Systems and methods for managing an exhaust aftertreatment system using predictive analysis

Abstract

Systems and devices include a controller including at least one processor coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive data indicative of at least one of a current route of a vehicle or a current performance; associate the at least one of the current route or the current performance with a control strategy; and determine at least one of a timing or a duration of an active regeneration event for an aftertreatment system based on the associated control strategy.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 064,504, filed August 12, 2020, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGEMENT OF EXHAUST AFTERTREATMENT SYSTEM USING PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the management of components within an exhaust aftertreatment system.

[0004] background

[0005] Exhaust aftertreatment systems are typically designed to reduce emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons, and other environmentally harmful pollutants. However, as the system treats exhaust gases to reduce these pollutants, deposits form throughout the aftertreatment system. These deposits are formed by the operation of filter elements and / or by residual byproducts of reduction processes. When these deposits form, the effectiveness and efficiency of the aftertreatment system are adversely affected. Therefore, regularly removing these deposits is beneficial for maintaining the performance of the aftertreatment system. However, these removal events, known as regeneration events, can interfere with normal engine operation and require additional resources to activate.

[0006] Overview

[0007] One embodiment relates to a system including a controller comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive data indicating at least one of a vehicle's current route or current performance, associate the at least one of the current route or current performance with a control policy, and determine at least one of the timing or duration of an active regeneration event for a post-processing system based on the associated control policy.

[0008] Another embodiment relates to a method for managing components of an after-processing system. The method includes: receiving data by a controller indicating at least one of a vehicle's current route or current performance; associating at least one of the current route or current performance with a control policy by the controller; and determining, based on the associated control policy, at least one of a timing or duration of an active regeneration event for the after-processing system.

[0009] Another embodiment relates to a system including a controller comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive data indicating at least one of the current route or current performance of a vehicle; associate the at least one of the current route or current performance with a control policy; and, based on the associated control policy, use at least one of a heater or cylinder deactivation (CDA) system to change at least one of the timing or duration of a passive regeneration event for an after-treatment system.

[0010] This overview is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the apparatus or process described herein will become apparent in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements. Brief description of the attached diagram

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an example embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the model framework based on the example embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 According to the example embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the controller of a vehicle.

[0015] Figure 4 It is a set of charts showing various parameters of the example route being tracked according to the example embodiment.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a method for managing components of a post-processing system according to an example embodiment.

[0017] Detailed description

[0018] The following describes in more detail various concepts and their implementations related to methods, apparatus, and systems for managing exhaust aftertreatment systems using predictive analytics. Before turning to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the details or methods set forth in the specification or shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered limiting. For example, as used internally, "optimal" should also be interpreted to include "near optimal" or "basically optimal".

[0019] Referring generally to the accompanying drawings, the various embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems, apparatus, and methods for managing exhaust aftertreatment systems using predictive analytics. Exhaust aftertreatment systems are typically configured to receive exhaust gases from an engine and clean them before they are released into the atmosphere. However, as the various components of the exhaust aftertreatment system process the exhaust gases, various particles, such as soot or sulfur from incomplete combustion, accumulate on the components, which require regeneration to continue processing the exhaust gases with the desired efficiency. This regeneration process typically involves heating the exhaust gases or components in the system to higher temperatures to burn off the particles on the exhaust aftertreatment system components. While this regeneration typically occurs when the engine is not in operation (e.g., in a maintenance compartment, in a parked, non-moving state, etc.), it is possible that the exhaust gases can reach sufficient regeneration temperatures through normal operation. According to this disclosure, a controller includes at least one processor coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive data indicating the current route of a vehicle; associate the current route with a stored route based on the data indicating the current route; determine that the amount of sediment in the post-processing system exceeds a first threshold; determine, based on the stored route, whether a passive regeneration event will occur along the current route before the amount of sediment in the post-processing system exceeds a second threshold; and trigger an active regeneration event in response to determining that no passive regeneration event will occur before the amount of sediment in the post-processing system exceeds the second threshold.

[0020] From a technical and beneficial perspective, this disclosure enables the management of active and passive regeneration events of components in an aftertreatment system in response to the analysis and comparison of historical route data. In operation, as described herein, this disclosure allows the use of cloud-based analytics to analyze data from other vehicles to determine duty cycles and other relevant usage information, and then designs control strategies for vehicle components to optimize the management of the aftertreatment system based on the analytics. By associating the vehicle's current route with the designed control strategy, the system can determine or predict the behavior or state of the aftertreatment system components in the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the current route. By predicting when components need regeneration, and either incorporating regeneration into previously planned downtime or forgoing non-working-time regeneration when working-time regeneration conditions are known to be imminent, the system provides savings in fuel, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), and energy usage, and more accurately maintains the performance of the aftertreatment system. Furthermore, the system reduces hardware costs by removing sensors previously used to track regeneration events and reduces processing consumption on the vehicle's computing system by removing complex models.

[0021] Now for reference Figure 1According to an example embodiment, a system 100 is shown that includes a telecomputing system 35 coupled to a vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 includes an engine 12, an after-processing system 70, a positioning system 42, a telematics unit 30, and a controller 26. The vehicle 10 can be any type of on-road or off-road vehicle, including but not limited to long-haul trucks, mid-range trucks (e.g., pickup trucks), cars, sports cars, tanks, aircraft, boats, and any other type of vehicle. Based on these configurations, various additional types of components can also be included in the system, such as transmissions, one or more gearboxes, pumps, actuators, etc.

[0022] Engine 12 can be any type of internal combustion engine. Therefore, engine 12 can be a gasoline, natural gas, or diesel engine, a hybrid engine (e.g., a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor), and / or any other suitable engine. Here, engine 12 is a diesel-powered compression ignition engine. Engine 12 includes a cylinder deactivation (“CDA”) system 44 configured to selectively activate or deactivate the first cylinder 112, the second cylinder 114, the third cylinder 116, the fourth cylinder 118, the fifth cylinder 120, and the sixth cylinder 122 (collectively referred to herein as “cylinders 112-122”). It should be understood that, although in Figure 1 The designation indicates six cylinders, but the number of cylinders can vary depending on system configuration and requirements. Cylinders 112-122 can be any type of cylinder suitable for the engine in which they are housed (e.g., size and shape suitable for accommodating pistons).

[0023] The CDA system 44 is constructed or configured to receive signals from a controller to selectively activate and / or deactivate (i.e., prevent combustion) one or more of cylinders 112-122 during operation of the engine 12. The CDA system operates to deactivate individual cylinders of the engine (i.e., prevent combustion), such that power from the engine is provided by fewer cylinders than all of them. The CDA system 44 may include / control components to implement the CDA operating mode (e.g., intake valves, exhaust valves, solenoids for opening / closing control valves, etc.). In some cases, one or more intake valves may be closed, thereby preventing the flow of air for combustion into the cylinders, thus preventing combustion. In other cases, air may be allowed to flow through the cylinders, but combustion may be prevented by sparkless or diesel injection. Therefore, cylinder "deactivation" can be achieved in a variety of ways. A Dynamic Spark ("DSF") system is one type of cylinder deactivation ("CDA") system. The DSF system enables the engine to operate in DSF mode, where one or more cylinders are deactivated / non-operated (e.g., no combustion occurs) on a cycle-by-cycle and / or cylinder-by-cylinder basis. Thus, a cylinder can be non-operated in the first engine cycle and operational in the second. Another type of CDA operating mode is called "fixed cylinder CDA." In fixed cylinder CDA, the same cylinder is active / non-operated for the duration of the fixed cylinder CDA operating mode. An "active" cylinder means that combustion is permitted to occur in that cylinder. Operating the engine in DSF or fixed cylinder CDA mode can increase the exhaust gas temperature by reducing the total exhaust gas flow and / or requiring the active cylinder to produce the same total power as the engine produced before entering DSF mode. The CDA system 44 is configured or constructed to operate in either DSF mode or fixed cylinder CDA mode.

[0024] Using fewer than the maximum number of cylinders 112-122 (in this example embodiment, the maximum number is 6) results in improved fuel economy because operating fewer cylinders requires less fuel. However, using fewer than 6 cylinders 112-122 also results in reduced power output, which may make driving difficult on some roads and slopes. Using fewer than 6 cylinders 112-122 also results in higher exhaust temperatures than if all 6 cylinders 112-122 were operating, because the activated cylinders 112-122 operate at higher combustion pressures to compensate for any inactive cylinders 112-122, resulting in higher combustion temperatures. Therefore, the CDA system 44 can be used to increase exhaust temperatures without consuming additional fuel, thereby improving the performance of the vehicle 10 while reducing fuel and DEF usage.

[0025] The aftertreatment system 70 is in exhaust gas receiving communication with the engine 12. The aftertreatment system includes a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) 72, a diesel particulate filter (DPF) 74, a reductant delivery system 78, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system 76, an ammonia leak catalyst (ASC) 80, and a heater 48. The DOC 72 is configured to receive exhaust gas from the engine 12 and oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the exhaust gas. The DPF 74 is arranged or positioned downstream of the DOC 72 and is configured to remove particulate matter, such as soot, from the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust gas stream. The DPF 74 includes an inlet and an outlet for receiving exhaust gas, and the exhaust gas is discharged at the outlet after substantially filtering out particulate matter and / or converting particulate matter into carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, the DPF 74 may be omitted.

[0026] The aftertreatment system 70 may further include a reducing agent delivery system, which may include a decomposition chamber (e.g., a decomposition reactor, reactor conduit, decomposition pipe, reactor tube, etc.) to convert the reducing agent into ammonia. The reducing agent may be, for example, urea, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), etc. Urea aqueous solution (UWS), urea aqueous solution (e.g., AUS32, etc.), and other similar fluids are used. Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is added to the exhaust gas stream to aid catalytic reduction. The reductant can be injected upstream of the SCR catalyst element via DEF feeder 78, allowing the SCR catalyst element to receive the mixture of reductant and exhaust gas. The reductant droplets then undergo evaporation, pyrolysis, and hydrolysis to form gaseous ammonia within the decomposition chamber, SCR catalyst element, and / or exhaust duct system, exiting the aftertreatment system 70. The aftertreatment system 70 may also include an oxidation catalyst (e.g., DOC 72), fluidly coupled to the exhaust duct system to oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the exhaust gas. To properly aid this reduction, DOC 72 may need to be at a specific operating temperature. In some embodiments, this specific operating temperature is between 200°C and 500°C. In other embodiments, the specific operating temperature is the temperature at which the conversion efficiency of DOC 72 (e.g., the conversion of HC to less harmful compounds, referred to as HC conversion efficiency) exceeds a predefined threshold.

[0027] SCR 76 is configured to help reduce NOx emissions by accelerating the NOx reduction process between ammonia and NOx in exhaust gas, which converts NOx in ammonia and exhaust gas into diatomic nitrogen, water, and / or carbon dioxide. If the SCR catalyst element is not at or above a specific temperature, the acceleration of the NOx reduction process is limited, and the SCR 76 will not operate at the specified necessary efficiency level. In some embodiments, this specific temperature is 250°C–300°C. The SCR catalyst element can be made of a combination of inactive materials and an active catalyst, such that the inactive material (e.g., ceramic metal) directs the exhaust gas toward the active catalyst, which is any kind of material suitable for catalytic reduction (e.g., base metal oxides such as vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten, etc., or noble metals such as platinum).

[0028] ASC 80 can be any of a variety of flow-through catalysts, such as an ammonia oxidation (AMOX) catalyst, which is configured to react with ammonia to primarily produce nitrogen. ASC 80 is configured to remove ammonia that has leaked through or left the SCR 76 without reacting with NOx in the exhaust gas. In some cases, the aftertreatment system 70 can operate with or without ASC 80. Furthermore, although ASC 80... Figure 1 The ASC 80 is shown as a separate unit from the SCR 76, but in some embodiments, the ASC 80 may be integrated with the SCR 76; for example, the ASC 80 and SCR 76 may be located within the same housing. According to this disclosure, the SCR 76 and ASC 80 are positioned in series, with the SCR 76 in front of the ASC 80.

