Requirement-based testing of an automotive ECU considering the behavior of the vehicle

HILS (Hardware In the Loop Simulation) and RBT (Requirement-Based Testing) are widely used to evaluate the performance and reliability of automotive ECUs (Electronic Control Units). The HILS method is used to predict the behavior of ECU-installed vehicles and to evaluate the performance of ECU controllers. RBT evaluates whether the embedded system satisfies the pre-defined requirements. In this study, the behavior of a vehicle is regarded as a system requirement, and an embedded system test procedure that evaluates the system requirement is proposed. In particular, a new method is introduced, which integrates HILS with RBT. Using the proposed method, the behavior of an articulated vehicle equipped with an AWS (All Wheel Steering) ECU is evaluated with RBT software.     

Drive control system design for stability and maneuverability of a 6WD/6WS vehicle

This paper describes a drive controller designed to improve the lateral vehicle stability and maneuverability of a 6-wheel drive / 6-wheel steering (6WD/6WS) vehicle. The drive controller consists of upper and lower level controllers. The upper level controller is based on sliding control theory and determines both front and middle steering angle, additional net yaw moment, and longitudinal net force according to the reference velocity and steering angle of a manual drive, remotely controlled, autonomous controller. The lower level controller takes the desired longitudinal net force, yaw moment, and tire force information as inputs and determines the additional front steering angle and distributed longitudinal tire force on each wheel. This controller is based on optimal distribution control and takes into consideration the friction circle related to the vertical tire force and friction coefficient acting on the road and tire. Distributed longitudinal/lateral tire forces are determined as proportion to the size of the friction circle according to changes in driving conditions. The response of the 6WD/6WS vehicle implemented with this drive controller has been evaluated via computer simulations conducted using the Matlab/Simulink dynamic model. Computer simulations of an open loop under turning conditions and a closed-loop driver model subjected to double lane change have been conducted to demonstrate the improved performance of the proposed drive controller over that of a conventional DYC.     

Torque control of engine clutch to improve the driving quality of hybrid electric vehicles

As a powertrain for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), the automatic transmission (AT) is not only convenient for the driver but also reduces hybridization costs because the existing production line is used to produce the AT. However, it has low fuel economy due to the torque converter. To overcome this disadvantage, this paper studies HEVs equipped an AT without a torque converter. In this case, additional torque control is needed to prevent the driving quality from deteriorating. This paper suggests three different torque control methods and develops a simulator for an HEV that can simulate the dynamic behaviors of the HEV when the engine clutch is engaged. The HEV drive train is modeled with AMESim, and a controller model is developed with MATLAB/Simulink. A co-simulation environment is established. By using the developed HEV simulator, simulations are conducted to analyze the dynamic behaviors of the HEV according to the control methods.     

Model development and experimental research on an air spring with auxiliary reservoir

This paper focuses on the dynamic stiffness and overall equivalent damping of an air spring connected to an orifice and an auxiliary reservoir, with respect to the displacement excitation frequency, orifice area, and auxiliary reservoir volume. A theoretical model of this air spring with its auxiliary reservoir is derived by utilizing the energy conservation equation, gas state equation, and orifice flow rate equation. Simulation results from the presented model reveal that, when the air spring is subject to harmonic displacement excitation, its dynamic stiffness increases with an increase in excitation frequency and decrease in orifice area. Smaller orifice areas and lower excitation frequencies result in higher overall equivalent damping. A validation experiment is also implemented. When compared with experimental results, simulations show consistent varying trends of the dynamic stiffness and overall equivalent damping. The model developed here can correctly describe the behavior of the air spring with auxiliary reservoir, indicating that it is reasonable and feasible.     

Breakup modeling of a liquid jet in cross flow

We propose a novel breakup model to simulate the catastrophic breakup regime in a supersonic cross flow. A developed model has been extended from an existing Kelvin-Helmholtz/Rayleigh-Taylor (K-H/R-T) hybrid model. A new mass reduction rate equation, which has critical effects on overall spray structure, is successfully adopted, and the breakup length, which is an important parameter in existing model, is replaced by the breakup initiation time. Measured data from the supersonic wind tunnel with a dimension of 762×152×127 mm was employed to validate the newly developed breakup model. A nonaerated injector with an orifice diameter of 0.5 mm is used to inject water into a supersonic flow prescribed by the momentum flux ratio of the liquid jet to free stream air, q ₀ . The conservation-element and solution-element (CE/SE) method, a novel numerical framework for the general conservation law, is applied to simulate the supersonic compressible flow. The spray penetration height and average droplet size along with a spray penetration axis are quantitatively compared with data. The shock train flow structures induced by the presence of a liquid jet are further discussed.     

