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US 9,316,132 B2Granted
System and method for monitoring engine oil levels
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorMike M. Mc Donald
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes a user interface module, a level determination module, and a level storage module. The user interface module outputs an oil level request based on user input. The level determination module determines N oil levels of an engine. N is an integer greater than one. The level storage module stores the N oil levels and outputs one of the N oil levels in response to the oil level request.
Claims22
A system comprising:
- a user interface module that outputs an oil level request independent of an ignition switch of an engine;
- a level determination module that:
- determines whether an oil monitoring condition is satisfied in response to the oil level request, wherein the oil monitoring condition relates to at least one of an oil temperature of the engine and a vehicle tilt with respect to gravity;
- and
- measures an oil level of the engine using an oil level sensor when the ignition switch of the engine is switched off and the oil temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, wherein the oil level sensor does not function properly when the oil temperature is less than the predetermined temperature;
- and
- a level storage module that stores the engine oil level in non-volatile memory and that outputs the engine oil level in response to the oil level request.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- outputting an oil level request independent of an ignition switch of an engine;
- determining whether an oil monitoring condition is satisfied in response to the oil level request, wherein the oil monitoring condition relates to at least one of an oil temperature of the engine and a vehicle tilt with respect to gravity;
- measuring an oil level of the engine using an oil level sensor when the ignition switch of the engine is switched off and the oil temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, wherein the oil level sensor does not function properly when the oil temperature is less than the predetermined temperature;
- storing the engine oil level in non-volatile memory;
- and
- outputting the engine oil level in response to the oil level request.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.