Method and apparatus to automatically determine the weight or mass of a moving vehicle

• US 4,548,079 A
• Filed: 12/05/1983
• Issued: 10/22/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wabco Westinghouse Fahrzeugbremsen GmbH
• Original Assignee: Wabco Westinghouse Fahrzeugbremsen GmbH
• Inventors: Klatt, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Swisher, S. Clement
• Application Number:
  US06/557,789
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 73/432 R, 73/495, 73/509, 73/510, 73/862.08, 73/862.19, 73/862.28, 364/424, 364/424.1, 364/426
• US Class Current: 73/865
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/02 Vehicle mass
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/18 responsive to vehicle weight or load, e.g. load distribution using electrical circuitry on regulation means B60T8/17; B60T8/30 takes precedence; responsive to weight and speed condition B60T8/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/58 responsive to speed and another condition or to plural speed conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 Load or weight
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/14 Inputs being a function of torque or torque demand
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/36 Inputs being a function of speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/44 dependent on machine speed of the machine, e.g. the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/48 Inputs being a function of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/52 dependent on the weight of the machine, e.g. change in weight resulting from passengers boarding a bus
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/03 for weighing during motion G01G19/04, G01G19/07 take precedence check weighing of materials dispensed into removable containers G01G15/00; weighing a continuous stream of material during flow G01G11/00; G01G19/02, e.g. G01G19/022, G01G19/045 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/01 Testing or calibrating of weighing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/10 Determining the moment of inertia

Abstract

This invention teaches a method and apparatus for the determination of the weight of a moving vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine. The invention provides means for the determination of a value corresponding to the driving torque of the engine, and for the determination of an acceleration value corresponding to the acceleration of the vehicle. The measuring means are controlled in such a manner that the torque value can be determined at the same time as the acceleration value. Furthermore, a calculating device is provided in which one or two values of the driving torque value--determined at different times--as well as values of the acceleration variable--determined at said times--are utilized for the determination of a weight variable corresponding with the weight of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of determining the weight of a moving vehicle and generating a signal which represents a value corresponding to said weight of said moving vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a first signal corresponding to the torque on the engine of said moving vehicle at a first point in time;

(b) generating a second signal corresponding to said torque on said engine of said moving vehicle at a second point in time;

(c) genrating a first signal corresponding to the acceleration of said moving vehicle at said first point in time in step (a);

(d) generating a second signal corresponding to said acceleration of said moving vehicle at said second point in time in step (b);

(e) calculating a value representative of said weight of said moving vehicle from said signals generated in steps (a) through (d); and

(f) generating a signal representating said value of said weight calculated in step (e).

2. A method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes the additional step of transmitting said signal generated in step (f) to at least one operating mechanism of said moving vehicle.

3. A method, according to claim 2, wherein said signal generated in step (f) is transmitted to the transmission control mechanism of said vehicle.

4. A method, according to claim 2, wherein said signal generated in step (f) is transmitted to the braking system of said vehicle.

5. A method, according to claim 2, wherein said signal generated in step (f) is transmitted to a fuel calculation device of said vehicle.

6. A method, according to claim 4, wherein said method includes the additional step of calculating the fuel consumption of said moving vehicle in terms of miles per gallon.

7. A method, according to claim 6, wherein said fuel calculation step includes the additional step of calculating the number of miles that can be traveled by said moving vehicle with the remaining fuel under present driving conditions.

8. A method, according to claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) include the step of directly measuring said amount of torque of said engine.

9. A method, according to claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) include the steps of:

(a) generating a signal representing the rotational speed of said engine at a point in time;

(b) generating a signal representing the amount of fuel being fed to said engine at the same point in time said rotational speed signal is generated;

(c) comparing at least one signal representing said rotational speed of said engine and at least one signal representing said amount of fuel being fed to said engine at said same point in time as said at least one signal representing said rotational speed of said engine was generated with a predetermined plurality of curves representing said torque on said engine which are stored in a memory storage device, each of said plurality of curves having a unique torque value on said engine for a given amount of said fuel being fed to said engine and a corresponding rotational speed of said engine;

(d) determining from said predetermined plurality of curves said torque on said engine; and

(e) transmitting a signal representing said torque on said engine from said memory storage device to a calculating means.

10. A method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes the additional steps of:

(a) generating a signal to indicate when said engine of said moving vehicle is in a power-off condition;

(b) transmitting said signal which indicates said engine is in said power-off condition to a calculating means; and

(c) using the second of said two signals corresponding to said acceleration value during the time when said engine is in a power-off condition in said calculation means.

11. A method, according to claim 10, wherein step (e) includes the step of solving the equation ##EQU2##

12. A method, according to claim 11, wherein said method includes the additional step of disengaging the clutch of said moving vehicle at a point in time when said signal is generated which indicates said power-off condition of said engine.

