System and method to enforce excessive engine idle control

• US 8,904,984 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skypatrol LLC (TOPP Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Skypatrol LLC (TOPP Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hanft, Jeffrey, Ordonez, Erik C., Blanco, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwon, John
• Application Number:
  US12/793,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.4, 123/479, 123/179.1, 123/179.3, 701/112, 701/117
• US Class Current: 123/179.4
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/106 Driver presence, e.g. detected by door lock, seat sensor or belt sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/123 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation systems or GPS signals

Abstract

A system and method for engine idle control enforcement is provided. According to one embodiment, a vehicle is monitored to determine whether it has moved a particular distance over a period of time or is moving at a particular speed. The monitoring can be accomplished using, for example, a GPS capable device. A determination can be made based on the vehicle distance or speed over a period of time as to whether the vehicle is in idle. When a determination is made that the vehicle is idle, an activation of one or more relay switches can occur to kill the engine and/or disable the starter. A park gear signal can be used as a safety mechanism to avoid killing the engine when the vehicle is determined to not be in park. In one embodiment, in order to reengage the vehicle'"'"'s engine, the turnkey must be moved to the OFF position before turning the ignition ON.

Claims

1. A system for enforcing engine idle control of a vehicle, comprising:

a processing module connected in the vehicle to receive positioning data of the vehicle and at least one signal from a vehicle component selected from the group consisting of a gear box, a key switch, a parking brake, and a sensor embedded in a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, wherein the processing module determines position movement of the vehicle based on the positioning data and outputs an activation signal based on conditions of the position movement and the at least one signal; and

a switch connected to an engine of the vehicle, the switch being controlled by the activation signal output from the processing module to divert and direct an ignition system signal to the engine of the vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the switch connected to the engine of the vehicle comprises a first relay switch, wherein the first relay switch includes a first coil and a first relay, wherein the first coil is connected at one end to an output of the key switch, and wherein the first coil is connected at another end to an output of the processing module providing the activation signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second switch connected to a starter of the vehicle, the second switch being controlled by the activation signal output from the processing module to divert and direct a starter signal to the starter of the vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing module is connected to receive a first signal from the key switch and a second signal from the gear box.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the processing module is further connected to receive a third signal indicating engagement of a parking brake.

6. The system according to claim 4, comprising the sensor embedded in the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, wherein the processing module is further connected to receive a fourth signal indicating output of the sensor.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver connected to the processing module, wherein the processing module receives the positioning data of the vehicle from the GPS receiver.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the GPS receiver and the processing module are provided within a single package.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing module includes an existing processor component of a computer system of the vehicle.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the position movement comprises a distance traveled.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the position movement further comprises speed of the vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the position movement comprises speed of the vehicle.

13. A method of enforcing engine idle control using a system comprising a processing module connected in a vehicle to receive positioning data of the vehicle and at least one signal from a vehicle component selected from the group consisting of a gear box, a key switch, a parking brake, and a sensor embedded in a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, wherein the processing module determines position movement of the vehicle based on the positioning data and outputs an activation signal based on conditions of the position movement and the at least one signal;

and a switch connected to an engine of the vehicle, the switch being controlled by the activation signal output from the processing module to divert and direct an ignition system signal to the engine of the vehicle, the method comprising;

initiating the system for enforcing engine idle control of a vehicle;

determining idling status of the vehicle using the position movement and the at least one signal; and

enforcing vehicle idling regulations by stopping the vehicle from idling, via the activation signal, after the vehicle is determined to be idle.

14. The method of enforcing idle control according to claim 13, wherein initiating the system for enforcing engine idle control of the vehicle comprises receiving input indicating that ignition of the vehicle is enabled.

15. The method of enforcing idle control according to claim 14, wherein initiating the system for enforcing engine idle control of the vehicle comprises receiving input indicating that the key switch of a turnkey is at an ON position.

16. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 13, wherein the system for enforcing engine idle control of the vehicle further comprises a timer counter, wherein determining idling status of the vehicle comprises:

determining a present vehicle distance value from the positioning data;

comparing the present vehicle distance value to a set vehicle distance value;

resetting the value of the timer counter to 0 until the comparing of the present vehicle distance value to the set vehicle distance value indicates that the present vehicle distance value is less than the set vehicle distance value; and

comparing a present value of the timer counter to a set time value,

wherein the position movement comprises a distance traveled, wherein the idling status of the vehicle is determined to be idling when the present vehicle distance value is less than set vehicle distance value and the present value of the timer counter is greater than or equal to the set time value.

17. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 16, wherein the determining of the present vehicle distance value comprises:

receiving position input data from a positioning receiver of the system as the positioning data; and

determining unit distance traveled from previous position input data obtained from the positioning receiver of the system,

wherein the unit distance traveled provides the present vehicle distance value.

18. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 16, wherein the determining of the present vehicle distance value comprises:

receiving a present odometer value as the positioning data; and

subtracting the present odometer value from a previous odometer value to provide the present vehicle distance value.

19. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 16, wherein determining idling status of the vehicle further comprises:

determining a parking status of the vehicle,

wherein the idling status of the vehicle is determined to be idling when the present vehicle distance value is less than set vehicle distance value, the present value of the timer counter is greater than or equal to the set time value, and the parking status is determined to be in park.

20. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 13, wherein the system for enforcing engine idle control of the vehicle further comprises a timer counter, wherein determining idling status of the vehicle comprises:

determining a present vehicle speed value from the positioning data;

comparing the present vehicle speed value to a set vehicle speed value;

resetting value of the timer counter to 0 until the comparing of the present vehicle speed value to the set vehicle speed value indicates that the present vehicle speed value is less than the set vehicle speed value; and

comparing a present value of the timer counter to a set time value,

wherein the position movement comprises speed of the vehicle, wherein the idling status of the vehicle is determined to be idling when the present vehicle speed value is less than set vehicle speed value and the present value of the timer counter is greater than or equal to the set time value.

21. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 20, wherein the determining of the present vehicle speed value comprises:

receiving position input data from a positioning receiver of the system as the positioning data; and

determining unit distance traveled from a previous position input data received from the positioning receiver of the system and an amount of time lapsed from receipt of the previous position input data,

wherein the unit distance traveled divided by the amount of time lapsed from receipt of the previous position input data provides the present vehicle speed value.

22. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 20, wherein the determining of the present vehicle speed value comprises:

receiving a present speedometer value as the positioning data, wherein the present speedometer value provides the present vehicle speed value.

23. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 20, wherein determining idling status of the vehicle further comprises:

determining a parking status of the vehicle,

wherein the idling status of the vehicle is determined to be idling when the present vehicle speed value is less than set vehicle speed value, the present value of the timer counter is greater than or equal to the set time value, and the parking status is determined to be in park.

24. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 13, wherein determining idling status of the vehicle comprises determining parking status of the vehicle,

wherein determining the parking status of the vehicle comprises receiving input from the gear box of the vehicle, wherein the parking status is determined to be in park when the input from the gear box of the vehicle provides a signal indicating that the park gear is engaged.

25. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 13, wherein determining idling status of the vehicle comprises determining parking status of the vehicle,

wherein determining the parking status of the vehicle comprises receiving input from the parking brake of the vehicle, wherein the parking status is determined to be in park when the input from the parking brake of the vehicle provides a signal indicating that the parking brake is engaged.

26. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 25, wherein determining the parking status of the vehicle further comprises receiving input from the gear box of the vehicle,

wherein the parking status is determined to be in park when the input from the gear box of the vehicle provides a signal indicating that the neutral gear is engaged and the input from the parking brake of the vehicle provides the signal indicating that the parking brake is engaged.

27. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 13, wherein the system for enforcing engine idle control of the vehicle further comprises a timer counter, wherein the enforcing of the vehicle idling regulations comprises setting a time value according to an idling regulation, wherein during the determining of the idling status of the vehicle, a time value of the timer counter is compared to the set time value.

28. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 27, wherein setting the time value according to the idling regulation comprises obtaining the time value from a lookup table in a memory of the system, wherein the time value from the lookup table is selected according to geographical location of the vehicle.

29. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 28, wherein a positioning receiver of the system determines the geographical location of the vehicle, wherein input from the positioning receiver is used to select the time value from the lookup table.

30. The method of enforcing engine idle control according to claim 13, wherein enforcing the vehicle idling rules comprises:

activating the switch of the system in order to stop the engine from running when the idling status of the vehicle is determined to be idling.

31. The method of enforcing idle control according to claim 30, further comprising:

deactivating the switch of the system when the key switch of a turnkey is at an OFF position.