System and method for engine and fuel system maintenance
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a time determination module that determines an engine off time, wherein the engine off time indicates an amount of time that an engine is off;
a fuel age determination module that determines an age of fuel in a fuel system of the engine;
a driver request generation module that generates a request for a driver of the vehicle to allow the engine to start when one of the engine off time is greater than a predetermined time threshold and the age of the fuel is greater than a predetermined age threshold; and
an engine control module that starts the engine when the driver affirms the request,wherein the predetermined age threshold is increased when a low fuel delay is present before a fuel maintenance request is to be initiated,wherein the predetermined age threshold is increased by X days if the vehicle is off when the fuel age equals the predetermined age threshold and the driver subsequently starts the vehicle X days later and default criteria have been met, andwherein the predetermined age threshold is decreased to equal a current fuel age when an engine maintenance request is initiated within a calibratable period of a fuel maintenance request.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for a vehicle includes a time determination module, a fuel age determination module, and an engine control module. The time determination module determines an engine off time, wherein the engine off time indicates an amount of time that an engine is off. The fuel age determination module determines an age of fuel in a fuel system of the engine. The engine control module starts the engine when one of the engine off time is greater than a predetermined time threshold and the age of the fuel is greater than a predetermined age threshold.
41 Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:
-
a time determination module that determines an engine off time, wherein the engine off time indicates an amount of time that an engine is off; a fuel age determination module that determines an age of fuel in a fuel system of the engine; a driver request generation module that generates a request for a driver of the vehicle to allow the engine to start when one of the engine off time is greater than a predetermined time threshold and the age of the fuel is greater than a predetermined age threshold; and an engine control module that starts the engine when the driver affirms the request, wherein the predetermined age threshold is increased when a low fuel delay is present before a fuel maintenance request is to be initiated, wherein the predetermined age threshold is increased by X days if the vehicle is off when the fuel age equals the predetermined age threshold and the driver subsequently starts the vehicle X days later and default criteria have been met, and wherein the predetermined age threshold is decreased to equal a current fuel age when an engine maintenance request is initiated within a calibratable period of a fuel maintenance request.
-
-
2. A method, comprising:
-
determining an engine off time, wherein the engine off time indicates an amount of time that an engine is off; determining an age of fuel in a fuel system of the engine; generating a request for a driver of a vehicle to allow the engine to start when one of the engine off time is greater than a predetermined time threshold and the age of the fuel is greater than a predetermined age threshold; starting the engine when the driver affirms the request; increasing the predetermined age threshold when a low fuel delay is present before a fuel maintenance request is to be initiated; increasing the predetermined age threshold by X days if the vehicle is off when the fuel age equals the predetermined age threshold and the driver subsequently starts the vehicle X days later and default criteria have been met; and decreasing the predetermined age threshold to equal a current fuel age when an engine maintenance request is initiated within a calibratable period of a fuel maintenance request.
-
-
3. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:
-
a time determination module that determines an engine off time, wherein the engine off time indicates an amount of time that an engine is off; a fuel age determination module that determines an age of fuel in a fuel system of the engine; and an engine control module that starts the engine when one of the engine off time is greater than a predetermined time threshold and the age of the fuel is greater than a predetermined age threshold, wherein the predetermined age threshold is increased when a low fuel delay is present before a fuel maintenance request is to be initiated, wherein the predetermined age threshold is increased by X days if the vehicle is off when the fuel age equals the predetermined age threshold and the driver subsequently starts the vehicle X days later and default criteria have been met, and wherein the predetermined age threshold is decreased to equal a current fuel age when an engine maintenance request is initiated within a calibratable period of a fuel maintenance request. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method, comprising:
-
determining an engine off time, wherein the engine off time indicates an amount of time that an engine is off; determining an age of fuel in a fuel system of the engine; increasing a predetermined age threshold when a low fuel delay is present before a fuel maintenance request is to be initiated; increasing the predetermined age threshold by X days if the vehicle is off when the fuel age equals the predetermined age threshold and the driver subsequently starts the vehicle X days later and default criteria have been met; decreasing the predetermined age threshold to equal a current fuel age when an engine maintenance request is initiated within a calibratable period of a fuel maintenance request; and starting the engine when one of the engine off time is greater than a predetermined time threshold and the age of the fuel is greater than the predetermined age threshold. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification