Active fuel control system for aggressive drivers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796266-B2
Application number	US-201615043824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2016
Priority date	Feb 15, 2016
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle includes a fuel pump configured to deliver fuel to an internal combustion engine. The vehicle also includes an accelerometer configured to detect acceleration of a vehicle component. A plurality of sensors are provided about the vehicle for detecting conditions that would indicate aggressive driving. At least one controller is provided and is in communication with the fuel pump, the accelerometer, and the sensors. The at least one controller is programmed to adjust a fuel pump shutoff threshold to an adjusted shutoff threshold in response to one or more conditions indicating aggressive driving. The at least one controller then shuts off the fuel pump in response to the acceleration exceeding the adjusted shutoff threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a fuel pump configured to deliver fuel to an engine;
an accelerometer for detecting acceleration of a vehicle component; and
at least one controller programmed to
adjust a fuel pump shutoff threshold to an adjusted shutoff threshold in response to one or more conditions indicating aggressive driving, and
shut off the fuel pump in response to the acceleration exceeding the adjusted shutoff threshold.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the conditions indicating aggressive driving are derived from a plurality of sensors configured to detect physical conditions of a driver.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a steering wheel sensor configured to detect grip strength on a steering wheel such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on grip strength.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a seat weight sensor configured to detect shifting weight by the driver such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on shifting weight of the driver.

5. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a camera configured to detect body or facial movements such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on body or facial movements.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the conditions indicating aggressive driving are derived from a plurality of sensors configured to detect operating conditions of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes driver demand sensors configured to detect at least one of acceleration demands, brake demands, and steering demands, such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on driver demands.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a powertrain component, such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on the temperature of the powertrain component.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the conditions indicating aggressive driving are derived from one or more sensors configured to detect external road conditions.

10. A vehicle comprising:
a fuel pump configured to deliver fuel to an engine;
an accelerometer for detecting acceleration of a vehicle component;
one or more sensors configured to detect aggressive driving; and
at least one controller programmed to
adjust a fuel pump shutoff threshold to an adjusted shutoff threshold in response to detected aggressive driving, and
inhibit shutoff of the fuel pump in response to the acceleration being between the thresholds.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the detected aggressive driving is derived from a plurality of sensors configured to detect physical conditions of a driver.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a camera configured to track eyesight of a driver such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on eyesight tracking.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a seat weight sensor configured to detect shifting weight by the driver such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on shifting weight of the driver.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a camera configured to detect body or facial movements such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on body or facial movements.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the detected aggressive driving is derived from a plurality of sensors configured to detect operating conditions of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes driver demand sensors configured to detect at least one of acceleration demands, brake demands, and steering demands, such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on driver demands.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes an engine speed sensor configured to detect an operating speed of an engine, such that the at least one controller is programmed to adjust the fuel pump shutoff threshold to the adjusted shutoff threshold based on the operating speed of the engine.

18. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the detected aggressive driving is derived from one or more sensors configured to detect external road conditions.

19. A method for influencing operation of a fuel pump in a vehicle, comprising:
via one or more controllers, receiving signals from one or more accelerometers indicating acceleration of a vehicle component;
defining a threshold in which fuel is inhibited from being delivered to an engine in response to the acceleration exceeding the threshold;
via the one or more controllers, receiving signals from one or more sensors indicating aggressive driving;
adjusting the threshold to an adjusted threshold in response to the aggressive driving; and
via the one or more controllers, controlling the fuel pump based on a comparison between the acceleration and the adjusted threshold.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the adjusting includes increasing the threshold.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jensen John W
• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Bauch David James
• Churchwell Howard

Classifications

• F02D41/021 Primary

  Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18) · CPC title

• B60K28/02 Primary

  responsive to conditions relating to the driver · CPC title

• B60Y2302/07

  Disabling particular vehicle functions, e.g. to affect the driving style · CPC title

• B60Y2300/26

  Dangerous conditions · CPC title

• B60K28/14 Primary

  responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle · CPC title