Vehicle fuel level estimation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12286009-B2
Application number	US-202318380853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2021
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

Estimating fuel consumptions of a vehicle is disclosed. A first fuel consumption value in a first time interval is estimated using fuel-sender resistance data. A second fuel consumption value in a second time interval is estimated using fuel-injected mass data. At least the first fuel consumption value and the second fuel consumption value are combined to obtain a fuel consumption value. The fuel consumption value is then output.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for estimating fuel consumptions of a vehicle, comprising:
estimating a first fuel consumption value in a first time interval using fuel-sender resistance data;
estimating a second fuel consumption value in a second time interval using fuel-injected mass data;
combining at least the first fuel consumption value and the second fuel consumption value to obtain a fuel consumption value; and
outputting the fuel consumption value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time interval and the second time interval are consecutive, non-overlapping intervals of a same driving session.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calibrating the fuel-sender resistance data based on a benchmark obtained from a liter-by-liter fuel fill test.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining the fuel-injected mass data from a fuel injection system of the vehicle in real-time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the second fuel consumption value in the second time interval using the fuel-injected mass data comprises:
adjusting the second fuel consumption value based on torque data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the first fuel consumption value in the first time interval using the fuel-sender resistance data comprises:
in response to receiving an ignition start signal, determining whether to apply a cold-start calibration factor based on an engine temperature of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing driving behavior data to identify instances of sudden accelerations; and
adjusting, prior to the outputting, the fuel consumption value to account for an increased fuel usage associated with the sudden accelerations.

8. A vehicle, comprising:
a fuel tank;
a fuel sender; and
a processor configured to obtain an estimate of a fuel level at a time instant in the fuel tank by instructions to:
identify an unreliable instant fuel sender resistance value;
determine, using history data, a start time of an unreliable period associated with the unreliable instant fuel sender resistance value;
retrieve a reliable fuel sender resistance value from the history data corresponding to the start time of the unreliable period;
calculate a first fuel level from the reliable fuel sender resistance value using lookup data;
compute a second fuel consumed level from fuel-injected mass data during the unreliable period; and
combine the first fuel level with the second fuel consumed level to provide an estimated current fuel level in the fuel tank.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
use first derivatives of the fuel-injected mass data to determine the start time of the unreliable period.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
use second derivatives of the fuel-injected mass data to determine the start time of the unreliable period.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
adjust the estimated current fuel level based on torque data, wherein higher torque is correlated with increased fuel consumption.

12. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify driving events associated with higher fuel consumption; and
adjusting the estimated current fuel level to account for the higher fuel consumption.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the driving events correspond to sudden accelerations.

14. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
adjusting the estimated current fuel level based on an identification of a cold start accounting for increased fuel consumption experienced during an initial engine start in low-temperature conditions.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a cold-start condition based on an engine coolant temperature being less than a predetermined cold start temperature.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations for estimating fuel consumptions of a vehicle, the operations comprising:
estimating a first fuel consumption value in a first time interval using fuel-sender resistance data;
estimating a second fuel consumption value in a second time interval using fuel-injected mass data;
combining at least the first fuel consumption value and the second fuel consumption value to obtain a fuel consumption value; and
outputting the fuel consumption value.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising:
obtaining the fuel-injected mass data from a fuel injection system of the vehicle in real-time.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein estimating the second fuel consumption value in the second time interval using fuel-injected mass data comprises:
adjusting the second fuel consumption value based on torque data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein estimating the first fuel consumption value in a first time interval using the fuel-sender resistance data comprises:
in response to receiving an ignition start signal, determining whether to apply a cold-start calibration factor based on an engine temperature of the vehicle.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
analyzing driving behavior data to identify instances of sudden accelerations; and
adjusting, prior to the outputting, the fuel consumption value to account for an increased fuel usage associated with the sudden accelerations.

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Krishnamurthy Vikram
• O'Donnell Timothy
• Rosinski Lawrence

Classifications

• G01F23/363 Primary

  using electromechanically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• B60K2015/03217

  Fuel level sensors · CPC title

• B60K2015/0319

  with electronic systems, e.g. for controlling fuelling or venting · CPC title

• G01F25/20

  of apparatus for measuring liquid level · CPC title

• B60K2015/03197

  Systems for exchanging data · CPC title