# US 8,788,173 B2 · Fuel saver speed control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,173 B2 - Document ID: US8788173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/484,802 - Filed: 2009-06-15 - Published: 2010-01-07 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-07-07 - Assignees: Robert Horton Transou, Jr. - Applicants: Robert Horton Transou, Jr. - Inventors: Robert Horton Transou, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788173B2 ## CPC - F02D 41/021: {Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18)} - B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)} - B60W 2510/0671: Engine manifold pressure - B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque - B60W 2720/10: Longitudinal speed - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - Y02T 10/84: Data processing systems or methods, management, administration - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the speed controller communicates the control directive when an increase in the engine power output is necessary to maintain the speed control setting selected by the vehicle operator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising an engine controller coupled to the engine for communicating the data indicative of the engine power output to the speed controller and receiving the control directive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the speed variation threshold comprises a speed threshold by which the speed control setting selected by the vehicle operator is reduced. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the data indicative of the power output associated with the engine comprises one or more of an engine throttle angle, a fuel flow measurement, an air mass flow measurement, and a diesel fuel rack setting. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the data indicative of the power output associated with the engine comprises a manifold vacuum pressure and the control directive varies the manifold vacuum pressure to reduce the engine power output. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the engine is an electric engine and the data indicative of the power output associated with the engine comprises an engine current draw. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the engine is selected from the group consisting of: an internal combustion engine, a hybrid engine, and an electric engine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a grade sensor coupled to the speed controller for decreasing the engine power output in accordance with one or more predetermined roadway grade levels. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the speed controller communicates the control directive when the vehicle is traversing an uphill section of a roadway. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising issuing the control directive when an increase in the engine power output is necessary to maintain the speed control setting selected by the vehicle operator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the speed variation threshold comprises a speed threshold by which the speed control setting selected by the vehicle operator is reduced. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the data indicative of the power output of the engine comprises one or more of an engine throttle angle, a fuel flow measurement, an air mass flow measurement, and a diesel fuel rack setting. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the data indicative of the power output of the engine comprises a manifold vacuum pressure, the method further comprising varying the manifold vacuum pressure to reduce the engine power output. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the engine is an electric engine and the data indicative of the power output associated with the engine comprises an engine current draw. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the engine is selected from the group consisting of: an internal combustion engine, a hybrid engine, and an electric engine. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising decreasing the engine power output in accordance with one or more predetermined roadway grade levels. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising issuing the control directive when the vehicle is traversing an uphill section of a roadway. ### Claim 20 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.