Fuel-level-detection system, calibration method, and calibration system

• US 6,907,371 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Klinger, Rodney J., Bradley, James C., Marshall, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn, Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US10/431,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 73/17.3, 732/90.R, 732/91, 137/386, 356/3, 702/33, 702/50, 702/55, 702/85, 702/100, 702/108, 702/116, 702/127, 702/155, 702/158, 702/159, 702/166, 702/189, 702/198
• US Class Current: 702/100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions

Abstract

Systems and methods for calibrating operation of a fuel-level indicator of a vehicle are disclosed. The systems and methods include means of determining and/or receiving configuration information about the vehicle and integrating appropriate logic for converting raw fuel-level signals produced by a fuel-level sensor into appropriate processed fuel-level signals to be received by the fuel-level indicator.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

(a) one or more rigid and strong frame structures to which a majority of other components of said vehicle are directly or indirectly engaged and from which a majority of other components of said vehicle derive support directly or indirectly;

(b) a suspension system that is engaged to and supports said one or more frame structures above the ground and that provides the vehicle with a relatively low resistance to movement along the ground;

(c) one or more body structures including an occupant cabin that is/are engaged to and supported by said one or more frame structures and within which occupants and/or cargo of said vehicle may reside;

(d) a powerplant that is mounted to said frame structures and that is operable to provide power to drive said vehicle;

(e) a fuel reservoir that is mounted directly or indirectly to said frame structures and/or said body structures of said vehicle, and within which fuel may be stored for consumption by said powerplant;

(f) a fuel-level detection system;

(g) wherein said fuel-level detection system comprises a fuel-level sensor mounted in said fuel reservoir;

(h) wherein said fuel-level detection system comprises a fuel-level indicator that is mounted in said occupant cabin;

(i) wherein said fuel-level detection system further comprises a fuel-level-signal-translating system that communicatively links said fuel-level sensor and said fuel-level indicator;

(j) wherein said fuel-level-signal-translating system receives raw fuel-level signals from said fuel-level sensor and translates them into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to said fuel-level indicator;

(k) wherein said vehicle further comprises one or more computer(s) that are either communicatively linked to or are part of said fuel-level-signal-translating system and that are also communicatively linked to said fuel-level sensor;

(l) fuel-level-detection calibration logic, which is embodied in hardware and/or software of said one or more computer(s) and that may be activated when said fuel reservoir is empty to cause said one or more computer(s) to perform a fuel-level-detection calibration method which comprises the steps of;

activating said fuel-level sensor and causing it to produce a raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of said liquid-fuel tank; and

configuring signal-conversion logic of said fuel-level-signal-translating system in a manner dependent upon the characteristics of said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of said fuel-reservoir;

said one or more computer(s) configuring said signal-conversion logic of said fuel-level-signal-translating system in a manner such that, thereafter, a raw fuel-level signal with characteristics equal to said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to said empty state of said fuel reservoir will be translated into a processed fuel-level signal that will cause said fuel-level indicator to indicate an empty stats of said fuel-reservoir;

(m) said fuel-level sensor and said fuel-level-signal-translating system are constructed in such a manner that said raw fuel-level signals and/or intermediate signals have values that are linearly related to a height of fuel in said fuel reservoir;

(n) said fuel-level-detection calibration logic is configured such that it causes said computer(s) to perform the step of;

integrating into said fuel-level-signal-translating system signal-conversion look-up tables and/or equations that convert said raw fuel-level signals or intermediate signals that are linearly related to said height of said fuel in said fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in said fuel reservoir.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

(o) said one or more computer(s) that are operable to execute said fuel-level detection calibration method are also communicatively linked to and perform control of other systems of said vehicle in addition to said fuel-level detection system.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein:

(p) one or more of said one or more computer(s) that are operable to perform said fuel-level detection calibration method are part of said fuel-level-signal-translating system.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein:

(q) said fuel-level sensor is a wave-reflection type distance sensor that is mounted in an upper portion of said fuel reservoir; and

(r) when said fuel-level sensor is activated when said fuel reservoir is empty it senses a downward distance to a bottom of said fuel reservoir.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

(o) said fuel-level sensor is a wave-reflection type distance sensor that is mounted in an upper portion of said fuel reservoir; and

(p) when said fuel-level sensor is activated when said fuel reservoir is empty it senses a downward distance to a bottom of said fuel reservoir.

6. A vehicle, comprising:

(a) one or more rigid and strong frame structures to which a majority of other components of said vehicle are directly or indirectly engaged and from which a majority of other components of said vehicle derive support directly or indirectly;

(b) a suspension system that is engaged to and supports said one or more frame structures above the ground and that provides the vehicle with a relatively low resistance to movement along the ground;

(c) one or more body structures including an occupant cabin that is/are engaged to and supported by said one or more frame structures and within which occupants and/or cargo of said vehicle may reside;

(d) a powerplant that is mounted to said frame structures and that is operable to provide power to drive said vehicle;

(e) a fuel reservoir that is mounted directly or indirectly to said frame structures and/or said body structures of said vehicle, and within which fuel may be stored for consumption by said powerplant;

(f) a fuel-level detection system;

(g) wherein said fuel-level detection system comprises a fuel-level sensor that is mounted at least partially within said fuel reservoir and that produces raw fuel-level signals in a manner that is linearly dependent upon a height of fuel in said fuel reservoir;

(h) wherein said fuel-level detection system comprises a fuel-level indicator that is mounted in said occupant cabin;

(i) wherein said fuel-level detection system further comprises a fuel-level-signal-translating system that communicatively links said fuel-level sensor and said fuel-level indicator;

(j) wherein said fuel-level-signal-translating system receives raw fuel-level signals from said fuel-level sensor and translates them into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to said fuel-level indicator;

(k) said fuel-level sensor and said fuel-level-signal-translating system are constructed in such a manner that said raw fuel-level signals and/or intermediate signals have values that are linearly related to a height of fuel in said fuel reservoir; and

(l) said fuel-level-signal-translating system comprises signal-conversion look-up tables and/or equations that are stored in computer memory of said fuel-level-signal-translating system and that are used to convert said raw fuel-level signals or intermediate signals that are linearly related to said height of said fuel in said fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in said fuel reservoir.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein:

(m) said vehicle comprises one or more computer(s) that are part of said fuel-level-signal-translating system and are also communicatively linked to and perform control of other systems of said vehicle.

8. A fuel-level detection calibration method for configuring signal-conversion logic of a fuel-level-signal-translating system of a vehicle with a fuel reservoir with a fuel-level sensor mounted at least partially within said fuel reservoir and which fuel-level sensor is operable to produce raw fuel-level signals in a manner dependent upon the level of fuel in the fuel reservoir and to transmit those raw fuel-level signals to the fuel-level-signal-translating system which operates according to the signal-conversion logic to translate the raw fuel-level signals into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to a fuel-level indicator in an occupant cabin, said fuel level detection calibration method comprising the steps of:

(a) when said fuel reservoir is empty, activating the fuel-level sensor and thereby causing it to produce a raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir; and

(b) configuring signal-conversion logic of the fuel-level-signal-translating system in a manner that is dependent upon the characteristics of said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir.

9. The fuel-level-detection calibration method of claim 8, wherein:

(a) said step of configuring signal-conversion logic of the fuel-level-signal-translating system in a manner that is dependent upon the characteristics of said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir comprises the step of;

configuring the signal-conversion logic of the fuel-level-signal-translating system in such a manner that, thereafter, said fuel-level-signal-translating system translates raw fuel-level signals with characteristics equal to said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that will cause the fuel-level indicator to indicate an empty state of the fuel reservoir.

10. The fuel-level-detection calibration method of claim 9, wherein:

(a) configuring signal-conversion logic of the fuel-level-signal-translating system further comprises the step of;

integrating into to said signal-conversion logic look-up tables and/or equations that said fuel-level-signal-translating system will use to translate raw fuel-level signals and/or intermediate signals that are linearly related to a height of fuel in the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in the fuel reservoir.

11. The fuel-level-detection calibration method of claim 10, wherein:

(a) configuring signal-conversion logic of the fuel-level-signal-translating system further comprises the step of;

prior to integrating said look-up tables and/or equations into said signal-conversion logic, receiving and/or determining information about the type of fuel reservoir that the vehicle has and selecting, from a database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic that comprise look-up tables and/or equations for different types of fuel-reservoirs, appropriate look-up tables and/or equations for the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has for integration into said signal-conversion logic.

12. The fuel-level-detection calibration method of claim 11, wherein:

(a) said fuel-level-detection calibration method is executed during assembly of the vehicle in an assembly-line process;

(b) said fuel-level-detection calibration method is executed, when commanded to do so, by a vehicle-controller calibration system at an assembly line on which the vehicle is being assembled;

(c) said database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic with look-up tables and/or equations for different types of fuel reservoirs is stored in computer memory of the vehicle-controller calibration system; and

(d) wherein said information about the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has is part of line-set data that includes vehicle configuration information about each of a series of vehicles that is to be built on the assembly line.

13. The fuel-level-detection calibration method of claim 11, wherein:

(a) the fuel-level sensor of the vehicle is a wave-reflection type distance sensor; and

(b) said step of receiving and/or determining information about the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has includes utilizing the characteristics of said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir in combination with known information about characteristics of such raw fuel-level signals that correspond to empty states of different types of fuel reservoirs to determine information about what type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has.

14. A fuel-level-detection calibration method for configuring signal-conversion logic of a fuel-level-signal-translating system of a vehicle with a fuel reservoir with a fuel-level sensor mounted at least partially within said fuel reservoir and which fuel-level sensor is operable to produce raw fuel-level signals in a manner dependent upon the level of fuel in the fuel reservoir and to transmit those raw fuel-level signals to the fuel-level-signal-translating system which operates according to the signal-conversion logic to translate the raw fuel-level signals into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to a fuel-level indicator in an occupant cabin, said fuel-level detection calibration method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving and/or determining information about the configuration of the vehicle and selecting, from a database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic, signal-conversion logic that is appropriate for the configuration of the vehicle;

(b) integrating into the fuel-level-signal-translating system said set of signal-conversion logic that is appropriate for the configuration of the vehicle;

(c) said fuel-level-detection calibration method is executed during assembly of the vehicle in an assembly-line process;

(d) said fuel-level-detection calibration method is executed, when commanded to do so, by a vehicle-controller calibration system at an assembly line on which the vehicle is being assembled;

(e) said database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic for different vehicle configurations is stored in computer memory of the vehicle-controller calibration system; and

(f) wherein said information about the configuration of the vehicle is part of line-set data that includes configuration information about each of a series of vehicles that is to be built on the assembly line.

15. A fuel-level-detection calibration method for configuring signal-conversion logic of a fuel-level-signal-translating system of a vehicle with a fuel reservoir with a fuel-level sensor mounted at least partially within said fuel reservoir and which fuel-level sensor is operable to produce raw fuel-level signals in a manner dependent upon the level of fuel in the fuel reservoir and to transmit those raw fuel-level signals to the fuel-level-signal-translating system which operates according to the signal-conversion logic to translate the raw fuel-level signals into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to a fuel-level indicator in an occupant cabin, said fuel-level detection calibration method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving and/or determining information about the configuration of the vehicle and selecting, from a database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic, signal-conversion logic that is appropriate for the configuration of the vehicle;

(b) integrating into the fuel-level-signal-translating system said set of signal-conversion logic that is appropriate for the configuration of the vehicle;

(c) the fuel-level sensor of the vehicle is a wave-reflection type distance sensor; and

(d) said step of receiving and/or determining information about the configuration of the vehicle includes activating the fuel-level sensor at a time when the fuel reservoir is empty and utilizing the characteristic of a resulting raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir in combination with known information about characteristics of such raw fuel-level signals that correspond to empty states of different types of fuel reservoirs to determine information about what type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has.

16. A fuel-level-detection calibration method for configuring signal-conversion logic of a fuel-level-signal-translating system of a vehicle with a fuel reservoir with a fuel-level sensor mounted at least partially within said fuel reservoir and which fuel-level sensor is operable to produce raw fuel-level signals in a manner dependent upon the level of fuel in the fuel reservoir and to transmit those raw fuel-level signals to the fuel-level-signal-translating system which operates according to the signal-conversion logic to translate the raw fuel-level signals into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to a fuel-level indicator in an occupant cabin, said fuel-level-detection calibration method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving and/or determining information about the type of fuel reservoir that the vehicle has and selecting, from a database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic with look-up tables and/or equations for different types of fuel-reservoirs, signal-conversion logic with look-up tables and/or equations that are useable for the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has to translate raw fuel-level signals and/or intermediate signals that are linearly related to a height of fuel in the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in the fuel reservoir; and

(b) integrating into the fuel-level-signal-translating system said signal-conversion logic with said signal-conversion look-up tables and/or equations that are useable for the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has to translate raw fuel-level signals and/or intermediate signals that are linearly related to a height of fuel in the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in the fuel reservoir.

17. The fuel-level-detection calibration method of claim 16, wherein:

(a) said fuel-level-detection calibration method is executed during assembly of the vehicle in an assembly-line process;

(b) said fuel-level-detection calibration method is executed, when commanded to do so, by a vehicle-controller calibration system at an assembly line on which the vehicle is being assembled;

(c) said database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic with look-up tables and/or equations for different types of fuel reservoirs is stored in computer memory of the vehicle-controller calibration system; and

(d) wherein said information about the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has is part of line-set data that includes configuration information about each of a series of vehicles that is to be built on the assembly line.

18. The fuel-level-detection calibration method of claim 16, wherein:

(a) the fuel-level sensor of the vehicle is a wave-reflection type distance sensor; and

(b) said step of receiving and/or determining information about the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has includes activating the fuel-level sensor at a time when the fuel reservoir is empty and utilizing the characteristics of a resulting raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir in combination with known information about characteristics of such raw fuel-level signals that correspond to empty states of different types of fuel reservoirs to determine information about what type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has.

19. A vehicle-controller calibration system for configuring signal-conversion logic of fuel-level-signal translating systems of vehicles with a fuel reservoir with a fuel-level sensor mounted at least partially within said fuel reservoir and which fuel-level sensor is operable to generate raw fuel-level signals in a manner dependent upon the fuel level in the fuel reservoir and to transmit those raw fuel-level signals to the fuel-level-signal-translating system which operates according to the signal-conversion logic to translate the raw fuel-level signals into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to a fuel-level indicator in an occupant cabin, said vehicle-controller calibration system comprising:

(a) one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s) and commucative linkages for communicatively linking said vehicle-configuration computer(s) to the fuel-level-signal-translating system of the vehicle;

(b) fuel-level-detection calibration logic, which is embodied in hardware and/or software of said one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s)

(c) wherein said fuel-level-detection calibration logic may be activated when the fuel reservoir is empty to cause said vehicle-configuration computer(s) to perform a fuel-level-detection calibration method which comprises the steps of;

activating the fuel-level sensor and causing it to produce a raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir;

configuring signal-conversion logic of the fuel-level-signal-translating system in a manner dependent upon the characteristics of said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir; and

said vehicle-configuration computer(s) configuring said signal-conversion logic of the fuel-level-signal-translating system in a manner such that thereafter, raw fuel-level signals with characteristics equal to said raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to said empty state of said fuel reservoir will be translated into processed fuel-level signals that will cause the fuel-level indicator to indicate an empty state of the fuel-reservoir;

said vehicle-configuration computer(s) integrating into said signal-conversion logic look-up tables and/or equations that the fuel-level-signal-translating system will use to translate raw fuel-level signals and/or intermediate signals that are linearly related to a height of fuel in the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in the fuel reservoir.

20. The vehicle-controller calibration system of claim 19, wherein:

(d) said vehicle-controller calibration system includes, in computer memory of said vehicle-configuration computer(s), a database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic with look-up tables and/or equations for converting linearly height-related raw fuel-level signals into linearly volume-related processed fuel-level signals for multiple different types of fuel reservoirs;

(e) said fuel-level-detection calibration logic is configured such that said fuel-level-detection calibration method comprises the step of;

prior to said vehicle-controller configuration system integrating said look-up tables and/or equations into said signal-conversion logic, said vehicle-controller configuration system receiving and/or determining information about the type of fuel reservoir that the vehicle has and selecting, from said database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic with look-up tables and/or equations for converting linearly height-related raw fuel-level signals into linearly volume-related processed fuel-level signals for different types of fuel-reservoirs, an appropriate set of signal conversion-logic with look-up tables and/or equations for converting linearly height-related raw fuel-level signals into linearly volume-related processed fuel-level signals for the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has for integration into said signal-conversion logic.