[0029] Because the aftertreatment system 70 treats the exhaust gas before it is released into the atmosphere, most of the particulate matter or chemicals treated or removed from the exhaust gas accumulates in the aftertreatment system over time. For example, soot filtered from the exhaust gas by the DPF 74 accumulates on the DPF 74 over time. Similarly, sulfur particles that may remain in the exhaust gas due to incomplete combustion of fuel accumulate in the SCR 76 and degrade the effectiveness of the SCR catalyst components. Furthermore, DEF undergoing incomplete pyrolysis upstream of the catalyst may accumulate on downstream components of the aftertreatment system 70 and form deposits. However, these accumulations on these components of the aftertreatment system 70 (and the subsequent degradation of effectiveness) are reversible. In other words, by increasing the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing through the aftertreatment system, soot, sulfur, and DEF deposits can be substantially removed from the DPF 74 and SCR 76, thereby restoring performance (e.g., for the SCR, the conversion efficiency from NOx to N2 and other compounds). These removal processes are referred to as regeneration events, and these removal processes can be performed on the DPF 74, SCR 76, or any other component of the post-treatment system 70 on which deposits are formed.

[0030] In some embodiments, heater 48 is located in the exhaust flow path preceding aftertreatment system 70 and is configured to controllably heat the exhaust gas upstream of aftertreatment system 70. Heater 48 can be any type of external heat source configured to increase the temperature of the passing exhaust gas, which in turn increases the temperature of components in aftertreatment system 70, such as DOC72 or SCR catalyst components, thereby improving the performance of vehicle 10 while reducing fuel and DEF usage. Therefore, the heater can be an electric heater, an induction heater, a microwave heater, or a heater that burns fuel (e.g., HC fuel). As shown here, heater 48 is an electric heater that draws power from the battery of vehicle 10.

[0031] Regeneration events can be triggered actively or passively (i.e., the exhaust gas temperature rises to a target regeneration temperature). Active regeneration events are those that raise the exhaust gas temperature through methods other than normal engine operation (i.e., regeneration is specifically commanded by one or more processes). For example, an active regeneration event includes activating heater 48 to raise the exhaust gas temperature. In another example, an active regeneration event includes triggering CDA system 44 to selectively deactivate at least one of cylinders 112-122 to increase the exhaust gas temperature. Active regeneration events can also include commanding fuel to be injected into the exhaust stream, thereby raising the exhaust gas temperature. Conversely, passive regeneration events are those that raise the exhaust gas temperature through normal operation of engine 12, leading to the regeneration of the catalyst or components. For example, if a vehicle is climbing a steep hill, the heat generated by engine 12 during the climb can heat the exhaust gas to the target regeneration temperature, thus triggering a passive regeneration event. Passive regeneration events can also be assisted or altered by heater 48 and / or CDA system 44, which can be activated to reduce the time to reach the target regeneration temperature and maintain an exhaust gas temperature higher than that that could otherwise be provided by the passive regeneration event for a relatively long period. In other words, heater 48 and / or CDA system 44 can be operated to alter the timing of the passive regeneration event (i.e., to accelerate its occurrence by, for example, heater activation) and the duration of the passive regeneration event. For example, a passive regeneration event may cause the exhaust gas temperature to be at or above the target regeneration temperature for a period of X seconds (the target regeneration temperature may vary based on the catalyst and is generally the exhaust gas temperature or component temperature required to burn off unwanted soot or deposits on the catalyst). When the exhaust gas temperature decreases (signaling the end of the passive regeneration event), the heater is activated to continue heating the exhaust gas temperature or component. This is used to extend the duration of the regeneration event. As another example, the heater and / or CDA system can operate before the passive regeneration event occurs, which can serve to trigger the passive regeneration event earlier than in other cases. The combination of heater 48 and CDA system 44 can also reduce the fuel cost required to perform passive regeneration events, thereby reducing the overall cost.

[0032] The telematics unit 30 can be configured as any type of telematics control unit. Therefore, the telematics unit 30 can include, but is not limited to, one or more memory devices for storing tracking data, one or more electronic processing units for processing tracking data, and a communication interface for facilitating data exchange between the telematics unit 30 and one or more remote devices (e.g., a remote computing system 35). In this regard, the communication interface can be configured as any type of mobile communication interface or protocol, including but not limited to Wi-Fi, WiMax, the Internet, radio, Bluetooth, Zigbee, satellite, radio, cellular, GSM, GPRS, LTE, etc. The telematics unit 30 may also include a communication interface for communicating with the controller 26 of the vehicle 10. The communication interface for communicating with the controller 26 can include any type and number of wired and wireless protocols (e.g., any standard under IEEE 802, etc.). For example, a wired connection can include a serial cable, fiber optic cable, SAE J1939 bus, CAT5 cable, or any other form of wired connection. In contrast, wireless connectivity can include the Internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, cellular, radio, etc. In one embodiment, a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus including any number of wired and wireless connections provides the exchange of signals, information, and / or data between the controller 26 and the telematics unit 30. In other embodiments, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or an external computer (e.g., via the Internet through an Internet service provider) can provide, facilitate, and support communication between the telematics unit 30 and the controller 26. In yet another embodiment, communication between the telematics unit 30 and the controller 26 is via the Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) protocol. All these variations are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0033] The positioning system 42 is configured to detect the location of vehicle 10 at a given point in time. In some embodiments, this point in time is the current moment, while in other embodiments, it is an upcoming or future moment. In an exemplary embodiment, the positioning system 42 is a Global Positioning System (GPS), wherein the positioning system 42 receives GPS data from one (or more) satellites and facilitates location-based communication with the satellites and controller 26. In another exemplary embodiment, the positioning system 42 is a communication system that connects vehicle 10 to other vehicles in a fleet 90 and receives the location of vehicle 10 based on its relative position to other vehicles in the fleet 90, for example, by triangulation. In another exemplary embodiment, the positioning system 42 is a communication system that communicates with multiple beacons, such that the location of vehicle 10 is determined based on its position relative to the multiple beacons. These multiple beacons may be towers built at certain points along a road, existing infrastructure for collecting tolls, or cellular towers, to name just a few. Thus, the positioning system 42 may be included in conjunction with the telematics unit 30.

