Emission monitoring device and method

• US 8,515,614 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lee Bernard
• Original Assignee: Lee Bernard
• Inventors: Bernard, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/724,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/31.4, 701/33.2, 701/33.5, 702182-185, 602/72, 602/76
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor

Abstract

An emission monitoring device is disclosed for a vehicle including but not limited to a lightweight housing for operationally encapsulating: a processor; a computer program including but not limited to computer readable instructions embedded in a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium; a sensor for each vehicle component to be monitored; a display device; and a power supply for power the device; the computer program including but not limited to instructions to analyze fuel being injected into the vehicle from data output from each sensor; capture data from each sensor; store the captured data from each sensor into the memory; calculate performance attributes based upon the captured data; store the performance attributes; and display the performance attributes of each vehicle component onto the display device. A method is provided for monitoring emissions using the emission monitoring device.

Claims

1. An emission monitoring device for a vehicle comprising:

a lightweight housing for operationally encapsulating;

a processor;

a computer program comprising computer readable instructions embedded in a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium;

a sensor for each vehicle component to be monitored;

a display device; and

a power supply for power the device;

the computer program comprising instructions when executed by the processor to analyze fuel being injected into the vehicle from data output from each sensor;

capture data from each sensor;

store the captured data from each sensor into the memory;

calculate performance attributes based upon the captured data;

store the performance attributes; and

display the performance attributes of each vehicle component onto the display device;

at least one of the sensors is a spectral analyzer, the computer program further comprising instructions to analyze data from the spectral analyzer to determine the fractional component parts of the fuel being injected into the vehicle and the housing being operationally mounted onto the inner gas lid of the vehicle.

2. The device of claim 1, the computer program further comprising instructions to analyze data from the spectral analyzer to determine the source of the fuel being injected into the vehicle.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors is a flow meter, the computer program further comprising instructions to analyze data from the flow meter to determine the quantity of fuel being injected into the vehicle.

4. The device of claim 3 further comprising:

a first hand-held output device having a processor and a display indicator for each vehicle component to be displayed;

the processor being programmed to;

retrieve from memory the performance attributes for each vehicle component to be display; and

display the performance attribute onto the display indicator, whereby a user can determine the status of the vehicle component from the indicator; and

the output device being operationally connected to the communication interface.

5. The device of claim 3 further comprising:

a second hand-held output device having a processor and a display indicator for the vehicle emission; and

the processor being programmed to;

retrieve from memory the performance attributes for the vehicle emission; and

display the performance attribute onto the display indicator, whereby an operator can determine the whether the car pass status of the vehicle component from the indicator; and

the output device being operationally connected to the communication interface.

6. The device of claim 3 further comprising a storage device operationally connected to the communication interface for transferring from memory stored performance attributes and/or captured data for monitored vehicle components.

7. A method for monitoring emissions for a vehicle comprising:

immersing at least one sensor in fuel being injected into a vehicle a sensor for each vehicle component to be monitored;

analyzing the fuel being injected into the vehicle from data output from the at least one sensor;

capturing data from the at least one each sensor;

storing the captured data from each sensor into the memory;

calculating performance attributes based upon the captured data;

storing the performance attributes; and

displaying the performance attributes of each vehicle component onto the display device; and

the housing being operationally mounted onto the inner gas lid of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the sensors is a spectral analyzer, the method further comprising:

analyzing data from the spectral analyzer to determine the fractional component parts of the fuel being injected into the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

analyzing data from the spectral analyzer to determine the source of the fuel being injected into the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of the sensors is a flow meter, the method further comprising:

analyzing data from the flow meter to determine the quantity of fuel being injected into the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

retrieving from memory the performance attributes for each vehicle component to be display; and

displaying the performance attribute onto the display indicator.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

retrieving from memory the performance attributes for the vehicle emission; and

displaying the performance attribute onto the display indicator, whereby an operator can determine the whether the car pass status of the vehicle component from the indicator.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transferring from memory stored performance attributes and/or captured data for monitored vehicle components.