Method and system for determining the type of fuel used to power a vehicle
AssigneeSPX Corporation
InventorsCraig S. Rendahl, Theresa A. Foley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for determining the type of fuel used by a vehicle includes receiving hydrocarbon speciation and nitrogen-oxygen compound data from an emissions sensor. The hydrocarbon speciation data is compared to one or more hydrocarbon threshold levels, and each threshold level corresponds to an anticipated fuel type. The nitrogen-oxygen compound data is compared to one or more nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold levels, and each threshold level corresponds to an anticipated fuel type. Based on the comparison of the hydrocarbon speciation and nitrogen-oxygen compound data to threshold levels, an anticipated fuel type is determined.
Claims21
A method of determining the type of fuel used by a vehicle, comprising:
- receiving first data collected by an emissions sensor, wherein the first data corresponds to a plurality of measured hydrocarbon concentrations in a vehicle exhaust stream;
- receiving second data collected by the emissions sensor, wherein the second data corresponds to measured nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations in the vehicle exhaust stream;
- identifying at least one hydrocarbon threshold level corresponding to a first fuel type;
- comparing the first data to at least one of the hydrocarbon threshold levels;
- and
- determining whether the measured hydrocarbon concentrations correspond to at least one of the hydrocarbon threshold levels;
- identifying at least one nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold level corresponding to the first fuel type;
- comparing the second data to at least one of the nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold levels;
- and
- determining whether the measured nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations correspond to at least one of the nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold levels.
A method of determining the type of fuel used by a vehicle, comprising:
- receiving data collected by an emissions sensor, wherein the data corresponds to a plurality of measured hydrocarbon and nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations in a vehicle exhaust stream;
- calculating, for each of a plurality of possible fuel types, an associated probability, the associated probability corresponding to the plurality of measured hydrocarbon and nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations;
- selecting, from the associated probabilities calculated in the calculating step, a highest probability;
- and
- reporting the possible fuel type having the associated probability that is the highest probability.
A system for determining the type of fuel used by a vehicle, comprising of:
- an open path emissions sensor capable of measuring a plurality of measured hydrocarbon and nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations in a vehicle exhaust stream;
- a processor in communication with the emissions sensor;
- and
- a memory in communication with the processor;
- wherein the memory contains computer program instructions that are capable of instructing the processor to:
- retrieve, from a database, at least one hydrocarbon threshold level corresponding to a first fuel type;
- compare the measured hydrocarbon concentrations to at least one of the hydrocarbon threshold levels;
- and
- determine whether the measured hydrocarbon concentrations correspond to the at least one hydrocarbon threshold level;
- retrieve, from a database, at least one nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold level corresponding to the first fuel type;
- compare the measured nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations to at least one of the nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold levels;
- and
- determine whether the measured nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations correspond to at least one of the nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold levels.
A system for determining the type of fuel used by a vehicle, comprising:
- an emissions sensor capable of measuring a plurality of measured hydrocarbon and nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations in a vehicle exhaust stream;
- a processor in communication with the emissions sensor;
- and
- a carrier in communication with the processor;
- wherein the carrier contains computer program instructions that instruct the processor to:
- calculate, for each of a plurality of possible fuel types, a first set of associated probabilities, the first set of associated probabilities corresponding to the plurality of measured hydrocarbon concentrations and the plurality of measured nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations;
- and
- select, from the associated probabilities calculated by the processor, a highest probability.
A system for identifying the type of fuel used by a vehicle, comprising:
- a means for detecting a plurality of measured hydrocarbon and nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations in the emissions of a vehicle,
- a means for identifying at least one hydrocarbon threshold level corresponding to at least one fuel type;
- a means for comparing the measured hydrocarbon concentrations to at least one of the hydrocarbon threshold levels to determine whether the measured hydrocarbon concentrations correspond to a corresponding fuel type;
- a means for identifying at least one nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold level corresponding to at least one of the fuel types;
- and
- a means for comparing the measured nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations to at least one of the nitrogen-oxygen compound threshold levels to determine whether the measured nitrogen-oxygen compound concentrations correspond to a corresponding fuel type.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.