System and method of vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization

• US 8,452,509 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sujan, Vivek A., Follen, Kenneth, Wu, An, Moffett, Barty L., Frost, Howard R., Vajapeyazulla, Phani
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US13/336,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20120197504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 701/54, 701/70, 701/96, 701/103, 701/123, 701/533, 705/14.43, 705/14.45, 440/1, 475/5, 903/915, 903/940, 737/81, 180/165, 706/21, 700/99
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

A vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization module provides an optimized velocity profile over a given route while also considering imposed constraints such as deviation from time targets, deviation from maximum governed speed limits, etc. Given current vehicle speed, engine state and transmission state, the present disclosure optimally manages the engine map to provide a recommended vehicle speed that optimizes fuel consumption. Exemplary embodiments provide for offline and online optimizations relative to fuel consumption. The benefit is increased freight efficiency in transporting cargo from source to destination by minimizing fuel consumption and maintaining drivability.

Claims

1. A method for vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization for a vehicle, comprising:

providing one or more processors and a vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization module,

the one or more processors;

accessing predetermined vehicle parameter data indicative of at least one predetermined vehicle parameter, said at least one predetermined vehicle parameter including at least one of vehicle mass, vehicle drag, vehicle rolling resistance, tire circumference, front area of vehicle, and engine friction;

accessing road terrain data indicative of at least one road terrain element, said at least one road terrain element including at least one of speed limit changes, off ramp locations, fueling locations, road grade, air density and traffic congestion;

accessing operator input data indicative of operator input, said operator input including at least fuel cost and operator income;

performing a first optimization by the vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization module to determine a vehicle speed optimization vector based on said accessed predetermined vehicle parameter data, road terrain data, and said operator input data;

accessing current vehicle operating data indicative of at least two current vehicle operating conditions, said at least two current vehicle operating conditions including current vehicle speed and road grade;

determining operating income based on a function of at least the fuel cost and the operator income; and

performing a second optimization by the vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization module to determine an optimized vehicle speed based on said current vehicle operating data and said vehicle speed optimization vector by maximizing the operating income relative to a vehicle speed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an electronic recommendation signal corresponding to said determined optimized vehicle speed and communicating said determined optimized vehicle speed to a receiver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said receiver comprises an engine control module.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said receiver comprises a display adapted to indicate the optimized vehicle speed to a vehicle operator and provide a measure of performance relative to said optimized vehicle speed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said display comprises a touch-screen interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicle speed optimization vector comprises a profile of speed values that yield optimal fuel economy over discrete sections of the route, said sections being defined by speed limit and grade variations, wherein the speed values provide optimal fuel economy relative to the operating income.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing the first optimization comprises solving for a vehicle speed optimization vector over an engine map to minimize fuel consumption relative to the operating income.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said operating income comprises a function of fuel cost, route distance, trip time, fuel economy, and operator income.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said operating income is determined according to the equation

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said performing the second optimization comprises accessing the first vehicle speed optimization vector and determining new vehicle speed optimization vector over said engine map to minimize fuel consumption relative to the operating income.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said operating income is based on a fuel economy look-up table when said route and data inputs are known.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said operating income is based on a function of aerodynamic loading when said route and data inputs are unknown.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said current vehicle operating condition data is acquired in real-time through a foresight window of a discrete distance interval.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel cost is fuel cost per unit volume and the operator income is operator income per unit distance;

and

the operating income is determined based on an aggregate fuel cost and an aggregate operator income, the aggregate fuel cost being based on at least route distance, time for travel, and the fuel cost per unit volume, the aggregate operator income being based on at least route distance, time for travel, and the operator income per unit distance.

