Speed optimality analysis for evaluating the optimality of a powertrain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801921-B2
Application number	US-201916572430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2019
Priority date	Jun 23, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving fuel economy in vehicles such as Class 8 trucks are provided. In some embodiments, signals indicating states of the powertrain are collected and used to generate fuel rate optimization values. Fuel rate optimization values may indicate a difference between optimum fuel flow rates and actual fuel flow rates during a vehicle drive cycle. Recorded fuel rate optimization values may be used to compare different vehicle configurations during testing, and may also be used to evaluate vehicle performance during real-world operation.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a powertrain;
an engine control unit (ECU);
one or more sensors configured to generate signals indicating one or more states of the powertrain and to transmit the signals to the ECU; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to provide a performance data store;
wherein the ECU is configured to:
receive the signals indicating one or more states of the powertrain from the one or more sensors;
calculate at least one fuel rate optimization value based on the received signals for a given time period; and
store the at least one fuel rate optimization value for the time period in the performance data store;
wherein calculating the at least one fuel rate optimization value includes, for the given time period;
determining a fuel usage rate and a detected engine power generated during the time period based on the received signals;
determining an optimal fuel rate for the detected engine power; and
determining a ratio between the optimal fuel rate and the fuel usage rate to obtain the at least one fuel rate optimization value.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein calculating at least one fuel rate optimization value includes calculating a fuel rate optimization value for each time period of a plurality of time periods.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the ECU is further configured determine an overall fuel rate optimization value based on a plurality of fuel rate optimization values stored in the performance data store.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the signals indicating one or more states of the powertrain include signals that indicate at least one of a vehicle speed, the detected engine power, an engine speed, and the fuel usage rate.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication interface for transmitting values from the performance data store to a vehicle analysis system.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the communication interface includes at least one of a wireless transceiver, a universal serial bus (USB) connector, an RJ-45 connector, an OBD-I connector, an OBD-II connector, an EOBD connector, or a JOBD connector.

7. An engine control system for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the engine control system to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving signals from one or more sensors indicating one or more states of a powertrain of the vehicle;
calculating at least one fuel rate optimization value based on the received signals for a given time period; and
storing the at least one fuel rate optimization value for the time period in a performance data store;
wherein calculating the at least one fuel rate optimization value includes, for the given time period;
determining a fuel usage rate and a detected engine power generated during the time period based on the received signals;
determining an optimal fuel rate for the detected engine power; and
determining a ratio between the optimal fuel rate and the fuel usage rate to obtain the at least one fuel rate optimization value.

8. The engine control system of claim 7 , wherein calculating at least one fuel rate optimization value includes calculating a fuel rate optimization value for each time period of a plurality of time periods.

9. The engine control system of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises determining an overall fuel rate optimization value based on a plurality of fuel rate optimization values stored in the performance data store.

10. The engine control system of claim 7 , wherein the signals indicating one or more states of the powertrain include signals that indicate at least one of a vehicle speed, the detected engine power, an engine speed, and the fuel usage rate.

11. The engine control system of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting values from the performance data store to a vehicle analysis system.

12. The engine control system of claim 11 , wherein the values from the performance data store are transmitted to the vehicle analysis system using at least one of a wireless transceiver, a universal serial bus (USB) connector, an RJ-45 connector, an OBD-I connector, an OBD-II connector, an EOBD connector, or a JOBD connector.

13. A method comprising:
receiving, at an engine control unit of a vehicle, signals from one or more sensors indicating one or more states of a powertrain of the vehicle, including at least, for a given time period, a detected engine power and a fuel usage rate;
calculating at least one fuel rate optimization value based on the received signals for the given time period, the calculating including at least:
determining an optimal fuel rate for the engine for the detected engine power; and
calculating a ratio of the optimal fuel rate and the fuel usage rate to determine the at least one fuel rate optimization value; and

storing the at least one fuel rate optimization value for the time period in a performance data store.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein calculating the at least one fuel rate optimization value includes, for the given time period:
retrieving the optimal fuel rate for the detected engine power from a fuel map data store.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein calculating at least one fuel rate optimization value includes calculating a fuel rate optimization value for each time period of a plurality of time periods.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining an overall fuel rate optimization value based on a plurality of fuel rate optimization values stored in the performance data store.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the signals indicating one or more states of the powertrain further include signals that indicate at least one of a vehicle speed and an engine speed.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising transmitting values from the performance data store to a vehicle analysis system.

Assignees

• Paccar Inc

Inventors

• Douglas Christopher Michael James
• Gerty Michael Douglas
• Malowicki Mark G

Classifications

• F02D2200/021

  Engine temperature · CPC title

• F02D11/105

  characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque · CPC title

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• B60W2510/0623

  Fuel flow rate · CPC title

• Y02T10/40

  Engine management systems · CPC title