SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING AND REDUCING VEHICLE FUEL WASTE

• US 20120143449A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tenstreet, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vnomics Corp. (Tenstreet, LLC)
• Inventors: Chauncey, David Charles, McCarthy, Edward Charles, Roth, Peter Joseph, Elliott, Nicholas Allen
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/50 characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/10 Change speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/165 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• 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 9/023 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

One way to improve fuel efficiency of a vehicle is to improve the usage of various gears. One way to measure the amount of fuel wasted due to suboptimal gear shifting is to compare the actual gear used for various driving conditions with the optimal gear used. Such comparisons may be combined with determinations of amount of fuel used to determine how much fuel has been lost due to suboptimal shifting. These techniques are applicable to tracking employment of other driving best practices as well.

Claims

1. ) A method of detecting vehicle operational shortcomings, comprising:

sensing a speed of travel of a vehicle;

sensing a gear that the vehicle is employing;

recording, on a non-transitory computer readable medium, a history of the speeds traveled at by the vehicle;

recording, on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a history of the gears employed by the vehicle;

determining, based on the history of the speeds traveled, if the history of the gears employed contains at least one operational shortcoming; and

reporting, via at least one of displaying, transmitting or storing, the at least one operational shortcoming.

2. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle'"'"'s idling is recorded as a gear.

3. ) The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining a consumed fuel flow rate;

determining an optimal fuel flow rate;

calculating an amount of fuel wasted based on both the consumed fuel flow rate and the optimal fuel flow rate;

and the reporting the operational shortcoming includes the amount of fuel wasted.

4. ) The method of claim 2, comprising excusing a predetermined amount of the history of the gears employed being an idle gear.

5. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the inefficiency is due, at least in part, to a driver shifting gears at a suboptimal time.

6. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the operational shortcoming is due, at least in part, to a driver shifting to a suboptimal gear.

7. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting includes operational shortcomings for each of a plurality of gears.

8. ) The method of claim 1, comprising receiving global positioning satellite signals.

9. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting occurs via a display visible to a driver of the vehicle.

10. ) The method of claim 9, comprising tracking operation of the vehicle in response to the reporting to the driver.

11. ) A system for detecting vehicle operational shortcomings, comprising:

a speed of travel sensor for a vehicle;

an employed gear sensor for the vehicle;

a non-transitory computer readable medium, coupled to a processor, containing instructions for the processor to;

record a history of the speeds traveled at by the vehicle;

record a history of the gears employed by the vehicle;

determine, based on the history of the speeds traveled, if the history of the gears employed contains at least one operational shortcoming; and

reporting, via at least one of displaying, transmitting or storing, the at least one operational shortcoming.

12. ) The system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle'"'"'s idling is recorded as a gear.

13. ) The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:

determine a consumed fuel flow rate;

determine an optimal fuel flow rate;

calculate an amount of fuel wasted based on both the consumed fuel flow rate and the optimal fuel flow rate;

and the report the operational shortcoming including the amount of fuel wasted.

14. ) The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to excuse a predetermined amount of the history of the gears employed being an idle gear.

15. ) The method of claim 11, comprising a vehicle controller interface device.

16. ) The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle has an engine in which the torque and horsepower curves are not correlated.

17. ) The system of claim 11, wherein the reporting includes operational shortcomings for each of a plurality of gears.

18. ) The system of claim 11, comprising a global positioning satellite receiver.

19. ) The system of claim 11, wherein the reporting occurs via a display visible to a driver of the vehicle.

20. ) The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to track operation of the vehicle in response to the reporting to a human user the driver.