Automatic engine oil life determination adjusted for consumed volume of oil

• US 8,359,912 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Schneider, Eric W., Snider, Matthew J., Staley, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/857,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20120042718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 73/530.5, 731/145.5, 731/145.6
• US Class Current: 73/114.55
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine from the transferred body of oil and determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and the determined volume of oil consumed. The method additionally includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine using a body of oil, the method comprising:

transferring the body of oil to the engine;

determining a volume of the transferred body of oil;

determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine from the transferred body of oil;

determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and the determined volume of oil consumed by the engine; and

activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising resetting the oil change indicator to represent 100% of oil life remaining following the oil change.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of said determining a volume of the transferred body of oil, said determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine, said determining the remaining oil life, and said activating and said resetting the oil change indicator is accomplished via a controller operatively connected to the engine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine includes an oil sump arranged to accept the transferred body of oil, and said determining a volume of the transferred body of oil includes determining a level of the transferred body of oil in the sump.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the remaining oil life includes determining a number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine, and further includes determining a number of combustion events permitted using the determined volume of oil.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine is accomplished via a device configured to provide a signal indicative of the volume of oil consumed by the engine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine is accomplished based on a predetermined rate of oil consumption.

8. A system for determining remaining oil life permitted prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil, the system comprising:

an oil sump arranged on the engine to accept an initial body of oil;

a sensor arranged on the engine and configured to provide a signal indicative of a volume of the initial body of oil in the sump;

a device configured to provide a signal indicative of a volume of oil consumed by the engine; and

a controller in communication with the sensor and the device and programmed to determine the remaining oil life based on the volume of the initial body of oil and the volume of oil consumed.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an oil change indicator, wherein the controller is configured to activate the oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the oil change indicator is reset to represent 100% of oil life remaining following the oil change.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is programmed with a number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine, and the controller additionally determines the remaining oil life based on the number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the signal indicative of a volume of the initial body of oil is indicative of a level of the initial body of oil in the sump, and the controller determines the volume based on the level.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is programmed with a number of combustion events permitted per the volume of the body of oil in the sump, and the controller additionally determines the remaining oil life based on the number of combustion events.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the device is an oil level switch configured to provide the signal when a level of oil in the sump has diminished by a predetermined amount.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is programmed to determine the volume of oil consumed by the engine based on a rate of oil consumption, and the device is an interface port configured to communicate the rate of oil consumption to the controller.

16. A method for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine using a body of oil and having a sump, the method comprising:

transferring the body of oil to the engine;

determining a volume of the transferred body of oil;

determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine from the transferred body of oil;

determining the number of permitted engine revolutions based on the determined volume of the body of oil less the determined volume of oil consumed by the engine;

activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level; and

resetting the oil change indicator to represent 100% of oil life remaining following the oil change.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of said determining a volume of the transferred body of oil, said determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine, said determining the number of engine revolutions, and said activating and said resetting the oil change indicator is accomplished via a controller operatively connected to the engine.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said determining the number of engine revolutions includes determining a number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine, and further includes determining a number of combustion events permitted using the determined volume of oil.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine is accomplished via a device configured to provide a signal indicative of the volume of oil consumed by the engine.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said determining a volume of oil consumed by the engine is accomplished based on a predetermined rate of oil consumption.