Energy conservation systems and methods

• US 9,527,514 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• 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., Davis, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US14/137,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20140324320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 701/102, 701/108, 701/104, 701/105, 123/299, 123/300, 123/304, 123/2, 123/3, 180/65.245, 180/65.25, 180/65.21, 180/65.285
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/42 characterised by the architecture of the hybrid electric vehicle
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• 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 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 41/3011 according to or using specific or several modes of combustion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for conserving energy used by an energy consuming device. In certain embodiments, an energy conservation system can be configured to deliver energy to the energy consuming device for a period, followed by a period where energy delivery is dampened and/or cut. By cycling the delivery of energy in this fashion, the energy conservation can achieve a pulsed efficiency.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for conserving energy used by a device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a first function comprising a first power output of a device over a time duration;

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

wherein the second function comprises a plurality of regions of decreased power output relative to the first power output,

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

wherein the second function includes cyclical oscillations comprising the plurality of regions of decreased power output and the plurality of regions of increased power output that comprise a same waveform, wherein the cyclical oscillations further comprise one of the plurality of regions of decreased power output generally followed by one of the plurality of regions of increased power output and one of the plurality of regions of increased power output generally followed by one of the plurality of regions of decreased power output; and

directing the device to output power according to the second power output of the device over the time duration,

wherein, when the device outputs power according to the second power output of the device over the time duration, the device uses less energy than the device would have used if the device outputted power according to the first power output of the device over the time duration,

wherein the device remains engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased power output when the device outputs power according to the second power output of the device 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 device comprises at least one of a display screen, an electronic device, an appliance, a generator, an air conditioning system, a heating system, a pump system, or a light emitter.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, by the computer system, the second function to a device control unit configured to control power output of the device such that the device outputs power according to the second power output over the time duration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a device control unit comprises the computer processor of the computer system, the device control module configured to direct the device to output power according to the second power output over the time duration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second function is configured to substantially maintain a desired speed of the device using at least partly momentum of the device.

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

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

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

9. A computer-implemented device control system comprising:

a processing module that couples to a device, the processing module configured to;

receive a first function comprising a first power output of the device over a time duration;

process the first function into a second function comprising a second power output of the device over the time duration, wherein the second function comprises a plurality of regions of decreased power output relative to the first power output and a plurality of regions of increased power output relative to the plurality of regions of decreased power output,

wherein the second function includes cyclical oscillations comprising the plurality of regions of decreased power output and the plurality of regions of increased power output over the time duration, wherein the cyclical oscillations further comprise one of the plurality of regions of decreased power output generally followed by one of the plurality of regions of increased power output and one of the plurality of regions of increased power output generally followed by one of the plurality of regions of decreased power output; and

direct the device to output power according to the second power output of the device over the time duration,

wherein, when the device outputs power according to the second power output of the device over the time duration, the device uses less energy than the device would have used if the device outputted power according to the first power output of the device over the time duration,

wherein the device remains engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased power output, and

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

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising outputting, by the computer system, the second function to a device control unit configured to control power output of the device such that the device outputs power according to the second power output over the time duration.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein a device control unit is configured to execute the processing module, the device control unit configured to direct the device to output power according to the second power output over the time duration.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the second function is configured to substantially maintain a desired speed of the device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the desired speed is substantially constant over the time duration.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further configured to change shift ratios of a continuously variable transmission, and wherein the change in shift ratios mitigates variations in momentum caused by the cyclical oscillations.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further configured to direct a generator to supplement power output of the device with a second power output from the generator while the device outputs power according to the second power output of the device, wherein the second power output of the generator is configured to compensate for the plurality of regions of decreased power output of the device such that modulations of the second power output of the device are dampened.

16. An energy efficiency control system for a device, the system comprising:

an input module configured to access a first function corresponding to a first power output of a device over a time duration; and

a control module in communication with the input module, the control module configured to direct the device to output power according to a second function corresponding to a second power output of the device over the time duration,

wherein the second function has cyclical oscillations comprising a plurality of regions of decreased power output relative to the first power output of the device over the time duration and a plurality of regions of increased power output relative to the plurality of regions of decreased power output over the time duration, wherein the cyclical oscillations further comprise one of the plurality of regions of decreased power output generally followed by one of the plurality of regions of increased power output and one of the plurality of regions of increased power output generally followed by one of the plurality of regions of decreased power output,

wherein the device is engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased power output, and

wherein the energy efficiency control system comprises an electronic memory configured to store modules and a computer processor configured to execute modules.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a device control unit is configured to execute the control module, the device control unit configured to direct the device to output power according to the second power output over the time duration.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second function is configured to substantially maintain a desired speed of the device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the desired speed is substantially constant over the time duration.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the control module is further configured to control change in shift ratios of a continuously variable transmission, and wherein the change in shift ratios mitigate variations in momentum caused by the cyclical oscillations.