Reducing the memory footprint of OSEK-based systems via stack sharing and light-weight ready queues

OSEK OS (Offene Systeme und deren Schnittstellen für die Elektronik in Kraftfahrzeugen Operating System) is an open, real-time operating system standard for ECU software in vehicles. Because it was originally designed to be used in an extremely resource-constrained environment, an OSEK-compliant operating system must incur low processing overhead and memory usage. Unfortunately, as OSEK OS has evolved over time, it now specifies nontrivial kernel features along with multiple conformance classes and application modes. This may lead to unwanted dynamic resource usage in a system using OSEK OS unless the standard is carefully interpreted and designed into an OSEK OS implementation. In this paper, we analyzed the various kernel features of OSEK OS and their interactions to identify areas in the standard that warrant further resource usage optimization. In particular, we attempted to reduce the run-time memory footprint. Based on our analyses, we present two kernel mechanisms: (1) stack sharing among tasks and (2) light-weight ready queue handling specialized for OSEK OS conformance classes. We also offer implementation methods for the proposed mechanisms by extending OIL and associated tools. Finally, we show the effectiveness of the proposed mechanisms via extensive experiments. Our mechanisms allow OSEK-based systems to use only 36% of the memory requirements of conventional OSEK-based systems on average.     

Model referenced adaptive control to compensate slip-stick transition during clutch engagement

Clutches are widely used in various vehicle powertrains. The engagement process of a friction clutch has three phases, i.e., open, slipping, and sticking. Transitions between different phases introduce a discontinuity to the powertrain dynamics, which has been neglected in previous research. A model referenced adaptive controller (MRAC), based on Popov hyper-stability criterion, is designed to compensate the discontinuity. MRAC adjusts the frictional torque along with the errors of the state variables compared with those of a referenced model. The designed MRAC is applied to a clutch in a bus. Simulation and experimental results under fast and slow startup cases show that MRAC can simultaneously reduce vehicle jerk and frictional dissipation when compared with the conventional controller.     

Monte Carlo simulation of B2-L2<Subscript>1</Subscript> ordering transitions in Au-Cu-Al alloy systems

The B2-L2₁ ordering transitions in Au-Cu-Al shape-memory alloys are studied by the Monte Carlo exchange simulations, where a set of the first, the second and the third nearest-neighbor mixing potentials for Cu-Al in the Au-Cu-Al alloys are calculated from first principals using the Connolly-Williams methods. To ensure the phase stability of the β-Au-Cu-Al, the investigation includes the range of compositions Au₂Cu_1−x Al_1+x (−0.15 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.15). The B2-L2₁ transition temperatures are predicted, and are in agreement with the experimental results. The atomic ordering around vacancy of the L2₁ structure is further discussed.     

Multi-element ultrasound phased array applicator for the ablation of deep-seated tissue

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has attracted increasing interests as a promising noninvasive modality for the treatment of deep tumors in the thoracic and abdominal cavity. A 90-element HIFU spherical phased array applicator operated at 1MHz has been developed for deep tissue ablation. The spherical array with a 5 cm wide central hole has a 21 cm diameter and an 18 cm radius of curvature. Annular element distribution with unequal element spacing is used to reduce the number of elements. The array is constructed with piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT-8) circular elements that are 1.4 cm in diameter and have a wall with thickness of 0.2 cm. The array offers an effective ablating depth of at least 8 cm in the tissue for both simulations and ex vivo experiments. The simulations demonstrate that the developed array can steer the focus with good quality of intensity distributions up to 6mm off center over ranges from 17 to 21 cm when the water depth is set at 11 cm. We also present the beam focusing capability in deep tissue through a series of ex vivo experiments by measuring discoloration areas after sonications. These results indicate that the developed array is ideal for the ablation of deep-seated tissue.     

Optimization of pellet production process parameters in grate using simulation results

The objective of this paper is to optimize the parameters of pellet drying and preheating process in grate. A mathematical model of drying and preheating is developed, and is verified by the experiments. Further, the operating parameters of wind temperature, wind speed, grate speed and bed depth etc. are investigated through the orthogonal method using the simulation results. And a relationship of drying, preheating effects and operating parameters is achieved. The results show that the optimization effect can be achieved in the given range when air velocity is about 3.0 m/s and temperature is about 300, 500, 800, and 1 100 °C in the updraft drying zone, downdraft drying zone, preheating I zone, and preheating II zone respectively. The work is help for saving energy and reducing emissions in pellet induration.