Method for improving fuel economy test precision in on-road vehicles
First Claim
1. A method for improving fuel efficiency testing precision in on-road vehicles, the method comprising:
- installing one or more dataloggers in one or more vehicles, each datalogger configured to receive fuel consumption data broadcast by an on-road vehicle'"'"'s engine control unit (ECU);
transmitting the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers in the one or more on-road vehicles to a processor; and
analyzing, using the processor, the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers in the one or more on-road vehicles to determine fuel efficiency of the one or more on-road vehicles; and
wherein the fuel consumption data from the one or more data loggers compares one or more of the following;
lubricants of different viscometric properties;
mineral versus synthetic lubricants including engine oils, gear oils, and hydraulic fluids;
combinations of lubricants and hardware designs;
lubricants with and without friction modifiers;
lubricants with different frictional properties;
fresh lubricants and aged lubricants; and
combinations of lubricants and fuels.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for improving fuel efficiency testing precision in on-road vehicles. The method comprises: installing one or more dataloggers in one or more vehicles, each datalogger configured to receive fuel consumption data broadcast by an on-road vehicle'"'"'s engine control unit (ECU); transmitting the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers in the one or more on-road vehicles to a processor; and analyzing, using the processor, the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers in the one or more on-road vehicles to determine fuel efficiency of the one or more on-road vehicles. The fuel consumption data comprises fuel rate data from the ECU which is transmitted through the one or more dataloggers, engine speed and other operating parameters from the ECU that are transmitted through the one or more dataloggers, torque sensor data which is transmitted through the one or more dataloggers, and traditional fuel log data.
11 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for improving fuel efficiency testing precision in on-road vehicles, the method comprising:
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installing one or more dataloggers in one or more vehicles, each datalogger configured to receive fuel consumption data broadcast by an on-road vehicle'"'"'s engine control unit (ECU); transmitting the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers in the one or more on-road vehicles to a processor; and analyzing, using the processor, the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers in the one or more on-road vehicles to determine fuel efficiency of the one or more on-road vehicles; and wherein the fuel consumption data from the one or more data loggers compares one or more of the following;
lubricants of different viscometric properties;
mineral versus synthetic lubricants including engine oils, gear oils, and hydraulic fluids;
combinations of lubricants and hardware designs;
lubricants with and without friction modifiers;
lubricants with different frictional properties;
fresh lubricants and aged lubricants; and
combinations of lubricants and fuels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for improving fuel efficiency testing precision in on-road vehicles, the method comprising:
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installing one or more dataloggers in one or more vehicles, each datalogger configured to receive fuel consumption data broadcast by an on-road vehicle'"'"'s engine control unit (ECU); installing one or more torque sensors in the one or more vehicles, each torque sensor configured to measure torque values in the one or more on-road vehicles; transmitting the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers and the torque values from the one or more torque sensors in the one or more on-road vehicles to a processor; and analyzing, using the processor, the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers and the torque values from the one or more torque sensors in the one or more on-road vehicles to determine fuel efficiency of the one or more on-road vehicles; and wherein the fuel consumption data from the one or more data loggers compares one or more of the following;
lubricants of different viscometric properties;
mineral versus synthetic lubricants including engine oils, gear oils, and hydraulic fluids;
combinations of lubricants and hardware designs;
lubricants with and without friction modifiers;
lubricants with different frictional properties;
fresh lubricants and aged lubricants; and
combinations of lubricants and fuels. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for determining oil drain interval in on-road vehicles, the method comprising:
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installing one or more dataloggers in one or more vehicles, each datalogger configured to receive fuel consumption data broadcast by an on-road vehicle'"'"'s engine control unit (ECU); installing one or more torque sensors in the one or more vehicles, each torque sensor configured to measure torque values in the one or more on-road vehicles; transmitting the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers and the torque values from the one or more torque sensors in the one or more on-road vehicles to a processor; and analyzing, using the processor, the fuel consumption data from the one or more dataloggers and the torque values from the one or more torque sensors in the one or more on-road vehicles to determine fuel efficiency of the one or more on-road vehicles; determining the oil age by measuring the time interval from the time the oil was changed until the time when the fuel efficiency is reduced significantly; wherein the oil drain interval is determined by the relationship between fuel efficiency and oil age. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification