REAL-TIME VEHICLE DATA ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS

• US 20150330317A1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Lee, Yung-Li, Dourra, Hussein, Tjhung, Tana, Theru, Sangeeta
• Granted Patent: US 9,771,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1002 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 28/00 Programme-control of engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits

Abstract

An engine controller, system and method for collecting vehicle data. Drive torque data is determined using the engine controller in the vehicle and is stored in a memory in the vehicle. The drive torque data is stored in a non-time domain format, and may include a histogram of numbers of revolutions at predetermined intervals of drive torque values and/or a matrix of rainflow cycle counts. The drive torque data is temporarily stored in a buffer prior to being stored in the matrix of rainflow cycle counts using back-checking and binning. The drive torque data is downloaded from the vehicle and transmitted to a central data collection center.

Claims

1. An engine controller in a vehicle, comprising:

a processor configured to determine drive torque data for the vehicle; and

a memory configured to store the drive torque data in a non-time domain format.

2. The engine controller of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store the drive torque data in a histogram of numbers of revolutions at predetermined intervals of drive torque values.

3. The engine controller of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store the drive torque data in a matrix of rainflow cycle counts.

4. The engine controller of claim 3, further comprising a buffer memory in which the drive torque data is temporarily stored before being stored in the matrix of rainflow cycle counts.

5. The engine controller of claim 1, further comprising a communication port to allow download of the stored drive torque data.

6. A vehicle data collection system, comprising:

a vehicle equipped with an engine controller configured to determine drive torque data for the vehicle; and

a data collection device, configured to download the drive torque data from the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data collection device is configured to download the drive torque data when the vehicle is being serviced.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the data collection device is one of a plurality of remote data collection devices.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a central data collection center configured to receive the downloaded drive torque data upon transmission by the plurality of data collection devices.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the engine controller comprises:

a processor configured to determine the drive torque data for the vehicle; and

a memory configured to store the drive torque data in a non-time domain format.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is configured to store the drive torque data in a histogram of numbers of revolutions at predetermined intervals of drive torque values.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is configured to store the drive torque data in a matrix of rainflow cycle counts.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a buffer memory in which the drive torque data is temporarily stored before being stored in the matrix of rainflow cycle counts.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a communication port to allow download of the stored drive torque data.

15. A method of collecting vehicle data, the method comprising:

downloading drive torque data from a vehicle, the drive torque data determined using an engine controller in the vehicle and stored in a memory in the vehicle; and

transmitting the downloaded drive torque data to a central data collection center.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the downloading step further comprises downloading drive torque data that has been stored in a non-time domain format.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the non-time domain format includes a histogram of numbers of revolutions at predetermined intervals of drive torque values.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the non-time domain format includes a matrix of rainflow cycle counts.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the downloading step further comprises downloading drive torque data that has been temporarily stored in a buffer before being stored in the matrix of rainflow cycle counts.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein temporary storage of the drive torque data in the buffer comprises back-checking the drive torque data to identify cycles in compliance with a four-point raincycle rule and binning the drive torque data.