Method to adjust fuel economy readings for stored energy

• US 10,163,279 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ulrey, Joseph Norman, Pursifull, Ross Dykstra, Ruona, William Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peche, Jorge O
• Application Number:
  US15/159,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20160267727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/25 Road altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/00 Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/023 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for compensating an instantaneous fuel economy reading for stored energy. One method comprises, when a vehicle undergoes a sufficient change in one or more of square of vehicle speed and vehicle altitude, estimating a conversion factor for fuel due to stored vehicle energy and adjusting the instantaneous fuel economy reading by the estimated conversion factor. The adjusted instantaneous fuel economy reading may be displayed to an operator of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for vehicle operation with an engine, comprising:

sensing fuel flow and vehicle speed;

determining a fuel economy at steady-state driving conditions based on fuel flow and vehicle speed;

sensing a brake pedal position;

during non-braking conditions, estimating a conversion factor for stored vehicle energy based on the fuel economy at steady-state driving conditions;

waiting to estimate the conversion factor during braking conditions; and

displaying a fuel economy reading to an operator of a vehicle based on fuel consumed by the engine adjusted for stored vehicle energy with the conversion factor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein steady-state driving conditions include conditions when changes in each of a square of vehicle speed and vehicle altitude are below their respective thresholds, the conversion factor based on sensor signals.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the conversion factor for stored vehicle energy is determined when the square of vehicle speed is increased greater than a first vehicle speed threshold and vehicle altitude is increased greater than a second altitude threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the conversion factor for stored vehicle energy is directly proportional to fuel flow due to stored vehicle energy and inversely proportional to each of a change in the square of vehicle speed and a change in vehicle altitude, the change in vehicle altitude measured by an inclinometer and corrected for offset error.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fuel flow due to stored vehicle energy is determined by subtracting a fuel flow rate based on the fuel economy at steady-state driving conditions from an existing fuel flow rate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion factor for stored vehicle energy and the fuel economy at steady-state driving conditions are determined after engine warm up.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion factor for stored vehicle energy and the fuel economy at steady-state driving conditions are not determined during transmission shifts.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion factor for stored vehicle energy and the fuel economy at steady-state driving conditions are not determined during vehicle braking conditions.

9. A system in a vehicle comprising:

an engine; and

a controller configured with computer readable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to;

during a first braking mode,

determine a fuel economy reading; and

waiting to estimate a conversion factor for stored vehicle energy;

during a second non-braking mode,

determine the conversion factor for stored vehicle energy based on the fuel economy reading determined in the first braking mode; and

display instantaneous fuel economy readings, which are compensated for stored vehicle energy by using the conversion factor, to an operator of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first braking mode includes steady-state driving conditions, and wherein the second non-braking mode includes only conditions when an increase in a square of vehicle speed is higher than a vehicle speed threshold and/or when an increase in vehicle altitude is higher than a vehicle altitude threshold.