[0034] Positioning system 42 is any combination of these embodiments such that if one embodiment fails, another can function. For example, if GPS is off, positioning system 42 can rely on triangulation with other vehicles in the convoy 90.

[0035] Controller 26 is coupled to engine 12, aftertreatment system 70, telematics unit 30, and positioning system 42, and is configured or constructed to at least partially control aftertreatment system 70 and, in some embodiments, control engine 12. Communication between and within components can be via any number of wired or wireless connections. For example, wired connections can include serial cables, fiber optic cables, CAT5 cables, or any other form of wired connection. In contrast, wireless connections can include the Internet, Wi-Fi, cellular, radio, etc. In one embodiment, a CAN bus provides the exchange of signals, information, and / or data. A CAN bus includes any number of wired and wireless connections. In this respect, controller 26 can be configured to receive signals, information, data, etc. (e.g., engine operating parameter signals and / or aftertreatment system operating parameter signals) from sensors such as exhaust flow sensors, speed sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, and / or any other sensors associated with engine 12 or aftertreatment system 70.

[0036] because Figure 1 The components are shown as being included in the vehicle 10, therefore the controller 26 can be configured as one or more electronic control units (ECUs). Figure 3The functionality and structure of controller 26 are described in more detail herein. Alternatively, at least some or all of the operations of controller 26 described herein may be performed by remote computing system 35, in addition to other operations performed by remote computing system 35. Remote information processing unit 30 may transmit received or determined information about vehicle 10 (e.g., engine operating parameter signals and / or after-treatment system operating parameter signals) to remote computing system 35 for remotely performing at least some of the operations described herein. Remote computing system 35 may include one or more servers, network interfaces, input / output devices, etc.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, the remote computing system 35 communicates with the vehicle 10 via a network 51. The network 51 can be any type of communication protocol that facilitates information exchange between the vehicle 10 and the remote computing system 35. In this respect, the network 51 can communicatively couple the vehicle 10 and the remote computing system 35. In one embodiment, the network 51 can be configured as a wireless network. In this respect, the vehicle 10 can wirelessly send data to and receive data from the remote computing system 35. The wireless network can be any type of wireless network, such as Wi-Fi, WiMax, Geographic Information System (GIS), the Internet, wireless devices, Bluetooth, Zigbee, satellite, radio, cellular, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), optical signaling, etc. In an alternative embodiment, the network 51 can be configured as a wired network or a combination of wired and wireless protocols. For example, the controller 26 and / or telematics unit 30 of vehicle 10 may be electrically, communicatively, and / or operatively coupled to network 51 via fiber optic cable to selectively transmit and receive data wirelessly to and from remote computing system 35.

[0038] The remote computing system 35 can also communicate with a fleet of vehicles 90 to receive and store information about the performance of multiple vehicles in the fleet 90. In these embodiments, the remote computing system 35 creates and manages a vehicle information database containing information related to the vehicle performance (e.g., engine performance parameters) of multiple vehicles on multiple routes. The remote computing system 35 is configured to perform advanced analytics to determine and identify patterns in the information. These advanced analytics can be artificial intelligence (AI), physics-based models, machine learning, etc. The identified patterns may involve repeating instances of similar parameter values ​​(e.g., sulfur deposition) along similar routes. These patterns may be associated with a specific vehicle in the fleet 90, or with a specific type of vehicle (e.g., a vehicle with an internal combustion engine using diesel fuel), or with a specific route.

[0039] The telecomputing system 35 is configured to design optimal control strategies for multiple vehicles (or at least one vehicle) in the fleet 90 in response to patterns identified and recognized from advanced analytics. As discussed above regarding regeneration events, the telecomputing system 35 can design strategies for the timing and / or duration of regeneration events. In some embodiments, this may include partially skipping previously planned active regeneration events by balancing active and passive regeneration events in order to maintain post-processing system performance along the entire route by utilizing patterns identified in information received from, for example, the telematics unit 30 of other vehicles. For example, if the telecomputing system 35 identifies a pattern in information received from similar or different vehicles that tends to show an extended period of increased exhaust gas temperature at a point along a recurring route, the telecomputing system 35 determines that a passive regeneration event is likely to occur at that point along the recurring route. Therefore, the optimal control strategy designed by the telecomputing system 35 will postpone an active regeneration event (which would otherwise have been triggered) because the telecomputing system 35 anticipates a passive regeneration event.

[0040] The optimal control strategy can also involve the use of DEF by including information on patterns of SCR 76 temperature, ammonia storage, and / or ammonia-NOx ratio (ANR) in other vehicles in the fleet 90. Therefore, by correlating the performance of the current vehicle 10 with reproducible patterns of identified SCR 76 temperature, ammonia storage, and / or ANR, the optimal control strategy can conserve DEF usage. Similarly, by correlating with these three same operating parameters, the optimal control strategy can minimize the amount of NOx emitted by the system and ammonia leakage.

[0041] Figure 2This is the remote computing system 35 and the model framework for advanced analysis. At 210, the controller provides simulation domain information. At 215, the simulation domain sends various operating parameters (e.g., particulate matter content, NOx content, exhaust flow rate, exhaust temperature, HC content, etc.) to the downpipe + DOC + DPF model at 220. For the model at 220, it is assumed that the formulation and catalyst loading / unit density are known. At 230, the simulation results from the model are saved. At 235, the controller sends information indicating engine operating conditions, including inlet and outlet soot loads, to the simulation results database, which at 245 locates the corresponding regeneration frequency for a given engine state based on a lookup script. The lookup script returns the average soot oxidation rate between the regeneration interval and the provided inlet and outlet soot loads.

