593results about "Other vehicle parameters" patented technology

In a motor vehicle, a fuel consumption measurement system comprising: measuring device for the vehicle's fuel consumption as first data; measuring device for second data for variables which may affect the fuel consumption, the second data including at least locations traveled by the vehicle, and wherein vehicle's location is measured in real time using a global positioning system or using info provided by a cellular wireless supplier; c. storage for storing samples of the first data with the second data; d. computing device for analyzing in real time the stored first and second data for reaching conclusions relating to ways for reducing the fuel consumption, wherein the conclusions include at least the cost of fuel used; e. display for presenting the conclusions in real time to a vehicle's driver.

A method is provided for estimating the range of a motor vehicle based on a quantity of energy carried in the motor vehicle. The method enables a driver to limit a maximum permissible velocity and/or a maximum permissible acceleration and/or a maximum performance level for a comfort system. The method also detects the route profiles surrounding the motor vehicle, in particular an altitude profile and/or a road category. A computer device calculates and displays a still possible range at least on the basis of the limitation which has been carried out, the detected route profiles and the still available quantity of energy.

The invention relates to a method for diagnosing the driving capability of a driver of a motor vehicle (5), in which changes in driver condition are ascertained from physiological measured values derived from the driver while driving in the vehicle and evaluated, and if the changes are serious, a warning is issued or remedial actions are initiated, wherein the physiological measured values ascertained while driving in the vehicle are combined by means of a corresponding expert system (10) with health-relevant data for the driver ascertained in stationary fashion, and with data indicating driver stress that are estimated in particular from the instantaneous traffic situation and instantaneous operating state of the vehicle (5), and changes in the driver's condition are weighted with the estimated driver stress and interpreted; and an apparatus (1) for carrying out the method, which is characterized in that the expert system (10) is implemented in an onboard computer of the vehicle (3) which is connected via a bus (3) internal to the vehicle to a mobile driver condition sensor suite (4) that supplies the physiological measured values; to a memory/transfer medium (15, 18) that delivers the biographical data and/or the health-relevant data ascertained in stationary fashion; and to an ACC system and driving direction system (11) internal to the vehicle.

A method for improving starting of an engine that may be repeatedly stopped and started is presented. In one embodiment, the method adjusts a transmission tie-up force in response to engine starting. The method may improve vehicle launch for stop/start vehicles.

The technology described herein provides a system and method for automatically increasing the remaining driving range of a vehicle when a low fuel or other condition is detected by altering the operating parameters of one or more vehicle systems to improve propulsion system efficiency and thereby lower fuel consumption. The vehicle range extending system is capable of altering the operating parameters of any vehicle system, including for example variable displacement settings, start-stop technology settings, and HVAC operation. The disclosed technology can also provide information to the driver, suggesting which system operating parameters should be altered to reduce the fuel consumption rate.

A controller predicts a requested state of charge/discharge corresponding to a future run of a hybrid vehicle. If it is predicted that the hybrid vehicle will be stopped and restarted, or will be greatly accelerated and therefore that a request for a great discharge will be outputted in the future, the controller increases a target SOC of an HV battery to increase the value to which the charge of the HV battery will be converged in preparation for the great discharge. If it is predicted that a great regenerative electric power will be generated by a vehicle deceleration and therefore that a request for charging will be outputted, the target SOC is reduced, and the amount of charge in the HV battery is reduced, so that the regenerative power generated can be efficiency recovered.

A stop range changing unit changes an engine stop range, which is a cruise range in which an operation of an engine is stopped, based on a type of fuel that is burned in the engine and that is determined by a fuel type determination unit. Therefore, the engine is stopped or started up under a cruise condition that suits the fuel type. Accordingly, even if start-up performance of the engine varies due to variation of the fuel type, unfavorable effects of the variation in the start-up performance of the engine on a smooth motion of a hybrid vehicle is alleviated.

A method and system for fuel vapor control in a hybrid vehicle (HEV). The HEV fuel vapor recovery system includes a fuel tank isolation valve, which is normally closed to isolate storage of refueling from storage of diurnal vapors. The method for fuel vapor control includes selectively actuating the fuel tank isolation valve during interrelated routines for refueling, fuel vapor purging, and emission system leak detection diagnostics to improve regulation of pressure and vacuum the HEV fuel vapor recovery system.

When an engine is driven on a different type of fuel (for example, ethanol-containing fuel) from a reference fuel (for example, gasoline) and the engine torque is thus greater than that produced when the engine is driven on the reference fuel, a differential state control device expands a non-differential range compared to that at the time when the reference fuel is used. Thus, in the case where a plurality of types of fuel including the reference fuel are supplied to the engine, the advantage of switching a power distribution mechanism between a differential enabled state and a non-differential state can be fully utilized in correspondence with engine torque characteristics which may vary in accordance with the type of fuel for the engine. As a result, the fuel consumption rate can be reduced in correspondence with the plurality of types of fuel supplied to the engine, for example.

Systems and methods are described for controlling engine operation of an engine that may be shut-down during engine idle stop conditions. The engine may include a high pressure direct injection fuel system. In one embodiment, a method comprises during at least a first fuel rail temperature below a threshold, automatically stopping engine operation during a selected engine idle stop condition; and during at least a second fuel rail temperature above the threshold, maintaining engine operation during the selected engine idle stop condition.

A subject of the present invention is to provide a door handle device capable of controlling its opening/closing action by using a piezoelectric sensor that has a flexible structure and can attain an enough sensitivity even by a light touch, and a keyless entry system having the same.

A door handle device (100) that is able to open a lock of a door locking means, which is provided to a door (13) with a handle (11) used for an opening/closing operation to lock an opening operation of the door (13), by an operation of the handle, includes a piezoelectric sensor (15) formed of a piezoelectric element fitted to the handle (11) and having a flexibility, and a controlling portion for receiving a sensed signal of the piezoelectric sensor (15) generated by a touch on the handle (11) to open the lock of the door locking means.

The invention discloses a trajectory tracking control method used for a driverless vehicle. The method includes the following steps that the current position point of a vehicle body is confirmed according to a reference trajectory; a matching point nearest to the current position point of the vehicle is found, and the road curvature of the nearest matching point is obtained according to a two-point curvature obtaining method; according to the current position point of the vehicle and the nearest matching point, a trajectory tracking error is obtained through calculation and comprises a transverse error and a head pointing error; a dynamic model feeding back cornering force on the basis of front wheels is established, and the optimal feedback control rate is obtained by the adoption of an LQR control algorithm; and the cornering force of the front wheels is determined, a front wheel slip angle is obtained on the basis of a reverse tire model, and then the steering wheel angle controlledquantity is obtained and issued to a steering-by-wire system to achieve trajectory tracking control. By the adoption of the method, the stability of trajectory tracking control of the driverless vehicle is improved, the trajectory tracking accuracy is improved, the tire slip angle is restrained, and the possibility that the tire force of the vehicle is saturated under an extreme working conditionand therefore the vehicle loses stability is avoided.

A method, comprising propelling a vehicle with an engine and a motor starting the engine if energy stored in an energy storage device is greater than an upper threshold level when a contaminant amount in the engine oil is greater than a threshold amount. In this way, it is possible to harmonize fuel degradation along with oil degradation, while still providing efficient vehicle and engine operation