Real-time dynamic heavy-vehicle idle alarm

• US 8,857,408 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PeopleNet Communications Corporation (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PeopleNet Communications Corporation (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Konezny, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US12/750,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20100242906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 123/339.15, 123/339.14, 123/179.4, 123/198.D, 701/103, 701/104, 701/517, 701/519, 701/112, 701/115, 701/36, 701/31.4, 701/2
• US Class Current: 123/339.15
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/123 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation systems or GPS signals
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A system for managing engine idling operation is provided. The system includes a communication center communicatively coupled to at least one vehicle having an engine. A database is provided that has idling regulation information stored therein based, at least, upon geographic location. The vehicle with the engine further includes an idling detection system. The idling detection system includes an idle detect sensor, a processor and a location information module, such as a GPS receiver. The processor is operably coupled to the idle detect sensor. The location information module is operably coupled to the processor to provide position information relative to the vehicle. The processor is configured to monitor vehicle idling and provide a warning thereof based upon an idling regulation stored in the database selected by current vehicle position information.

Claims

1. A system for managing internal combustion engine idling operation and communicating with a remote communication center, the system comprising:

a database having idling regulation information stored therein based, at least in part, upon geographic location; and

a vehicle having the internal combustion engine and further comprising

an idling detection system including;

an idle detect sensor;

a processor operably coupled to the idle detect sensor; and

a position information module operably coupled to the processor to provide vehicle position information; and

wherein the processor is configured to;

monitor vehicle idling;

detect an actual violation of an idling regulation stored in the database selected by vehicle position;

detect a potential violation that the vehicle is in danger of violating an idling regulation stored in the database selected by vehicle position;

provide a warning of the actual violation; and

provide a warning of the potential violation.

2. The system of claim 1 and further comprising wireless communication circuitry disposed within the vehicle and operably coupled to the processor to communicate with the communication center.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the database is stored in an onboard system within the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the database is updateable via the over-the-air programming (OTAP).

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the regulation information includes applicability conditions based upon a plurality of factors, a first factor being a location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is a diesel engine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning includes an alert to an operator of the vehicle indicative of a potential idling regulation violation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to shut the engine down if no response to the warning is received.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the idle detect sensor includes an RPM sensor and speed sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning includes an alert to an operator of the vehicle using an onboard display on the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning includes an alert to an operator of the vehicle, the alert presented using a cellular phone of the operator.

12. A method of identifying and reacting to an engine idling condition of an internal combustion engine in a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a vehicle idling condition;

obtaining location information upon detection of the vehicle idling condition, and using the location information to retrieve relevant regulation information;

initiating a timer based upon the retrieved regulation information; and

upon expiration of the timer, providing a notification relative to the engine idling state, the notification indicative of a potential idling regulation violation that the vehicle is in danger of violating the idling regulation based on the location information, the notification including an alert to at least one of an operator of the vehicle and a central communication center in communication with the vehicle indicative of the potential idling regulation violation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the engine is a diesel engine.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the notification includes an alert to an operator of the vehicle indicative of a potential idling regulation violation.

15. The method of claim 12, and further comprising shutting the engine down if no response to the notification is received.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a vehicle idling condition includes sensing an engine RPM value and a vehicle speed value.

17. An engine monitoring system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

an engine idling sensor;

a vehicle position sensor;

a processor operably coupled to the idling sensor and the vehicle position sensor;

an idling regulation database providing regulation information based, at least in part, on geographic location, the database being physically stored within the vehicle and being operably coupled to the processor; and

wherein the processor is configured to;

detect an engine idle condition using the engine idling sensor;

detect an actual violation of an idling regulation stored in the idling regulation database selected by vehicle position information provided to the processor by the vehicle position sensor;

detect a potential violation that the vehicle is in danger of violating an idling regulation stored in the idling regulation database selected by vehicle position information provided to the processor by the vehicle position sensor;

provide a warning of the actual violation; and

provide a warning of the potential violation.

18. The system of claim 17 and further comprising wireless communication circuitry disposed within the vehicle and operably coupled to the processor to communicate with a communication center.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the database is updateable via the over-the-air programming (OTAP).

20. The system of claim 17, and further comprising a wired communication interface to facilitate uploading information into the idling regulation database.

21. The system of claim 17, and further comprising at least one additional sensor operably coupled to the processor.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional sensor provides a sensor reading that is related to exception information stored in the database.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the sensor is an ambient air temperature sensor.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the regulation information includes applicability conditions based upon a plurality of factors, a first factor being a location.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein a second factor includes a time of day.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein a second factor includes a day of the week.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein a second factor includes a model of the engine.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein a second factor includes a blend of fuel used by the engine.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein a second factor includes an operating condition of the engine.

30. The system of claim 17 and further comprising a rules module that includes at least one fleet-specific rule that can be enforced in addition to a default rule or action that would otherwise execute when the vehicle is in danger of violating an idling regulation.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the rules module provides fleet-specific messaging.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the internal combustion engine is a diesel engine.

33. The system of claim 17, wherein the warning includes an alert to an operator of the vehicle indicative of a potential idling regulation violation.

34. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to shut the engine down if no response to the warning is received.

35. The system of claim 17, wherein the idle detect sensor includes an RPM sensor and speed sensor.

36. A method of operating a control center to manage engine idling conditions of a plurality of internal combustion engines, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of an engine idling state of a vehicle having one of the internal combustion engines;

obtaining position information relative to the vehicle;

obtaining idling regulation information based upon the position information;

providing the idling regulation information;

monitoring vehicle idling;

detecting an actual violation of an idling regulation based on the position information and the idling regulation information;

detecting a potential violation that the vehicle is in danger of violating an idling regulation based on the position information and the idling regulation information;

providing a warning of the actual violation; and

providing a warning of the potential violation.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein at least one of receiving the indication of an engine idling state and providing the idling regulation information includes communicating wirelessly between the control center and the vehicle.

38. The method of claim 36, and further comprising receiving information relative to at least one additional sensor in the vehicle.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the information relative to at least one additional sensor is related to exception information stored in an idling regulation database.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the idling information database is stored at the command center.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the information relative to at least one additional sensor is ambient air temperature.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the regulation information includes applicability conditions based upon a plurality of factors, a first factor being a vehicle location.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein a second factor includes a time of day.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein a second factor includes a day of the week.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein a second factor includes a model of the one of the internal combustion engines.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein a second factor includes a blend of fuel used by the one of the internal combustion engines.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein a second factor includes an operating condition of the one of the internal combustion engines.

48. The method of claim 42, and further comprising providing an alert to an operator of the vehicle indicative of a potential idling regulation violation.

49. The method of claim 36, and further comprising shutting the one of the internal combustion engines down based upon the idling regulation information.