Speed optimality analysis for evaluating the optimality of a powertrain

• US 10,416,043 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Douglas, Christopher Michael James, Gerty, Michael Douglas, Malowicki, Mark G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vilakazi, Sizo B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Steckbauer, Kevin R
• Application Number:
  US15/632,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20180372057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 7311452, 7311453
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0018 Method for the design of a control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0623 Fuel flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/021 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0606 Fuel temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1406 with use of a optimisation method, e.g. iteration
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1455 by using a second control of the closed loop type dependent on pinking F02P5/152
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1514 with means for optimising the use of registers or of memories, e.g. interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/00 Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/04 Testing internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/0072 the wheels of the vehicle co-operating with rotatable rolls G01M17/022, G01M17/045, G01M17/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving fuel economy in vehicles such as Class 8 trucks are provided. In some embodiments, signals indicating states of the powertrain are collected and used to generate fuel rate optimization values. Fuel rate optimization values may indicate a difference between optimum fuel flow rates and actual fuel flow rates during a vehicle drive cycle. Recorded fuel rate optimization values may be used to compare different vehicle configurations during testing, and may also be used to evaluate vehicle performance during real-world operation.

Claims

1. A method for improving fuel economy in a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by a vehicle test fixture, a drive cycle record, wherein the drive cycle record indicates a time series of vehicle speed and road grade values;

exercising, by the vehicle test fixture, a vehicle under test based on the drive cycle record;

receiving, by the vehicle test fixture, sensor data from the vehicle, wherein the sensor data indicates, for each time period of a plurality of time periods, at least an engine power and a fuel usage rate; and

determining, by the vehicle test fixture, at least one fuel rate optimization value based on the sensor data

wherein determining at least one fuel rate optimization value based on the sensor data includes;

for a given time period of the plurality of time periods;

determining an optimal fuel rate for the engine power; and

dividing the optimal fuel rate by the fuel usage rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at least one fuel rate optimization value based on the sensor data further includes:

determining fuel rate optimization values for each period of the plurality of time periods; and

determining an overall fuel rate optimization value based on the fuel rate optimization values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle test fixture includes a dynamometer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by a vehicle analysis system, the determined at least one fuel rate optimization value from the vehicle test fixture.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating, by the vehicle analysis system, at least one vehicle configuration record.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the vehicle analysis system comprises a configuration data store and a performance data store;

wherein the configuration data store is configured to store a plurality of vehicle configuration records, including a vehicle configuration record associated with the vehicle under test; and

wherein the performance data store is configured to store the at least one fuel rate optimization value in association with the vehicle configuration record associated with the vehicle under test.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving, by the vehicle analysis system, sensor data from vehicles in the field that were configured according to vehicle configuration records stored in the configuration data store.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, by the vehicle analysis system, at least one fuel rate optimization value based on the sensor data received by the interface module.

9. A method for configuring a vehicle to have an optimized fuel usage rate over a drive cycle, the method comprising:

receiving a set of vehicle configuration records;

receiving a drive cycle record, wherein the drive cycle record includes a time series of road grade values and vehicle speed values;

for each vehicle configuration record of the set of vehicle configuration records;

configuring a test vehicle using the vehicle configuration record;

exercising the test vehicle by executing the drive cycle record using a vehicle test fixture;

collecting sensor data from the test vehicle while executing the drive cycle;

calculating at least one test fuel rate optimization value based on the sensor data; and

storing the at least one test fuel rate optimization value in a performance data store in association with the vehicle configuration record;

comparing the test fuel rate optimization values in the performance data store; and

configuring the vehicle using the vehicle configuration record associated with the highest test fuel rate optimization value.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, from the vehicle, sensor data, wherein the sensor data indicates, for each time period of a plurality of time periods, at least an engine power and a fuel usage rate;

determining at least one performance fuel rate optimization value based on the sensor data; and

comparing the determined at least one performance fuel rate optimization value with the test fuel rate optimization value stored in the performance data store.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein calculating the at least one test fuel rate optimization value based on the sensor data includes, for a given time period:

determining a fuel usage rate during the time period based on the received signals;

determining a detected engine power generated during the time period based on the received signals;

retrieving an optimal fuel rate for the detected engine power from a fuel map data store; and

dividing the optimal fuel rate by the fuel usage rate to obtain a test fuel rate optimization value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor data indicate at least one of a vehicle speed, an engine power, an engine speed, and a fuel usage rate.