Vehicle Speed Controller Segmentation for Adaptive Terrain Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle speed control systems, such as cruise control, are ineffective in congested traffic conditions and off-road environments due to minimum speed requirements and susceptibility to wheel slip events, leading to unreliable vehicle progress.
Innovation Solution
A system with multiple speed controllers that can assume 'on' or 'off' states, where only one controller is active at a time, and does not retain target speed values in memory when not in use, allowing for adaptive speed control based on terrain conditions and preventing interference between controllers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a minimum speed requirement is imposed on cruise control systems, then the likelihood of low speed collision is reduced, but the systems become ineffective in congested traffic conditions and low speed scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The speed control system is divided into multiple independent controllers (cruise control system and low speed progress control system) that can operate independently or be selectively disabled. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through cruise control at higher speeds while adapting to low speed conditions by disabling the minimum speed requirement through the low speed progress control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on operating conditions by providing different control modes. The cruise control system operates with minimum speed requirements during normal conditions, while the low speed progress control system can be activated to disable these requirements when operating in congested traffic or low speed scenarios, making the system adaptable to varying driving conditions.
2Reliability
If cruise control systems are integrated into engine management with adaptive functionality, then safe following distance is maintained automatically, but the systems cancel in the event of wheel slip events requiring traction control intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into separate functional modules including cruise control, low speed progress control, traction control, and stability control systems. This allows the low speed progress control system to operate independently without being cancelled by wheel slip events that would disable integrated cruise control, enabling continuous operation in off-road conditions while maintaining safety through coordinated traction and stability control.
Solution Approach 2:
The low speed progress control system acts as an intermediary between the cruise control system and traction/stability control systems. It provides a control mode that can operate during wheel slip events by coordinating with traction control, allowing the system to maintain vehicle progress in off-road conditions without being cancelled by wheel slip detection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple speed controllers are provided for different driving conditions, then adaptability to various terrains is improved, but the risk of incorrect speed settings and controller interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The target speed value retention function is extracted from the low speed progress control system when it is not in active use. The system includes a memory device that stores target speed values only when the low speed progress control system is in the enabled state, preventing incorrect speed settings from being retained or applied when switching between control modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the operational state of different speed controllers and adjust memory retention accordingly. When the low speed progress control system transitions between enabled and disabled states, the system provides feedback to the memory device to retain or clear target speed values, ensuring that only appropriate speed settings are maintained for the currently active control mode.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provided a system comprising: a plurality of speed controllers each configured to assume one or more ‘on’ states or one or more ‘off’ states, in a predetermined one or more on states each speed controller being configured to cause a vehicle to operate in accordance with a target speed value, in an off state each speed controller being configured not to cause a vehicle to operate in accordance with a target speed value, the system being configured wherein only one of the speed controllers may be in an on state at a given moment in time, the other one or more speed controllers being arranged to assume an off state when a speed controller is in an on state, the system being configured to delete from a speed controller memory or associated speed controller memory directly accessible by said speed controller, one or more target speed values employed by a speed controller that is not in an on state.