System and method for identifying characteristics of a vehicle

• US 8,983,752 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Harvie, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US13/214,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 701/123, 701/124, 701/99, 702/173, 702/175
• US Class Current: 701/99
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/086 wherein the vehicle mass is dynamically estimated

Abstract

A system for calculating a first mass value indicative of a first mass of a vehicle is provided, wherein the vehicle has a vehicle interface capable of providing fuel data indicative of a rate at which fuel is being consumed by an engine of the vehicle at each point in time. The system includes: an interface coupled with the vehicle interface, the interface configured for: receiving the fuel data; and receiving movement data indicative of a movement of the vehicle at the each point in time; and a data processing system configured for: deriving a plurality of mass values from the fuel data and the movement data, each mass value corresponding to a respective point in time; and calculating, using the plurality of mass values, the first mass value indicative of the first mass of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for calculating a first mass value indicative of a first mass of a vehicle, said vehicle having a vehicle interface capable of providing fuel data indicative of a rate at which fuel is being consumed by an engine of said vehicle at each point in time of a plurality of points in time, said system comprising:

an interface coupled with said vehicle interface, said interface configured for;

receiving said fuel data, wherein said fuel data comprises;

a measured fuel rate of said engine measured at said each point in time; and

a measured rotational speed of said engine measured at said each point in time; and

receiving movement data indicative of a movement of said vehicle at said each point in time; and

a data processing system configured for;

deriving a plurality of mass values from said fuel data and said movement data, each mass value of said plurality of mass values corresponding to a respective point in time of said plurality of points in time; and

calculating, using said plurality of mass values, said first mass value indicative of said first mass of said vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

retrieving said first mass value indicative of said mass of said vehicle when said vehicle is unloaded; and

calculating a second mass value indicative of a second mass of a load being carried by said vehicle by subtracting said first mass value indicative of said first mass of said vehicle when said vehicle is unloaded from a third mass value indicative of a third mass of said vehicle with said load.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

identifying, using said fuel data and said movement data, a subset of said fuel data and said movement data; and

calculating said first mass value indicative of said first mass of said vehicle using said plurality of mass values which correspond to said subset of said fuel data and said movement data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

identifying said subset of said fuel data and said movement data to include points in time of said plurality of points in time other than those corresponding to at least one of the following;

a vehicle changing gear;

an acceleration of said vehicle being above a threshold;

an acceleration of said vehicle being below a threshold;

a velocity of said vehicle being above a threshold;

a velocity of said vehicle being below a threshold;

a rotational speed of said engine being above a threshold; and

a rotational speed of said engine being below a threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of said movement data is received from said vehicle interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said interface is further configured for:

being coupled with a GPS unit; and

receiving at least some of said movement data from said GPS unit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said movement data comprises velocity data indicative of a velocity of said vehicle, said data processing system being further configured for:

calculating acceleration data indicative of an acceleration of said vehicle using said velocity data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said data processing system is, for said each point in time, further configured for:

calculating a first power value indicative of a first power produced by said engine using said fuel data;

calculating, using said velocity data, a second power value indicative of a second power required to overcome resistance to said movement of said vehicle;

calculating a change in energy value indicative of a change in energy of said vehicle by subtracting said second power value from said first power value; and

deriving said first mass value corresponding to said each point in time using said change in energy value, said velocity data and said acceleration data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said data processing system is configured for:

deriving at least one of the following to calculate said second power value;

a drag value indicative of a power required to overcome aerodynamic drag of said vehicle; and

a rolling resistance value indicative of a power required to overcome a rolling resistance of said vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said interface is further configured for:

receiving speed of rotation data indicative of a speed of rotation of said engine of said vehicle, said data processing system being configured for;

deriving, using said speed of rotation data indicative of said speed of rotation of said engine, an engine loss value indicative of a power loss within said engine, said power loss value usable to calculate said second power value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

deriving, from said fuel data, a fuel rate value indicative of said rate at which said fuel is being consumed by said engine; and

multiplying said fuel rate value by an energy conversion value indicative of an efficiency of energy conversion from said fuel to a rotational power in said engine, thereby calculating said first power value.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

calculating said energy conversion value using at least one of;

a speed of rotation of said engine;

a magnitude of said second power value;

said velocity data;

said acceleration data;

said fuel data; and

one or more predetermined constants.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said interface further is configured for:

receiving speed of rotation data indicative of a speed of rotation of said engine of said vehicle, said data processing system being configured for;

deriving, using said speed of rotation data indicative of said speed of rotation of said engine, an engine loss value indicative of a power loss within said engine, whereby to calculate the second power value.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

deriving, from said fuel data, a fuel rate value indicative of said rate at which said fuel is being consumed by said engine; and

multiplying said fuel rate value by an energy conversion value indicative of an efficiency of energy conversion from said fuel to a rotational power in said engine, thereby calculating said first power value.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

calculating said energy conversion value using at least one of;

a speed of rotation of said engine;

a magnitude of said second power value;

said velocity data;

said acceleration data;

said fuel data;

and one or more predetermined constants.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

deriving, from said fuel data, a fuel rate value indicative of said rate at which said fuel is being consumed by said engine; and

multiplying said fuel rate value by an energy conversion value indicative of an efficiency of energy conversion from said fuel to a rotational power in said engine, thereby calculating said first power value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

calculating said energy conversion value using at least one of;

a speed of rotation of said engine;

a magnitude of said second power value;

said velocity data;

said acceleration data;

said fuel data; and

one or more predetermined constants.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said movement data comprises:

velocity data indicative of a velocity of said vehicle and acceleration data indicative of an acceleration of said vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said interface is further configured for:

being coupled with an accelerometer mounted to said vehicle, and

receiving said acceleration data from said accelerometer.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said data processing system is, for said each point in time, further configured for:

calculating a first power value indicative of a first power produced by said engine using said fuel data;

calculating, using said velocity data, a second power value indicative of a second power required to overcome resistance to said movement of said vehicle;

calculating a change in energy value indicative of a change in energy of said vehicle by subtracting said second power value from said first power value; and

deriving said first mass value corresponding to said each point in time using said change in energy value, said velocity data and said acceleration data.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said data processing system is configured for:

deriving at least one of the following;

a drag value indicative of a drag power required to overcome aerodynamic drag of said vehicle; and

a rolling resistance value indicative of a rolling resistance power required to overcome a rolling resistance of said vehicle.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said interface is further configured for:

receiving speed of rotation data indicative of a speed of rotation of said engine of said vehicle, said data processing system being configured for;

deriving, using said speed of rotation data indicative of said speed of rotation of said engine, an engine loss value indicative of a power loss within said engine, whereby to calculate the second power value.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

deriving, from said fuel data, a fuel rate value indicative of said rate at which said fuel is being consumed by said engine; and

multiplying said fuel rate value by an energy conversion value indicative of an efficiency of energy conversion from said fuel to a rotational power in said engine, thereby calculating said first power value.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

calculating said energy conversion value using at least one of;

a speed of rotation of said engine;

a magnitude of said second power value;

said velocity data;

said acceleration data;

said fuel data; and

one or more predetermined constants.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein said interface is further configured for:

receiving speed of rotation data indicative of a speed of rotation of said engine of said vehicle, said data processing system being configured for;

deriving, using said speed of rotation data indicative of said speed of rotation of said engine, an engine loss value indicative of a power loss within said engine,

whereby to calculate said second power value.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

deriving, from said fuel data, a fuel rate value indicative of said rate at which said fuel is being consumed by said engine; and

multiplying said fuel rate value by an energy conversion value indicative of an efficiency of energy conversion from said fuel to a rotational power in said engine, thereby calculating said first power value.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

calculating said energy conversion value using at least one of;

a speed of rotation of said engine;

a magnitude of said second power value;

said velocity data;

said acceleration data;

said fuel data; and

one or more predetermined constants.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

deriving a fuel rate value indicative of said rate at which said fuel is being consumed by said engine from said fuel data; and

multiplying said fuel rate value by an energy conversion value indicative of an efficiency of energy conversion from said fuel to a rotational power in said engine, thereby calculating said first power value.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

calculating said energy conversion value using at least one of;

a speed of rotation of said engine;

a magnitude of said second power value;

said velocity data;

said acceleration data;

said fuel data; and

one or more predetermined constants.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

a memory, and said data processing system is further configured for;

retrieving one or more predetermined constants from said memory, said one or more predetermined constants configured for deriving said first mass value.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said one or more predetermined constants are selected based on characteristics of said vehicle.