14. A system adapted for vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle parameter module containing data indicative of at least one predetermined vehicle parameter, said at least one predetermined vehicle parameter including at least one of vehicle mass, vehicle drag, vehicle rolling resistance, tire circumference, front area of vehicle, and engine friction;

a road terrain element module containing data indicative of at least one road terrain element, said at least one road terrain element including at least one of speed limit changes, off ramp locations, fueling locations, road grade, air density and traffic congestion;

an operator input module containing data indicative of operator input, said operator input including at least fuel cost operator income;

a vehicle operating condition module containing data indicative of at least two current vehicle operating conditions, said at least two current vehicle operating conditions including current vehicle speed and road grade; and

a vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization module adapted to;

perform a first optimization wherein a vehicle speed optimization vector is determined based on said accessed predetermined vehicle parameter data, road terrain data, and said operator input data;

determine operating income based on a function of at least the fuel cost and the operator income; and

perform a second optimization to determine an optimized vehicle speed based on said current vehicle operating data and said vehicle speed optimization vector by maximizing the operating income relative to a vehicle speed.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization module is adapted to generate an electronic recommendation signal corresponding to said determined optimized vehicle speed and communicating said determined optimized vehicle speed to a receiver.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said receiver comprises an engine control module.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said receiver comprises a display adapted to indicate the optimized vehicle speed to a vehicle operator and provide a measure of performance relative to said optimized vehicle speed.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said vehicle speed optimization vector comprises a profile of speed values that yield optimal fuel economy over discrete sections of the route, said sections being defined by speed limit and grade variations, wherein the speed values provide optimal fuel economy relative to the operating income.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said performing the first optimization comprises solving vehicle speed optimization vector over an engine map to minimize fuel consumption relative to the operating income.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said operating income comprises a function of fuel cost, route distance, trip time, fuel economy, and operator income.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said operating income is determined according to the equation

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said performing the second optimization comprises accessing the first vehicle speed optimization vector and determining a new vehicle speed optimization vector over said engine map to minimize fuel consumption relative to the operating income.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein said current vehicle operating condition data is acquired in real-time through a foresight window of a discrete distance interval.

27. The system of claim 14, wherein the fuel cost is fuel cost per unit volume and the operator income is operator income per unit distance;

and

the operating income is determined based on an aggregate fuel cost and an aggregate operator income, the aggregate fuel cost being based on at least route distance, time for travel, and the fuel cost per unit volume, the aggregate operator income being based on at least route distance, time for travel, and the operator income per unit distance.

24. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium having stored thereon computer-readable program code for vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization for a vehicle, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer-readable program code for accessing data indicative of at least one predetermined vehicle parameter, said predetermined vehicle parameter including at least one of vehicle mass, vehicle drag, rolling resistance, tire circumference, front area of vehicle, and engine friction;

computer-readable program code for accessing data indicative of at least one road terrain element, said at least one road terrain element including at least one of speed limit changes, off ramp locations, fueling locations, road grade, air density and traffic congestion;

computer-readable program code for accessing data indicative of operator input, said one operator input including at least fuel cost and operator income;

computer-readable code for performing a first optimization to determine a vehicle speed optimization vector based on said accessed predetermined vehicle parameter data, road terrain data, and said operator input data;

computer-readable program code for accessing data indicative of at least two current vehicle operating conditions, said at least two current vehicle operating conditions including current vehicle speed and road grade;

computer-readable program code for determining operating income based on a function of at least the fuel cost and the operator income and performing a second optimization to determine an optimized vehicle speed based on said current vehicle operating data and said vehicle speed optimization vector by maximizing the operating income relative to a vehicle speed; and

computer-readable program code for communicating said optimized vehicle speed and communicating said determined optimized vehicle speed to a receiver.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising computer-readable program code for disabling the vehicle speed-based operational cost optimization program code in response to an operator-initiated event.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the fuel cost is fuel cost per unit volume and the operator income is operator income per unit distance;

and

the operating income is determined based on an aggregate fuel cost and an aggregate operator income, the aggregate fuel cost being based on at least route distance, time for travel, and the fuel cost per unit volume, the aggregate operator income being based on at least route distance, time for travel, and the operator income per unit distance.