to fixed dependency on vehicle usage modes
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the control parameter from static vehicle usage modes to dynamic driver intention states. By monitoring real-time driver behavior patterns, position, and interaction with vehicle systems, the ECU adapts component activation to actual driver needs rather than predefined vehicle states, enabling flexible function availability that responds to individual driver requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the driver's own interaction patterns and behavior data to automatically determine which components should be activated. The ECU learns from and responds to driver actions, enabling the system to self-adjust component availability based on observed driver intentions without requiring explicit driver commands or fixed mode selections.
3Device complexity
If driver intention is determined based on vehicle usage modes, then energy management is simplified, but function availability is limited by fixed vehicle mode dependencies
Solution Approach 1:
The ECU performs multiple functions: it monitors vehicle operation, analyzes driver behavior patterns, predicts driver intentions, and controls component activation. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for separate complex mode-management systems while providing more adaptive function availability based on actual driver needs rather than fixed vehicle usage categories.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an energy management system for a motor vehicle, comprising a monitoring device adapted to monitor a position and/or a movement of a driver inside the motor vehicle, a driver's intention determination device adapted to determine the intention of the driver to use predetermined energy consuming devices of the motor vehicle based on the monitored position and/or movement of the driver, and an activating/deactivating device adapted to activate, and respectively deactivate, specific energy consuming devices among the predetermined energy consuming devices of the motor vehicle based on the determined driver's intention.