Methods and system for improving vehicle operation

• US 9,587,576 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Stanek, Joe F., Doering, Jeffrey Allen, Lockwood, Tony, Hashemi, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMAOUI, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US13/851,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33.4, 701102-104, 701/109, 701/115, 701/117
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/04 Engine intake system parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1454 the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/182 for the control of a fuel injection device
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2429 Methods of calibrating or learning
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2454 Learning of the air-fuel ratio control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2464 Characteristics of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2467 for injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2474 Characteristics of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/30 Controlling fuel injection F02D41/182, F02D41/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3005 Details not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• 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 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A method and system improving vehicle operation is presented. In one example, the vehicle data is transmitted between a vehicle and a cloud computer. The cloud computer adjusts engine control parameters and the vehicle is operated based on the adjusted engine control parameters.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle, comprising:

collecting air-fuel data, fuel injection data, and air amount data in a vehicle controller during engine starting in response to a command from an off-board processor;

storing the air-fuel data, fuel injection data, and air amount data into memory allocated for engine starting data, the memory separate from other data memory;

during a transmission of data, transmitting only the air-fuel data, fuel injection data, and air amount data from the memory reserved for engine starting data to the off-board processor, the off-board processor adjusting a control parameter in response to the air-fuel data, fuel injection data, and air amount data, the off-board processor processing data from a plurality of vehicles; and

operating the vehicle in response to the control parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, where the control parameter is an engine air amount control parameter, and further comprising collecting vehicle sensor data when sensor data error is expected to be less than a threshold error amount.

3. The method of claim 2, where the engine air amount control parameter is a throttle transfer function, and further comprising grouping the vehicle sensor data into memory allocated for low sensor error data, the memory allocated for low sensor error data apart from memory storing engine starting data.

4. The method of claim 2, where the engine air amount control parameter is an air amount sensor transfer function.

5. The method of claim 2, where the engine air amount control parameter is an engine volumetric efficiency related transfer function.

6. The method of claim 1, where the air-fuel data, fuel injection data, and air amount data is separated into steady state data and transient data.

7. The method of claim 1, where the air-fuel data, fuel injection data, and air amount data is separated into engine stopping data and engine starting data.