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Method for determining fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine

  • US 10,161,775 B2
  • Filed: 12/15/2016
  • Issued: 12/25/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for determining fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising:

  • calculating, via an engine control module (ECM) of an engine assembly, a fuel injection quantity of the internal combustion engine based on an oxygen concentration signal from an oxygen sensor and a MAF signal from a mass airflow (MAF) sensor only when none of a plurality of predetermined conditions exists, the plurality of predetermined condition includes;

    (a) the oxygen sensor is not active, (b) the oxygen sensor is faulty, and (c) a temperature of the oxygen sensor is less than a predetermined temperature threshold, wherein the internal combustion engine is part of the engine assembly, the engine assembly includes an exhaust line in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine, the oxygen sensor is coupled to the exhaust line and is configured to measure and monitor an oxygen concentration of exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust line, the engine assembly includes an intake line in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine, the MAF sensor is coupled to the intake line and is configured to measure and monitor a mass flow rate of intake air flowing through the intake line, wherein calculating the fuel injection quantity includes;

    determine a fuel injection quantity flow, wherein the determining the fuel injection quantity flow includes;

    determine a fuel-to-air ratio based on the oxygen concentration signal received from the oxygen sensor;

    multiply the mass airflow of the intake air flowing through the intake line, as determined by the MAF sensor, times the fuel-to-air ratio, as determined based on the oxygen concentration signal received from the oxygen sensor, in order to determine the fuel injection quantity flow;

    measure time, using an internal clock of the ECM, from a moment when the internal combustion engine starts running; and

    multiply the measured time times the fuel injection quantity flow in order to determine the fuel injection quantity;

    determining, via the ECM, an instantaneous fuel flow of the internal combustion engine based on the fuel injection quantity;

    communicating, via the ECM, the instantaneous fuel flow to a body control module (BCM) of the vehicle;

    determining, via the BCM, an average fuel economy of the internal combustion engine based on the instantaneous fuel flow, wherein the average fuel economy is a fuel efficiency described in terms of a relationship between a distance traveled by the vehicle and an amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle; and

    displaying the average fuel economy on a display of an instrument panel of the vehicle.

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