Location-based vehicle powertrain regulation system

• US 8,781,668 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pickover, Clifford A., Wisniewski, Robert W., Kozloski, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P.
• Application Number:
  US13/965,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 180/65.28, 180/65.285
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/16 for reducing engine exhaust emissions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A vehicle control system to control operation of a vehicle includes a powertrain system operable according to a plurality of operating modes that drive the vehicle. A sensor is mounted to the vehicle to detect a quality of air surrounding the vehicle. A vehicle control module is configured to select an operating mode of the powertrain system. The operating mode is selected to reduce at least one emission exhausted from the vehicle that contributes to a low air quality measure by the sensor.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a powertrain system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a quality of air based on an o-zone level of the local atmosphere and a carbon level of the local atmosphere surrounding the vehicle using an electronic sensing unit;

comparing via an electronic vehicle control module the determined quality of air to a threshold value;

determining via the electronic vehicle control module a presence of at least one risk factor indicating a risk of incapacitating a driver of the vehicle in response to disengaging an internal combustion engine of the vehicle; and

selecting via the electronic vehicle control module an operation mode of the powertrain system that reduces at least one emission exhausted from the vehicle that affects the determined quality of air in response to determining the at least one risk factor is below a risk threshold and the quality of air is below the threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting a request to change the operating mode of the powertrain system, the alerting comprising at least one of an icon and a sound output by the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining via the electronic vehicle control module a location of the vehicle; and

electrically communicating with a remotely located municipality module corresponding to the location to obtain at least one stored powertrain parameter;

determining via the electronic vehicle control module at least one current operating condition of a powertrain system driving the vehicle and comparing the at least one current operating condition and the at least one stored powertrain parameter; and

selecting via the electronic vehicle control module a different operating mode of the powertrain system among a plurality of operating modes based on the comparison, the different operating mode configured to reduce at least one emission exhausted from the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising selecting via the electronic vehicle control module between an internal combustion engine (ICE) operating mode and a hybrid electric motor (HEM) operating mode in response to determining the quality of air surrounding the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising selecting via the electronic vehicle control module between an internal combustion engine (ICE) operating mode and a hybrid electric motor (HEM) operating mode based on the comparison between the at least one current operating condition and the at least one stored powertrain parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the comparison is based on a maximum exhausted carbon emission level stored in the municipality module and at least one of a current carbon emission level exhausted from the ICE and the current quality of air detected by a sensor of the electronic sensing unit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the risk factor includes health of the driver and an electrical charge level of the rechargeable electronic battery.