Fuel cutoff algorithm

• US 7,529,606 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tustanowski, Rachelle, Tippy, David, Reddy, Yeruva, Clark, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/276,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20070203615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/00 Indexing codes relating to the special location or mounting of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3082 Control of electrical fuel pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 63/0205 for cutting-out pumps or injectors in case of abnormal operation of the engine or the injection apparatus, e.g. over-speed, break-down of fuel pumps or injectors safety devices acting on engine fuel system on lubricant pressure failure F01M1/24; for cutting-out pumps for stopping the engine

Abstract

An algorithm for use with a restraint control module that controls a signal output to a vehicle fuel pump. The algorithm deploys a fuel cutoff signal when crash sensors sense a vehicle crash condition that meets or exceeds a fuel cutoff threshold employed by the algorithm. The fuel cutoff threshold is generally elliptical.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling vehicle fuel delivery, the method comprising employing an algorithm for use with a restraint control module that controls a signal output to a vehicle fuel pump, wherein the algorithm deploys a fuel cutoff signal when crash sensors sense a vehicle crash condition that meets or exceeds a fuel cutoff threshold employed by the algorithm,

wherein the fuel cutoff threshold is generally elliptical.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing two fuel cutoff thresholds, at least one of which is generally elliptical.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, when one of the fuel cutoff thresholds is met, the fuel cutoff can be reset.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a lookup table populated based on predetermined minimum and maximum changes in a longitudinal velocity X and a lateral velocity Y of a vehicle, used as input to an equation for an ellipse

$\frac{X^2}{a^2}+\frac{Y^2}{b^2}=1.$

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising populating the lookup table based on a predetermined number of steps defining a resolution of the lookup table.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a greater number of steps can be used to detect certain crash conditions.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing data from a safing sensor to verify that a vehicle crash condition has occurred.

8. A fuel cutoff system, comprising:

crash sensors;

a restraint control module that receives data from the crash sensors; and

an algorithm used by the restraint control module to deploy a fuel cutoff signal when the crash sensors sense a vehicle crash condition that meets or exceeds a fuel cutoff threshold employed by the algorithm,

wherein the fuel cutoff threshold is generally elliptical.

9. The fuel cutoff system of claim 8, wherein the algorithm utilizes two fuel cutoff thresholds, at least one of which is generally elliptical.

10. The fuel cutoff system of claim 9, wherein, when one of the fuel cutoff thresholds is met the fuel cutoff can be reset.

11. The fuel cutoff system of claim 8, wherein the algorithm utilizes a lookup table populated based on predetermined minimum and maximum changes in a longitudinal velocity X and a lateral velocity Y of a vehicle, used as input to an equation for an ellipse

$\frac{X^2}{a^2}+\frac{Y^2}{b^2}=1.$

12. The fuel cutoff system of claim 11, wherein the lookup table is also populated based on a predetermined number of steps defining a resolution of the lookup table.

13. The fuel cutoff system of claim 12, wherein a greater number of steps can be used to detect certain crash conditions.

14. The fuel cutoff system of claim 8, further comprising a safing sensor, and wherein the restraint control module receives data from the safing sensor and the algorithm employs the data from the safing sensor to verify that a vehicle crash condition has occurred.

15. A method for controlling a signal output to a vehicle fuel pump, the method comprising:

utilizing an algorithm in a restraint control module of the vehicle, the algorithm deploying a fuel cutoff signal when crash sensors sense a vehicle crash condition that meets or exceeds a fuel cutoff threshold employed by the algorithm,

wherein the fuel cutoff threshold is generally elliptical.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising deploying a first fuel cutoff signal that is resettable.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising deploying a second fuel cutoff signal that is not resettable.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the algorithm accesses a lookup table populated based on predetermined minimum and maximum changes in a longitudinal velocity X and a lateral velocity Y of a vehicle, used as input to an equation for an ellipse

$\frac{X^2}{a^2}+\frac{Y^2}{b^2}=1.$

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the lookup table is also populated based on a predetermined number of steps defining a resolution of the lookup table.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a greater number of steps can be used to detect certain crash conditions.