System and Method for Reconfiguring an Electronic Control Unit of a Motor Vehicle to Optimize Fuel Economy

• US 20080221776A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: McClellan, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

System and method for modifying the operation of an engine comprising an engine control unit coupled to the engine, a command module coupled to the engine control unit, wherein the command module is operable to modify operating characteristics of the engine by reconfiguring the function of the engine control unit. The engine control unit further comprises software and/or firmware, and the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit by altering the software and/or firmware. The command module may modify the engine operation, for example, based upon environmental conditions, topographic conditions, and/or traffic conditions.

Claims

1. A system for modifying the operation of an engine, comprising:

an engine control unit coupled to the engine;

a command module coupled to the engine control unit; and

wherein the command module is operable to modify operating characteristics of the engine by reconfiguring the function of the engine control unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine control unit further comprises software;

and wherein the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit by altering the software.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine control unit further comprises firmware;

and wherein the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit by altering the firmware.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the command module modifies the engine operation based upon environmental conditions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the command module modifies the engine operation based upon topographic conditions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the command module modifies the engine operation based upon traffic conditions.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more accelerometers coupled to the command module; and

wherein the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit based upon data from the one or more accelerometers.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an on-board diagnostic system for the engine coupled to the command module.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the command module receives vehicle performance data from the on-board diagnostic system;

and

wherein the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit based upon data from the on-board diagnostic system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit via the on-board diagnostic system or other conduit to an engine control module.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine operation is modified to maximize fuel economy.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the function of the engine control unit is adapted to be reconfigured by a tuning chip that replaces an existing erasable programmable, read-only memory (EPROM) chip.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote base station in communication with the command module; and

wherein the command module is adapted to receive engine configuration commands transmitted from the remote base station.

14. A method for controlling the operation of an engine, comprising:

receiving an engine operation command at a command module in a vehicle; and

reconfiguring an engine control device in response to the engine operation command.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the command module receives the engine operation command via a wireless link to a base station.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the command module is coupled to the engine control device via an on-board diagnostic system for the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the command module reconfigures a function of the engine control device via the on-board diagnostic system.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the engine control device is adapted to be reconfigured by a tuning chip that replaces an existing erasable programmable, read-only memory (EPROM) chip.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

reconfiguring a function of the engine control device by altering software in the engine control device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

reconfiguring a function of the engine control device by altering firmware in the engine control device.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the reconfiguring modifies an engine operation based upon environmental conditions.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the reconfiguring modifies an engine operation based upon topographic conditions.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the reconfiguring modifies an engine operation based upon traffic conditions.

24. A method for controlling the operation of an engine, comprising:

receiving, at a command module, vehicle operation data from a vehicle monitoring system in a vehicle; and

reconfiguring an engine control device in response to the vehicle operation data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the vehicle monitoring system comprises one or more accelerometers;

and further comprising;

reconfiguring a function of the engine control device based upon data from the one or more accelerometers.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

reconfiguring a function of the engine control device based upon data from an on-board diagnostic system for the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control device via the on-board diagnostic system.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the engine operation is modified to maximize fuel economy.