Methods and systems for fuel system monitoring
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsStuart C. Salter, Annette Lynn Huebner, James J. Surman, Paul Kenneth Dellock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for detecting a fuel dispensing nozzle coupled to a fuel tank of a vehicle and providing a visual indication of the presence of the fuel dispensing nozzle to a vehicle operator. In one example, a method may include detecting the fuel dispensing nozzle within the fuel tank and illuminating a portion of a fuel tank access region. Further, vehicle operation may be adjusted based on the detection, and one or more alerts may be communicated to the vehicle operator.
Claims20
A method for a vehicle, comprising:
- in response to detecting, with a transmitter and a first receiver of a sensor, a fuel dispensing nozzle within a vehicle fuel tank, illuminating a first portion of a fuel tank access region disposed in the vehicle;
- and in response to detecting, with the transmitter and a second receiver of the sensor, a fuel tank access panel in an open position, illuminating a second portion of the fuel tank access region.
A method for a vehicle, comprising:
- detecting a fuel dispensing nozzle coupled to a fuel tank inlet of a vehicle fuel tank while detecting a position of a fuel tank access panel via a sensor sub-system, the sensor sub-system including a transmitter, a first receiver, and a second receiver;
- adjusting illumination of a first portion of a fuel tank access region while adjusting illumination of a second portion of the fuel tank access region based on the detections;
- and
- adjusting vehicle operation based on the detection of the fuel dispensing nozzle.
A vehicle system, comprising:
- a fuel tank including a fuel tank inlet for receiving a fuel dispensing nozzle;
- a fuel tank access region including a fuel tank access panel shielding the fuel tank inlet;
- a sensor sub-system including a transmitter, a first receiver, and a second receiver;
- a lighting sub-system including a light source, a first portion of the fuel tank access region including a photoluminescent portion, and a second portion of the fuel tank access region including a second photoluminescent portion;
- and
- a controller including instructions stored in non-transitory memory for:
- detecting the fuel dispensing nozzle coupled to the fuel tank via the fuel tank inlet based on indications from the first receiver while detecting an open position of the fuel tank access panel based on indications from the second receiver;
- illuminating the first portion in response to detecting the fuel dispensing nozzle;
- and
- illuminating the second portion in response to detecting the open position of the fuel tank access panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.