Fuel level gauge control systems and methods

• US 8,869,610 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Liu, Eden
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shabman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US13/177,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20120285238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 732/90.R
• US Class Current: 73/290.R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03 Fuel tanks chassis frame comprising fluid storage compartment B62D21/16 ; Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank F02M37/0076
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03361 for checking the quality or quantity of fuel during filling of fuel tank
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/08 adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir electrical control of purge system F02D41/003

Abstract

A system includes a fuel level determination module, an adjusting module, and a gauge control module. The fuel level determination module outputs a measured fuel level based on a fuel level signal generated by a fuel level sensor. After an ignition system of the vehicle is turned on, the adjusting module adjusts a present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a first rate when a refueling event was detected while the ignition system was off and adjusts the present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a second rate when a refueling event was not detected while the ignition system was off. The first rate is faster than the second rate. The gauge control module controls a fuel level gauge to display the present fuel level.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle, comprising:

outputting a measured fuel level based on a fuel level signal generated by a fuel level sensor;

after an ignition system of the vehicle is turned on, adjusting a present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a first rate when a refueling event was detected while the ignition system was off and adjusting the present fuel level toward the measured fuel level based on a second rate when a refueling event was not detected while the ignition system was off,

wherein the first rate is faster than the second rate; and

controlling a fuel level gauge to display the present fuel level.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting the present fuel level using a filter based on the measured fuel level and a previous value of the present fuel level.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting the present fuel level using a first-order filter based on the measured fuel level and a previous value of the present fuel level.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting the present fuel level equal to a last value of the present fuel level plus a product of a coefficient and a difference between the measured fuel level and the last value,

wherein the coefficient corresponds to one of the first and second rates.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fuel level gauge is one of a digital display and an electro-mechanical gauge.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

outputting a measured fuel tank pressure based on a tank pressure signal generated by a fuel tank pressure sensor; and

selectively detecting the refueling event based on the measured fuel tank pressure.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising selectively detecting the refueling event based on a first value of the measured fuel tank pressure stored when the ignition system of the vehicle is turned off and a second value of the measured fuel tank pressure output during a predetermined period after the ignition system of the vehicle is turned off.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising selectively detecting the refueling event when the second value is greater than the first value.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising detecting the refueling event when the second value is greater than the first value by at least a predetermined amount,

wherein the predetermined amount is greater than zero.