Method for timing a regeneration process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11274589-B2
Application number	US-201314893108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2013
Priority date	May 27, 2013
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A method for timing of a regeneration process of an exhaust gas system of a vehicle engine includes collecting, during operation of the vehicle, data on an exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time, establishing, from the collected data, a statistical probability function for the exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time, and identifying, from the probability function, one or several time periods that statistically are suitable and/or unsuitable for carrying out a regeneration process. A method for regeneration of an exhaust gas system of a vehicle engine is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for timing of a regeneration process of an exhaust gas system of a vehicle engine, comprising:
collecting in a computer, during operation of the vehicle, data on an exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time for a plurality of work days, wherein the exhaust gas regeneration capability is determined from at least one of the following: exhaust gas temperature, exhaust gas mass flow, engine power, engine load, and engine torque,
establishing, via the computer, from the collected data, a statistical probability function for the exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time over a working day of the vehicle by adding data from the plurality of work days to each other, wherein the statistical probability function comprises at least one of
an average or a most probable exhaust gas regeneration capability for each one of a group of time bins with a width that covers several data points from the same day, and
a statistical probability function where the probability for a successful regeneration is given as a function of time,
identifying, via the computer, from the probability function, one or several time periods that statistically are suitable and/or unsuitable for carrying out a regeneration process, wherein a time period that is statically suitable is one during which a sufficiently high exhaust gas regeneration capability is maintained for a sufficient time that it is probable that a regeneration will be completed, and
initiating the regeneration process during a time period identified as being statistically suitable for carrying out the regeneration process.

2. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying, via the computer, one or several time periods that statistically are suitable and/or unsuitable for initializing the regeneration process.

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the statistical probability function is related to a cyclic 24-hours time period such that the identified time period(s) correspond(s) to time period(s) between certain recurrent points of time.

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the step of classifying an operational working condition of the vehicle, wherein the steps of collecting exhaust gas regeneration capability data, establishing the statistical probability function and identifying the time period(s) are not related only to the particular vehicle but also to a selected classification of the operational working condition.

5. Method according to claim 4 , wherein the classification of the operational working condition comprises a selection of at least one particular weekday.

6. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the step of identifying a driver of the vehicle, wherein the steps of collecting exhaust gas regeneration capability data, establishing the statistical probability function and identifying the time period(s) suitable for regeneration are not related only to the particular vehicle but also to a particular driver of the vehicle.

7. Method for regeneration of an exhaust gas system of a vehicle engine, comprising:
providing a time period that statistically is suitable for initializing a regeneration process, the time period being obtained by
collecting, in a computer, during operation of a first vehicle, data on an exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time for a plurality of work days,
establishing, via the computer, from the collected data, a statistical probability function for the exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time over a working day of the vehicle by adding data from the plurality of work days to each other, and
identifying, via the computer, from the probability function the time period that statistically is suitable for initializing the regeneration process; and
initiating a regeneration process during the time period of an exhaust gas system of a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a different vehicle than the first vehicle.

8. Method for timing of a regeneration process of an exhaust gas system of a vehicle engine, comprising:
determining an exhaust gas regeneration capability of the vehicle engine as a function of time over a working day of the vehicle by adding data from a plurality of work days to each other from at least one of the following: exhaust gas temperature, exhaust gas mass flow, engine power, engine load, and engine torque,
determining, via a computer, how much time remains before a driver of the vehicle must take a statutory break according to relevant law,
preventing start of the regeneration process if the remaining time is considered not to be sufficient for completing the regeneration process given the determined exhaust gas regeneration capability,
determining that the remaining time is considered to be sufficient for completing the regeneration process given the determined exhaust gas regeneration capability, and
initiating the regeneration process in response to determining that the remaining time is considered to be sufficient for completing the regeneration process given the determined exhaust gas regeneration capability,
wherein the remaining time is determined to be sufficient for completing the regeneration process when, given the determined exhaust gas regeneration capability, it is probably that a regeneration will be completed.

9. Method according to claim 8 , comprising determining for how long the vehicle has been in current operation.

10. A computer comprising a program for performing all the steps of a method comprising collecting, in the computer, during operation of a vehicle, data on an exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time for a plurality of work days, wherein the exhaust gas regeneration capability is determined from at least one of the following: exhaust gas temperature, exhaust gas mass flow, engine power, engine load, and engine torque, establishing, via the computer, from the collected data, a statistical probability function for the exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time over a working day of the vehicle by adding data from the plurality of work days to each other, wherein the statistical probability function comprises at least one of an average or a most probable exhaust gas regeneration capability for each one of a group of time bins with a width that covers several data points from the same day, and a statistical probability function where the probability for a successful regeneration is given as a function of time, identifying, via the computer, from the probability function, one or several time periods that statistically are suitable and/or unsuitable for carrying out a regeneration process, wherein a time period that is statistically suitable is one during which a sufficiently high exhaust gas regeneration capability is maintained for a sufficient time that it is probably that a regeneration will be completed, and initiating the regeneration process during a time period identified as being statistically suitable for carrying out the regeneration process when the program is run on the computer.

11. A computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for performing all steps of a method comprising collecting, in a computer, during operation of a vehicle, data on an exhaust gas regeneration capability as a function of time for a plurality of work days, wherein the exhaust gas regeneration capability is determined from at least one of the following: exhaust gas temperature, exhaust gas mass flow, engine power, engine load, and engine torque, establishing, via the computer, from the collected data, a statistical probability function for the exha

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Hamsten Andreas
• Dahl Johan

Classifications

• F01N2900/12

  said parameters being related to the vehicle exterior · CPC title

• F01N11/00

  Monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus · CPC title

• F01N2900/0402

  using adaptive learning · CPC title

• Y02T10/40

  Engine management systems · CPC title

• F01N2900/08

  said parameters being related to the engine · CPC title