System and methods for evaporative emissions leak detection based on a vehicle location

• US 9,291,128 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jha, Abdhesh
• Application Number:
  US14/054,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20150105969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0809 Judging failure of purge control system
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3236 by monitoring the interior space of the containers

Abstract

A method for detecting evaporative emissions system leaks, comprising: adjusting a leak detection threshold based on a vehicle geographical location including jurisdiction borders; and indicating a leak based on the adjusted threshold. In this way, a vehicle may perform OBD EVAP leak tests in accordance with local regulations. This method allows for a single PCM to be installed in all vehicles of a certain model during manufacturing regardless of the jurisdiction where the vehicle will be sold, thereby reducing part complexity and simplifying the manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A method for detecting evaporative emissions system leaks of a vehicle, comprising:

via a controller onboard the vehicle with instructions stored in non-transitory memory;

receiving updated software modules and information through the internet, the updated modules stored in the non-transitory memory, and receiving a geographical location including jurisdiction borders via a GPS coupled to the vehicle, and cross-referencing information received from GPS to information from the internet to determine local weather conditions and local vehicle regulations;

adjusting a leak detection threshold stored in memory based on the vehicle geographical location including jurisdiction borders and the cross-referenced local vehicle regulations;

adjusting one or more leak detection test parameters based on the adjusted leak detection threshold; and

indicating a leak based on the adjusted leak detection threshold, the vehicle being a hybrid vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a mandated leak detection threshold based on the vehicle geographical location including jurisdiction borders via a lookup table.

3. The method of claim 1, where the one or more leak detection test parameters include an expected change in pressure in a sector of an evaporative emission system from a first instance to a second instance.

4. The method of claim 3, where the sector of the evaporative emission system includes a fuel tank.

5. The method of claim 1, where the one or more leak detection test parameters include a multiplier, the multiplier based on a ratio of the adjusted leak detection threshold to a reference orifice.

6. The method of claim 5, where the reference orifice is coupled to an evaporative leak check module.

7. The method of claim 1, where indicating a leak based on the adjusted leak detection threshold includes actuating a malfunction indicator lamp.

8. A method, comprising:

via a controller onboard the vehicle with instructions stored in non-transitory memory;

receiving information through the internet;

receiving a geographical location including jurisdiction borders via a GPS coupled to the vehicle;

determining a vehicle'"'"'s location via the geographical information;

cross-referencing information received from GPS to information from the internet to determine local weather conditions and local vehicle regulations;

determining an evaporative emissions leak detection threshold for a jurisdiction comprising the vehicle'"'"'s location based on the local vehicle regulations;

adjusting one or more leak detection test parameters based on the determined evaporative emissions leak detection threshold; and

running an evaporative emissions leak test using the determined evaporative emissions leak detection threshold and the adjusted test parameters.

9. The method of claim 8, where the one or more leak detection test parameters include an expected change in pressure in a sector of an evaporative emission system from a beginning of a leak detection test to an end of the leak detection test.

10. The method of claim 8, where running an evaporative emissions leak test using the determined evaporative emissions leak detection threshold further comprises applying a pressure or vacuum to a reference orifice.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

indicating a leak based on the determined evaporative emissions leak detection threshold.

12. A system for detecting evaporative emissions leaks in a vehicle, comprising:

a global positioning system;

an evaporative emissions testing subsystem configured to test for evaporative emissions leaks of at least two sizes; and

a controller configured to;

receive information through the internet;

receive a geographical location including jurisdiction borders via the GPS coupled to the vehicle;

cross-reference information received from the GPS to information from the internet to determine local weather conditions and local vehicle regulations;

determine the vehicle'"'"'s geographical location via the global positioning system;

determine an evaporative emissions leak detection threshold for a jurisdiction comprising the vehicle'"'"'s geographical location and the local vehicle regulations; and

run an evaporative emissions leak test using the determined evaporative emissions leak detection threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an evaporative leak check module configured to apply a pressure gradient to a sector of an evaporative emissions system of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, where the evaporative leak check module is further configured to apply a pressure gradient to a reference orifice.

15. The system of claim 14, where the controller is further configured to adjust one or more leak detection test parameters based on the determined evaporative emissions leak detection threshold.

16. The system of claim 15, where the one or more leak detection test parameters include a multiplier, the multiplier based on a ratio of the determined evaporative emissions leak detection threshold to the reference orifice.

17. The system of claim 12, where the at least two sizes include 0.04″

and 0. 02″

.