Utility Vehicle Speed Control Using Wind and Topography Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cruise control systems for commercial vehicles fail to optimize fuel consumption and may even worsen it, as they only regulate driving speed based on predictable environmental conditions, neglecting the impact of wind and topography.
Innovation Solution
A device that regulates the driving speed of commercial vehicles by integrating data from driving speed sensors, wind speed sensors, and locating units, using a control unit to adjust speed based on detected wind speed and topography, ensuring the controlled driving speed is an increasing function of the wind speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional cruise control systems regulate driving speed based only on predictable environmental conditions, then the system complexity is reduced, but fuel consumption optimization is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives wind speed information in advance and uses it to proactively adjust the driving speed before the vehicle encounters significant wind resistance changes. This preliminary action allows the system to optimize fuel consumption by anticipating headwinds and tailwinds, reducing the need for reactive acceleration and braking that would waste energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously receives wind speed information from sensors or external sources and feeds this data back to the control unit, which dynamically adjusts the driving speed setpoint. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables real-time optimization of fuel consumption based on actual wind conditions, resolving the contradiction between simple control and energy efficiency.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the driving speed is reduced on an incline to optimize fuel consumption, then energy consumption is improved, but driving time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically changes the driving speed parameter based on real-time wind speed information. When a tailwind is detected, the system increases the driving speed to compensate for time lost during previous headwind conditions or to take advantage of the favorable wind conditions, thereby optimizing the trade-off between fuel consumption and driving time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static speed regulation to dynamic speed adjustment by continuously adapting the driving speed setpoint based on changing wind conditions. This dynamic approach allows the vehicle to accelerate during tailwinds and decelerate during headwinds, optimizing both energy consumption and travel time according to real-time environmental conditions.
3Loss of time
If the driving speed is increased in a tailwind to compensate for lost time, then driving time is improved, but energy consumption may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit applies partial acceleration in tailwind conditions rather than maintaining maximum speed. By moderately increasing the driving speed to compensate for time lost during headwinds rather than excessively accelerating, the system achieves acceptable travel time improvement while minimizing additional fuel consumption, resolving the contradiction between time and energy efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to technology for controlling a driving speed of a utility vehicle (150). According to one embodiment, a device (100) comprises: a driving speed sensor (110) that detects the driving speed (112) of the utility vehicle (150); a wind speed sensor (120) or a data interface (122) that detects a wind speed (124; 126) on or in front of the utility vehicle (150); a locating unit (130) that locates the utility vehicle (150) on a route (114) travelled by the utility vehicle (150); and a control unit (140) that controls the driving speed of the utility vehicle (150) according to the detected driving speed (112), the detected wind speed (124; 126) and a topography (200) ahead of the utility vehicle (150) on the route (114) according to the locating. With the topography ahead of the utility vehicle (150), the controlled driving speed is an increasing function of the detected wind speed (124; 126) in the direction of the driving speed.