Vehicle Engine Controller Adaptive Stop Permit Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle engine stop and start control systems face challenges in accurately diagnosing the engine restart system while the vehicle is moving, leading to potential driver anxiety and reduced fuel efficiency due to stringent conditions for initiating automatic engine stops.
Innovation Solution
A controller for vehicles that sets stringent automatic stop permit conditions based on the travel environment, such as distance to obstacles and road gradients, to ensure safe diagnosis of the engine restart system without causing driver anxiety, while allowing for improved fuel efficiency by enabling 'free-running' engine stop and start functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the first automatic engine stop is permitted while the vehicle is moving, then fuel efficiency is improved through free-running S&S control, but driver anxiety increases if the engine restart system is found abnormal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the automatic stop permit conditions variable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the permit conditions based on the cumulative number of automatic engine stops in the current trip, allowing more stops as the driver becomes accustomed to the system. This resolves the contradiction by enabling fuel efficiency improvement while progressively managing driver anxiety through adaptive control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of automatic stop permit conditions based on the cumulative stop count. Initially, the conditions are stringent (requiring larger distance to preceding vehicle and smaller gradient), but they become progressively less stringent as the cumulative stop count increases. This parameter change allows the system to balance fuel efficiency gains with driver comfort and acceptance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If stringent automatic stop permit conditions are set for the first in-motion automatic engine stop, then driver anxiety is reduced, but fuel efficiency improvement is limited due to restricted free-running S&S control execution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the automatic stop permit conditions dynamic, allowing them to evolve from stringent to less stringent as the driver becomes accustomed to the system. This enables the system to initially prioritize driver comfort while progressively unlocking fuel efficiency improvements, resolving the contradiction between reducing driver anxiety and maximizing fuel savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by setting initially stringent conditions for the first automatic stop, which serves as a diagnostic opportunity. After successful diagnosis and driver acclimatization, the system progressively relaxes conditions to enable broader fuel efficiency improvements, effectively using preliminary cautious action to enable future optimization.
3Loss of energy
If the determination criteria of automatic stop permit conditions are made less stringent as cumulative automatic stop count increases, then fuel efficiency is improved, but system reliability may be compromised in unfamiliar driving situations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the cumulative number of automatic engine stops and using this information to adjust future permit conditions. The system learns from past successful operations and progressively allows more stops, but always maintains the ability to enforce stringent conditions when needed, thereby balancing fuel efficiency with ongoing system reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a controller for a vehicle that can execute, while the vehicle is stationary or moving, control of automatically stopping an engine upon determining that automatic stop conditions are met, and automatically restarting the engine upon determining that automatic restart conditions are met while automatic engine stop is in effect. At a time of first engine restart in one trip, the controller diagnoses whether a system that automatically restarts the engine is normal or abnormal. The automatic stop conditions for in-motion automatic engine stop include automatic stop execution conditions that are set based on a state of the vehicle, and automatic stop permit conditions that are set based on a travel environment. The controller sets the automatic stop permit conditions such that determination criteria are more stringent as a cumulative number of times of in-motion automatic engine stop in one trip is smaller.