VEHICLE FUEL CONSUMPTION MONITOR AND FEEDBACK SYSTEMS

摘要

Excess fuel consumption monitor and feedback systems for vehicles include sensor arrays of two primary types including those sensors deployed as part of a vehicle manufacturer established sensor suite and sensors deployed as after-market sensors. Together, these sensor suites include sensors coupled to vehicle subsystems and operating environments associated with the vehicle. Data from these sensors may be used as parametric inputs to drive algorithmic calculations which have outputs that express excess fuel consumption. Expressions of excess fuel consumption may be made instantaneously as real-time feedback to a vehicle operator/driver and/or a fleet manager as part of a summary report.

主权项

1. A system configured to detect excess fuel consumption in a vehicle, the excess fuel consumption detection system comprising:
an engine computer system including one or more vehicle subsystem sensors configured to generate output signals conveying vehicle feedback information related to operation of mechanical systems of the vehicle; one or more external supporting sensors configured to generate output signals conveying vehicle environment information; and one or more processors configured to provide information processing capabilities in the excess fuel consumption detection system, the one or more processors configured to:
determine one or more vehicle parameters based on the vehicle feedback information and/or the vehicle environment information, the one or more vehicle parameters indicating one or more vehicle characteristics;detect a vehicle maneuver associated with excessive fuel consumption based on the vehicle feedback information and/or the vehicle environment information;determine a target fuel consumption amount for the vehicle maneuver by estimating an amount of fuel that would have been consumed by the vehicle at the time of the vehicle maneuver if the vehicle had been operated so as to prevent detection of the vehicle maneuver, the target fuel consumption amount being determined based on the vehicle feedback information, the vehicle environment information, and the determined vehicle parameters;determine a consumption difference between an actual fuel consumption amount and the target fuel consumption amount; andeffectuate presentation of the consumption difference to a user.