METHODS FOR AN EXHAUST FLUID LEVEL SENSOR

• US 20130125997A1
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Cooper, Scott Donald, Pollitt, Dwayne, Zultowski, David T., Szymusiak, Scott J., Lawrence, Don M., Zhu, Jimmy
• Granted Patent: US 9,243,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/2
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/142 Controlling the filling of the tank
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/148 Arrangement of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1814 Tank level
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/00 Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid

Abstract

Various methods are provided for notifying a vehicle operator of various parameters based on an exhaust fluid level sensor of an exhaust fluid storage tank. In one example, the parameter is a consumption rate of the exhaust fluid. In another example, the parameter is an amount of fluid to be added to the exhaust fluid storage tank.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle system, comprising:

sensing throughout a range an exhaust fluid level in an exhaust fluid storage tank; and

notifying a vehicle operator of a parameter based on the sensed exhaust fluid level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operator is notified via a vehicle display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operator is notified via a display of a mobile device of the vehicle operator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the range extends from a near empty exhaust fluid level to a near full exhaust fluid level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is an exhaust fluid consumption rate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is an estimated time to empty of current exhaust fluid quantity based on an average exhaust fluid consumption rate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is an amount of exhaust fluid to be added to the exhaust fluid storage tank.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a maximum fill amount of exhaust fluid responsive to an ambient temperature less than a threshold temperature, and the threshold temperature corresponds to a freezing point of an exhaust fluid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust fluid storage tank is a first exhaust fluid storage tank, and further comprising filling a second exhaust fluid storage tank with exhaust fluid from the first exhaust fluid storage tank based on an exhaust fluid level in the second exhaust fluid storage tank.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the exhaust fluid level in the second exhaust fluid storage tank is based on a flow of exhaust fluid out of the second exhaust fluid storage tank to an injector.

11. A method for a vehicle system, comprising:

receiving an indication of an exhaust fluid level throughout a range in an exhaust fluid storage tank from a level sensor disposed in the exhaust fluid storage tank;

responsive to the indication of the exhaust fluid level, estimating a parameter; and

notifying a vehicle operator of the parameter via a display.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising notifying the vehicle operator of the parameter via a wireless communications system.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameter is an average exhaust fluid consumption rate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the parameter is an estimated time to empty of a current exhaust fluid quantity based on the average exhaust fluid consumption rate.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameter is a maximum fill amount.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising decreasing the maximum fill amount responsive to an ambient temperature less than a threshold temperature.

17. A method for a vehicle system, comprising:

receiving an indication of an exhaust fluid level throughout a range in an exhaust fluid storage tank from a level sensor disposed in the exhaust fluid storage tank; and

responsive to the indication of the exhaust fluid level, displaying an amount of exhaust fluid to be added to the exhaust fluid storage tank to a vehicle operator.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the amount of fluid to be added to the exhaust fluid storage tank is displayed on a mobile device of the vehicle operator via a wireless communications system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the amount of exhaust fluid to be added to the exhaust fluid storage tank is displayed on a dashboard of a vehicle of the vehicle system.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising decreasing the amount of exhaust fluid to be added to the exhaust fluid storage tank responsive to an ambient temperature less than a threshold temperature.