Method of testing and proving fuel efficiency improvements

• US 8,554,513 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VGP IPCO LLC
• Original Assignee: Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property Llc
• Inventors: Kersey, Victor Lee, Sworski, Adam E., Caudill, Timothy L., Frederick, Joshua, Bidwell, Tom, Lockwood, Frances
• Primary Examiner(s): Armand, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): RABOVIANSKI, IVAN I
• Application Number:
  US12/914,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 702/50, 702/90, 702/182
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/00 Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

A method of testing and proving fuel efficiency improvements includes installing a telematic device in each of a first plurality of vehicles and a second plurality of vehicles. The telematic devices collect baseline fuel consumption data during a first time period and collect test fuel consumption data during a second time period. Between the first and second time periods, at least one operating parameter of the second plurality of vehicles is modified such that the baseline fuel consumption data and the test fuel consumption data can be analyzed to determine any fuel efficiency improvements caused by the modified operating parameter. To ensure reliable and statistically-significant results, each plurality of vehicles may include 15 vehicles and each time period may include 60 days.

Claims

1. A method for testing and proving fuel efficiency improvements caused by a modification of at least two operating parameters in a vehicle, the method comprising:

installing a telematic device in each of a first plurality of vehicles and in each of a second plurality of vehicles, each telematic device configured to receive fuel consumption data broadcast by a vehicle'"'"'s engine control module;

collecting baseline fuel consumption data for the first and second pluralities of vehicles during a first time period, the first time period acting as a baseline or control period;

modifying the at least two operating parameters in only the second plurality of vehicles after the first time period and during a second time period, such that the first plurality of vehicles acts as a control group;

collecting test fuel consumption data for the first and second pluralities of vehicles during the second time period; and

analyzing baseline fuel consumption data and test fuel consumption data for the first plurality of vehicles and the second plurality of vehicles to determine fuel efficiency improvements in the second plurality of vehicles caused by modifying the at least two operating parameters,

wherein modifying the at least two operating parameters includes changing one or more vehicle lubricants used in the second plurality of vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a total number of vehicles in the first and second pluralities of vehicles and a total length of the first and second time periods are selected to ensure that statistically-significant fuel efficiency improvements are determined at a 95% confidence level and a Power level of at least 0.6.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the total number of vehicles in the first and second pluralities of vehicles is between 20 and 40 vehicles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of vehicles includes 15 vehicles and the second plurality of vehicles includes 15 vehicles.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the total length of the first and second time period is between 90 and 150 days.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first time period defines a length of 60 days and the second time period defines a length of 60 days.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reporting the detected fuel efficiency improvements as a total fuel cost savings per year using a Return-On-Investment calculator, wherein the Return-On-Investment calculator includes input fields for number of trucks, annual travel distance, current fuel cost, and engine oil change mileage interval, to thereby enable reporting of the total fuel cost savings per year for different fleets of trucks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the one or more vehicle lubricants includes changing an engine oil used in the second plurality of vehicles by a single-flush changeover comprising:

draining used engine oil from the corresponding engine;

flushing the engine by filling the engine with new engine oil and draining the new engine oil from the engine; and

filling the engine with new engine oil again.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining regular maintenance records for each vehicle in the first and second pluralities of vehicles during the first and second time periods.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the telematic devices collect fuel consumption data by receiving fuel flow rates through fuel injectors in the corresponding engines, as monitored by the engine control modules.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the telematic devices collect fuel consumption data at least once per second.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each telematic device configured to collect fuel consumption data further includes a driver mentoring device, and wherein modifying the at least two operating parameters further includes activating a driver mentoring program with the driver mentoring device in each of the second plurality of vehicles.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the at least two operating parameters further includes changing a gear oil used in the second plurality of vehicles.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the at least two operating parameters further includes applying a fuel additive to the second plurality of vehicles.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the at least two operating parameters further includes changing a transmission fluid used in the second plurality of vehicles.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the at least two operating parameters further includes changing a grease used in the second plurality of vehicles.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein each telematic device collects additional data regarding engine performance from the engine control module of the corresponding vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

collecting emissions data during the first time period;

collecting emissions data during the second time period; and

analyzing the emissions data for the first plurality of vehicles and the second plurality of vehicles to determine emissions improvements in the second plurality of vehicles caused by modifying the at least two operating parameters.

19. A method for testing and proving fuel efficiency improvements caused by a modification of at least one operating parameter in a vehicle, the method comprising:

installing a telematic device in each of a first plurality of vehicles and in each of a second plurality of vehicles, each telematic device configured to receive fuel consumption data broadcast by a vehicle'"'"'s engine control module;

collecting baseline fuel consumption data for the first and second pluralities of vehicles during a first time period;

modifying the at least one operating parameter in the second plurality of vehicles after the first time period and during a second time period while maintaining the at least one operating parameter the same in the first plurality of vehicles after the first time period and during the second time period;

collecting test fuel consumption data for the first and second pluralities of vehicles during the second time period; and

analyzing baseline fuel consumption data and test fuel consumption data for the first plurality of vehicles and the second plurality of vehicles to determine fuel efficiency improvements in the second plurality of vehicles caused by modifying the at least one operating parameter, the fuel efficiency improvements being determined by subtracting any modifications of the fuel consumption data for the first plurality of vehicles, acting as a control group, from any modifications of the fuel consumption data for the second plurality of vehicles during the second time period,

wherein modifying the at least one operating parameter includes changing one or more vehicle lubricants used in the second plurality of vehicles.