13. A method, according to claim 1, wherein said signals generated in steps (a) and (b) must have a predetermined differential in said torque on said engine for calculating said value representative of said weight of said moving vehicle in step (e).

14. A method, according to claim 2, wherein said signal transmitted to said at least one operating mechanism of said moving vehicle representing said value of said calculated weight of said moving vehicle is arrived at by a calculating means solving the equation ##EQU3##

15. A method, according to claim 1, wherein said signals in steps (c) and (d) are generated as impulse signals.

28. A method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes the additional steps of transmitting said signals generated in steps (a) through (d) to a transmission control mechanism of said vehicle.

16. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle and to provide a signal that represents a value corresponding to said weight of said moving vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a first means positioned on said vehicle for providing a signal that corresponds to the torque on the engine of said moving vehicle;

(b) a second means positioned on said vehicle for providing a signal that corresponds to the acceleration of said moving vehicle; and

(c) a calculating means positioned on said vehicle electrically connected to said first means to receive said signal that corresponds to said torque on said engine and electrically connected to said second means to receive said signal that corresponds to said acceleration of said moving vehicle, said calculating means calculating the weight of said moving vehicle from said signals and said calculating means generating said signal representing said value corresponding to said weight of said moving vehicle.

17. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 16, wherein said first means for providing a signal that corresponds to said torque on said engine comprises:

(a) a means for providing a signal corresponding to the rotational speed of said engine'"'"'s drive shaft;

(b) a means for providing a signal corresponding to the amount of fuel being fed to said engine;

(c) means for storing a plurality of functions, each of said functions having a unique value representing said torque on said engine with respect to said rotational speed of said engine'"'"'s drive shaft and said amount of fuel being fed to said engine, said means for storing said plurality of functions electrically connected to said means for providing said signal corresponding to said rotational speed of said engine'"'"'s drive shaft and to said means for providing said signal corresponding to said amount of fuel being supplied to said engine; and

(d) a means for comparing said functions with said signals positioned within said means for storing said plurality of functions and for providing said signal that corresponds to said torque on said engine to said calculating means.

18. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 17, wherein said means for providing said signal corresponding to said rotational speed of said engine'"'"'s drive shaft is a sensor positioned to sense said rotational speed of said engine'"'"'s drive shaft.

19. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further includes a means connected at one end thereof to an output terminal of said calculating means and connected at the other end thereof to an input terminal of a transmission control mechanism of said vehicle for transmitting said signal corresponding to said weight of said vehicle from said calculating means to said transmission control mechanism of said vehicle.

20. An apparatus to automatically ddetermine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 19, wherein said apparatus further comprises a means connected at one end thereof to an output terminal of said first means and connected at the other end thereof to an input terminal of said transmission control mechanism for electrically transmitting to said transmission control mechanism said signal from said first means corresponding to said torque on said engine of said moving vehicle.

21. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 19, wherein said apparatus further comprises a clutch connected on one side thereof to said engine'"'"'s drive shaft and on the opposed side thereof to the transmission.

22. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 21, wherein said transmission control further comprises a means connected at one end thereof to an output terminal of said transmission control and connected at the other end thereof to an input terminal of said clutch for transmitting a signal to disengage said clutch.

23. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus further comprises a means connected at one end thereof to an input terminal of said calculating means and connected at the other end thereof to one of said output terminal of said transmission control mechanism and said means for transmitting said signal to disengage said clutch for transmitting said signal to disengage said clutch to said calculating means for enabling said calculating means to determine when said engine is in a power-off condition.

24. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 16, wherein said second means for providing a signal corresponding to said acceleration of said moving vehicle is a sensor positioned to sense the rotational speed of at least one wheel.

25. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 24, wherein said at least one wheel is a driven wheel.

26. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further includes a means connected between said calculating means and a load-bearing brake control system for transmiting said signal corresponding to said weight of said vehicle to said load-bearing brake control system.

27. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises a means connected between said calculation means and a fuel calculation device for transmitting said signal corresponding to said weight of said vehicle to said fuel calculation device.

29. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 20, wherein said apparatus further comprises a means connected at one end thereof to an output terminal of said second means and connected at the other end thereof to an input terminal of said transmission control mechanism for electrically transmitting to said transmission control mechanism said signal from said second means corresponding to said acceleration of said moving vehicle.

30. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 16, wherein said calculating means further comprises a means positioned within said calculating means for formulating a mean value for said weight of said moving vehicle.

31. An apparatus to automatically determine the weight of a moving vehicle, according to claim 30, wherein said calculating means further comprises a means positioned within said calculating means for allowing generation of said signal having said value representative of said weight of said moving vehicle only when said value does not exceed a predetermined deviation from a predetermined value.