Fuel saver speed control
AssigneeRobert Horton Transou, Jr.
InventorRobert Horton Transou, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention are used to provide a Fuel Saver Speed Control (FSSC) system that facilitates vehicle speed control while maximizing fuel economy. For instance, when the vehicle traverses an uphill section of the road, the Fuel Saver Speed Control reduces the vehicle's fuel consumption by controllably reducing engine power output within the boundaries of activated FSSC settings.
Claims20
A system for reducing vehicle fuel consumption in connection with vehicle speed control, the system comprising:
- an engine producing a power output necessary for a vehicle to achieve a speed control setting selected by a vehicle operator;
- and
- a speed controller receiving data indicative of the power output associated with the engine, the speed controller further receiving input of a speed variation threshold and a vehicle's current speed reading, the speed controller being selectively activatable by the vehicle operator to cause a reduction in engine power output;
- wherein the speed controller is arranged and configured to cause engine power output to reduce by:
- monitoring said data indicative of the power output associated with the engine,
- determining whether the power output necessary for a vehicle to maintain the speed control setting selected by the operator exceeds a maximum desired power output, and
- when the speed controller is active and the power output of the engine exceeds the maximum desired power, communicating a control directive that causes a reduction in the engine power output to a level that reduces the vehicle's current speed reading within the speed variation threshold.
A method for reducing vehicle fuel consumption in connection with vehicle speed control, the method comprising:
- communicating data indicative of a power output of an engine necessary for a vehicle to achieve a speed control setting selected by a vehicle operator to a speed controller;
- selectively activating the speed controller by a vehicle operator;
- receiving, with the speed controller, the data indicative of the power output of the engine, and monitoring said data with the speed controller to determine whether the power output necessary for a vehicle to maintain the speed control setting selected by the operator exceeds a maximum desired power output;
- receiving input of a speed variation threshold and a vehicle's current speed reading to the speed controller;
- and,
- when the power output of the engine that is necessary for the vehicle to maintain the speed control setting selected by the operator exceeds the maximum desired power output, and when the speed controller is active, issuing a control directive from the speed controller to reduce the engine power output to a level that reduces the vehicle's current speed reading within the speed variation threshold.
A system for reducing vehicle fuel consumption in connection with vehicle speed control, the system comprising:
- an engine controller for communicating data indicative of a power output of an engine necessary for a vehicle to achieve a speed control setting selected by a vehicle operator;
- and
- a speed controller coupled to the engine controller and receiving the data indicative of the power output, the speed controller further receiving input of a speed variation threshold and a vehicle's current speed reading, the speed controller being selectively activatable by the vehicle operator to cause a reduction in engine power output;
- wherein the speed controller is arranged and configured to cause engine power output to reduce by:
- monitoring said data indicative of the power output associated with the engine,
- determining whether the power output necessary for a vehicle to maintain the speed control setting selected by the operator exceeds a maximum desired power output, and
- when the speed controller is active and the power output of the engine exceeds the maximum desired power, issuing a control directive to the engine controller to reduce the engine power output to a level that reduces the vehicle's current speed reading within the speed variation threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.