NO START EVENT MONITORING

• US 20170067404A1
• Filed: 09/08/2015
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: YONAN, JAKOB, GANTT, GARY W. Jr., SADEKAR, VARSHA K., RYCHLINSKI, MARK J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,951,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/108 for diagnosis of the starter or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/044 Starter current
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/04 Testing internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/06 by monitoring positions of pistons or cranks
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring no start events for vehicles are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a vehicle includes an engine, a sensing unit, a processor, and a transmitter. The sensing unit is configured to measure one or more parameter values for a vehicle after a request has been made to start the engine. The processor is coupled to the sensing unit, and configured to determine when a no start event has occurred for the vehicle using the one or more parameter values. The transmitter is coupled to the processor, and is configured to transmit, to a remote server, a no start event history for the vehicle based on the determining by the processor.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

measuring one or more parameter values for a vehicle using a sensor unit after a request has been made to start an engine of the vehicle;

determining when a no start event has occurred for the vehicle via a processor using the one or more parameter values; and

generating a no start event history for the vehicle based on the determining by the processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the no start history from the vehicle to a remote server via a transmitter.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a cause of the vehicle no start event using the one or more parameter values;

wherein the no start event history includes the causes of the no start events.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating respective no start event histories for a plurality of different vehicles of a shared vehicle model.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating respective no start event histories for a plurality of different vehicles having a shared type of vehicle engine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of measuring one or more parameter values comprises measuring movement of an engine crank of the vehicle after the request has been made to start the engine;

the step of determining when a no start event has occurred comprises determining whether a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether the engine crank has rotated after the request has been made to start the engine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of measuring one or more parameter values comprises measuring a voltage of a control system associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine;

the step of determining when a no start event has occurred comprises determining whether a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether the voltage of the control system is within a predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of measuring one or more parameter values comprises measuring a voltage of a powertrain relay associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine;

the step of determining when a no start event has occurred comprises determining whether a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether the voltage of the powertrain relay is within a predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of measuring one or more parameter values comprises measuring movement of an engine crank of the vehicle after the request has been made to start the engine;

the step of determining when a no start event has occurred comprises determining whether a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether a maximum crank rotation speed is within a predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of measuring one or more parameter values comprises;

measuring movement of an engine crank of the vehicle after the request has been made to start the engine;

measuring a voltage of a control system associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine; and

measuring a voltage of a powertrain relay associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine; and

the step of determining when a no start event has occurred comprises determining whether a no start event has occurred based at least in part on each of the following;

whether the engine crank has rotated after the request has been made to start the engine.

whether the voltage of the control system is within a first predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

whether the voltage of the powertrain relay is within a second predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

whether a maximum crank rotation speed is within a third predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

11. A system comprising:

a sensing unit configured to measure one or more parameter values for a vehicle after a request has been made to start an engine of the vehicle;

a processor coupled to the sensing unit and configured to determine when a no start event has occurred for the vehicle using the one or more parameter values; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit, to a remote server, a no start event history for the vehicle based on the determining by the processor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the processor is further configured to determine a cause of the vehicle no start event using the one or more parameter values; and

the transmitted no start event history includes the causes of the no start events.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second processor associated with the remote server, the second processor configured to aggregate respective no start event histories for a plurality of different vehicles of a shared vehicle model, a shared type of vehicle, or both.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the vehicle has a battery;

the sensing unit comprises a battery sensor configured to set a battery no-start flag based at least in part on a drop in measured voltage and an increase in measured current for the battery; and

the processor is configured to determine that the no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether the battery no-start flag has been set.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the sensing unit is configured to measure movement of an engine crank of the vehicle after the request has been made to start the engine; and

the processor is configured to determine when a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether the engine crank has rotated after the request has been made to start the engine.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the sensing unit is configured to measure a voltage of a control system associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine; and

the processor is configured to determine when a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether the voltage of the control system is within a predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the sensing unit is configured to measure a voltage of a powertrain relay associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine; and

the processor is configured to determine when a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether the voltage of the powertrain relay is within a predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the sensing unit is configured to measure movement of an engine crank of the vehicle after the request has been made to start the engine; and

the processor is configured to determine when a no start event has occurred based at least in part on whether a maximum crank rotation speed is within a predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the sensing unit comprises;

a first sensor configured to measure movement of an engine crank of the vehicle after the request has been made to start the engine;

a second sensor configured to measure a voltage of a control system associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine; and

a third sensor configured to measure a voltage of a powertrain relay associated with the engine after the request has been made to start the engine; and

the processor is configured to determine whether a no start event has occurred based at least in part on each of the following;

whether the engine crank has rotated after the request has been made to start the engine.

whether the voltage of the control system is within a first predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

whether the voltage of the powertrain relay is within a second predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

whether a maximum crank rotation speed is within a third predetermined range after the request has been made to start the engine.

20. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a sensing unit configured to measure one or more parameter values for the vehicle after a request has been made to start the engine;

a processor coupled to the sensing unit and configured to determine when a no start event has occurred for the vehicle using the one or more parameter values; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit, to a remote server, a no start event history for the vehicle based on the determining by the processor.