Method for triggering a vehicle system monitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9824505-B2
Application number	US-201414189778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2014
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for improving the frequency of attempting and successfully completing one or more on-board diagnostic routines. Engine operating conditions are predicted based on a vehicle operator's driving pattern and routines are initiated if the predicted conditions match the conditions required for performing the routine. If the conditions do not match, entry and/or execution conditions of the routine are adjusted to better match the predicted conditions, so as to enable the routine to be attempted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for a vehicle, comprising:
during vehicle operation, selectively initiating an on-board diagnostic routine based on predicted engine operating conditions relative to entry conditions of the onboard diagnostic routine, the entry conditions including a vehicle speed threshold, the prediction based on a learned driving pattern of a vehicle operator, the selectively initiating including:
when the predicted engine operating conditions match the entry conditions, initiating the on-board diagnostic routine responsive to vehicle speed higher than the vehicle speed threshold;
when the predicted engine operating conditions do not match the entry conditions, lowering the vehicle speed threshold, and initiating the on-board diagnostic routine responsive to vehicle speed higher than the lowered vehicle speed threshold; and
wherein the selectively initiating further includes temporarily adjusting the one or more of the entry conditions and execution conditions to enable initiation of the on-board diagnostic routine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein during vehicle operation includes during vehicle travel, and wherein the selectively initiating is further based on the predicted engine operating conditions relative to execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selectively initiating further includes,
if the predicted engine operating conditions match each of the entry conditions and execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine, initiating the on-board diagnostic routine; and
if the predicted engine operating conditions match one of the entry conditions and execution conditions, delaying initiation of the on-board diagnostic routine.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporarily adjusting is responsive to a change in ambient environment or a change in operator driving pattern.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporarily adjusting includes temporarily lowering a threshold of one or more parameters associated with one or more of the entry conditions and execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine while maintaining a threshold of remaining parameters associated with the one or more of the entry conditions and execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the learned driving pattern of the vehicle operator includes on one or more of frequent trip time patterns, habitual probability patterns, route based statistical profiles, and environmental attribute profiles.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selectively initiating further includes,
if the predicted engine operating conditions match one or none of the entry conditions and execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine,
estimating a difference between the predicted engine operating conditions and a desired engine operating condition;
if the estimated difference is less than a threshold difference, initiating the on-board diagnostic routine; and
if the estimated difference is more than the threshold difference, lowering a threshold of at least one parameter associated with one or more of the entry conditions and execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine before initiating the on-board diagnostic routine.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the on-board diagnostic routine is a routine with a higher abortion risk.

9. A method for a vehicle, comprising:
during vehicle travel,
initiating an on-board diagnostic routine if entry conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine are met; and
if the entry conditions are not met and predicted engine operating conditions match the entry conditions, enabling initiation of the on-board diagnostic routine by temporarily adjusting the entry conditions for the on-board diagnostic routine based on the predicted engine operating conditions, the predicted engine operating conditions based on a learned driving pattern of a vehicle operator; and
if the entry conditions are not met and predicted engine operating conditions do not match the entry conditions, not initiating the on-board diagnostic routine.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the temporarily adjusting the entry conditions includes the temporarily adjusting only during a first set of predicted engine operating conditions, and not adjusting during a second, different set of predicted engine operating conditions, the method further comprising adjusting execution conditions for the on-board diagnostic routine based on the predicted engine operating conditions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein adjusting the execution conditions based on the predicted engine operating conditions includes adjusting the execution conditions based on the predicted engine operating conditions not matching the execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the temporarily adjusting the entry conditions includes temporarily lowering a threshold for one or more parameters associated with the unmatched entry conditions or the unmatched execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine, the one or more parameters including a vehicle speed and an engine speed.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the threshold for the one or more parameters is lowered until the predicted engine operating conditions meet the unmatched entry conditions or the unmatched execution conditions.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the threshold is a first threshold, and wherein the temporarily adjusting entry conditions includes:
determining individual membership values for each of the one or more parameters associated with the on-board diagnostic routine based on the predicted engine operating conditions;
determining an aggregate membership value for the on-board diagnostic routine based on a combination of each of the determined individual membership values;
comparing the aggregate membership value to a second threshold based on the entry conditions and/or the execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine; and
if the aggregate membership value is lower than the second threshold, lowering the first threshold for at least one parameter of the one or more parameters of the on-board diagnostic routine, the at least one parameter selected based on the individual membership value of the at least one parameter, the lowering of the first threshold also based on the individual membership value of the at least one parameter.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, if the aggregate membership value is higher than the second threshold, intrusively initiating the on-board diagnostic routine without adjusting the first threshold for the at least one parameter even if the predicted engine operating conditions do not match the entry conditions or the execution conditions of the on-board diagnostic routine.

16. A method for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:
during vehicle operation, in response to current engine operating conditions matching entry conditions for a diagnostic routine but predicted future engine operating conditions not matching execution conditions for the diagnostic routine, temporarily relaxing the execution conditions for the diagnostic routine based on a time of day, a day of week, and an operator route preference, to enable completion of the diagnostic routine during vehicle operation; and
wherein selectively initiating further includes temporarily adjusting the one or more of the entry conditions and execution conditions to enable initiation of the on-board diagnostic routine.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tempor

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Tseng Fling
• Makki Imad Hassan
• Jentz Robert Roy
• Dudar Aed M
• Filev Dimitar Petrov
• Michelini John Ottavio

Classifications

• B60W2510/0671

  Engine manifold pressure · CPC title

• B60W2510/0676

  Engine temperature · CPC title

• G07C5/0808 Primary

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• B60W2510/06

  Combustion engines, Gas turbines · CPC title

• B60W2710/30

  Auxiliary equipments · CPC title