SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING FUEL CAP ENGAGEMENT
First Claim
1. A system for verifying fuel cap engagement, comprising:
- a transducer, coupled to a purge line of a fuel vapor recovery system to generate an electrical signal corresponding to one of the vapor pressure and the vapor flow rate in the purge line;
a monitor to;
receive the electrical signal;
estimate the vapor pressure in the purge line when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor flow rate in the purge line;
estimate the vapor flow rate in the purge line when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor pressure in the purge line;
correlate the electrical signal and the estimate to generate a dataset comprising data points relating vapor pressure to a corresponding vapor flow rate at predetermined time intervals;
utilize the dataset to compute a linear approximation of pressure versus flow rate; and
utilize the dataset to compute a curve approximation of pressure versus flow rate; and
an indicator coupled to the monitor,wherein the monitor actuates the indicator when the difference between the computed linear and curve approximations is less than a predetermined threshold value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for verifying fuel cap engagement utilizes a transducer coupled to a purge line of a fuel vapor recovery system to generate an electrical signal corresponding to one of the vapor pressure and the vapor flow rate in the purge line. A monitor receives the electrical signal and estimates the vapor pressure when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor flow rate. The monitor likewise estimates the vapor flow rate when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor pressure. The monitor also correlates the electrical signal and the estimate to generate a dataset relating vapor pressures to corresponding vapor flow rates at predetermined time intervals, computes a linear approximation of pressure versus flow rate, and computes a curve approximation of pressure versus flow rate. An indicator is actuated by the monitor when the difference between the computed linear and curve approximations is less than a predetermined threshold value.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for verifying fuel cap engagement, comprising:
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a transducer, coupled to a purge line of a fuel vapor recovery system to generate an electrical signal corresponding to one of the vapor pressure and the vapor flow rate in the purge line; a monitor to;
receive the electrical signal;
estimate the vapor pressure in the purge line when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor flow rate in the purge line;
estimate the vapor flow rate in the purge line when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor pressure in the purge line;
correlate the electrical signal and the estimate to generate a dataset comprising data points relating vapor pressure to a corresponding vapor flow rate at predetermined time intervals;
utilize the dataset to compute a linear approximation of pressure versus flow rate; and
utilize the dataset to compute a curve approximation of pressure versus flow rate; andan indicator coupled to the monitor, wherein the monitor actuates the indicator when the difference between the computed linear and curve approximations is less than a predetermined threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for verifying fuel cap engagement, comprising:
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a first transducer, coupled to a purge line of a fuel vapor recovery system to generate a first electrical signal corresponding to the vapor pressure in the purge line; a second transducer, coupled to the purge line to generate a second electrical signal corresponding to the vapor flow rate in the purge line; a monitor to;
receive the first and second electrical signals;
correlate the first and second electrical signals to generate a dataset comprising data points relating vapor pressure to a corresponding vapor flow rate at predetermined time intervals;
utilize the dataset to compute a linear approximation of pressure versus flow rate; and
utilize the dataset to compute a curve approximation of pressure versus flow rate; andan indicator coupled to the monitor, wherein the monitor actuates the indicator when the difference between the linear and curve approximations is less than a predetermined threshold value.
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14. A method for verifying fuel cap engagement, comprising the steps of:
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measuring one of the pressure and the flow rate of fuel vapor in a purge line of a fuel vapor recovery system; estimating the flow rate of fuel vapor in the purge line when the vapor pressure is measured; estimating the pressure of fuel vapor in the purge line when the vapor flow rate is measured; correlating the pressure and flow rate measurements and estimates at predetermined time intervals; computing a linear approximation of pressure versus flow rate in the purge line; computing a curve approximation of pressure versus flow rate in the purge line; computing the difference between the linear and curve approximations; and actuating an indicator if the computed difference is less than a predetermined threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for verifying fuel cap engagement, comprising the steps of:
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measuring the pressure of fuel vapor in a purge line of a fuel vapor recovery system; measuring the flow rate of fuel vapor in the purge line; correlating the pressure and flow rate measurements at predetermined time intervals; computing a linear approximation of pressure versus flow rate in the purge line; computing a curve approximation of pressure versus flow rate in the purge line; computing the difference between the linear and curve approximations; and actuating an indicator if the computed difference is less than a predetermined threshold value.
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Specification