Method and system for monitoring freshness of fuel in vehicles

• US 8,321,158 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Proefke, David T., McCall, Clark E., Biondo, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundu, Sujoy
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALBO, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/418,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20100256931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 702/50, 702/55, 702176-173, 137/3, 137/87.02, 701/102
• US Class Current: 702/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/211 Fuel quality, e.g. water content due to age of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0623 Failure diagnosis or prevention; Safety measures; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0628 Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/088 by estimation, i.e. without using direct measurements of a corresponding sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0612 determined by estimation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2835 Specific substances contained in the oils or fuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A method for monitoring fuel freshness in a vehicle includes the steps of determining a measure of time that the fuel has been in the vehicle and initiating a remedy if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring freshness of fuel in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, using a processor, a measure of time that the fuel has been in the vehicle, the measure of time comprising an average measure of time that the fuel from more than one fueling of the vehicle has remained on the vehicle; and

initiating a remedy if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a first level of the fuel at a first point in time; and

determining a second level of the fuel at a second point in time;

wherein the step of determining the measure of time comprises the step of determining the measure of time using the first level and the second level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the measure of time comprises the steps of:

determining a first point in time in which a first portion of the fuel was in the vehicle;

determining a second point in time in which a second portion of the fuel was added to the vehicle; and

determining the measure of time based at least in part on the determinations of the first and second points in time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

determining an amount of the first portion of the fuel remaining in the vehicle when the second amount of fuel was added to the vehicle;

determining a measure of an amount of the second portion of the fuel added to the vehicle; and

determining the measure of time based also at least in part on the amount of the first portion of the fuel remaining in the vehicle when the second amount of fuel was added to the vehicle and the measure of an amount of the second portion of the fuel added to the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of initiating the remedy comprises the step of:

running an internal combustion engine of the vehicle if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of initiating the remedy comprises the step of:

inserting an additive to the fuel if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of initiating the remedy comprises the step of:

providing a notification to a driver of the vehicle if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

8. A program product for monitoring freshness of fuel in a vehicle, the program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor to perform;

determining a measure of time that the fuel has been in the vehicle, the measure of time comprising an average measure of time that the fuel from more than one fueling of the vehicle has remained in the vehicle; and

initiating a remedy if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

9. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a first level of the fuel at a first point in time;

determining a second level of the fuel at a second point in time; and

determining the measure of time using the first level and the second level.

10. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a first point in time in which a first portion of the fuel was in the vehicle;

determining a second point in time in which a second portion of the fuel was added to the vehicle; and

determining the measure of time based at least in part on the determinations of the first and second points in time.

11. The program product of claim 10, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining an amount of the first portion of the fuel remaining in the vehicle when the second amount of fuel was added to the vehicle;

determining a measure of an amount of the second portion of the fuel added to the vehicle; and

determining the measure of time based also at least in part on the amount of the first portion of the fuel remaining in the vehicle when the second amount of fuel was added to the vehicle and the measure of an amount of the second portion of the fuel added to the vehicle.

12. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

running an internal combustion engine of the vehicle if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

13. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

inserting an additive to the fuel if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

14. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

providing a notification to a driver of the vehicle if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

15. A system for monitoring freshness of fuel in a vehicle, the program product comprising:

a sensor configured to at least facilitate obtaining data used for calculating a measure of time that the fuel has been in the vehicle the measure of time comprising an average measure of time that the fuel from more than one fueling of the vehicle has remained in the vehicle; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to at least facilitate;

determining the measure of time using the data; and

initiating a remedy if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a first level of the fuel at a first point in time;

determining a second level of the fuel at a second point in time; and

determining the measure of time using the first level and the second level.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a first point in time in which a first portion of the fuel was in the vehicle;

determining a second point in time in which a second portion of the fuel was added to the vehicle; and

determining the measure of time based at least in part on the determinations of the first and second points in time.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining an amount of the first portion of the fuel remaining in the vehicle when the second amount of fuel was added to the vehicle;

determining a measure of an amount of the second portion of the fuel added to the vehicle; and

determining the measure of time based also at least in part on the amount of the first portion of the fuel remaining in the vehicle when the second amount of fuel was added to the vehicle and the measure of an amount of the second portion of the fuel added to the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an internal combustion module coupled to the processor and configured to at least facilitate initiating the remedy by running an internal combustion engine of the vehicle if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor and configured to at least facilitate initiating the remedy by displaying a notification for a driver of the vehicle if the measure of time is greater than a predetermined threshold.