THERMOELECTRIC POWERED WIRELESS VEHICLE SYSTEM SENSOR SYSTEMS

• US 20160037238A1
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: SALVADOR, James R., SCHNEIDER, Eric W., IRISH, Nicholas PP.
• Application Number:
  US14/812,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20160037238A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/88 Providing power supply at the sub-station
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A vehicle includes a thermal harvesting device that is positioned adjacent a heat-generating vehicle system. The thermal harvesting device generates electricity based on a temperature differential to power a sensor and a wireless transmitter.

Claims

1. A drain plug, comprising:

a housing configured to be received in an opening in an engine oil pan of a vehicle,

a thermoelectric module configured to generate electricity based on a temperature differential;

a sensor configured to measure a characteristic reflecting a parameter of an engine oil system and output a signal; and

a wireless transmitter configured to;

receive the signal from the sensor; and

transmit the signal that is received from the sensor; and

wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to power at least one of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

2. The drain plug of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to power each of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

3. The drain plug of claim 1, further comprising a battery that is charged by the thermoelectric module.

4. The drain plug of claim 3, wherein the battery is configured to power at least one of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

5. The drain plug of claim 4, wherein the battery is configured to power each of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

6. The drain plug of claim 1, further comprising a capacitor that is charged by the thermoelectric module.

7. The drain plug of claim 1, wherein the temperature differential is between a first temperature inside the engine oil pan and a second temperature outside the engine oil pan.

8. The drain plug of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to be wirelessly coupled to a vehicle control unit.

9. The drain plug of claim 1, wherein the parameter is oil level.

10. The drain plug of claim 1, wherein the characteristic measured by the sensor is a pressure characteristic.

11. The drain plug of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to take measurements at time intervals.

12. A vehicle measurement system, comprising:

a thermoelectric module configured to generate electricity based on a temperature differential between a first temperature inside an engine oil pan and a second temperature outside the engine oil pan;

a sensor configured to measure a characteristic reflecting a parameter of an engine oil system and output a signal; and

a wireless transmitter configured to;

receive the signal from the sensor; and

transmit the signal that is received from the sensor; and

wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to power at least one of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

13. The vehicle measurement system of claim 12, wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to power each of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

14. The vehicle measurement system of claim 12, further comprising a battery that is charged by the thermoelectric module, wherein the battery is configured to power at least one of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

15. The vehicle measurement system of claim 14, wherein the battery is configured to power each of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.

16. The vehicle measurement system of claim 12, wherein the temperature differential is between a first temperature inside the engine oil pan and a second temperature outside the engine oil pan.

17. The vehicle measurement system of claim 12, further comprising a vehicle control unit, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to be wirelessly coupled to the vehicle control unit.

18. The vehicle measurement system of claim 17, wherein the characteristic measured by the sensor is a pressure characteristic and wherein the parameter is oil level.

19. The vehicle measurement system of claim 18, wherein the vehicle control unit is configured to convert pressure data into an oil-level value.

20. A vehicle measurement system, comprising:

a thermoelectric module configured to generate electricity based on a temperature differential between a first temperature inside an engine oil pan and a second temperature outside the engine oil pan;

a sensor configured to measure a characteristic reflecting a parameter of a vehicle system and output a signal;

a wireless transmitter configured to;

receive the signal from the sensor; and

transmit the signal that is received from the sensor; and

a vehicle control unit, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to be wirelessly coupled to the vehicle control unit;

wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to power at least one of the sensor and the wireless transmitter.