FUEL LEVEL GAUGE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120285238A1
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Liu, Eden
• Granted Patent: US 8,869,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/290.R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03 Fuel tanks chassis frame comprising fluid storage compartment B62D21/16 ; Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank F02M37/0076
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03361 for checking the quality or quantity of fuel during filling of fuel tank
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/08 adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir electrical control of purge system F02D41/003

Abstract

A system includes a fuel level determination module, an adjusting module, and a gauge control module. The fuel level determination module outputs a measured fuel level based on a fuel level signal generated by a fuel level sensor. After an ignition system of the vehicle is turned on, the adjusting module adjusts a present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a first rate when a refueling event was detected while the ignition system was off and adjusts the present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a second rate when a refueling event was not detected while the ignition system was off. The first rate is faster than the second rate. The gauge control module controls a fuel level gauge to display the present fuel level.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

a fuel level determination module that outputs a measured fuel level based on a fuel level signal generated by a fuel level sensor;

an adjusting module that, after an ignition system of the vehicle is turned on, adjusts a present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a first rate when a refueling event was detected while the ignition system was off and adjusts the present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a second rate when a refueling event was not detected while the ignition system was off,

wherein the first rate is faster than the second rate; and

a gauge control module that controls a fuel level gauge to display the present fuel level.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the adjusting module includes a filter and sets the present fuel level using the filter based on the measured fuel level and a previous value of the present fuel level.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the filter includes a first-order filter.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the adjusting module sets the present fuel level equal to a last value of the present fuel level plus a product of a coefficient and a difference between the measured fuel level and the last value, and

wherein the coefficient corresponds to one of the first and second rates.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the fuel level gauge is one of a digital display and an electro-mechanical gauge.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a tank pressure determination module that outputs a measured fuel tank pressure based on a tank pressure signal generated by a fuel tank pressure sensor; and

a refueling detection module that selectively detects the refueling event based on the measured fuel tank pressure.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the refueling detection module selectively detects the refueling event based on a first value of the measured fuel tank pressure stored when the ignition system of the vehicle is turned off and a second value of the measured fuel tank pressure output during a predetermined period after the ignition system of the vehicle is turned off.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the refueling detection module selectively detects the refueling event when the second value is greater than the first value.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the refueling detection module detects the refueling event when the second value is greater than the first value by at least a predetermined amount, and wherein the predetermined amount is greater than zero.

10. A method for a vehicle, comprising:

outputting a measured fuel level based on a fuel level signal generated by a fuel level sensor;

after an ignition system of the vehicle is turned on, adjusting a present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a first rate when a refueling event was detected while the ignition system was off and adjusting the present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a second rate when a refueling event was not detected while the ignition system was off,

wherein the first rate is faster than the second rate; and

controlling a fuel level gauge to display the present fuel level.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising setting the present fuel level using a filter based on the measured fuel level and a previous value of the present fuel level.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising setting the present fuel level using a first-order filter based on the measured fuel level and a previous value of the present fuel level.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising setting the present fuel level equal to a last value of the present fuel level plus a product of a coefficient and a difference between the measured fuel level and the last value,

wherein the coefficient corresponds to one of the first and second rates.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the fuel level gauge is one of a digital display and an electro-mechanical gauge.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

outputting a measured fuel tank pressure based on a tank pressure signal generated by a fuel tank pressure sensor; and

selectively detecting the refueling event based on the measured fuel tank pressure.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising selectively detecting the refueling event based on a first value of the measured fuel tank pressure stored when the ignition system of the vehicle is turned off and a second value of the measured fuel tank pressure output during a predetermined period after the ignition system of the vehicle is turned off.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising selectively detecting the refueling event when the second value is greater than the first value.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising detecting the refueling event when the second value is greater than the first value by at least a predetermined amount,

wherein the predetermined amount is greater than zero.