[0042] In one embodiment, the telecomputing system 35 communicates continuously or nearly continuously with the controller 26 via network 51 and telematics unit 30 to provide real-time control of the vehicle 10 throughout its use. This embodiment, referred to as the "online method," ensures that the controller 26 maintains an online relationship with the telecomputing system 35 while the vehicle 10 is in use (i.e., operating along a route). When operating in the online method, the controller 26 continuously sends operational information (e.g., exhaust temperature, engine speed, torque, etc.) and location information from the positioning system 42 to the telecomputing system 35. The telecomputing system 35 receives this information and applies a designed optimal control strategy in real time to manage the after-processing system performance of the vehicle 10 as conditions evolve and change. For example, if the telecomputing system 35 initially applies an optimal control strategy based on a first route, but the vehicle 10 deviates from the first route onto a second route, the telecomputing system 35 immediately receives an indication of this deviation from the controller 26 and changes the applied optimal control strategy to one designed by the telecomputing system 35 for the second route. In some embodiments utilizing the online method, the remote computing system 35 assumes some of the responsibilities of the controller 26, enabling the remote computing system 35 to perform the correlation between current data and the optimal control strategy, and to issue commands to the components of the vehicle 10 accordingly.

[0043] In another embodiment, the remote computing system 35 sends an optimal control strategy to the vehicle 10 before the vehicle 10 departs from its route. This embodiment, referred to as the "offline method," allows the controller 26 to remain offline with the remote computing system 35 while the vehicle 10 is in use (i.e., operating along the route). Because the controller 26 does not actively communicate with the remote computing system 35 during vehicle operation, the remote computing system 35 sends the optimal control strategy (or multiple strategies) to the controller 26 before the vehicle 10 departs (e.g., when the vehicle is in the service bay, in a parked, non-moving state, etc.), and the controller 26 downloads the optimal control strategy (or multiple strategies) (e.g., stores the strategies in memory 53, etc.). In some embodiments, the controller 26 receives and stores a single optimal control strategy based on the vehicle type and / or planned route. In other embodiments, the controller 26 receives and stores multiple optimal control strategies based on the vehicle type and / or planned route. In these embodiments, the controller 26 may download each optimal control strategy associated with the vehicle type to which the vehicle 10 belongs in order to account for possible deviations from the planned route or from normal (or pre-planned) behavior. In other embodiments of these embodiments, controller 26 may download each or nearly each optimal control strategy associated with the planned route of vehicle 10 in order to take into account changes in external conditions (e.g., weather, traffic, etc.) that may alter the performance of vehicle 10.

[0044] Now for reference Figure 3 A remote computing system 35 and a remote computing system according to an example embodiment are shown. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the controller 26 of vehicle 10. (See diagram below.) Figure 3 As shown, controller 26 includes processing circuitry 51 with processor 52 and memory 53, map circuitry 90, soot circuitry 92, DEF deposition circuitry 94, sulfur circuitry 96, ammonia circuitry 98, and communication interface 54. Controller 26 is configured to associate the current position of vehicle 10 on its current route with an optimal control strategy received from remote computing system 35 (in an online or offline manner) to predict the upcoming state of vehicle 10 and manage its components accordingly. For example, if sulfur accumulation reaches an unacceptable level, controller 26 will initiate a regeneration event during normal operation (e.g., turning on heater 48, engaging CDA system 44, etc.) to raise the temperature of the exhaust gas and burn off the sulfur deposits. However, if the optimal control strategy indicates that sulfur regeneration will occur through standard operation of engine 12 (i.e., the exhaust gas will become hot enough to burn off the sulfur deposits), controller 26 may delay the initiation of the sulfur regeneration event (i.e., not turning on heater 48, not engaging CDA system, etc.) to utilize the sulfur regeneration that will occur through standard operation.

[0045] The remote computing system 35 may be a computing system separate from the controller 26 and other computing systems included within the vehicle. In an example embodiment, the remote computing system 35 is a cloud-based computing system hosted on at least one server. Figure 3 As shown, the remote computing system 35 communicates with the controller 26 via a telematics unit, which facilitates bidirectional data transmission (i.e., from the remote computing system 35 to the controller 26, and from the controller 26 to the remote computing system 35). The remote computing system 35 is configured or constructed to receive vehicle-related information from the controller 26, including sensed operational information (e.g., performance parameters, route information, location information), input from vehicle users, or planned driving routes. The remote computing system 35 stores the received information for multiple vehicles as historical data in a database. The remote computing system 35 then determines the optimal control strategy by applying advanced analytics to the stored historical data associated with the operation of vehicles in the vehicle fleet 90. This historical data includes performance parameters indicating vehicle performance, and location information associated with the performance parameters to illustrate vehicle performance based on location along the route. The advanced analytics includes artificial intelligence (AI), physics-based models, and machine learning for identifying vehicles in the fleet 90 with strong repeatable driving patterns (i.e., patterns within data that meet specific thresholds of statistical correlation). Based on these vehicles with highly repeatable driving patterns, the remote computing system 35 predicts the performance parameters of similar vehicles and designs optimal control strategies to balance these performance parameters. These optimal control strategies can identify opportunities to save fuel or reduce DEF usage by introducing passive regeneration events where standard active regeneration is used.

[0046] The remote computing system 35 relays these optimal control strategies via either an online or offline method. If an online method is used, the remote computing system 35 maintains network-based communication with the controller 26 via network 51 throughout the entire usage period, allowing the optimal control strategy applied to a specific usage cycle of the vehicle 10 to be continuously updated or reselected based on changing conditions throughout the usage period. If an offline method is used, the remote computing system 35 does not maintain network-based communication with the controller 26 throughout the usage period; therefore, the controller 26 downloads the selected optimal control strategy from the remote computing system 35 via network 51 before the connection is severed.

[0047] In some embodiments, these performance parameters include, but are not limited to, the amount of soot accumulated in the aftertreatment system 70, the amount of sulfur accumulated in the aftertreatment system 70, the amount of DEF remaining in the reducing agent delivery system, and the NOx emissions from the tailpipe of the vehicle 10. The controller 26 can be configured to correlate current route information with an optimal control strategy at predefined time intervals or non-time-based intervals (e.g., duty cycle or distance along the route) to predetermine (or predict) the values ​​of performance parameters along the current route. Therefore, the controller 26 can predict performance parameters along the current route in a feedforward loop manner using this pool of information from previous runs by leveraging analysis of past performance parameters (e.g., DPF inlet temperature during the duration of entry into the storage route) by a remote computing system.

