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US 8,380,421 B2Granted
Fuel conservation systems and methods
AssigneeFuel Saving Technologies, LLC
InventorsJeffrey N. Yu, James W. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are described for conserving fuel used by an engine. In some embodiments a control module processes a user-provided input, as a first function, into a second function. The second function can be used to direct the engine with a directive output power. The directive output power may have regions equal to, greater than, and/or less than what the power output would be if the engine were controlled using the user-provided input.
Claims42
A computer-implemented method, of conserving fuel used by an engine, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving by a computer system as an input a first function comprising a user-specified power output of an engine over a time duration;
- processing by the computer system the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function comprises cyclical oscillations between the plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output and the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output that are equal in frequency and amplitude;
- wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the engine performs substantially the same amount of work under the directive power output over the time duration as the engine would perform under the user-specified power output over the time duration;
- and
- outputting by the computer system, to an engine control module, the second function, such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.
7 more elements
A computer-implemented engine control system comprising:
- means for receiving by a computer system, as an input, a first function comprising a user-specified power output of an engine over a time duration;
- means for processing by the computer system the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function comprises cyclical oscillations between the plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output and the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output that are equal in frequency and amplitude;
- wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the engine performs substantially the same amount of work under the directive power output over the time duration as the engine would perform under the user-specified power output over the time duration;
- and
- means for outputting by the computer system, to an engine control module, the second function, such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.
7 more elements
A computer-implemented engine control system comprising:
- a processing module that couples to an engine, the processing module configured to:
- receive by a computer system a first function comprising a user-specified power output of the engine over a time duration;
- process by the computer system the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration, wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output and a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output, relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function comprises cyclical oscillations between the plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output and the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output that are equal in frequency and amplitude;
- wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the engine performs substantially the same amount of work under the directive power output over the time duration as the engine would perform under the user-specified power output over the time duration;
- and
- output by the computer system the second function to an engine control module, such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium;
- wherein, under the directive power output, the revolving speed of the engine during the time is within the zone of efficiency.
7 more elements
A computer-implemented method, of conserving fuel used by an engine, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving by a computer system as an input a first function comprising a user-specified power output of an engine over a time duration;
- processing by the computer system the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration;
- wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function comprises cyclical oscillations between the plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output and the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output that comprise a same waveform;
- wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration;
- and
- outputting by the computer system, to an engine control module, the second function, such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output over the time duration;
- wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.
6 more elements
A computer-implemented engine control system comprising:
- a processing module that couples to an engine, the processing module configured to:
- receive by a computer system a first function comprising a user-specified power output of the engine over a time duration;
- process by the computer system the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration, wherein the second function has a plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output and a plurality of regions of decreased engine power output, relative to the user-specified engine power output;
- wherein the second function comprises cyclical oscillations between the plurality of regions of equal or increased engine power output and the plurality of regions of decreased engine power output that comprise a same waveform;
- wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration;
- and
- output by the computer system the second function to an engine control module, such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output over the time duration;
- wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.