Vehicle fuel volume consumption estimation and accuracy analysis systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512994-B2
Application number	US-202017037901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2020
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

Vehicle fuel volume consumption estimation and accuracy analysis systems and methods are provided herein. An example method includes determining a fuel level percentage estimate or a fuel volume estimate for a vehicle at a first point in time and a second point in time for a trip, the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate being determined using a fuel tank model of a fuel tank of a vehicle, determining connected vehicle data that includes a determination of accumulated fuel consumed during the trip, and determining an accuracy of fuel tank model using the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate calculated at the first point in time and the second point in time, as well as the accumulated fuel consumed during the trip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining a fuel level percentage estimate or a fuel volume estimate for a vehicle at a first point in time and a second point in time for a trip, the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate being determined using a fuel tank model of a fuel tank of a vehicle;
determining connected vehicle data that comprises a determination of accumulated fuel consumed during the trip; and
determining an accuracy of a fuel tank model using the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate calculated at the first point in time and the second point in time, as well as the accumulated fuel consumed during the trip.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising applying a tolerance to the determination of the accuracy using a significance level.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first point in time is associated with a key-on event for the vehicle and the second point in time is associated with a key-off event for the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining an accuracy category for the accuracy of the fuel tank model selected from accurate, monitor, and investigate.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising plotting the accuracy on a graph of a dashboard along with accuracy determinations for a plurality of other vehicles.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a fuel level percentage estimate for the vehicle;
determining a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle;
determining a fuel tank part number using the VIN; and
converting the fuel level percentage estimate into the fuel volume estimate based on the fuel tank part number.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein converting the fuel level percentage estimate into the fuel volume estimate comprises utilizing a first mapping table that comprises VIN numbers in association with fuel tank part numbers.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising utilizing a second mapping table that comprises fuel tank part numbers in association with fuel tank models, wherein each of the fuel tank models comprise correlations of fuel level percentage values and fuel volume values.

9. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory for storing instructions, the processor executing the instructions to:
determining a fuel level percentage estimate or a fuel volume estimate for a vehicle at a first point in time and a second point in time for a trip, the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate being determined using a fuel tank model of a fuel tank of a vehicle;
receive connected vehicle data from the vehicle, the connected vehicle data comprises a determination of accumulated fuel consumed during the trip; and
determining an accuracy of a fuel tank model using the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate calculated at the first point in time and the second point in time, as well as the accumulated fuel consumed during the trip.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to apply a tolerance to the determination of the accuracy using a significance level.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first point in time is associated with a key-on event for the vehicle and the second point in time is associated with a key-off event for the vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an accuracy category for the accuracy of the fuel tank model selected from accurate, monitor, and investigate.

13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determining a fuel level percentage estimate for the vehicle;
determining a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle;
determining a fuel tank part number using the VIN; and
converting the fuel level percentage estimate into the fuel volume estimate based on the fuel tank part number.

14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the processor converts the fuel level percentage estimate into the fuel volume estimate comprises utilizing a first mapping table that comprises VIN numbers in association with fuel tank part numbers.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to utilize a second mapping table that comprises fuel tank part numbers in association with fuel tank models, wherein each of the fuel tank models comprise correlations of fuel level percentage values and fuel volume values.

16. A system, comprising:
a connected vehicle that transmits connected vehicle data that comprises a determination of accumulated fuel consumed during a trip of a vehicle;
a service provider that is configured to:
determine a fuel level percentage estimate or a fuel volume estimate for a vehicle at a first point in time and a second point in time for a trip, the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate being determined using a fuel tank model of a fuel tank of a vehicle; and
determining an accuracy of a fuel tank model using the fuel level percentage estimate or the fuel volume estimate calculated at the first point in time and the second point in time, as well as the accumulated fuel consumed during the trip.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the service provider applies a tolerance to the determination of the accuracy using a significance level.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the first point in time is associated with a key-on event for the vehicle and the second point in time is associated with a key-off event for the vehicle.

19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the service provider determines an accuracy category for the accuracy of the fuel tank model selected from accurate, monitor, and investigate.

20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the service provider identifies the accuracy category as being investigate, the service provider determines vehicle operating parameters during the trip for evaluation.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gordon Richard
• Bulat Ben
• Deshmukh Shantanu
• Park Hyongju
• Babila Arnold

Classifications

• B60K2015/03217

  Fuel level sensors · CPC title

• B60K15/03

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• B60K2015/03197

  Systems for exchanging data · CPC title

• G01F23/00 Primary

  Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm · CPC title

• B60K2015/03203

  during refuelling · CPC title