System and method for operating a vehicle

• US 20090171548A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Nugent, Thomas J. JR., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18

Abstract

A method of operating a vehicle including, during operation of the engine, receiving a control signal broadcast from outside the vehicle including instructions for modifying a vehicle operating parameter and modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle having an engine, comprising:

during operation of the engine, receiving a control signal broadcast from outside the vehicle, the control signal including instructions for modification of a vehicle operating parameter; and

modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operating parameter is selected from the group consisting of compression ratio, timing of commencement of fuel combustion, timing of fuel injection, timing of fuel introduction into an air-inlet stream, valve timing, fuel composition, fuel-oxidizer ratio, air inlet temperature, air inlet pressure, number of operating cylinders, battery usage, battery charge, engine or drive-train usage of electrical energy, engine operating rate, output torque, exhaust gas temperature, exhaust gas temperature profile, exhaust gas composition, exhaust gas back pressure, catalytic converter reactive area, exhaust gas flow path, catalyst selection, sequestration of at least one exhaust gas component, exhaust gas flow rate, exhaust particulates density, exhaust particulate composition, exhaust particulate size, concentration of exhaust components at a selected location in an exhaust flow path, coolant temperature, and inlet-exhaust thermal coupling.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control signal includes receiving an electromagnetic signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control signal includes receiving a wireless signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control signal includes receiving an optical signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control signal includes receiving an acoustic signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an acknowledgment signal in response to receiving a control signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the acknowledgement signal includes information about the vehicle operating parameter.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the acknowledgement signal includes information about the modification of the vehicle operating parameter.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the acknowledgement signal includes information about identity of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the acknowledgement signal includes information about one or more vehicle operating parameters.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an identifying signal characterizing a property of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the property of the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of car make, car model, engine type, exhaust type, vehicle identification number, license number, location, settings of the engine control unit, and fuel type.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes determining applicable portions of a signal conditional on a vehicle characteristic and modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance only with the applicable portions of the signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle characteristic is selected from the group consisting of vehicle type and one or more vehicle operating parameters.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes selecting one of a plurality of preprogrammed instruction sets.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes determining whether a condition included in the instructions obtains and modifying the vehicle operating parameter only when the condition obtains.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the condition includes a probabilistic determination.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes maintaining a designated value for the vehicle operating parameter.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes maintaining a designated range for the vehicle operating parameter.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes maintaining a designated average value for the vehicle operating parameter within a time interval.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes modifying a plurality of vehicle operating parameters.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions includes maintaining a designated time profile for the vehicle operating parameter.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying authenticity of the control signal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein verifying authenticity includes verifying authenticity of the control signal before modifying the vehicle operating parameter.

26. An engine control system for a vehicle having an engine, comprising:

a control signal receiving unit configured to receive a control signal broadcast from outside the vehicle during engine operation, the control signal including instructions for modification of a vehicle operating parameter; and

an engine controller configured to modify the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions.

27. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to receive instructions for modification of a vehicle operating parameter selected from the group consisting of compression ratio, timing of commencement of fuel combustion, timing of fuel injection, timing of fuel introduction into an air-inlet stream, valve timing, fuel composition, fuel-oxidizer ratio, air inlet temperature, air inlet pressure, number of operating cylinders, battery usage, battery charge, engine or drive-train usage of electrical energy, engine operating rate, output torque, exhaust gas temperature, exhaust gas temperature profile, exhaust gas composition, exhaust gas back pressure, catalytic converter reactive area, exhaust gas flow path, catalyst selection, sequestration of at least one exhaust gas component, exhaust gas flow rate, exhaust particulates density, exhaust particulate composition, exhaust particulate size, concentration of exhaust components at a selected location in an exhaust flow path, coolant temperature, and inlet-exhaust thermal coupling.

28. The engine control system of claim 26, further comprising an acknowledgement signal sending unit configured to send an acknowledgement signal indicating any modification of the vehicle operating parameter responsive to the control signal.

29. The engine control system of claim 26, further comprising an acknowledgement signal sending unit configured to send an acknowledgement signal indicating identity of the vehicle.

30. The engine control system of claim 26, further comprising an acknowledgement signal sending unit configured to send an acknowledgement signal indicating location of the vehicle.

31. The engine control system of claim 26, further comprising an acknowledgement signal sending unit configured to send an acknowledgement signal indicating a state of one or more vehicle operating parameters.

32. The engine control system of claim 26, further comprising an acknowledgement signal sending unit configured to send an acknowledgement signal indicating a history of one or more vehicle operating parameters.

33. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to determine authenticity of the control signal.

34. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to receive the control signal wirelessly.

35. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to receive an electromagnetic control signal.

36. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to receive an optical control signal.

37. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to receive an acoustic control signal.

38. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to receive a plurality of instruction sets, and to select at least one of the plurality of instruction sets corresponding to a characteristic of the vehicle.

39. The engine control system of claim 38, wherein the characteristic of the vehicle is vehicle type.

40. The engine control system of claim 38, wherein the characteristic of the vehicle is a vehicle operating parameter.

41. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to receive an instruction to select one of a group of preprogrammed instruction sets.

42. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the control signal receiving unit is configured to determine whether a condition included in the instructions obtains and the engine controller is configured to modify the vehicle operating parameter only when the condition obtains.

43. The engine control system of claim 42, wherein the condition includes a probabilistic determination.

44. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the engine controller is configured to maintain a designated value for the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions.

45. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the engine controller is configured to maintain a designated range for the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions.

46. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the engine controller is configured to maintain a designated average value for the vehicle operating parameter within a time interval in accordance with the instructions.

47. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the engine controller is configured to modify a plurality of vehicle operating parameters in accordance with the instructions.

48. The engine control system of claim 26, wherein the engine controller is configured to maintain a designated time profile for the vehicle operating parameter in accordance with the instructions.