Enhanced vehicle refueling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11505446-B2
Application number	US-201716639837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 24, 2017
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

Data are collected on a turbidity of a fuel tank at each of a plurality of fueling stations. A fueling station is selected based on the collected data. A vehicle is moved to the selected fueling station.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle programmed to:
collect, over a network, data indicating a most recent time an underground fuel storage tank was refilled at each of a plurality of fueling stations;
calculate a turbidity parameter that is inversely proportional to an elapsed time since the most recent time each underground fuel storage tank was refilled for the plurality of fueling stations;
select a fueling station among the plurality of fueling stations based on the calculated turbidity parameter; and
actuate a steering, propulsion, and brake to move the vehicle to the selected fueling station.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to select the fueling station based on a sum of a plurality of weighted factors including at least one weighted factor based on the turbidity parameter.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computer is further programmed to weight the factors based on user input.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computer is further programmed to weight the factors based on user operation of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of factors includes factors based on collected data on at least one of an occupancy level of the fueling stations and amenities available at the fueling stations.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to determine a time elapsed since replacement of a fuel filter of the vehicle and to select the fueling station based on the time elapsed.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to select the fueling station based on a distance between a predetermined route and each of the plurality of fueling stations.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to select the fueling station based on an estimated current fuel level of the underground fuel storage tank at each of the plurality of fueling stations.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to select the fueling station having the elapsed time since the most recent time the underground fuel storage tank was refilled greater than a time threshold.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to determine a refueling time of the vehicle based on collected data on at least one of a coolant temperature of the vehicle, an atmospheric ozone level, and air quality.

11. A method, comprising:
collecting, at a vehicle over a network, data indicating a most recent time an underground fuel storage tank was refilled at each of a plurality of fueling stations;
calculating a turbidity parameter that is inversely proportional to an elapsed time since the most recent time each underground fuel storage tank was refilled at the plurality of fueling stations;
selecting a fueling station among the plurality of fueling stations based on the calculated turbidity parameter; and
actuating a steering, propulsion, and braking with a vehicle computer to move the vehicle to the selected fueling station.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selecting the fueling station based on a sum of a plurality of weighted factors including at least one weighted factor based on the turbidity parameter.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising weighting the factors based on user input.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising weighting the factors based on user operation of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of factors includes factors based on collected data on at least one of an occupancy level of the fueling stations and amenities available at the fueling stations.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining a time elapsed since replacement of a fuel filter of the vehicle and selecting the fueling station based on the time elapsed.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selecting the fueling station based on a distance between a predetermined route and each of the plurality of fueling stations.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selecting the fueling station based on an estimated current fuel level of the underground fuel storage tank at each of the plurality of fueling stations.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selecting the fueling station having the elapsed time since the most recent time the underground fuel storage tank was refilled greater than a time threshold.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining a refueling time of the vehicle based on collected data on at least one of a coolant temperature of the vehicle, an atmospheric ozone level, and air quality.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Leone Thomas G
• Miller Kenneth James
• Dudar Aed M

Classifications

• B67D7/04

  for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants · CPC title

• G01C21/3469 Primary

  Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects · CPC title

• G06F7/00

  Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled (logic circuits H03K19/00) · CPC title

• B67D2007/0444

  Sensors · CPC title

• G08G1/096827

  where the route is computed onboard · CPC title