Vehicle Idle Power Management via Predictive Sensor Deactivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles face inefficiencies in power consumption when idling, as sensors and components continue to draw energy from the battery, leading to battery depletion and increased fuel consumption, especially when waiting for passengers at origin locations.
Innovation Solution
A computer system within the vehicle predicts arrival times and deactivates or adjusts the operation of sensors and components based on predicted arrival times, reducing power consumption by idling the propulsion and selectively deactivating sensors with excessive range, and reactivating the internal combustion engine to recharge the battery when transporting passengers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors and components continue to operate while the vehicle is idling, then the vehicle is ready to respond immediately when the user arrives, but the battery power consumption increases leading to battery depletion
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts sensor operation modes based on predicted user arrival time. When the vehicle is idling and user arrival is expected soon, sensors operate at full capacity. When user arrival is delayed beyond a threshold time, the system automatically deactivates certain sensors to reduce power consumption, creating a dynamic balance between readiness and energy conservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary prediction of user arrival time before making decisions about sensor deactivation. By predicting the arrival time in advance and comparing it against a threshold, the system proactively adjusts sensor operation to prevent battery depletion while maintaining appropriate vehicle readiness levels.
2Loss of energy
If the propulsion is deactivated while idling, then fuel consumption is reduced, but the battery depletes faster due to continued operation of sensors and components
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a dynamic power management strategy where the propulsion state (activated or deactivated) directly influences sensor operation. When propulsion is deactivated to save fuel, the system simultaneously deactivates certain sensors to prevent battery depletion, establishing a coordinated dynamic response that addresses both fuel conservation and battery preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and separates the power management decisions for propulsion and sensors. By independently controlling sensor deactivation based on propulsion state and predicted user arrival time, the system can deactivate the propulsion to save fuel while selectively maintaining or deactivating sensors based on their power consumption characteristics and necessity for the current idle period.
3Use of energy by moving object
If sensors with excessive data collection range are deactivated, then power consumption is reduced, but the detection capability of the vehicle is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different operational qualities to different sensors based on their specific characteristics. Rather than uniformly deactivating all sensors, the system selectively deactivates sensors with excessive data collection range that are less critical, while maintaining operation of sensors with shorter ranges or higher priority functions. This creates localized quality differences in sensor operation that optimize the balance between power consumption and detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to predict a user arrival time based on data of a user and a user origin location, deactivate a propulsion of the vehicle upon arriving at the user origin location, and deactivate one or more additional vehicle components based on the user arrival time.