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, the first route information A can be the altitude of the vehicle as a function of the driving distance along the route, and the second route information B can be the temperature of the exhaust gas entering the aftertreatment system as a function of the driving distance along the route. In some embodiments, the first route information A and the second route information B can be used to associate the current position of vehicle 10 along the route with stored location information of similar vehicles. In other embodiments, only the first route information A in the second route information B is used to associate the current position of vehicle 10 along the route with stored location information of similar vehicles along the route. Then, as... Figure 4 As shown, the first performance parameter A is the amount of soot accumulated in the aftertreatment system as a function of the driving distance along the route. The second performance parameter B is the NOx conversion efficiency of the SCR system as a function of the driving distance along the route. The third performance parameter C is the NOx emissions from the aftertreatment system (i.e., system emissions or tailpipe NOx) as a function of the driving distance along the route. Although these three performance parameters are shown here, other performance parameters (such as sulfur accumulation or DEF deposition) may also be used.

[0049] Figure 4The specific example shown illustrates an exemplary route for a vehicle. As can be seen in this exemplary route, around time 1, the amount of soot accumulation has reached a level that would typically trigger a regeneration event. However, when reviewing the optimal control strategy designed by the remote computing system 35 regarding the first performance parameter A, the controller 26 determines that regeneration will occur through the standard operation of the vehicle 10 along the route, as shown by the decrease in soot accumulation as the driving distance increases. Furthermore, as seen around time 2, due to the increased exhaust temperature caused by the additional power output generated during the climb (as demonstrated by the increase in the first route information A at time 2), the NOx conversion efficiency will increase as the hotter exhaust heats the SCR 76 to a more efficient temperature. Therefore, the controller 26 can change the timing and / or amount of the DEF feed based on the optimal control strategy. In this example, the controller 26 determines that less DEF will be needed to accelerate NOx conversion and can reduce the use of DEF to not only maintain the DEF but also avoid ammonia leakage, while still maintaining an acceptable system output NOx emission level (e.g., minimizing NOx emissions to meet emission targets). The controller can also more precisely adjust the DEF feed by predicting ammonia storage, which operates primarily as a function of the SCR 76 temperature, by correlating the SCR 76 temperature from a stored map with the position of vehicle 10 along its current route. Alternatively, the ammonia storage level itself is a performance parameter for which the remote computing system 35 designs the optimal control strategy, allowing the controller 26 to determine or predict the ammonia storage level of vehicle 10 by correlating the position of vehicle 10 along its current route with the optimal control strategy based on strongly repeatable patterns of other vehicles.

[0050] In one embodiment, controller 26 continuously monitors current route information (e.g., location information, vehicle altitude) and current operating parameters (e.g., exhaust pressure, system output NOx) to continuously associate the current route information with an optimal control strategy (or multiple strategies) at each time interval (or other non-time-based interval). Therefore, if controller 26 initially associates the current route with a first optimal control strategy, but later the current route information deviates from the route information from the first optimal control strategy, the controller can re-evaluate the current route information (i.e., in the feedback loop) to determine the correct optimal control strategy. Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, controller 26 receives real-time data indicating weather conditions and uses this weather condition data for determination. This weather condition data includes ambient pressure, rain, snow, humidity levels, etc. For example, if the weather condition data indicates the presence of rain, controller 26 determines that the overall NOx level is reduced because the moisture lowers the temperature of the combustion chamber in engine 12, thereby reducing the amount of NOx produced through combustion. Controller 26 performs this continuous monitoring in both online and offline methods. In the online method, controller 26 sends continuously monitored data to remote computing system 35 to correlate the data with a database of strongly repeatable patterns and optimal control strategies. In the offline method, controller 26 compares continuously monitored data with previously downloaded optimal control strategies stored in memory 53.

[0051] In one configuration, map circuitry 90, soot circuitry 92, DEF deposition circuitry 94, sulfur circuitry 96, and ammonia circuitry 98 are implemented as machine- or computer-readable media storing instructions executable by a processor (e.g., processor 52). As described herein and in other uses, machine-readable media facilitate the performance of certain operations to achieve the reception and transmission of data. For example, machine-readable media can provide instructions (e.g., commands, etc.) to, for example, acquire data. In this regard, machine-readable media may include programmable logic defining the frequency of data acquisition (or data transmission). Computer-readable media instructions may include code, which can be written in any programming language, including but not limited to Java and any conventional procedural programming language, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. Computer-readable program code can be executed on one processor or multiple remote processors. In the latter case, remote processors can be interconnected via any type of network (e.g., CAN bus, etc.).

[0052] In another configuration, the map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 are implemented as hardware units, such as electronic control units. Therefore, the map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 can be implemented as one or more circuit components, including but not limited to processing circuits, network interfaces, peripheral devices, input devices, output devices, sensors, etc. In some embodiments, the map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 can take the form of one or more analog circuits, electronic circuits (e.g., integrated circuits (ICs), discrete circuits, system-on-a-chip (SOC) circuits, microcontrollers, etc.), telecommunication circuits, hybrid circuits, and any other type of "circuit". In this respect, the map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 can include any type of component for implementing or facilitating the implementation of the operations described herein. For example, the circuits described herein may include one or more transistors, logic gates (e.g., NAND, AND, NOR, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR, etc.), resistors, multiplexers, registers, capacitors, inductors, diodes, wiring, etc. Map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 may also include programmable hardware devices, such as field-programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, etc. Map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 may include one or more memory devices for storing instructions executable by the processor of map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98. One or more memory devices and processors may have the same definitions as provided below regarding memory 53 and processor 52. In some hardware unit configurations, the map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 can be geographically distributed at various separate locations within the vehicle. Alternatively, and as shown, the map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 can be implemented in a single unit / extension or within a single unit / casing, shown as controller 26.

