Internet-based method for determining a vehicle's fuel efficiency

A method for characterizing a vehicle's tire pressure comprising:

• generating parameter-related data from the vehicle that describes at least one of a plurality of vehicle parameters including:
• vehicle speed, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, manifold air pressure, odometer reading;
• transferring the parameter-related data to a wireless appliance comprising a wireless transmitter;
• transmitting the parameter-related data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a host computer system;
• analyzing the transmitted parameter-related data with the host computer system to calculate the vehicle's fuel efficiency, the analyzing comprising determining an amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle during an interval, determining a distance traveled by the vehicle during the interval, and calculating the vehicle's fuel efficiency by processing both the fuel consumed and the distance traveled during the interval;
• and
• processing the vehicle's fuel efficiency to estimate a tire pressure value.

A method for characterizing a vehicle's fuel-injection system comprising:

• generating parameter-related data from the vehicle that describes at least one of a plurality of vehicle parameters including:
• vehicle speed, fuel level, engine speed, load, mass air flow, manifold air pressure, odometer reading;
• transferring the parameter-related data to a wireless appliance comprising a wireless transmitter;
• transmitting the parameter-related data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a host computer system;
• analyzing the transmitted parameter-related data with the host computer system to calculate the vehicle's fuel efficiency, the analyzing comprising determining an amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle during an interval, determining a distance traveled by the vehicle during the interval, and calculating the vehicle's fuel efficiency by processing both the fuel consumed and the distance traveled during the interval;
• and
• processing the vehicle's fuel efficiency to characterize the vehicle's fuel-injection system.

A method for characterizing an amount of fuel consumed by a vehicle comprising:

• generating parameter-related data from the vehicle that describes at least one of a plurality of vehicle parameters including:
• engine speed, load, mass air flow;
• transferring the parameter-related data to a wireless appliance comprising:
• i) a microprocessor, and
• ii) a wireless transmitter in electrical contact with the microprocessor;
• integrating the parameter-related data over time with the microprocessor to generate integrated data;
• transmitting the integrated data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a host computer system;
• and
• analyzing the transmitted integrated data with the host computer system to determine the amount of fuel consumed by a vehicle.

A method for characterizing a vehicle's fuel efficiency comprising:

• generating data from the vehicle;
• transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising a wireless transmitter;
• transmitting a data packet comprising the data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a host computer system;
• and
• analyzing the transmitted data with the host computer system to determine the vehicle's fuel efficiency, the analyzing comprising determining an amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle during an interval, determining a distance traveled by the vehicle during the interval, and calculating the vehicle's fuel efficiency from the fuel consumed and the distance traveled during the interval.

A method for characterizing the amount of fuel consumed by a vehicle comprising:

• generating data from the vehicle;
• transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising:
• i) a microprocessor, and
• ii) a wireless transmitter in electrical contact with the microprocessor;
• integrating the data over time with the microprocessor to generate integrated data;
• transmitting the integrated data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a host computer system;
• and
• analyzing the transmitted integrated data with the host computer system to determine the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle.

A method for characterizing an amount of fuel consumed by a vehicle comprising:

• generating data from the vehicle that describes a vehicle's fuel level;
• transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising a wireless transmitter;
• transmitting the transferred data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a host computer system;
• and
• analyzing the transmitted data with the host computer system to determine the amount of fuel consumed by a vehicle.

A method for characterizing a vehicle's fuel efficiency comprising:

• generating data from the vehicle that describes a vehicle's fuel efficiency;
• transferring the data to a wireless appliance comprising a wireless transmitter;
• transmitting the transferred data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a host computer system;
• and
• analyzing the transmitted data with the host computer system to determine the vehicle's fuel efficiency.