System and method for reconfiguring an electronic control unit of a motor vehicle to optimize fuel economy
Assigneeinthinc Technology Solutions, Inc.
InventorScott McClellan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
System and method for modifying the operation of an engine comprising an engine control unit coupled to the engine, a command module coupled to the engine control unit, wherein the command module is operable to modify operating characteristics of the engine by reconfiguring the function of the engine control unit. The engine control unit further comprises software and/or firmware, and the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit by altering the software and/or firmware. The command module may modify the engine operation, for example, based upon environmental conditions, topographic conditions, and/or traffic conditions.
Claims27
A system for modifying the operation of an engine, comprising:
- an engine control unit coupled to the engine;
- a geolocation device;
- a command module coupled to the engine control unit;
- and
- one or more accelerometers coupled to the command module;
- wherein the command module is operable to modify operating characteristics of the engine using the engine control unit based upon a location of the vehicle determined using the geolocation device;
- wherein the command module reconfigures the function of the engine control unit based upon data from the one or more accelerometers.
A system for modifying the operation of an engine, comprising:
- an engine control unit coupled to the engine;
- a geolocation device;
- a command module coupled to the engine control unit;
- and
- wherein the command module is operable to modify operating characteristics of the engine using the engine control unit based upon a location of the vehicle determined using the geolocation device;
- wherein the function of the engine control unit is adapted to be reconfigured by a tuning chip that replaces an existing erasable programmable, read-only memory (EPROM) chip.
A method for controlling the operation of an engine, comprising:
- determining a location of a vehicle;
- receiving an engine operation command at a command module in a the vehicle, the engine operation command based on the determined location of the vehicle, and
- reconfiguring an engine control device of the vehicle in response to the engine operation command;
- wherein the engine control device is adapted to be reconfigured by a tuning chip that replaces an existing erasable programmable, read-only memory (EPROM) chip.
A method for controlling the operation of an engine, comprising:
- receiving, at a command module, vehicle operation data from a vehicle monitoring system in a vehicle, the vehicle monitoring system including two or more accelerometers;
- and
- reconfiguring an engine control device in response to the vehicle operation data, the vehicle operation data including data from one or more accelerometers.
A system for modifying the operation of an engine, comprising:
- an engine control unit coupled to the engine;
- a geolocation device;
- a command module coupled to the engine control unit;
- and
- wherein the command module is operable to modify operating characteristics of the engine using the engine control unit based upon a location of the vehicle determined using the geolocation device.
A method for controlling the operation of an engine, comprising:
- determining a location of a vehicle;
- receiving an engine operation command at a command module in a the vehicle, the engine operation command based on the determined location of the vehicle;
- and
- reconfiguring an engine control device of the vehicle in response to the engine operation command.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.