21. The vehicle-controller calibration system of claim 20, wherein:

(f) logic according to which said one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s) is/are operable is such that said step of receiving and/or determining information about which type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has may be accomplished through the receipt by said one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s) of line-set data that includes configuration information about each of a series of vehicles that is to be built on the assembly line.

22. A vehicle-controller calibration system for configuring signal-conversion logic of fuel-level-signal-translating systems of vehicles with a fuel reservoir with a fuel-level sensor mounted at least partially within said fuel reservoir and which fuel-level sensor is operable to sense a fuel level in the fuel reservoir and transmit raw fuel-level signals to the fuel-level-signal-translating system which operates according to the signal-conversion logic to translate the raw fuel-level signals into processed fuel-level signals that are communicated to a fuel-level indicator in an occupant cabin, said vehicle-controller calibration system comprising:

(a) one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s) and communicative linkages for communicatively linking said vehicle-configuration computer(s) to the fuel-level-signal-translating system of the vehicle;

(b) in computer memory of said vehicle-configuration computer(s), a database of multiple different sets of signal-conversion logic which includes sets of signal-conversion logic for plural different vehicle configurations; and

(c) fuel-level-detection calibration logic, which is embodied in hardware and/or software of said one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s) and that may be activated to cause said vehicle-configuration computer(s) to perform a fuel-level-detection calibration method which comprises the steps of;

receiving and/or determining information about the vehicle configuration and selecting, from said database of multiple sets of signal-conversion logic, one or more sets of signal-conversion logic that are appropriate for the vehicle configuration and adding those sets of signal-conversion logic to said fuel-level-signal-translating system.

23. The vehicle-controller calibration system of claim 22, wherein:

(d) logic according to which said one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s) is/are operable is such that said step of receiving and/or determining information about the vehicle configuration may be accomplished through the receipt by said one or more vehicle-configuration computer(s) of line-set data that includes configuration information about each of a series of vehicles that is to be built on an assembly line.

24. The vehicle-controller calibration system of claim 23, wherein:

(e) said database of multiple different sets of signal-conversion logic includes multiple different sets of signal-conversion logic with look-up tables and/or equations for converting raw fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a height of fuel in the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in the fuel reservoir for different types of fuel reservoirs.

25. The vehicle-controller calibration system of claim 22, wherein:

(d) said fuel-level-detection calibration logic is configured in such a manner that in cases where the fuel-level sensor of the vehicle is a wave-reflection type distance sensor said fuel-level-detection calibration logic can cause said vehicle-configuration computer(s) to determine information about the type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has by causing said vehicle-configuration computer(s) to perform the step of;

activating the fuel-level sensor at a time when the fuel reservoir is empty and utilizing the characteristics of a resulting raw fuel-level signal that corresponds to an empty state of the fuel reservoir in combination with information, which is stored in computer memory of said vehicle-configuration computer(s), about known characteristics of raw fuel-level signals that correspond to empty states of different types of fuel reservoir, to determine information about what type of fuel reservoir the vehicle has.

26. The vehicle-controller calibration system of claim 25, wherein:

(e) said database of multiple different sets of signal-conversion logic includes multiple different sets of signal-conversion logic which include look-up tables and/or equations useable for converting raw fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a height of fuel in the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in the fuel reservoir for different types of fuel reservoirs.

27. The vehicle-controller calibration system of claim 22, wherein:

(d) said database of multiple different sets of signal-conversion logic includes multiple different sets of signal-conversion logic which include look-up tables and/or equations useable for converting raw fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a height of fuel in the fuel reservoir into processed fuel-level signals that are linearly related to a volume of fuel in the fuel reservoir for different types of fuel reservoirs.