System for evaluating and/or optimizing the operating behavior of a vehicle

• US 10,583,792 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AVL List GmbH (List Privatstiftung)
• Original Assignee: AVL List GmbH (List Privatstiftung)
• Inventors: List, Helmut, Schoeggl, Peter, Fraidl, Guenter Karl, Trebitsch, Thomas, Bogner, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Whittington, Jess
• Application Number:
  US15/307,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20170050590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0018 Method for the design of a control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/12 Catalyst or filter state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The invention relates to a system comprising a plurality of first sensors to measure parameters characterizing a vehicle operating state; a second sensor to measure a parameter characterizing an emission of an fuel processing apparatus; a control device to measure repeatedly over a predefined time period and to determine a vehicle operating state based on a first data set with measured values from the plurality of first sensors and predefined parameter ranges describing a predefined vehicle operating state; an allocation device to allocate a second data set comprising measured values from the second sensor to the predefined vehicle operating state; and an evaluation device to determine a characteristic value for assessing or optimizing the operating behavior of the vehicle based on the vehicle operating state and the second data set, wherein the characteristic value characterizes an energy efficiency of the vehicle or an emission behavior of the fuel processing apparatus.

Claims

1. A system for assessing or optimizing an operating behavior of an automobile having a combustion engine or a fuel cell system, wherein the system comprises:

a plurality of first sensors that measure parameters that characterize a vehicle operating state of the automobile, wherein the plurality of first sensors measure a first parameter that characterizes dynamics of the automobile in at least one driving state and a second parameter that characterizes at least one property selected from a group consisting of;

an operating state of at least one auxiliary equipment unit, an operating state of at least one exhaust treatment apparatus, and an operating state of the combustion engine or the fuel cell system;

at least one second sensor that measures at least one parameter for a current emission of the combustion engine or the fuel cell system;

a controller that repeats measurements from the plurality of first sensors over a predefined period of time and determines the vehicle operating state on the basis of a first data set with measured values from the plurality of first sensors and predefined parameter ranges which characterize at least one predefined vehicle operating state;

the controller that allocates a second data set with measured values from the at least one second sensor to the at least one predefined vehicle operating state;

the controller that determines at least one characteristic value for the assessment or optimization of the operating behavior of the automobile on the basis of the vehicle operating state and the second data set, wherein the characteristic value characterizes an energy efficiency of the automobile or an emission behavior of the combustion engine or the fuel cell system as a function of the vehicle operating state and enables in-depth causes to be concluded for the emission of the combustion engine or a fuel cell system or energy efficiency of the automobile; and

the controller that outputs the at least one characteristic value for optimizing the operating behavior of the automobile.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller further determines energy consumed by the automobile on the basis of the second data set, determines energy supplied by the combustion engine or a fuel cell system for the operation on the basis of the first data set, and calculates a ratio of supplied energy to consumed energy.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller takes multiple measurements such that the first data set comprises a plurality of different vehicle operating states.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the automobile comprises at least one electric motor for generating drive of the automobile and a charge storage device, wherein the plurality of first sensors further measures at least one parameter characterizing a state of charge of the charge storage device or at least one parameter characterizing an operating state of the electric motor, and wherein the controller further determines the at least one characteristic value for optimizing the operating behavior of the automobile on the basis of these measured values.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second sensor, which is a component of an exhaust analysis device, is arranged within an exhaust system.

6. An automobile comprising a system in accordance with claim 1.

7. A method for assessing or optimizing an operating behavior of an automobile having a fuel processing apparatus, wherein the method comprises the following procedural steps:

S1) acquiring a first data set with measured values of a first group of parameters which characterize at least one vehicle operating state of the automobile;

S2) acquiring a second data set with measured values of at least one parameter of a second group of parameters which include an emission of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, particle counts, non-methanol hydrocarbons, or particle mass of the particulate matter of the fuel processing apparatus;

S3) repeating steps S1 and S2 for a predefined period of time until the first data set comprises a plurality of different vehicle operating states;

S4) comparing the measured values of the first data set to predefined parameter ranges corresponding to the at least one vehicle operating state for the first group of parameters;

S5) attributing the measured values of the second data set to the at least one vehicle operating state;

S6) determining at least one characteristic value for the assessing or optimizing of the operating behavior of the automobile on the basis of the at least one vehicle operating state, the second data set, and a sequence of vehicle operating states, wherein the at least one characteristic value characterizes an energy efficiency of the automobile or an emission behavior of the fuel processing apparatus, wherein the measured values of a plurality of second data sets for a same type of driving state are consolidated in the determining of the at least one characteristic value; and

S7) adapting of an operating strategy of the automobile based on the at least one characteristic value.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one target value is determined for the at least one parameter of the second group of parameters on the basis of an automobile model, which corresponds to a target energy efficiency or a target emission behavior for the at least one vehicle operating state, and wherein the at least one target value is compared to the first data set for the determination of the at least one characteristic value.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of first and second data sets acquired in steps S1 and S2 are factored into the determination of the at least one characteristic value.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first group of parameters includes a parameter which characterizes a driving state of the automobile and at least one further parameter which characterizes at least one property selected from the following group:

an operating state of at least one auxiliary equipment unit, an operating state of at least one exhaust treatment apparatus, an ambient temperature, a roadway slope, a position of the automobile, and an operating state of the fuel processing apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

determining energy consumed by the automobile on the basis of the second data set;

determining the energy supplied by the fuel processing apparatus for drive of the automobile on the basis of the first data set, wherein the determination of the at least one characteristic value for the assessment or optimization of the operating behavior of the automobile comprises an undercutting of a calculation of a supplied energy to consumed energy ratio.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the measured values of the second data set are integrated over a duration of the respective vehicle operating state.

13. The method according to claim 7, further comprising following step:

adjusting an allocation of the measured values of the second data set to at least one predefined driving state by a signal propagation delay, an exhaust analysis time, an exhaust period, or any combination thereof.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the automobile comprises at least one electric motor for drive of the automobile and a charge storage device, wherein the first data set of the further measured values comprises at least one parameter characterizing a state of charge of the charge storage device and/or one parameter characterizing an operating state of the electric motor, and wherein the at least one characteristic value for the assessing or optimizing of the operating behavior of the automobile is further determined on the basis of these measured values.

15. A method for assessing or optimizing an operating behavior of a vehicle having a fuel processing apparatus, wherein the method comprises:

S1) using a vehicle model to simulate a first group of parameters and at least one parameter of a second group of parameters;

S2) acquiring a first data set with values of the first group of parameters which characterize at least one vehicle operating state of the vehicle;

S3) acquiring a second data set with values of the at least one parameter of the second group of parameters for a current emission of the fuel processing apparatus;

S4) repeating steps S2 and S3 for a predefined period of time;

S5) comparing the values of the first data set and predefined parameter ranges corresponding to the at least one vehicle operating state for the first group of parameters;

S6) attributing the values of the second data set to the at least one vehicle operating state;

S7) determining at least one characteristic value for the assessment or optimization of the operating behavior of the vehicle on the basis of the at least one vehicle operating state and the second data set, wherein the at least one characteristic value characterizes an energy efficiency of the vehicle or an emission behavior of the fuel processing apparatus; and

S8) adapting of a current operating strategy of the vehicle based on the at least one characteristic value.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, that when executed by one or more processors cause to be performed a method for assessing or optimizing an operating behavior of an automobile having a fuel processing apparatus, wherein the method comprises:

S1) acquiring a first data set with measured values of a first group of parameters which characterize at least one vehicle operating state of the automobile;

S2) acquiring a second data set with measured values of at least one parameter of a second group of parameters which include an emission of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, particle counts, non-methanol hydrocarbons, or particle mass of the particulate matter of the fuel processing apparatus;

S3) repeating steps S1 and S2 for a predefined period of time until the first data set comprises a plurality of different vehicle operating states;

S4) comparing the measured values of the first data set to predefined parameter ranges corresponding to the at least one vehicle operating state for the first group of Parameters;

S5) attributing the measured values of the second data set to the at least one vehicle operating state;

S6) determining at least one characteristic value for the assessing or optimizing of the operating behavior of the automobile on the basis of the at least one vehicle operating state, the second data set, and a sequence of vehicle operating states, wherein the at least one characteristic value characterizes an energy efficiency of the automobile or an emission behavior of the fuel processing apparatus, wherein the measured values of a plurality of second data sets for a same type of driving state are consolidated in the determining of the at least one characteristic value; and

S7) adapting of an operating strategy of the automobile based on the at least one characteristic value.

17. A method for assessing or optimizing an operating behavior of an automobile having a fuel processing apparatus, wherein the method comprises the following procedural steps:

S1) acquiring a first data set with measured values of a first group of parameters for at least one current vehicle operating state;

S2) acquiring a second data set with measured values of a current emission of the fuel processing apparatus;

S3) repeating steps S1 and S2 for a predefined period of time;

S4) comparing the measured values of the first data set to predefined parameter ranges corresponding to the at least one current vehicle operating state for the first group of parameters;

S5) attributing the measured values of the second data set to the at least one current vehicle operating state;

S6) determining at least one characteristic value for assessing or optimizing of the operating behavior of the automobile on the basis of the at least one current vehicle operating state and the measured values of the second data set, wherein the at least one characteristic value characterizes an energy efficiency of the automobile or an emission behavior of the fuel processing apparatus; and

S7) generating and outputting at least one characteristic value of the operating behavior of the automobile.