Fuel tank pressure sensor rationality testing for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
First Claim
1. A method for a hybrid-electric vehicle, comprising:
- during a first condition, including an inductive charging event, sealing a fuel tank closed by commanding closure of a fuel tank isolation valve; and
indicating degradation of a fuel tank pressure transducer responsive to a fuel tank pressure transducer output failing to increase above a threshold following an active testing duration implemented during the inductive charging event.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for a hybrid-electric vehicle is presented, wherein a fuel tank is sealed closed during a first condition that includes an inductive charging event, and wherein degradation of a fuel tank pressure transducer is indicated responsive to a fuel tank pressure transducer output failing to increase above a threshold following an active testing duration. The outer walls of the fuel tank may include ferrous components which are energized by a magnetic field generated during the inductive charging event, thus heating the fuel tank and the fuel stored within. In this way, the pressure within the sealed fuel tank increases during the inductive charging event, and a determination may be made as to whether the output of the fuel tank pressure transducer is rational.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for a hybrid-electric vehicle, comprising:
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during a first condition, including an inductive charging event, sealing a fuel tank closed by commanding closure of a fuel tank isolation valve; and indicating degradation of a fuel tank pressure transducer responsive to a fuel tank pressure transducer output failing to increase above a threshold following an active testing duration implemented during the inductive charging event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for a vehicle comprising:
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a primary inductive coil external to the vehicle configured to receive electrical power from an external power source for generating a magnetic field; a secondary inductive coil onboard the vehicle configured such that the magnetic field generated from the primary inductive coil induces a current in the secondary inductive coil in a non-contact manner; a rechargeable energy storage device configured such that the magnetic field generated from the primary inductive coil inductively charges the rechargeable energy storage device via the induced current in the secondary inductive coil; a fuel tank including one or more ferrous components at an outer surface of the fuel tank, such that the magnetic field generated from the primary inductive coil energizes the one or more ferrous components; a fuel tank isolation valve configured to seal the fuel tank from an atmosphere when closed; a fuel tank pressure transducer positioned between the fuel tank and the fuel tank isolation valve; and a controller configured with instructions stored in non-transitory memory, that when executed cause the controller to; close the fuel tank isolation valve during an inductive charging event; during a first condition, including an indication that the rechargeable energy storage device is being charged via the inductive charging event, monitor an output of the fuel tank pressure transducer; and indicate degradation of the fuel tank pressure transducer following an active testing duration wherein the output of the fuel tank pressure transducer failed to increase above a threshold during the inductive charging event. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for a hybrid-electric vehicle, comprising:
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during a vehicle-off condition and during an inductive charging event, sealing a fuel tank from an atmosphere by closing a fuel tank isolation valve; indicating an initial fuel tank pressure transducer output and an initial ambient temperature at an initiation of the vehicle-off condition during the inductive charging event; indicating a final fuel tank pressure transducer output and a final ambient temperature at a termination of the vehicle-off condition; responsive to the final ambient temperature being that is different from the initial ambient temperature by more than a threshold, indicating whether the final fuel tank pressure transducer output is within a threshold of an expected fuel tank pressure transducer output; responsive to the final fuel tank pressure transducer output not being within the threshold of the expected fuel tank pressure transducer output, performing an active fuel tank pressure transducer rationality test responsive to the final fuel tank pressure transducer output being more than a threshold from atmospheric pressure; and responsive to the final fuel tank pressure transducer output not being within the threshold of the expected fuel tank pressure transducer output, performing an undesired evaporative emissions test responsive to the final fuel tank pressure transducer output being less than the threshold from atmospheric pressure. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification