Fuel conservation systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for conserving fuel used by an engine, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a computer system, a first function comprising a user-specified power output of an engine over a time duration;
processing, by the computer system, the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration,wherein the second function comprises a plurality of regions of decreased power output relative to the user-specified 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; and
directing the engine to output power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration,wherein, when the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine uses less fuel than the engine would have used if the engine outputted power according to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration,wherein the engine remains engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased power output when the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, andwherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.
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Abstract
Methods and systems are described for conserving fuel used by an engine. In some embodiments a control module processes a user-provided input, as a first function, into a second function. The second function can be used to direct the engine with a directive output power. The directive output power may have regions equal to, greater than, and/or less than what the power output would be if the engine were controlled using the user-provided input.
65 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for conserving fuel used by an engine, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a computer system, a first function comprising a user-specified power output of an engine over a time duration; processing, by the computer system, the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration, wherein the second function comprises a plurality of regions of decreased power output relative to the user-specified 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; and directing the engine to output power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, wherein, when the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine uses less fuel than the engine would have used if the engine outputted power according to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration, wherein the engine remains engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased power output when the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, and wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented engine control system comprising:
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one or more computer readable storage devices configured to store a plurality of computer executable instructions; and one or more hardware computer processors in communication with the one or more computer readable storage devices and configured to execute the plurality of computer executable instructions in order to cause the system to; receive a first function comprising a first power output of the engine over a time duration; process the first function into a second function comprising a second power output of the engine 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; and direct the engine to output power according to the second power output of the engine over the time duration, wherein, when the engine outputs power according to the second power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine uses less fuel than the engine would have used if the engine outputted power according to the first power output of the engine over the time duration, and wherein the engine remains engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased power output. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An energy efficiency control system for an engine, the system comprising:
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one or more computer readable storage devices configured to store a plurality of computer executable instructions; and one or more hardware computer processors in communication with the one or more computer readable storage devices and configured to execute the plurality of computer executable instructions in order to cause the system to; access a first function corresponding to a first power output of an engine over a time duration; and direct the engine to output power according to a second function corresponding to a second power output of the engine 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 engine 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, and wherein the engine is engaged during the plurality of regions of decreased power output. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification