Method and system for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

• US 9,008,880 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sangameswaran, Sangeetha, Skaff, Ryan J., Aldighieri, Paul, Gilman, Dale, Hancasky, Robert David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/942,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/52 Control of displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• 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 20/18 for avoiding ageing of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0623 Fuel flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for displaying a recommended engine fuel fill amount to an operator of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. In one example, the recommended engine fuel fill amount is determined based on an actual amount of fuel consumed over a particular duration and displayed to an operator of the vehicle with a low fuel warning.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle including an engine and a motor, comprising:

displaying a recommended engine fuel fill amount based on a history of actual fuel usage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein history of actual fuel usage is an average fuel consumption over a duration of three months.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the history of actual fuel usage is fuel consumption over a period of time it takes a fuel level to reach a selected level since a last refueling event.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to a stale fuel indication, initiating a fuel maintenance mode in which the engine is turned on and engine operation is continued until a selected amount of fuel is consumed by the engine.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the stale fuel indication is responsive to engine off operation for a threshold duration.

6. The method of claim 4, reducing a frequency at which the fuel maintenance mode is initiated when the recommended engine fuel fill amount is followed.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising initiating engine operation responsive to a current fuel level greater than a threshold level and an average fuel consumption less than a threshold fuel consumption

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the fuel fill amount includes displaying the fuel fill amount on-demand responsive to a request from an operator of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the fuel fill amount includes displaying the fuel fill amount responsive to a fuel door opening or being opened.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the fuel fill amount includes displaying the fuel fill amount when a low fuel warning is displayed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

12. A method of operating a vehicle including an engine and a motor, comprising:

during a fuel maintenance mode, initiating engine operation after a first duration over which the engine is off, and continuing engine operation until a selected amount of fuel is consumed by the engine; and

displaying a recommended fuel fill amount based on an amount of fuel used over a second duration.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising reducing initiation of the fuel maintenance mode when an operator of the vehicle follows the fuel fill amount recommendation.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying a remaining amount of fuel to be consumed before the engine is shut down during the fuel maintenance mode.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the recommended fuel fill amount is not based on the selected amount of fuel consumed during the fuel maintenance mode.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising, during the fuel maintenance mode, initiating engine operation when a current fuel level is greater than a threshold level and average fuel consumption is less than a threshold fuel consumption.

17. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle system, comprising:

an engine;

an electric motor;

a fuel tank for providing fuel to the engine, the fuel tank including a fuel level sensor;

a display on a dashboard;

a control system with computer readable instructions for;

initiating engine operation in a fuel maintenance mode responsive to engine off operation continuing for a first duration, a current fuel level being greater than a threshold fuel level, and an average fuel consumption being less than a threshold fuel consumption, and continuing engine operation until a threshold amount of fuel is consumed; and

displaying on the display a recommended engine fuel fill amount based on a history of actual fuel usage over a second duration.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the first duration is shorter than the second duration.

19. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the display includes a low fuel warning display, and further comprising instructions for displaying the recommended engine fuel fill amount on the low fuel warning display.

20. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the instructions for displaying the recommended engine fuel fill amount include instructions for displaying the recommended engine fuel fill amount responsive to a request from an operator of the vehicle.