METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A FUEL USAGE OF A FIRST VEHICLE AND A COMPARATOR VEHICLE

• US 20080312862A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schondorf, Steven Yellin, Gaboury, Scott Howard
• Application Number:
  US11/761,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20080312862A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/108
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/00 Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/02 wherein the other variable is the speed of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A fuel usage of a comparator vehicle is calculated and compared to a fuel usage of a vehicle being driven. The fuel usage of the comparator vehicle is determined based on parameters of the vehicle being driven.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether a fuel usage of a first vehicle is less than a fuel usage of a baseline vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a measure of fuel usage for the first vehicle;

determining a measure of fuel usage for a baseline vehicle based on a state of the first vehicle;

determining whether the fuel usage of the first vehicle is less than the fuel usage of the baseline vehicle based on the measures of fuel usage; and

indicating whether the fuel usage of the first vehicle is less than the fuel usage of the baseline vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the measure of fuel usage of the first vehicle comprises fuel consumed by the first vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the measure of fuel usage of the first vehicle comprises fuel economy of the first vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the measure of fuel usage of the first vehicle comprises an amount of fuel consumption gas emitted by the first vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the fuel consumption gas comprises CO₂.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises a wheel torque request.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises vehicle speed.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises an engine torque.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises a motor torque.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying at least one of the measures of fuel usage.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising issuing a reward to the driver of the first vehicle if the fuel usage of the first vehicle is less than the fuel usage of the baseline vehicle.

12. A system for determining whether a fuel usage of a first vehicle is less than a fuel usage of a baseline vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one processing module configured to

determine a measure of fuel usage for the first vehicle,

determine a measure of fuel usage for a baseline vehicle based on a state of the first vehicle,

determine if the fuel usage of the first vehicle is less than the fuel usage of the baseline vehicle based on the measures of fuel usage, and

indicate whether the fuel usage of the first vehicle is less than the fuel usage of the baseline vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the measure of fuel usage of the first vehicle comprises fuel consumed by the first vehicle.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the measure of fuel usage of the first vehicle comprises fuel economy of the first vehicle.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the measure of fuel usage of the first vehicle comprises an amount of fuel consumption gas emitted by the first vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the fuel consumption gas comprises CO₂.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises a wheel torque request.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises vehicle speed.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises an engine torque.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the state of the first vehicle comprises a motor torque.