Apparatus and method for determining oil change based upon oil viscosity
First Claim
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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 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.
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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.
37 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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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 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)
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9. A method for indicating whether the oil of an engine should be changed, comprising:
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determining if the flow of the oil is unregulated, by measuring the oil pressure and the oil temperature;
retrieving a used oil viscosity from a look up table; 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, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for determining whether the oil of an engine requires changing, comprising:
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an engine control module having a microprocessor;
an oil temperature sensor adapted to provide an oil temperature signal to an algorithm of said microprocessor;
an oil pressure sensor adapted to provide an oil pressure signal to said algorithm;
a sensor for providing a signal to the engine control module, the signal being indicative of the rpm of the engine;
a look up table comprising data corresponding to used or fresh oil viscosities as a function of at least one of the following parameters oil pressure, oil temperature, and engine rpm; and
a means for indicating whether the oil viscosity is outside a preferred range. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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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 determines the oil viscosity of new or fresh oil by measuring two oil pressures at two different operating conditions after said control algorithm determines the oil of the engine has been changed and determines the oil viscosity of old or used oil by measuring two oil pressures at two different operating conditions and determines whether the oil is in a preferred range by comparing the determined used or old oil viscosity with the determined new or fresh oil viscosity. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for indicating whether the oil of an engine should be changed, comprising:
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determining if the oil in the engine has been changed and if so, determining the new oil viscosity by;
determining if the flow of the oil is unregulated, by measuring the oil pressure and the oil temperature;
measuring the oil pressure at two different operating conditions (x) and (y) if the flow of the oil is unregulated;
determining a new oil viscosity;
registering the new oil viscosity; and
determining if the oil in the engine has a viscosity that is in a preferred range if the oil has not been changed by;
determining if the flow of the oil is unregulated, by measuring the oil pressure and the oil temperature, the oil pressure and the oil temperature being measured at two different operating conditions (x) and (y);
determining a used oil viscosity; and
using said used oil viscosity and said new oil viscosity to determine whether the oil'"'"'s viscosity is in a preferred range. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification