Vehicle calibration based upon performance product detection

• US 10,796,503 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2017
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pfeiffer, John Jeffrey, Bushore, Matthew Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US15/660,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20190035174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 701 33
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/7022 Calibration of a sensor, e.g. automatically
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/083 relating to maintenance, e.g. diagnostic device relating to lubrication F01M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0068 Method or means for testing of transmission controls or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2342/00 Calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/00 Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle calibration based upon performance product detection. An example vehicle includes a receiver to receive a wireless signal from a transducer of an performance product that includes characteristics of the performance product. The example vehicle also includes a product controller to authenticate the performance product based upon the wireless signal and send, upon authentication, a calibration instruction that includes the characteristics. The example vehicle also includes an electronic control unit to receive the calibration instruction and adjust a calibration to a target setting based upon the characteristics.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a wireless signal from a transducer of a performance product, the wireless signal including a characteristic of the performance product and a product type of the performance product;

a product controller configured to;

determine, based upon the characteristic and the product type included in the wireless signal, that the performance product is authenticated to be installed on the vehicle;

determine that the performance product affects performance of an electronic control unit of the vehicle based upon the characteristic and the product type of the performance product; and

send, based on the determination that the performance product is authenticated to be installed on the vehicle and the determination that the performance product affects the electronic control unit, to the electronic control unit a calibration instruction to perform a calibration of the electronic control unit based on the characteristic and the product type; and

the electronic control unit configured to;

receive the calibration instruction; and

adjust a calibration of the electronic control unit to a target setting based upon the calibration instruction.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a short-range wireless module or an RFID reader, and wherein the performance product includes an aftermarket product.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the product controller detects the aftermarket product in response to the receiver receiving the wireless signal from the transducer of the aftermarket product.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further including a display in communication with the product controller that presents information corresponding to the characteristic of the performance product and the calibration of the electronic control unit.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, prior to sending the calibration instruction to the electronic control unit, the product controller checks for updated software of the electronic control unit based upon the characteristic of the performance product.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit further adjusts the setting to the target setting based upon a current setting of the calibration.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, based upon the wireless signal received by the receiver, the product controller determines that the product type of the performance product includes a tire.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the electronic control unit includes a powertrain control module, the characteristic includes a tire size including an outer diameter of the tire, and the calibration includes a ratio applied to a rate of rotation of a drive shaft to determine a vehicle speed, the ratio being adjusted by the powertrain control module based upon the outer diameter.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, based upon the wireless signal received by the receiver, the product controller determines that the product type of the performance product includes at least one of a spoiler and a wing.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the electronic control unit includes a powertrain control module, the characteristic includes a drag caused by the at least one of the spoiler and the wing, and the calibration includes a speed rating for a maximum velocity, the speed rating being adjusted by the powertrain control module based upon the drag.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, based upon the wireless signal received by the receiver, the product controller determines that the product type of the performance product includes a hood.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electronic control unit includes a powertrain control module, the characteristic includes an airflow to an engine caused by the hood, and the calibration includes a cooling factor for the engine that is adjusted by the powertrain control module based upon the airflow.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, based upon the wireless signal received by the receiver, the product controller determines that the product type of the performance product includes at least one of an anti-sway bar and a damper.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, the electronic control unit includes a suspension control module, the characteristic includes a roll stiffness corresponding to the anti-sway bar and the damper, and the calibration includes a stability control setting that is adjusted by the suspension control module based upon the roll stiffness.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a second electronic control unit,

wherein the product controller is further configured to;

determine that the performance product affects performance of the second electronic control unit; and

send a second calibration instruction that includes the characteristic to the second electronic control unit, wherein the second electronic control unit is configured to adjust a calibration of the second electronic control unit based upon the second calibration instruction.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the performance product includes at least one of a a manufacturer and a model number of the performance product.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a wireless signal from a transducer of a second performance product, the wireless signal including a characteristic of the second performance product, the characteristic being a product type of the second performance product, wherein the product type of the performance product is different than the product type of the second performance product, and

wherein the product controller is further configured to:

determine, based upon the characteristic included in the wireless signal, that the second performance product is authenticated to be installed on the vehicle;

determine that the second performance product affects performance of the electronic control unit of the vehicle based upon the characteristic of the second performance product; and

send, based on the determination that the second performance product is authenticated to be installed on the vehicle and the determination that the second performance product affects the electronic control unit, a calibration instruction that includes the characteristic to an electronic control unit.

18. A method for calibrating a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, via a receiver of the vehicle, a wireless signal from a transducer of a performance product, the wireless signal including a characteristic and the product type of the performance product and a product type of the performance product;

determining, based upon the characteristic and the product type included in the wireless signal, that the performance product is authenticated to be installed on the vehicle;

determining that the performance product affects performance of an electronic control unit based upon the characteristic and the product type of the performance product

sending, based on the determination that the performance product is authenticated to be installed on the vehicle and the determination that the performance product affects the performance of the electronic control unit, to the electronic control unit a calibration instruction to perform a calibration of the electronic control unit based on the characteristic and the product type; and

adjusting a calibration of the electronic control unit to a target setting based upon the characteristic and the product type.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

checking, via a processor and prior to sending the calibration instruction to the electronic control unit, for updated software for the electronic control unit based upon the characteristic of the performance product.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

adjusting the calibration of the electronic control unit to the target setting based upon a current setting of the setting.