Fuel conservation systems and methods

• US 8,924,126 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuel Saving Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fuel Saving Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Yu, Jeffrey N., Hill, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAJMUDDIN, RAZA NEHAL
• Application Number:
  US13/742,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 123/349, 123/350, 123/355, 123/358, 123/359, 123/361, 123/443, 123/299, 123/300, 123/304, 123/325, 123/326, 123/332, 123/339.1, 123/339.12, 123/339.14, 123/344, 123/353, 123/354, 123/370, 123/371, 123/394, 123/675, 123/445
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/16 for reducing engine exhaust emissions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/114 Super-capacities
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1401 characterised by the control or regulation method F02D41/1473, F02D41/1477 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3011 according to or using specific or several modes of combustion
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 45/00 Electrical control not provided for in groups F02D41/00 - F02D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for conserving fuel used by an engine. In some embodiments a control module processes a user-provided input, as a first function, into a second function. The second function can be used to direct the engine with a directive output power. The directive output power may have regions equal to, greater than, and/or less than what the power output would be if the engine were controlled using the user-provided input.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, of conserving fuel used by an engine, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, as an input a first function comprising a user-specified power output of an engine over a time duration;

processing, by the computer system, the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration,

wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output relative to the user-specified power output,

wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of increased engine power output relative to the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output,

wherein the second function comprises cyclical oscillations between the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output and the plurality of regions of increased engine power output that comprise a same waveform, and

wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration; and

outputting, by the computer system, to an engine control module the second function such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration,

wherein the engine remains engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output when the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration; and

wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine control module, in response to receiving the second function, is configured to instruct the engine to lessen quantities of fuel to an internal combustion chamber during the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine control module, in response to receiving the second function, is configured to instruct the engine to provide additional quantities of fuel to an internal combustion chamber during the plurality of regions of increased engine power output.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specified power output of the engine is based on a cruise-control setting by a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a vehicle comprises the engine, and wherein the second function is configured to maintain a desired velocity of the vehicle using at least partly momentum of the vehicle while at least one of the plurality of regions of increased engine power output is equal to the user-specified power output.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the desired velocity is substantially constant over the time period.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing shift ratios by a continuously variable transmission (CVT), wherein the change in shift ratios mitigates variations in momentum caused by the cyclical oscillations.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising supplementing the power output of the engine with a second power output from an electric motor while the engine outputs power according to the directive power output, wherein the second power output of the electric motor is configured to compensate for the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output such that modulations of the directive power output of the engine are dampened.

9. A computer-implemented engine control system comprising:

a processing module that couples to an engine, the processing module configured to;

receive, by a computer system, a first function comprising a user-specified power output of the engine over a time duration;

process, by the computer system, the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration, wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output relative to the user-specified power output and a plurality of regions of increased engine power output relative to the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output,

wherein the second function comprises cyclical oscillations between the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output and the plurality of regions of increased engine power output that comprise a same waveform, and

wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration; and

output, by the computer system, the second function to an engine control module such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output over the time duration,

wherein the engine remains engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output; and

wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor configured to execute modules and an electronic storage medium configured to store the modules.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the engine control module, in response to receiving the second function, is configured to instruct the engine to lessen quantities of fuel to an internal combustion chamber during the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the engine control module, in response to receiving the second function, is configured to instruct the engine to provide additional quantities of fuel to an internal combustion chamber during the plurality of regions of increased engine power output.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the user-specified power output of the engine is based on a cruise-control setting by a user.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein a vehicle comprises the engine, and wherein the second function is configured to maintain a desired velocity of the vehicle using at least partly momentum of the vehicle while at least one of the plurality of regions of increased engine power output is equal to the user-specified power output.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the desired velocity is substantially constant.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising changing shift ratios by a continuously variable transmission (CVT), wherein the change in shift ratios mitigates variations in momentum caused by the cyclical oscillations.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising supplementing the power output of the engine with a second power output from an electric motor while the engine outputs power according to the directive power output, wherein the second power output of the electric motor is configured to compensate for the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output such that modulations of the directive power output of the engine are dampened.

17. A fuel efficiency engine control system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

an input module configured to receive a first function, based at least partly on an accelerator pedal position, corresponding to a user-specified power output of an engine of the vehicle over a time duration; and

an engine power control module in communication with the input module and an engine control unit, the engine power control module configured to transmit a second function corresponding to a directive power output of the engine over the time duration to the engine control unit for controlling engine power output according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration,

wherein the second function corresponds to an oscillating directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the second function including a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output relative to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration and a plurality of regions of increased engine power output relative to the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output over the time duration,

wherein the engine is engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output; and

wherein the fuel efficiency engine control system includes an electronic memory configured to store modules and a computer processor configured to execute the modules.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the engine control unit, in response to receiving the second function, is configured to instruct the engine to lessen quantities of fuel to an internal combustion chamber during the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output, and wherein the engine control unit, in response to receiving the second function, is configured to instruct the engine to provide additional quantities of fuel to an internal combustion chamber during the plurality of regions of increased engine power output.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the second function is configured to maintain a desired velocity of the vehicle using at least partly momentum of the vehicle while at least one of the plurality of regions of increased engine power output is equal to the user-specified power output.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the desired velocity is substantially constant.