Network based sharing of automated fuel characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822713-B2
Application number	US-201615006272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2016
Priority date	Jan 26, 2016
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A system of one or more computers configured to perform operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of them installed on the system that causes the system to perform the actions. The programs can be configured to perform operations, when executed by computer, cause the computer to perform the actions. One general aspect includes a system, a program to initiate an evaporative control engine off natural vacuum test in a vehicle and identify a geolocation where a fuel was obtained for the vehicle. The system then determines an e100 value and an e0 value for a temperature of the fuel and determines a vehicle percentage of ethanol of the fuel using at least the e100 value, the e0 value, a timestamp, and a fuel tank pressure and adjusts at least one engine parameter based upon the percentage of ethanol of the first fuel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to:
actuate a valve to initiate an evaporative control (EVAP) engine off natural vacuum (EONV) test in a first vehicle;
identify a first geolocation where a first fuel was obtained for the first vehicle;
receive sensor data to determine an E100 value and an E0 value for a first temperature of the first fuel;
determine a first vehicle percentage of ethanol of the first fuel using at least the E100 value, the E0 value, a timestamp, and a fuel tank pressure; and
adjust in the computer at least one engine parameter based upon the percentage of ethanol of the first fuel.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further programmed to store at least the percentage of ethanol of the first fuel and the first geolocation in a database.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least an EVAP EONV result and a EVAP EONV data is stored in the database.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the database is located on a server computer accessed via a network outside of the first vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the computer is further programmed to request at least one of the E100 value and the E0 value from the server.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the computer is connected to a remote network via a first vehicle telematics unit.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the server computer is further programmed to receive at least a second vehicle percentage of ethanol and a second EVAP EONV test data from a second vehicle at the first geolocation;
determine an average percentage of ethanol for the first geolocation from the first vehicle percentage of ethanol and the second vehicle percentage of ethanol; and
store the average percentage of ethanol in the database.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the computer is further programmed to send a percentage of ethanol request to the server computer for the first geolocation and to adjust at least one engine parameter based upon a percentage of ethanol response.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the EVAP EONV test is at least a positive pressure test and a negative pressure test.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is included in a powertrain control module (PCM).

11. A method, comprising:
initiating an evaporative control (EVAP) engine off natural vacuum (EONV) test in a first vehicle;
identifying a first geolocation where a first fuel was obtained for the first vehicle;
determining an E100 value and an E0 value for a first temperature of the first fuel;
determining a first vehicle percentage of ethanol of the first fuel using at least the E100, the E0, a timestamp, and a fuel tank pressure; and
adjusting at least one engine parameter based upon the percentage of ethanol of the first fuel.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising storing at least the percentage of ethanol of the first fuel and the first geolocation in a database.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least an EVAP EONV result and a EVAP EONV data is stored in the database.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the database is located on a server computer accessed via a network outside of the first vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising requesting at least one of the E100 value and the E0 value from the server.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving at least a second vehicle percentage of ethanol and a second EVAP EONV test data from a second vehicle at the first geolocation;
determining an average percentage of ethanol for the first geolocation from the first vehicle percentage of ethanol and the second vehicle percentage of ethanol; and
storing the average percentage of ethanol in the database.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising sending a percentage of ethanol request to the server computer for the first geolocation and adjusting at least one engine parameter based upon a percentage of ethanol response.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising performing at least a positive pressure EVAP EONV test and a negative pressure EVAP EONV test.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising executing the EVAP EONV test in a computer included in a powertrain control module (PCM).

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the computer is connected to a remote network via a first vehicle telematics unit.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Tseng Fling
• Makki Imad Hassan
• Kumar Pankaj
• Dudar Aed M
• Jentz Robert Roy

Classifications

• F02D41/263

  the program execution being modifiable by physical parameters · CPC title

• F02D41/0032

  Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions · CPC title

• F02D2200/701

  Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal · CPC title

• F02D19/087 Primary

  with determination of densities, viscosities, composition, concentration or mixture ratios of fuels · CPC title

• G01N33/2852

  Alcohol in fuels · CPC title