IDLE ENGINE OPERATION BASED ON VEHICLE CABIN TEMPERATURE

• US 20170101952A1
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Light-Holets, Jennifer K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,163,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/08 for idling F02D41/06, F02D41/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/061 Battery state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/08 said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0804 Temperature inside the vehicle cabin
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/122 Atmospheric temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

A method for operating an engine based on cabin temperature includes determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank, determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank, receiving a predetermined cabin temperature value, calculating an engine idle time in response to the minimum amount of fuel and the predetermined cabin temperature value, and controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time and the predetermined cabin temperature value.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank;

determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank;

receiving a target cabin temperature value;

calculating an engine idle time available in response to the minimum amount of fuel; and

controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time available and the cabin temperature value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a quantity of reductant, receiving a value indicative of a minimum amount of reductant to remain, calculating the engine idle time available in response to the minimum amounts of fuel and reductant, and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the quantities of reductant and fuel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a distance to a fueling station value, and calculating the engine idle time available and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the distance to the fueling station value.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising adjusting the minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank in response to the distance to the fueling station value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an ambient conditions value, and calculating the engine idle time available and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the ambient conditions value.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising adjusting the minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank in response to the ambient conditions value.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an engaged status of a park brake, and calculating the engine idle time available is in response to the status of the park brake.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a transmission gear position, and calculating the engine idle time available is in response to the transmission gear position.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising subtracting the minimum amount of fuel from the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, and calculating the engine idle time available is in response to a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a time value of the engine idle time available at the predetermined cabin temperature value.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a second engine idle time in response to refilling the fuel tank.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the engine when the amount of fuel in the fuel tank is less than an amount of fuel required to fill the fuel tank.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a state-of-charge target value of a battery;

determining an actual state-of-charge value of the battery; and

controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the state-of-charge target value and the actual state-of-charge value.

14. A method, comprising:

determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank;

determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank;

determining a quantity of reductant on a vehicle;

receiving a predetermined cabin temperature value;

calculating an engine idle time in response to at least one of the minimum amount of fuel, the quantity of reductant, and the predetermined cabin temperature value; and

controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time and the predetermined cabin temperature value.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a distance to a fueling station value, and calculating the engine idle time and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the distance to the fueling station value.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving an ambient conditions value, and calculating the engine idle time and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the ambient conditions value.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining an engaged status of a park brake, and calculating the engine idle time is in response to the status of the park brake.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a transmission gear position, and calculating the engine idle time is in response to the transmission gear position.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising subtracting the minimum amount of fuel from the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, and calculating the engine idle time is in response to a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating an engine when the amount of fuel in the fuel tank is less than an amount of fuel required to fill the fuel tank.

21. An engine control assembly, comprising:

a fuel sensor configured to determine a fuel level;

a fluid sensor configured to determine a quantity of reductant on a vehicle;

a temperature sensor configured to determine a temperature in a cabin of a vehicle; and

a controller operably coupled to the fuel sensor, fluid sensor, and temperature sensor, the controller being configured to operate an engine in response to the fuel level and the quantity of reductant to maintain the temperature in the cabin.

22. The engine control assembly of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to determine an engine idle time in response to the fuel level, the quantity of reductant, and the temperature in the cabin.

23. The engine control assembly of claim 21, further comprising at least one position sensor operably coupled to the controller and configured to determine at least one of a transmission gear position and a position of a park brake of the vehicle, and the controller being configured to operate the engine in response to the at least one of the transmission gear position and the position of the park brake.