32. A method for calculating a value indicative of a mass of a vehicle, said vehicle having a vehicle interface capable of providing fuel data indicative of a rate at which fuel is being consumed by an engine of said vehicle at each point in time of a plurality of points in time, said method comprising:

receiving said fuel data from said vehicle interface, wherein said fuel data comprises;

a measured fuel rate of said engine measured at said each point in time; and

a measured rotational speed of said engine measured at said each point in time;

receiving movement data indicative of a movement of said vehicle at said each point in time;

deriving a plurality of mass values from said fuel data and said movement data, each mass value of said plurality of mass values corresponding to a respective said point in time of said plurality of points in time; and

calculating, using said plurality of mass values, a mass value indicative of a mass of said vehicle.

33. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions thereon for execution on a computing system to implement a method for calculating a value indicative of a mass of a vehicle, said vehicle having a vehicle interface capable of providing fuel data indicative of a rate at which fuel is being consumed by an engine of said vehicle at each point in time of a plurality of points in time, the method comprising:

receiving said fuel data from said vehicle interface, wherein said fuel data comprises;

a measured fuel rate of said engine measured at said each point in time; and

a measured rotational speed of said engine measured at said each point in time;

receiving movement data indicative of a movement of said vehicle at said each point in time;

deriving a plurality of mass values from said fuel data and said movement data, each mass value of said plurality of mass values corresponding to a respective said point in time of said plurality of points in time; and

calculating, using said plurality of mass values, a mass value indicative of a mass of the vehicle.

34. A system for estimating a fuel consumption of an engine of a vehicle, said system comprising:

an interface configured for;

receiving movement data indicative of a movement of said vehicle at a plurality of points in time;

wherein said movement data comprises;

velocity data indicative of a velocity of said vehicle;

acceleration data indicative of an acceleration of said vehicle; and

fuel data, wherein said fuel data comprises;

a measured fuel rate of said engine; and

a measured rotational speed of said engine; and

a data processing system, wherein said data processing system is, for each point in time of said plurality of points in time, configured for;

deriving, using said fuel data, a first power value indicative of a first power produced by said engine;

deriving, using said velocity data of said movement data, a second power value indicative of a second power required to overcome resistance to said movement of said vehicle;

deriving a third power value indicative of a change in energy of said vehicle, wherein said deriving said third power value comprises;

subtracting said second power value from said first power value;

estimating a fuel consumption of said vehicle based on a plurality of first power values;

deriving a mass value corresponding to a point in time using said third power value, said velocity data and said acceleration data; and

deriving, using said speed of rotation data, an engine loss value indicative of a power loss within said engine.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said interface is further configured for:

receiving at least some of said movement data from a vehicle interface of said vehicle, wherein said interface is coupled with said vehicle interface of said vehicle.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein said interface is further configured for:

being coupled with a GPS unit; and

receiving at least some of said movement data from said GPS unit.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein said interface is further configured for:

receiving said acceleration data from an accelerometer, wherein said accelerometer is coupled with said vehicle and said interface.

38. The system claim 34, wherein said data processing system is further configured for deriving:

a drag value indicative of a power required to overcome aerodynamic drag of said vehicle; and

a rolling resistance value indicative of a power required to overcome rolling resistance of said vehicle, whereby said first power value is capable of being calculated based on said deriving.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein said data processing system is further configured for:

estimating said fuel consumption using an energy conversion value indicative of an efficiency of energy conversion from fuel to a rotational power in said engine.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said data processing system is further configured for calculating said energy conversion value using at least one of:

said movement data;

a speed of rotation of said engine;

a magnitude of said second power value;

a magnitude of said change in energy value; and

one or more predetermined constants.

41. The system of any of claim 34, wherein said system further comprises:

a memory, wherein said data processing system is further configured for;

retrieving one or more predetermined constants from said memory, whereby, estimating said fuel consumption is enabled based on said retrieving.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said one or more predetermined constants are selected based on characteristics of said vehicle.