[0053] In the example shown, controller 26 includes processing circuitry 51 having processor 52 and memory 53. Processing circuitry 51 may be constructed or configured to execute or implement the instructions, commands, and / or control processes described herein with respect to map circuitry 90, soot circuitry 92, DEF deposition circuitry 94, sulfur circuitry 96, and ammonia circuitry 98. The depicted configuration represents map circuitry 90, soot circuitry 92, DEF deposition circuitry 94, sulfur circuitry 96, and ammonia circuitry 98 as a machine or computer-readable medium storing instructions. However, as noted above, this illustration is not intended to be limiting, as other embodiments are contemplated in this disclosure, wherein at least one of map circuitry 90, soot circuitry 92, DEF deposition circuitry 94, sulfur circuitry 96, and ammonia circuitry 98, or map circuitry 90, soot circuitry 92, DEF deposition circuitry 94, sulfur circuitry 96, and ammonia circuitry 98, is configured as a hardware unit. All such combinations and variations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0054] Processor 52 may be implemented as a single-chip or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The processor may be a microprocessor. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, one or more processors may be shared by multiple circuits (e.g., map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 may include or otherwise share the same processor, which in some example embodiments may execute instructions stored or otherwise accessed via different regions of memory). Alternatively or additionally, the one or more processors may be configured to perform or otherwise perform certain operations independently of one or more coprocessors. In other example embodiments, two or more processors may be coupled via a bus to enable independent, parallel, pipelined, or multithreaded instruction execution. All these variations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0055] Memory 53 (e.g., memory cell, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and / or computer code to perform or facilitate the various processes, layers, and modules described herein. Memory 53 may be communicatively connected to processor 52 to provide processor 52 with computer code or instructions for performing at least some of the processes described herein. Furthermore, memory 53 may be or include tangible, non-transient volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Therefore, memory 53 may include database components, object code components, scripting components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described herein.

[0056] Map circuitry 90 is configured to associate the current driving mode or route with an optimal control strategy designed by telecomputing system 35 to predict the characteristics of the vehicle and aftertreatment system 70 along the route. In some embodiments, the optimal control strategy comes from the same vehicle in a previous trip, while in other embodiments, the optimal control strategy comes from different vehicles or a collection of different vehicles. In some embodiments, map circuitry 90 utilizes a predetermined map set before the vehicle departs on the route (i.e., associating a pre-planned route with a stored optimal control strategy). In other embodiments, map circuitry 90 matches the current driving route with the optimal control strategy based on location information from positioning system 42. In a further embodiment, information received from sensors regarding the state of vehicle components (e.g., the amount of soot accumulation, the temperature of the SCR catalyst) can be used to associate the current route with the optimal control strategy. For example, if the SCR catalyst temperature captured along the current route so far matches a strongly repeatable SCR catalyst temperature pattern identified from the vehicle in the database of telecomputing system 35, then map circuitry 90 determines that the vehicle is following a route substantially similar to that of the vehicle and is following the associated optimal control strategy.

[0057] The soot circuit 92 is configured to determine the accumulation of soot in the aftertreatment system 70 and to initiate or postpone a regeneration event based on stored data. The soot circuit 92 determines the need for a regeneration event to restore DPF performance based on data from sensors indicating the amount of soot accumulation on the DPF. This determination can be made if data shows an increase in particles in the exhaust stream after the DPF, or if the amount of particles in the exhaust stream after the DPF exceeds a predetermined threshold, indicating that the DPF is no longer filtering particles from the exhaust at an acceptable level. Alternatively, this determination can be made if data shows a decrease in the overall exhaust velocity after the DPF, indicating that the exhaust flow is being impeded by excessive soot accumulation on the DPF. The soot circuit 92 then determines, based on an analysis of the optimal control strategy from the remote computing system 35 associated with the map circuit 90, whether a passive regeneration event will occur or is likely to occur within a predefined time period, thus eliminating the need for an active regeneration event to maintain an acceptable performance level from the DPF (i.e., the engine 12 will generate sufficient heat through normal operation to burn off the soot deposits before the DPF fails to properly filter particles from the exhaust). Therefore, the optimal control strategy can have two separate thresholds for DPF performance: one signaling that a regeneration event is imminent, and the other indicating that a regeneration event is needed immediately. In some embodiments, the second threshold corresponds to local emission regulations or predefined emission regulations stored in the controller. The first threshold serves as an indicator that the controller begins comparing the current route information with the optimal control strategy. In this way, the first threshold reduces the processing load on processor 52 by triggering the comparison at a specific time rather than having the comparison run continuously in the background. In some embodiments, the first threshold can be omitted.

[0058] If the soot circuit 92 determines that a passive regeneration event will occur within a timeframe in which DPF performance will not reach the second threshold (i.e., DPF performance will not be impaired to the point that the aftertreatment system 70 fails to meet emission regulations), then the soot circuit 92 either takes no action or cancels the scheduled active regeneration event. If the soot circuit 92 determines that such a passive regeneration event will not occur within that timeframe, then the soot circuit 92 commands various components of the vehicle 10 (e.g., heater 48, CDA system 44, etc.) to initiate an active regeneration event. The controller 26 determines which active regeneration component to use based on other operating conditions (e.g., battery level, noise / vibration / roughness (NVH), etc.). For example, if heater 48 is an electric heater and the battery level is low when the soot circuit 92 determines to initiate an active regeneration event, then the soot circuit 92 does not command heater 48.

[0059] DEF deposition circuit 94 is configured to determine the amount of DEF deposits accumulated in the aftertreatment system and to initiate or postpone a regeneration event based on an optimal control strategy. DEF deposition circuit 94 determines the need for a regeneration event to restore the performance of aftertreatment system 70 based on data from sensors indicating the amount of DEF deposits accumulated throughout the aftertreatment system 70. This determination can be made if data shows an increase in regulated emissions (e.g., NOx) from aftertreatment system 70, indicating that aftertreatment system 70 is treating exhaust gas at a below-standard level due to overall DEF deposition. Alternatively, this determination can be made if data shows an increase in exhaust gas pressure in aftertreatment system 70, indicating that exhaust gas flow is obstructed by DEF deposits. This determination can also be made if data shows an unexpected or greater-than-normal amount of DEF feed, which increases the likelihood of DEF deposit formation in the aftertreatment system. In another embodiment, the DEF deposition circuit 94 then determines, based on analysis of the optimal control strategy associated with the map circuit 90 from the remote computing system 35, whether a passive regeneration event will occur within a timeframe where an active regeneration event is not required to maintain an acceptable performance level for the aftertreatment system (i.e., the engine 12 will generate sufficient heat through normal operation to burn off the DEF deposits before the aftertreatment system 70 can properly process the exhaust). Therefore, two separate thresholds can exist for analyzing the presence of DEF deposits: one signaling to the controller 26 that a regeneration event is imminent, and another indicating that a regeneration event is needed immediately. In some embodiments, the second threshold corresponds to local emissions regulations. The first threshold serves as an indicator that the controller begins comparing current route information with the optimal control strategy. In this way, the first threshold reduces processing load on the processor 52 by triggering the comparison at a specific time rather than having the comparison run continuously in the background. In some embodiments, the first threshold can be omitted.

