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US 12,188,387 B2Granted
Oil quality monitoring
AssigneeToyota Motor North America, Inc.
InventorWilliam Daryl Cammack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To monitor oil quality of an automotive vehicle, a sensor generates a signal indicative of a characteristic of the oil. A processor is configured to determine the oil quality from the signal. A communication component transmits an indication of whether the determined oil quality meets an unacceptability criterion to an external device.
Claims18
An apparatus to monitor oil quality of an automotive vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a sensor that generates a signal indicative of a characteristic of oil;
- a processor configured to determine the oil quality from the signal;
- and
- a communication component to transmit over a communications network to a server external to the vehicle an indication of whether the determined oil quality meets an unacceptability criterion,
- wherein, when the determined oil quality meets the unacceptability criterion, the server is configured to:
- determine a model of oil degradation of the oil of the vehicle over time and over a number of miles traveled by the vehicle;
- compare the model of oil degradation of the vehicle to models of oil degradation of other vehicles that are of a same model as the vehicle and that have had their respective oil quality meet the unacceptability criterion, wherein the models of oil degradation of the other vehicles are based on time and number of miles traveled respectively by the other vehicles;
- determine based on the comparison whether the oil degradation of the vehicle occurs over a shorter distance or in less time than that of the other vehicles of the same model that have had their respective oil quality meet the unacceptability criterion;
- and
- when it is determined that the oil degradation of the vehicle occurs over a shorter distance or in less time than that of the other vehicles, instruct a controller of the vehicle to limit operation of the vehicle by preventing engine operation of the vehicle, and generate an analysis result including the determination of the oil degradation of the vehicle.
7 more elements
An automotive vehicle comprising:
- a sensor that generates a signal indicative of a characteristic of oil;
- a processor configured to determine the oil quality from the signal;
- and
- a communication component to transmit over a communications network to a server external to the vehicle, an indication of whether the determined oil quality meets an unacceptability criterion,
- wherein, when the determined oil quality meets the unacceptability criterion, the server is configured to:
- determine a model of oil degradation of the oil of the vehicle over time and over a number of miles traveled by the vehicle;
- compare the model of oil degradation of the vehicle to models of oil degradation of other vehicles that are of a same model as the vehicle and that have had their respective oil quality meet the unacceptability criterion, wherein the models of oil degradation of the other vehicles are based on time and number of miles traveled respectively by the other vehicles;
- determine based on the comparison whether the oil degradation of the vehicle occurs over a shorter distance or in less time than that of the other vehicles of the same model that have had their respective oil quality meet the unacceptability criterion;
- and
- when it is determined that the oil degradation of the vehicle occurs over a shorter distance or in less time than that of the other vehicles, instruct a controller of the vehicle to limit operation of the vehicle by preventing engine operation of the vehicle, and generate an analysis result including the determination of the oil degradation of the vehicle.
7 more elements
A method of monitoring oil quality in an automotive vehicle, the method comprising:
- determining the oil quality from characteristic data generated by a sensor;
- determining whether the oil quality meets an unacceptability criterion;
- and
- transmitting over a communications network to a server external to the vehicle an indication that the oil quality meets the unacceptability criterion responsive to the oil quality meeting the unacceptability criterion,
- wherein, when the determined oil quality meets the unacceptability criterion, the server is configured to:
- determine a model of oil degradation of the oil of the vehicle over time and over a number of miles traveled by the vehicle;
- compare the model of oil degradation of the vehicle to models of oil degradation of other vehicles that are of a same model as the vehicle and that have had their respective oil quality meet the unacceptability criterion, wherein the models of oil degradation of the other vehicles are based on time and number of miles traveled respectively by the other vehicles;
- determine based on the comparison whether the oil degradation of the vehicle occurs over a shorter distance or in less time than that of the other vehicles of the same model that have had their respective oil quality meet the unacceptability criterion;
- and
- when it is determined that the oil degradation of the vehicle occurs over a shorter distance or in less time than that of the other vehicles, instruct a controller of the vehicle to limit operation of the vehicle by preventing engine operation of the vehicle, and generate an analysis result including the determination of the oil degradation of the vehicle.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.