Vehicle Slide-Down Control During Garage Shift Operations

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems inaccurately determine if a vehicle is sliding down when a garage shift operation is performed, leading to unnecessary engine engagement.

Innovation Solution

A control device with a garage shift operation determination unit and a sliding down determination unit that performs different processes to accurately assess sliding conditions, using shift position, motor rotation speed, and acceleration to differentiate between actual sliding and garage shift operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vehicle is determined to slide down by comparing vehicle speed with threshold speed during garage shift operation, then the engine torque can compensate for motor torque shortage, but the vehicle may be mistakenly determined to slide down causing unnecessary engine engagement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of sliding down determinationVSAvoidcomplexity of determination process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sliding down determination process is segmented into two distinct paths: a first determination process for normal conditions and a second determination process for garage shift operations. This segmentation allows the system to apply appropriate determination logic based on the operational context, improving accuracy while managing complexity through conditional branching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The determination process dynamically adapts based on the detected shift operation state. When a garage shift operation is detected, the system switches from the first determination process to the second determination process, which uses different criteria (comparing current vehicle speed direction with previous direction) to avoid false positives during shift transitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If the vehicle is determined to slide down using simple speed comparison, then the response time is fast, but the determination accuracy decreases during garage shift operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speed of sliding down detectionVSAvoidprecision of sliding down detection
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects the determination method based on operational context. During garage shift operations, it uses the second determination process that compares vehicle speed directions before and after shift to maintain precision. During normal operations, it uses the faster first determination process, thus adapting response speed and precision to match operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The determination criteria are changed based on the operational state. In normal conditions, the system uses threshold speed comparison. During garage shift operations, it changes to comparing the direction of vehicle speed before and after the shift, thereby adapting the measurement parameters to the specific operational context to maintain accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the system always uses the first sliding down determination process, then the control logic is simple, but it cannot accurately distinguish between actual sliding and garage shift operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of control logicVSAvoidreliability of sliding down determination
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control logic is segmented into two distinct determination processes that are selected based on the operational context. The first process is used for normal operations, while the second process specifically handles garage shift operations. This segmentation maintains relative simplicity within each process while improving overall reliability through context-appropriate logic selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shift operation determination unit acts as an intermediary that detects whether a garage shift operation is occurring and routes the sliding down determination to the appropriate process. This intermediary component enables the system to distinguish between actual sliding and shift operations without significantly complicating the overall control architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4242496B1Control device of vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 SUZUKI MOTOR CORP
  • EP4242496B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4242496B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4242496B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Object] It is to provide a control device of a vehicle capable of accurately determining the vehicle to slide down even when a garage shift operation is performed. [Solution] An HCU determines whether a garage shift operation of changing a shift position from one of forward and reverse ranges to the other is performed by a driver (step S1). The HCU performs, if the garage shift operation is determined to be performed, a first sliding down determination process of determining whether the vehicle slides down (step S2), otherwise performing a second sliding down determination process of determining whether the vehicle slides down (step S3), which is different from the first sliding down determination process. Upon determining that the vehicle slides down in accordance with the first or second sliding down determination process ("YES" at step S4), the HCU increases driving force of the vehicle (step S5).