Methods and systems for a motor vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJon O'Neill, Patrick Corbett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for emissions reduction in a vehicle. In one example, a method includes pre-emptively adjusting engine operating parameters in response to an anticipated emissions causal event. The emissions causal event lasting for less than a threshold period of time or less than a threshold distance.
Claims18
A method of operating a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
- determining a route of the motor vehicle;
- identifying an emissions causal event along the route, via sensing, by a previous vehicle, the emissions causal event based on an emissions value being greater than a baseline emissions value for less than a threshold period of time or for less than a threshold distance;
- the emissions causal event corresponding to a period of operation of the motor vehicle during which an emissions value of the motor vehicle is increased relative to a baseline emissions value of the motor vehicle;
- identifying a location of the emissions causal event;
- and
- pre-emptively adjusting one or more operating parameters of the motor vehicle in order to reduce the emissions value of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle travels through the identified location;
- wherein the emissions causal event corresponds to the period of operation of the motor vehicle during which the emissions value of the motor vehicle is increased for a length of time less than the threshold period of time;
- and
- wherein the emissions causal event corresponds to the period of operation of the motor vehicle during which the motor vehicle travels a distance less than the threshold distance over which the emissions value is higher than the baseline emissions value.
The method of 1, further comprising determining whether an emissions causal event is a temporary event temporarily affecting motor vehicles travelling through the location associated with the emissions causal event, wherein a temporary event includes a parade, a sporting event, a concert, a construction zone, a weather event, school operating hours, and traffic.
A system, comprising:
- a vehicle comprising an emissions sensor configured to sense an emissions value for each stroke of an engine, wherein the vehicle is a higher efficiency vehicle included in a vehicle fleet;
- and
- a controller with computer-readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory thereof that when executed enable the controller to:
- sense an emissions causal event based on the emissions value being greater than a baseline emissions value for less than a threshold period of time or for less than a threshold distance;
- and
- relay a location of the emissions causal event from the higher efficiency vehicle to lower efficiency vehicles of the vehicle fleet.
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicles communicatively coupled to one another, wherein at least one vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is the only vehicle comprising an emissions sensor;
- and
- a controller with computer-readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory thereof that when executed enable the controller to:
- sense an emissions causal event based on an emissions value sensed by the emissions sensor being greater than a baseline emissions value for less than a threshold period of time or for less than a threshold distance;
- and
- relay a location of the emissions causal event from the at least one vehicle to other vehicles of the plurality of vehicles;
- pre-emptively adjust engine operating parameters in the other vehicles of the plurality of vehicles upon approaching the location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.