Idle engine operation based on vehicle cabin temperature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10163277-B2
Application number	US-201615280441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Oct 8, 2015
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A method for operating an engine based on cabin temperature includes determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank, determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank, receiving a predetermined cabin temperature value, calculating an engine idle time in response to the minimum amount of fuel and the predetermined cabin temperature value, and controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time and the predetermined cabin temperature value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank;
determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank;
receiving a target cabin temperature value;
calculating an engine idle time available during which an engine is operable at idle based on the minimum amount of fuel; and
controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time available and the cabin temperature value.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a quantity of reductant, receiving a value indicative of a minimum amount of reductant to remain, calculating the engine idle time available in response to the minimum amounts of fuel and reductant, and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the quantities of reductant and fuel.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a distance to a fueling station value, and calculating the engine idle time available and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the distance to the fueling station value.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising adjusting the minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank in response to the distance to the fueling station value.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an ambient conditions value, and calculating the engine idle time available and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the ambient conditions value.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising adjusting the minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank in response to the ambient conditions value.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an engaged status of a park brake, and calculating the engine idle time available is in response to the status of the park brake.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a transmission gear position, and calculating the engine idle time available is in response to the transmission gear position.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subtracting the minimum amount of fuel from the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, and calculating the engine idle time available is in response to a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting a time value of the engine idle time available at the predetermined cabin temperature value.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating a second engine idle time in response to refilling the fuel tank.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the engine when the amount of fuel in the fuel tank is less than an amount of fuel required to fill the fuel tank.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a state-of-charge target value of a battery;
determining an actual state-of-charge value of the battery; and
controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the state-of-charge target value and the actual state-of-charge value.

14. A method, comprising:
determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank;
determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank;
determining a quantity of reductant on a vehicle;
receiving a predetermined cabin temperature value;
calculating an engine idle time during which an engine is operable at idle based on at least one of: the minimum amount of fuel, the quantity of reductant, and the predetermined cabin temperature value; and
controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time and the predetermined cabin temperature value.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving a distance to a fueling station value, and calculating the engine idle time and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the distance to the fueling station value.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving an ambient conditions value, and calculating the engine idle time and controlling engine starting and stopping is in response to the ambient conditions value.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining an engaged status of a park brake, and calculating the engine idle time is in response to the status of the park brake.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining a transmission gear position, and calculating the engine idle time is in response to the transmission gear position.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising subtracting the minimum amount of fuel from the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, and calculating the engine idle time is in response to a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising operating an engine when the amount of fuel in the fuel tank is less than an amount of fuel required to fill the fuel tank.

21. An engine control assembly, comprising:
a fuel sensor configured to determine a fuel level;
a fluid sensor configured to determine a quantity of reductant on a vehicle;
a temperature sensor configured to determine a temperature in a cabin of a vehicle; and
a controller operably coupled to the fuel sensor, fluid sensor, and temperature sensor, the controller being configured to operate an engine during an engine idle time calculated based on the fuel level and the quantity of reductant to maintain the temperature in the cabin.

22. The engine control assembly of claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the engine idle time in response to the fuel level, the quantity of reductant, and the temperature in the cabin.

23. The engine control assembly of claim 21 , further comprising at least one position sensor operably coupled to the controller and configured to determine at least one of: a transmission gear position and a position of a park brake of the vehicle, and the controller being configured to operate the engine in response to the at least one of: the transmission gear position and the position of the park brake.

Assignees

• Cummins Inc

Inventors

• Light-Holets Jennifer K

Classifications

• F02N2200/061

  Battery state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• G07C5/08 Primary

  Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time · CPC title

• F02N11/0803

  characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop (F02N11/0814 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02N2200/08

  said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components · CPC title

• F02N2200/122

  Atmospheric temperature · CPC title