Method and device for reducing the likelihood of theft at a gas station or a charging station for motor vehicles

• US 9,169,115 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Stefan, Frederic, Gussen, Uwe, Arndt, Christoph, Alpman, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/172,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/93
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/065 acting on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/067 using communication means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/068 using imaging means, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

A method for preventing fuel theft at a gas station or a charging station for motor vehicles is provided. The method includes determining whether a refueling process or recharging process of a motor vehicle is taking place and activating an emergency operating mode of the motor vehicle until a payment for the refueling process or the recharging process has taken place, the emergency operating mode configured to limit vehicle speed.

Claims

1. A method for preventing fuel theft at a gas station or a charging station for motor vehicles, comprising:

with a radar device or a camera, determining whether a refueling process or recharging process of a motor vehicle is taking place; and

activating an emergency operating mode of the motor vehicle until a payment for the refueling process or the recharging process has taken place, the emergency operating mode configured to limit vehicle speed.

2. The method according to claim 1, where the emergency operating mode is activated following a defined warning period.

3. The method according to claim 2, where a remaining warning period until activation of the emergency operating mode is displayed to the driver.

4. The method according to claim 3, where the defined warning period is variable and where the defined warning period is determined using at least one of the parameters time of day, ambient temperature, and geographical position.

5. The method according to claim 4, where the emergency operating mode is configured such that the speed achievable by the motor vehicle is limited to a maximum of 15 km/h.

6. The method according to claim 4, where the emergency operating mode is configured such that the speed achievable by the motor vehicle is limited to a maximum of 10 km/h.

7. The method according to claim 1, where the emergency operating mode is configured to enable low speed manoeuvers of the motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, where the emergency operating mode is deactivated once the payment for the refueling process or the recharging process has been carried out.

9. The method according to claim 1, where at least one of determining whether the refueling process or the recharging process of the motor vehicle and determining whether the payment has been made for the refueling process or recharging process take place through wireless communications.

10. The method according to claim 1, where determining whether the refueling process or the recharging process of the motor vehicle is taking place includes monitoring a fuel level or a state of charge of a battery of the motor vehicle.

11. A control system in a motor vehicle for preventing fuel theft at a gas station or charging station, comprising:

non-transitory code stored in memory executable by a processor to;

determine whether a refueling process or recharging process of a motor vehicle is taking place;

if the refueling process or the recharging process is taking place, determine a warning period, the warning period varying based on at least one of the parameters time of day, ambient temperature, and geographical position;

display to a driver of the motor vehicle a remaining portion of the warning period until activation of an emergency operating mode of the motor vehicle;

following the warning period, activate the emergency operating mode only during the refueling or recharging process and only until a payment for the refueling process or the recharging process has taken place, the emergency operating mode configured to limit vehicle speed.

12. The control system according to claim 11, further comprising non-transitory code stored in memory executable by the processor to determine whether the refueling process or the recharging process of the motor vehicle is taking place using a camera or radar device.

13. The control system according to claim 11, further comprising non-transitory code stored in memory executable by the processor to determine whether the refueling process or the recharging process of the motor vehicle is taking place via a navigation system.

14. The control system according to claim 11, where the control system includes,

a unit for determining whether the refueling process of a motor vehicle is taking place;

a unit for determining whether the payment for the refueling process has been made; and

a unit for activating or deactivating the emergency operating mode of the motor vehicle depending on the detection of the refueling process or a completed payment for the refueling process.

15. A method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising:

determining a warning period, the warning period varying based on at least one of time of day, ambient temperature, and geographical position;

displaying to a driver of the motor vehicle a remaining portion of the warning period until activation of an emergency operating mode of the motor vehicle;

following the warning period, activating the emergency operating mode in response to initiation of an energy station vehicle refilling process trigger, and limiting vehicle speed to a greater extent during the emergency operating mode than during non-emergency operating modes.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising deactivating the vehicle emergency operating mode in response to receiving a payment completion indicator for the energy station vehicle refilling process.

17. The method of claim 16, where completion of the energy refilling process is determined based on one or more of vehicle location, fuel level, fuel filler cap movement, state of battery charge, and an external refilling trigger, and wherein the limiting is active immediately upon the activation and maintained until the emergency operating mode is terminated upon completion of the refilling process.

18. The method of claim 15, where the vehicle speed is limited by controlling engine power output.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising, alerting the driver of expected emergency operating mode activation during the warning period through at least one of a visual cue presented on a display in the vehicle and an aural cue transmitted through a speaker in the vehicle.