Apparatus and method for determining oil change based upon oil viscosity
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an oil pressure sensor adapted to provide an oil pressure signal to an engine control module;
an oil temperature sensor adapted to provide an oil temperature signal to said engine control module; and
a sensor for providing a signal to the engine control module, the signal being indicative of the rpm of the engine;
wherein said engine control module comprises an algorithm which, upon determining the oil temperature is in a range defined by a lower limit of 80 degrees Celsius and an upper limit of 120 degrees Celsius, determines the oil'"'"'s viscosity by using the measured oil temperature, oil pressure, and the engine rpm and the determined oil viscosity and a fresh oil viscosity are used to determine whether the oil is in a preferred operating range.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine, having an oil pressure sensor adapted to provide an oil pressure signal to an engine control module; an oil temperature sensor adapted to provide an oil temperature signal to the engine control module; wherein the engine control module comprises an algorithm which determines the oil'"'"'s viscosity by using the measured oil temperature and oil pressure and the determined oil viscosity and a fresh oil viscosity are used to determine whether the oil is in a preferred operating range.
23 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. An oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
-
an oil pressure sensor adapted to provide an oil pressure signal to an engine control module;
an oil temperature sensor adapted to provide an oil temperature signal to said engine control module; and
a sensor for providing a signal to the engine control module, the signal being indicative of the rpm of the engine;
wherein said engine control module comprises an algorithm which, upon determining the oil temperature is in a range defined by a lower limit of 80 degrees Celsius and an upper limit of 120 degrees Celsius, determines the oil'"'"'s viscosity by using the measured oil temperature, oil pressure, and the engine rpm and the determined oil viscosity and a fresh oil viscosity are used to determine whether the oil is in a preferred operating range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for indicating whether the oil of an engine should be changed, comprising:
-
determining if the flow of the oil is unregulated, by measuring the oil pressure and the oil temperature;
retrieving a used oil viscosity and a fresh oil viscosity from a look up table;
determining whether the oil in the engine has been changed and if so said fresh oil viscosity is updated by obtaining a fresh oil viscosity from the look up table by measuring the oil pressure as a function of oil temperature and engine rpm, the engine rpm being determined by a sensor for providing a signal indicative of engine rpm; and
using said used oil viscosity and a fresh oil viscosity to determine whether the oil'"'"'s viscosity is in a preferred range. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
Specification