Fluid system and method

• US 10,449,933 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Castrol Limited (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Castrol Limited (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Barnes, Andrew Phillip, Brett, Peter Stuart, Goodier, Steven Paul, Lake, Timothy Hugh, O'Malley, Mark, Taylor, Oliver Paul, Williams, David John Roach
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam M
• Application Number:
  US15/312,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20170197596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/08 fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/48 Liquid supply therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/10 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/0095 Supplementary oil tank
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/14 for indicating the necessity to change the oil
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/14 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/00 Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture adding secondary air to fuel-air mixture F02M23/00; adding exhaust gases F02M26/00; fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels or on a liquid fuel and another liquid F02M43/00

Abstract

A method is described of controlling at least one operation in at least part of a lifecycle of a replaceable container which is arranged to be removably seated in a dock in a vehicle and which at least before seating in the dock contains an ancillary fluid for use by the vehicle. A controller communicates with a data carrier carried by the container, determines, on the basis of the communication with the data carrier, data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle, and controls carrying out of at least one action in relation to at least one of the container and its contents on the basis of the data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of controlling at least one operation in at least part of a lifecycle of a replaceable container which is arranged to be removably seated in a dock in a vehicle and which at least before seating in the dock contains an ancillary fluid for use by the vehicle, which method comprises a controller:

communicating with a data provider carried by the container;

determining, on the basis of the communication with the data provider, data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle; and

controlling carrying out of at least one action in relation to the contents of the container on the basis of the data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle, wherein the at least one action is selected from the group consisting of;

disposing of the contents of the container;

recycling of the contents of the container;

adding the contents of the container to a recycling container arranged to store contents from a plurality of replaceable containers;

replenishing the contents of the container;

adding an additive to the contents of the container; and

reusing the contents of the container.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether the container is in fluidic communication with a fluid circulation system of the vehicle;

and controlling carrying out of at least one action in relation to the contents of the container in dependence upon whether the container is in fluidic communication with the fluid circulation system of the vehicle.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the controlling of carrying out of at least one action in relation to the contents of the container is carried out when the container is not in fluidic communication with the fluid circulation system of the vehicle.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ancillary fluid is selected from the group consisting of:

a lubricant, a hydraulic fluid, a pneumatic fluid, a washer fluid, and a fuel additive.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising analysing the contents of the container and controlling carrying out of the at least one action on the basis of the data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle and on the basis of data obtained by analysing the contents of the container.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein controlling carrying out of at least one action comprises permitting, inhibiting or preventing the at least one action.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the data carried by the data provider allows the controller to identify at least one of the container.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein the controlling of carrying out of at least one action in relation to the contents of the container is carried out when the container is in fluidic communication with the fluid circulation system of the vehicle.

9. A method of recycling, which method comprises:

receiving a container which has been removed from a dock in a vehicle and which, at least before being seated in the dock, contained an ancillary fluid for supply to a fluid circulation system of the vehicle;

a controller communicating with a data provider carried by the container; and

the controller determining, on the basis of the communication with the data provider, whether any remaining contents of the container should be recycled, reused or disposed of.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising, after the determining, the controller alerting a user as to whether any remaining contents of the container should be added to a recycle bin designated for receipt of specific content.

11. A method of controlling at least one operation in at least part of a lifecycle of a replaceable container which is arranged to be removably seated in a first dock in a vehicle and which at least before seating in the first dock contains an ancillary fluid for use by the vehicle, which method comprises a controller:

communicating with a data provider carried by the container;

determining, on the basis of the communication with the data provider, data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle; and

controlling carrying out of at least one action in relation to the container on the basis of the data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle, wherein the at least one action is selected from the group comprising;

inserting the container into a second dock;

removing the container from the second dock;

entry of the container into a facility;

removing the container from a facility;

disposing of the container;

recycling of the container; and

supplying of the container.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising determining whether the container is in fluidic communication with a fluid circulation system of the vehicle;

and controlling carrying out of at least one action in relation to the container in dependence upon whether the container is in fluidic communication with the fluid circulation system of the vehicle.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the controlling of carrying out of at least one action in relation to the container is carried out when the container is not in fluidic communication with the fluid circulation system of the vehicle.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the ancillary fluid is selected from the group consisting of:

a lubricant, a hydraulic fluid, a pneumatic fluid, a washer fluid, and a fuel additive.

15. A method according to claim 11, further comprising analysing the contents of the container and controlling carrying out of the at least one action on the basis of the data associated with at least one of the container, its contents and the vehicle and on the basis of data obtained by analysing the contents of the container.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein controlling carrying out of at least one action comprises permitting, inhibiting or preventing the at least one action.

17. A method according to claim 11 wherein the data carried by the data provider allows the controller to identify at least one of the container and its contents.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein the controlling of carrying out of at least one action in relation to the container is carried out when the container is in fluidic communication with the fluid circulation system of the vehicle.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second dock is selected from the group comprising:

the first dock;

a dock in a transportation device;

a dock in a vehicle service centre;

a dock in an analysing facility; and

a dock in a recycling facility.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one action comprises at least one action in relation to vehicle servicing.

21. A method of recycling, which method comprises:

receiving a container which has been removed from a dock in a vehicle and which, at least before being seated in the dock, contained an ancillary fluid for supply to a fluid circulation system of the vehicle;

a controller communicating with a data provider carried by the container; and

the controller determining, on the basis of the communication with the data provider, whether the container should be recycled, reused or disposed of.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising, after the determining, the controller alerting a user as to whether the container should be recycled, refilled or disposed of.