Communication device activated by fuel door
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsDavid W. Cun, Ryan Douglas Roy Harty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A communication device or auxiliary ECU is activated when a fuel door of a fuel cell vehicle is open. Upon closing the fuel door, the communication device/ECU is shut off. The communication device/auxiliary ECU is operational regardless of whether the keys in the vehicle or not. This assures that communication of information can occur when a refueling station is most likely to request the information, i.e. when the fuel door is open. A temperature measurement device may monitor a vehicle tank temperature, communicate the tank temperature data to a filling station, and confirm that the tank temperature data is associated with the tank being filled.
Claims20
A filling system for a fuel cell vehicle comprising:
- a receptacle on the vehicle configured to receive an associated fuel filler nozzle of an associated filling system;
- and
- a communication device operatively associated with the receptacle that is configured to at least transmit or receive information between the fuel cell vehicle and the associated filling system that remains active as long as access to the receptacle is available.
A filling system for a fuel cell vehicle comprising:
- a receptacle on the vehicle configured to receive an associated fuel filler nozzle of an associated filling system;
- a fuel door adjacent the receptacle allowing selective access to the receptacle;
- and
- a communication device operatively associated with the receptacle that is configured to at least transmit or receive information between the fuel cell vehicle and the associated filling system when the fuel door is in the open position.
A method of monitoring information during refueling of a fuel cell vehicle comprising:
- providing an access fuel door;
- activating an on-board auxiliary electronic control unit (ECU) when the fuel door is in an open position;
- and
- deactivating the ECU when the fuel door is in a closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.