Automatic management and control system for controlling accessories and engine controls of a transport motored vehicle

• US 8,256,399 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J. M. Bastille Transport Inc.
• Original Assignee: JM Bastille Transport Incorporated
• Inventors: Gamache, Gaétan, Gamache, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwon, John
• Application Number:
  US12/318,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 12333916-33918, 123/343, 123/349, 123/359, 123/198.D, 123/198.DC, 123/198.DB, 123/179.4
• US Class Current: 123/339.16
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/103 according to the vehicle transmission or clutch status
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0804 Temperature inside the vehicle cabin

Abstract

An automatic management and control system for controlling a transport motored vehicle engine idle conditions, operation of vehicle accessories and engine controls when the vehicle is at a rest condition. This system has a controlled unit with a programmable computer having a memory for storing instructions for execution of an interactive management control program by the control unit. The control unit is conditioned by the operator of the vehicle to operate in a cabin heating mode or a cabin air-conditioning mode. The control unit is also conditioned by the control program to enable a defeat protection circuit to control a fast idle switch function in the cabin to prevent a vehicle operator person to attempt to override a idle shut-down mode of the control module when enabled for a set time period whereby to ensure autonomous automatic engine control by the control unit when the vehicle is in the rest condition with the control unit enabled to thereby optimize fuel efficiency.

Claims

1. An automatic management and control system for controlling a transport motor vehicle engine idle conditions, operation of vehicle accessories and engine controls when said vehicle is at a rest condition;

said transport motor vehicle having a main battery supply to support an electrical load associated therewith, said system comprising a control unit with a programmable computer having a memory for storing instructions for execution of an interactive management control program by said control unit, a timer associated with said computer;

said control unit being interfaced with actuable switching devices to control said vehicle accessories, and said engine controls;

actuable switch means to enable said control unit through enabling switch means when said vehicle is at said rest condition, and when a transmission of said vehicle is at a neutral position and when an ignition switch of said vehicle is at a disabled OFF position;

display means having means to access programmed parameters and monitored parameters associated with said control unit, said sensor means and said engine controls;

mode selection switch means to condition said control program to operate in one of a cabin heating mode or a cabin air-conditioning mode, sensor means monitors a cabin temperature sensor to provide temperature signals representative of actual cabin temperature to said control unit, said control unit being conditioned by said control program to enable a defeat protection circuit to control a fast idle cruise switch in said cabin to prevent a vehicle operator to attempt to override an idle shut-down mode of the control unit during which said engine is operated at slow idle for a set programmed time period whereby to ensure autonomous automatic engine control by said control unit when said vehicle is at said rest condition to thereby optimize fuel efficiency, said defeat protection circuit having disabling switching means to disable said idle shut-down mode of said control unit and requiring disabling said enabling switch means by said vehicle operator and displacing said vehicle from said rest condition to permit said vehicle operator to re-enable said control unit and idle shut-down mode.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said enabling switch means is constituted by a parking brake engaging element located in a cabin of said vehicle and operable by the vehicle operator.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is further provided an exterior temperature sensor to provide temperature signals representative of actual temperature outside said cabin.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said display means is a display module having a screen and finger actuable keys to select desired programmed function displays on said screen by a user person.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cabin heating or air-conditioning mode each have set low and high temperature values stored in said control program to define a comfortable temperature range for said cabin.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuable switching devices are solenoid switches, each of said solenoid switches having an energizable coil and switch contacts set in a normally open or normally closed state.

7. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said vehicle accessories comprise an auxiliary heating device and an auxiliary air-conditioning device secured in a sleeper unit of said cabin, and an auxiliary d.c. battery supply connectable to said auxiliary heating device or said auxiliary air-conditioning device through an associated one of said actuable switching devices dependent on a selection of said mode selection switch means by the vehicle operator.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said auxiliary d.c. battery supply is connectable in parallel with said main battery supply of said vehicle through a connecting switch contact of one of said actuable switching devices which is actuable by said control unit when the actual voltage of said auxiliary d.c. battery supply falls below a set voltage value programmed in said memory of said computer, and voltage sensing means to sense said actual voltage of said auxiliary d.c. battery supply to provide voltage signals to said control unit.

9. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said mode selection switch means is a finger actuable key associated with a screen of said display module to select one of said cabin heating or cabin air-conditioning mode displayed on said screen.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said voltage means supplies actual voltage value signals of said main battery supply to said control unit, said interactive control program having a low voltage value rating of said main battery supply stored in said memory whereby to cause said control unit to enable an ignition one of said switching devices to engage said ignition switch to start said engine at said slow idle speed for a first programmed period of time, to actuate said fast idle cruise mode after the expiration of said first period of time for a second longer period of time, and thereafter to return to said slow idle speed for a third period of time after which said ignition one of said switching devices is returned to its initial state with said main battery supply having been recharged.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said ignition one of said switching devices remains enabled when said ignition switch is enabled during normal operation of said vehicle to fully charge said auxiliary d.c. battery supply.

12. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said connecting switch contact of said actuable switching devices is disabled to disconnect said parallel connection upon said control unit detecting a fault of an alternator of said vehicle or upon said alternator falling below a programmed voltage value set in said memory of said computer.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is further provided an auxiliary engine cooling liquid heater and circulating device associated with said engine for heating and circulating said cooling liquid when said control unit is programmed to operate in said cabin heating mode by said mode selection switch means, and sensor means including a voltage sensor for supplying actual voltage value signals of said main battery supply to said control unit, said interactive control program having a low voltage value rating of said main battery supply stored in said memory whereby to cause said control unit to enable said liquid heater and circulating device for a programmed period of time.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein after said programmed period of time that said liquid heater and circulating device is enabled said interaction control program will cause said control unit to actuate an ignition one of said switching devices to enable said ignition switch to start said engine at said slow idle speed for a first programmed period of time, to actuate said fast idle cruise mode after the expiration of said first period of time for a second longer period of time to operate said engine at fast idle cruise speed, and thereafter return to said slow idle speed for a third period of time for effecting one or a combination of:

i) providing heat to said cabin by a cabin heater of said vehicle;

ii) maintaining said engine above a set programmed temperature or;

iii) charging said main battery supply.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein an auxiliary d.c. battery supply is connected in parallel with said main battery supply of said vehicle through a connecting switch contact of one of said actuable switching devices which is actuable by said control unit when the actual voltage of said auxiliary d.c. battery supply falls below a set voltage value programmed in said memory of said computer, and voltage sensing means to supply an actual voltage value to said control unit.

16. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein when said control unit is conditioned by said mode selection switch means to operate in said air-conditioning mode and when said temperature signals of said cabin temperature sensor reach a set programmed high temperature value said control unit will operate an ignition switch one of said switching devices to enable said ignition switch to start said engine and an air-conditioning unit associated therewith until the temperature in said cabin reaches a set programmed low temperature value or a programmed time delay after which said ignition one of said switching devices is returned to its initial state.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein a fan of said engine is enabled by a fan enabling contact of one of said switching devices during a predetermined period of time during the time of operation of said engine.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein when said control unit is conditioned by said mode selection switch means to operate in said cabin heating mode and said temperature signal of said cabin temperature sensor reaches a first set programmed low temperature sensor value said control unit will actuate an auxiliary engine cooling liquid heater associated with said engine for heating said cooling liquid, said temperature signals when reaching a second set lower temperature value, due to continuing drop in temperature in said cabin, causing said control unit to enable said ignition switch through an ignition switch one of said actuable switching devices to start said engine for a predetermined set time limit or upon a high temperature value stored in said memory being attained.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein said engine when in operation during said predetermined time limit is caused to operate, by said control unit and enabled ones of said actuable switching devices, in a predetermined speed sequence comprised of said slow idle speed for a first programmed period of time, to a fast idle cruise speed for a second longer period of time and thereafter return to said slow idle speed for a third period of time.

20. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said vehicle accessories is a power take-off (PTO) actuator to permit said engine to operate at said fast idle cruise mode where the turning speed of said engine is increased above the slow idle speed, said PTO actuator coupling said engine to a hydraulic system having hydraulic actuators, and sensor means for sensing the state of said hydraulic actuators, said interactive program providing a set expiration time delay to disconnect said fast idle cruise mode if said actuators are not engaged after said expiration time delay and causing said engine to operate at said slow idle speed for a set time period after which said control unit will operate an ignition switch one of said switching devices to disable said ignition switch to stop said engine.

21. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said engine control comprises a fast idle cruise programmed function in said interactive program which can be enabled by the operator to operate an air compressor of a trailer to be connected to a tractor cab, said fast idle cruise function being available by a finger actuable key associated with said screen module upon accessing said programmed function, said programmed function permitting operation of said fast idle cruise engine speed for a pre-set period of time after which said control unit causes said engine to revert to slow idle speed for a preset period of time after which said engine is stopped by operation of an ignition switch one of said switching devices to disable said ignition switch to stop said engine.

22. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is further provided a hood disengaged detection switch which provides a signal to said control unit whereby said control unit when placed in operation by said actuable switch means will cause said control module to generate an audible alarm and a display message on said screen indicating that the hood requires to be engaged.

23. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said interactive control program comprises an engine start default feature to protect a starter motor of said vehicle, an ignition switch one of said actuable switching devices being enabled by said control unit when instructed by said computer to operate said ignition switch to start said engine during a predetermined programmed time interval, sensor means including a tach sensor to monitor the operational speed of said engine, said ignition switch one of said actuable switching devices being disabled if said tach sensor has not detected continuous operation of said engine after a second attempt to start said engine during a second time interval, said control unit actuating an audible alarm and providing a message on said screen of an engine default.

24. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein an ignition one of said actuable switching devices is disabled by said control unit to stop said engine if operating in said slow idle mode upon detection of the application of a brake pedal of said vehicle.

25. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control unit when operative by said actuable switch means, with said ignition switch at said disabled OFF position, is maintained operative with a key of said ignition removed therefrom and the vehicle operator vacant from said cabin with vehicle cabin doors locked.

26. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said display means is a display module having a screen and finger actuable keys, said display module having warning lights to indicate engine malfunction and upon such detection by said control unit an audible alarm is actuated and a display message is generated on the screen to indicate the severity of the engine malfunction for remedial action by the vehicle operator.

27. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein when said mode selection switch means is set at said cabin air-conditioning, mode said control unit will operate selected ones of said actuable switch means to disable an auxiliary sleeper cabin heater and an engine cooling liquid heater and circulating device.

28. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said programmable computer is provided with a USB port for future programming by a portable computer said program providing for all inputted information to be displayed on said screen for diagnostic evaluation.

29. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control program causes said control unit to operate an ignition switch one of said actuable switching devices within a set predetermined time period to disable said ignition switch to stop said engine at said normal slow idle, said ignition switch being re-enabled for said set predetermined time period in the event said engine is stopped by the application of a brake pedal of said vehicle, said control unit preventing further automatic engine re-start by enabling said ignition switch one of said actuable switching devices and actuating further actuable switching devices to prevent operation of cabin temperature control devices.

30. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said interactive control program includes set parameters to

i) monitor main and auxiliary battery supply charges;

ii) operate said engine at normal slow idle speed and fast idle cruise speed at programmed times of operation;

iii) monitor engine temperature, cabin temperature and outside temperature;

iv) operate an auxiliary engine cooling liquid heater and circulating device;

v) charge main and auxiliary batteries;

vi) operate an auxiliary cabin sleeper unit heater and air-conditioning unit;

vii) display and sound alarm conditions;

viii) monitor engine conditions and associated engine devices; and

ix) display on a screen the control program functions and other parameters of monitoring devices for access by a user person through associated keys, and display all said control program functions and inputted parameters and information for diagnostic purpose.

31. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is further provided sensor means to detect load surges on said main battery supply and upon detection of at least two of said surges within a predetermined time interval said control unit will operate said ignition switch to start said engine to charge said main battery supply.

32. A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein an auxiliary air-conditioning device of a sleeper unit of said cabin is enabled by said control unit to cool said sleeper unit, said high temperature value being attained when said auxiliary air-conditioning device fails to cool said sleeper unit.