Automated Anti-Idle Warning And Shutoff System And Method
First Claim
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1. An automated anti-idle warning and shutoff system for a vehicle with an engine operable in an operative zone comprising:
- a vehicle sensing system that senses vehicle characteristics;
a vehicle database storing idling parameters;
a vehicle display; and
a shut-off system responsive to the processing of the vehicle characteristics and the idling parameters, wherein the shut-off system can shut off the engine of the vehicle;
wherein at least one of the vehicle characteristics is a characteristic related to engine idling;
wherein at least one of the idling parameters is a parameter related to an allowable idle time threshold for at least one roadway element;
wherein when the characteristic related to engine idling falls outside the parameter related to allowable idle time threshold for at least one roadway element, the vehicle display displays a warning that the shut-off system will shut off the engine of the vehicle in a pre-set time period;
wherein during the pre-set time period, the shut-off system can be overridden so the shut-off system does not shut off the engine of the vehicle; and
wherein, if during the pre-set period, the shut-off system is not overridden, the shut-off system shuts off the engine of the vehicle.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for assessing engine idle condition, comparing current idle conditions to allowable conditions for specific roadway locations, warning drivers and others as to status of current engine idle conditions, and automatically shutting down the engine when idle thresholds are exceeded.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automated anti-idle warning and shutoff system for a vehicle with an engine operable in an operative zone comprising:
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a vehicle sensing system that senses vehicle characteristics; a vehicle database storing idling parameters; a vehicle display; and a shut-off system responsive to the processing of the vehicle characteristics and the idling parameters, wherein the shut-off system can shut off the engine of the vehicle; wherein at least one of the vehicle characteristics is a characteristic related to engine idling; wherein at least one of the idling parameters is a parameter related to an allowable idle time threshold for at least one roadway element; wherein when the characteristic related to engine idling falls outside the parameter related to allowable idle time threshold for at least one roadway element, the vehicle display displays a warning that the shut-off system will shut off the engine of the vehicle in a pre-set time period; wherein during the pre-set time period, the shut-off system can be overridden so the shut-off system does not shut off the engine of the vehicle; and wherein, if during the pre-set period, the shut-off system is not overridden, the shut-off system shuts off the engine of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An automated anti-idle warning and shutoff system for a vehicle with an engine operating in an anti-idle zone comprising:
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a vehicle sensing system that senses vehicle characteristics; a vehicle processor that records and processes the vehicle characteristics; a vehicle database storing idling parameters; an optional communications system to a remote server; a vehicle display; and a shut-off system responsive to the processing of the vehicle characteristics and the idling parameters, wherein the shut-off system can shut off the engine of the vehicle and that is triggered locally or remotely from a server by a communications system; wherein at least one of the vehicle characteristics is a characteristic related to engine idling; wherein at least one of the idling parameters is a parameter related to an allowable idle time threshold for at least one roadway or other geographic element; wherein when the characteristic related to engine idling falls outside the parameter related to allowable idle time threshold for at least one roadway or geometric element, the vehicle display displays a warning that the shut-off system will shut off the engine of the vehicle in a pre-set time period; wherein during the pre-set time period, the shut-off system can be overridden so the shut-off system does not shut off the engine of the vehicle; wherein, if during the pre-set period, the shut-off system is not overridden, the shut-off system shuts off the engine of the vehicle; and wherein the at least one roadway or geographic element comprising the anti-idle zone is defined by a unique polygon comprising latitude and longitude coordinates bounding an operating zone of the vehicle.
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6. An automated anti-idle warning and shutoff system comprising:
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an in-vehicle computer coupled to vehicle sensors that sense vehicle position, speed, and operating parameters; an in-vehicle database comprising vehicle characteristics, vehicle performance characteristics, driver demographics, route service characteristics, roadway and land use characteristics, roadway operating conditions, environmental conditions, and roadway elements that link vehicle position; software that runs on the in-vehicle computer that compares engine idle time to anti-idle conditions in real-time, derived from data in the database and the vehicle sensors; an in-vehicle display for displaying the idle status to the driver of the vehicle in real time; and an in-vehicle electrical circuit controlled by the in-vehicle computer that changes the state of an electrical or electromechanical device to shut off power to the engine when idle time exceeds anti-idle conditions. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A real-time idle condition evaluation method for use in a vehicle comprising:
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storing, in the vehicle, vehicle characteristics and vehicle performance characteristics, driver and passenger demographics, roadway characteristics and roadway operating conditions, environmental conditions, and roadway elements that link vehicle position; sensing, in the vehicle, vehicle position, speed, and operating parameters;
receiving, in the vehicle, prevailing roadway speeds and environmental conditions;computing, in the vehicle, using predetermined idle functions, derived from the sensed vehicle speed and position, received roadway speeds and environmental conditions, and the stored data; changing the state of an electrical or electromechanical device in response to the computed idle condition so as to shut the engine off; and displaying the computed idle status to the driver of the vehicle in real time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification