System for indicating the level of fuel contained in the tank of a motor vehicle
AssigneeFiat Auto S.p.A.
InventorsMaurizio Ansaldi, Massimo Carignano, Alessandro Tuninetti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The system comprises a control unit which, when the engine is stopped, memorises the level indicated by a display device upon stopping and then the level indicated by a sensor a predetermined time after stopping. The unit then memorises the level indicated by the sensor a predetermined time after the subsequent restarting of the engine. The unit controls the display device in a predetermined manner depending on the relative values of the memorised levels.
Claims6
A system for indicating the level of fuel contained in the tank of a motor vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine and a manually operable electric switch for ignition and starting of the engine, comprising
- an electric sensor operable to provide an electric signal indicative of the instantaneous level of fuel in the tank,
- a display device;
- electronic control means coupled to the fuel level sensor, to the said switch and to the display device;
- the said electronic control means being arranged to:
- memorise the level indicated by the display device upon stopping the engine, the instantaneous level indicated by the sensor a predetermined time after stopping the engine, and the instantaneous level indicated by the sensor a predetermined time after subsequent restarting of the engine;
- and
- to control the display device in such a way that after starting the engine the said display device indicates
- the level indicated thereby when the motor was last stopped, if the said instantaneous levels, indicated by the sensor are substantially equal to one another;
- the instantaneous level indicated by the sensor after the said predetermined time from restarting of the engine, if the said instantaneous levels are substantially different from one another and the level indicated by the display device upon last stopping the engine is substantially equal to the instantaneous level indicated by the sensor some time after the engine has been stopped;
- and
- a level corresponding to that indicated by the display device when the engine was last stopped, increased by the difference between the said instantaneous values indicated by the sensor after starting the engine and, respectively, after the engine was last stopped, if the said instantaneous levels are substantially different from one another and the value indicated by the display device upon last stopping the engine is substantially different from the said instantaneous value indicated by the sensor after the engine has been go switched off.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.