SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AND DISPLAYING A FUEL-EQUIVALENT DISTANCE-PER-ENERGY CONSUMPTION RATE
First Claim
1. A computer-based method for determining and displaying a fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- determining, using a fuel controller coupled to an engine or a fuel cell, a fuel consumption rate or amount;
determining, using a battery management and charging unit (BMCU) coupled to a battery, an electrical energy consumption rate or amount;
determining, using an electronic control unit coupled to a speed sensor, a distance travelled by the vehicle during a time period;
determining, using the electronic control unit, the fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate based on the fuel and electrical energy consumption rates or amounts and based on the determined distance travelled during the time period; and
displaying, using a display coupled to the electronic control unit, an indicator based on the fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate for indicating an amount of distance travelled by the vehicle for an amount of fuel-equivalent energy consumed.
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Abstract
A method and system for determining and displaying a rate corresponding to the distance travelled by a vehicle per an amount of fuel-equivalent energy consumption, and more particularly for determining and displaying a number of miles or kilometers travelled per a gallon or a liter of total fuel and fuel-equivalent non-fuel energy consumed. The system includes an electronic control unit, an engine, a fuel controller, a battery, a battery management and control unit and a display. The method and system determine the fuel-equivalent energy consumption sum based on a constant energy conversion factor or an energy conversion efficiency loss number or factor determined in real time. The method and system also determine and display a fuel-equivalent cost for travelling a kilometer or a mile of the distance travelled. The method and system also change an operation of the vehicle based on the determined rate and fuel-equivalent cost.
30 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-based method for determining and displaying a fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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determining, using a fuel controller coupled to an engine or a fuel cell, a fuel consumption rate or amount; determining, using a battery management and charging unit (BMCU) coupled to a battery, an electrical energy consumption rate or amount; determining, using an electronic control unit coupled to a speed sensor, a distance travelled by the vehicle during a time period; determining, using the electronic control unit, the fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate based on the fuel and electrical energy consumption rates or amounts and based on the determined distance travelled during the time period; and displaying, using a display coupled to the electronic control unit, an indicator based on the fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate for indicating an amount of distance travelled by the vehicle for an amount of fuel-equivalent energy consumed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-based method for determining and displaying a fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy rate of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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determining, using a fuel controller coupled to an engine or a fuel cell, a first energy consumption sum amount corresponding to an amount of fuel energy consumed by an engine or a fuel cell during a time period; determining, using an electronic control unit, a second energy consumption sum amount corresponding to an amount of energy consumed using a non-fuel energy source during the time period; determining, using the electronic control unit and a speed sensor coupled to the electronic control unit, a distance travelled by the vehicle during the time period; determining, using the electronic control unit, a fuel-equivalent total energy consumption sum amount based on the first and the second consumption sum amounts; determining, using the electronic control unit, the fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate based on the determined fuel-equivalent total energy consumption sum amount and the determined distance travelled during the time period, such that the fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate corresponds to a number of or a fraction of miles travelled per a gallon of the fuel-equivalent total energy consumption sum amount or corresponds to a number of or a fraction of kilometers travelled per a liter of the fuel-equivalent total energy consumption sum amount; and displaying, using a display coupled to the electronic control unit, an indicator based on the determined fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A vehicle comprising:
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an engine; a fuel controller coupled to the engine and configured to determine a fuel consumption rate or amount of the engine; a battery management and charging unit (BMCU) coupled to a battery and configured to control and monitor charging and discharging of the battery and further configured to determine an electrical energy consumption rate or amount of the battery; an energy generation unit including a solar panel, a ram induction generator, a regenerative braking unit, a heat exchange unit or combinations thereof, the energy generation unit having an energy generation rate or amount; an electronic control unit coupled to the engine, the energy generation unit, the fuel controller and the BMCU and configured to; determine, using a speed sensor, a distance travelled by the vehicle during a time period, and determine a fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate based on the determined fuel consumption rate or amount, electrical energy consumption rate or amount, energy generation rate or amount and the distance travelled during the time period; and a display coupled to the electronic control unit and configured to display an indicator based on the determined fuel-equivalent distance-per-energy consumption rate, the indicator corresponding to an amount of distance travelled by the vehicle for an amount of fuel-equivalent energy consumed. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification