PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A method of operating a vehicle propulsion system including a motor and an engine, the method comprising:
- producing a motor output by selectively operating the motor to consume electrical energy stored on-board the vehicle;
producing an engine output by selectively operating the engine to consume fuel stored on-board the vehicle; and
increasing consumption of the fuel by the engine relative to consumption of the electrical energy by the motor as a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle increases.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle propulsion system and a method of its operation are described. As one example, the vehicle propulsion system includes a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The method may include: producing a motor output by selectively operating the motor to consume electrical energy stored on-board the vehicle; producing an engine output by selectively operating the engine to consume fuel stored on-board the vehicle; and increasing consumption of the fuel by the engine relative to consumption of the electrical energy by the motor as a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle increases. The residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle can provide an indication of fuel degradation, enabling the duty cycle of the engine to be selectively increased to enforce fuel use conditions, particularly in the context of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle where fuel use may be less frequent.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a vehicle propulsion system including a motor and an engine, the method comprising:
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producing a motor output by selectively operating the motor to consume electrical energy stored on-board the vehicle; producing an engine output by selectively operating the engine to consume fuel stored on-board the vehicle; and increasing consumption of the fuel by the engine relative to consumption of the electrical energy by the motor as a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle increases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A vehicle propulsion system, comprising:
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an electric battery configured to store electrical energy on-board the vehicle; a fuel tank configured to store fuel on-board the vehicle; an internal combustion engine configured to consume the fuel from the fuel tank to produce an engine output; an electric motor configured to consume the electrical energy from the electric battery to produce a motor output; and a control system configured to; periodically recharge the electric battery by receiving electrical energy from an electrical energy source located external the vehicle;
discharge the energy storage device to operate the electric motor to produce the motor output;selectively operate the engine according to a duty cycle to combust fuel stored on-board the vehicle to produce the engine output; and
increase the duty cycle of the engine as a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle increases. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of operating a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle including an energy storage device, a motor, and an engine, the method comprising:
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periodically recharging the energy storage device by receiving electrical energy at the energy storage device from a power source external the vehicle via an electrical energy transmission cable; identifying degradation of a parameter of fuel stored on-board the vehicle; and increasing consumption of the fuel by the engine relative to consumption of the electrical energy by the motor as degradation of the parameter of the fuel increases. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification