Vehicle fuel consumption calculator

• US 8,340,925 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintex USA LLC (The Nintex Group Pty Limited)
• Original Assignee: Webtech Wireless Incorporated (GeoTab Incorporated)
• Inventors: Higgins, Paul, Williams, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US12/813,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 702/45, 702/50, 702/55, 702/136, 702/137, 702/138, 702/156, 702/174, 731/145.2, 731/145.3, 731/145.4, 123/304, 123/480, 701/33, 701/103, 701/123
• US Class Current: 702/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/024 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/001 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means G01F9/008 and G01F9/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/023 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means

Abstract

Diesel fuel consumption is calculated in real-time in an vehicle diagnostic monitor using standard OBDII reported parameters and publicly available engine characteristics. Also, fuel consumption in vehicles that maintain a constant air-fuel ratio is calculated by analyzing the subject engine as an air pump and reading publicly available OBDII diagnostic data to estimate the instantaneous airflow through the engine without the need of MAF sensor data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for calculating fuel consumption in an engine connected to an engine controller unit and using a type of fuel, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

obtaining data relating to the engine from the engine controller unit;

inferring the fuel type from the data;

selecting an algorithm based on the fuel type, from a plurality of algorithms; and

calculating the fuel consumption using the selected algorithm;

wherein the data does not directly specify the fuel type;

wherein the fuel type is inferred from data comprising one or more of;

dwell time, injection pressure, absolute load value, short term trim and long term trim; and

wherein the fuel type is inferred using fuzzy logic.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the calculation is preformed in real time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the fuel type is inferred to be gasoline, the method further includes the step of determining whether the data comprises mass air flow.

4. A computer-implemented method for calculating fuel consumption in an engine connected to an engine controller unit and using a type of fuel, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

obtaining data relating to the engine from the engine controller unit;

inferring the fuel type from the data;

selecting an algorithm based on the fuel type, from a plurality of algorithms; and

calculating the fuel consumption using the selected algorithm;

wherein if the fuel type is inferred to be diesel then;

the data obtained comprises RPM and calculated load value;

the algorithm uses constants representing engine displacement, diesel energy density, diesel density and engine efficiency; and

the algorithm comprises the steps of;

determining friction torque;

determining maximum brake torque corresponding to the RPM;

calculating brake torque to be proportional to the maximum brake torque multiplied by the calculated load value;

determining equivalent torque by calculating a sum of the brake torque and the friction torque and then dividing the sum by the engine efficiency; and

determining the fuel consumption in terms of volume per unit time by calculating a product of the RPM and the equivalent torque and dividing the product by the diesel energy density and the diesel density.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein friction torque is calculated to be proportional to RPM added to a constant and then multiplied by engine displacement.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the maximum brake torque is determined from a look-up table comprising a generic torque curve for a group of similar engines.

7. A computer-implemented method for calculating fuel consumption in an engine connected to an engine controller unit and using a type of fuel, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

obtaining data relating to the engine from the engine controller unit;

inferring the fuel type from the data;

selecting an algorithm based on the fuel type, from a plurality of algorithms; and

calculating the fuel consumption using the selected algorithm;

wherein if the fuel type is inferred to be gasoline, the method further includes the step of determining whether the data comprises mass air flow; and

wherein if the data does not include mass air flow;

the data obtained comprises RPM, intake air temperature and load value;

the algorithm uses constants representing air to fuel ratio, engine displacement, standard temperature and gasoline density;

the algorithm uses a value for air density; and

the algorithm comprises the steps of;

determining volumetric efficiency for the engine at the obtained RPM;

deriving mass air flow as proportional to standard temperature, air density, RPM, engine displacement, load value and volumetric efficiency and inversely proportional to intake air temperature; and

calculating fuel consumption in terms of volume per unit time by dividing the derived mass air flow by the air to fuel ratio and the gasoline density.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the load value is either absolute load value or calculated load value.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the data comprises intake manifold absolute pressure and the value for air density is determined using the intake manifold absolute pressure.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein volumetric efficiency is determined from a look up table.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the look up table is generic and comprises values applicable to a group of engines.

12. The method according to claim 7 wherein volumetric efficiency is determined from a torque curve.

13. The method according to claim 7 wherein volumetric efficiency is determined using a constant that represents an averaged volumetric efficiency for a normal operating range of the engine.

14. A computer-implemented method for calculating fuel consumption in an engine connected to an engine controller unit and using a type of fuel, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

obtaining data relating to the engine from the engine controller unit;

inferring the fuel type from the data;

selecting an algorithm based on the fuel type, from a plurality of algorithms; and

calculating the fuel consumption using the selected algorithm;

wherein if the fuel type is inferred to be gasoline, the method further includes the step of determining whether the data comprises mass air flow; and

wherein if the data includes mass air flow;

the data obtained comprises RPM, intake air temperature and load value;

the algorithm uses constants representing mass air flow, air to fuel ratio, standard temperature and gasoline density;

the algorithm uses a value for air density; and

the algorithm comprises the steps of;

determining effective volume for the engine at the obtained RPM by reading a numerical value for the effective volume from a look-up table, said numerical value proportional to the mass air flow and the intake air temperature and inversely proportional to the load value, the standard temperature, the air density and the RPM; and

calculating fuel consumption in terms of volume per unit time to be proportional to standard temperature, air density, RPM, load value and effective volume and inversely proportional to intake air temperature, air to fuel ratio and gasoline density.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the load value is either absolute load value or calculated load value.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the data comprises intake manifold absolute pressure and the value for air density is determined using the intake manifold absolute pressure.