[0060] If the DEF deposition circuit 94 determines that a passive regeneration event will occur within a timeframe during which the performance of the aftertreatment system 70 will not reach a second threshold (i.e., the regulated emissions will not decrease below the level required to meet emission regulations), the DEF deposition circuit 94 either takes no action or cancels the active regeneration event that would otherwise be scheduled. If the DEF deposition circuit 94 determines that such a passive regeneration event will not occur within that timeframe, the DEF deposition circuit 94 commands various components of the vehicle 10 (e.g., heater 48, CDA system 44, etc.) to initiate an active regeneration event. The controller 26 determines which active regeneration component to use based on other operating conditions (e.g., battery level, NVH, etc.). For example, when the DEF deposition circuit 94 decides to initiate an active regeneration event, if the vehicle 10 is currently operating in an area with engine noise restrictions or at a time with engine noise restrictions, the DEF deposition circuit 94 does not command the CDA system 44 to avoid associated NVH.

[0061] Sulfur circuit 96 is configured or constructed to determine the amount of sulfur poisoning in the aftertreatment system and to initiate or postpone a regeneration event based on stored data. Sulfur circuit 96 determines the need for a regeneration event to restore the performance of the SCR system based on data from sensors indicating the amount of sulfur poisoning throughout the aftertreatment system 70 and, in particular, the SCR system. This determination can be made if data shows an increase in regulated emissions (e.g., NOx) from the aftertreatment system 70, indicating that the efficiency of the SCR catalyst has degraded. Sulfur circuit 96 then determines, based on analysis of the optimal control strategy designed by the remote computing system 35 and associated by the map circuit 90, whether a passive regeneration event will occur within a timeframe where an active regeneration event is not required to maintain an acceptable performance level from the SCR system (i.e., the engine 12 will generate sufficient heat through normal operation to burn off the sulfur before the SCR system can adequately reduce NOx in the exhaust). Therefore, two separate thresholds can exist for analyzing the presence of sulfur deposits: one signaling to controller 26 that a regeneration event is imminent, and another indicating that a regeneration event is needed immediately. In some embodiments, the second threshold corresponds to local emission regulations. The first threshold serves as an indicator that the controller begins comparing the current route information with the optimal control strategy. In this way, the first threshold reduces the processing load on processor 52 by triggering the comparison at a specific time rather than having the comparison run continuously in the background. In some embodiments, the first threshold may be omitted.

[0062] If the sulfur circuit 96 determines that a passive regeneration event will occur within a timeframe in which the SCR catalyst efficiency will not reach the second threshold (i.e., the SCR catalyst efficiency will not drop below the value required to meet emission regulations), then the sulfur circuit 96 either takes no action or cancels the scheduled active regeneration event. If the sulfur circuit 96 determines that such a passive regeneration event will not occur within that timeframe, then the sulfur circuit 96 commands various components of the vehicle 10 (e.g., heater 48, CDA system 44, etc.) to initiate an active regeneration event.

[0063] Ammonia circuit 98 is configured to predict the amount of DEF feed for SCR 76 and, in response, control the amount and timing of DEF feed from DEF feeder 78. Based on analysis of the optimal control strategy designed by remote computing system 35 and associated by map circuit 90, ammonia circuit 98 determines whether an upcoming high ammonia desorption cycle is imminent and, in response, reduces the DEF feed. An upcoming high ammonia desorption cycle can be indicated by data showing that the exhaust temperature will reach a certain desorption threshold. For example, if the optimal control strategy indicates an upcoming ramp, ammonia circuit 98 determines that a high ammonia desorption cycle is imminent due to the rise in exhaust temperature associated with the increased load on the engine 12 of the vehicle 10 climbing the ramp. In response to this determination, ammonia circuit 98 reduces the amount of DEF feed from DEF feeder 78 because DEF has already entered the exhaust stream due to desorption, and therefore, any DEF feed from the DEF feeder above the desorbed DEF would be wasted.

[0064] according to Figure 5 The diagram illustrates a method 500 for managing components of a post-processing system 70, according to an example. Method 500 can be executed at least in part by controller 26, as can be referred to in order to aid in the explanation of method 500.

[0065] Method 500 begins at process 502 and continues at step 504 to determine the current route of vehicle 10. This determination is based on data received from step 506. After determining the current route, the current route is associated with a control strategy at step 508. At step 510, a control strategy is determined based on advanced analysis of data received from vehicle fleet 90 at step 512. At step 514, the timing and / or duration of regeneration events are determined based on the associated control strategy. The method then terminates at step 516.

[0066] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning consistent with common and accepted usage by those skilled in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure relates. Those skilled in the art, upon review of this disclosure, will understand that these terms are intended to allow for the description of certain features described and claimed, without limiting the scope of those features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Therefore, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that non-substantial or irrelevant modifications or alterations to the described and claimed subject matter are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure set forth in the appended claims.

[0067] It should be noted that the terms “exemplary” and variations thereof used herein to describe various embodiments are intended to indicate that these embodiments are possible examples, representations or illustrations of possible embodiments (and these terms are not intended to imply that these embodiments are necessarily special or superlative examples).

[0068] As used herein, the term “coupled” and its variations refer to two components being directly or indirectly connected to each other. This connection can be static (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such a connection can be achieved by directly coupling two components to each other, by coupling two components to each other using one or more separate intervening components, or by coupling two components to each other using an intervening component that forms a single integral body with one of the two components. If “coupled” or its variations are modified by an appended term (e.g., directly coupled), the general definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the simple linguistic meaning of the appended term (e.g., “directly coupled” means a connection of two components without any separate intervening component), resulting in a narrower definition than the general definition of “coupled” provided above. This coupling can be mechanical, electrical, or fluid. For example, circuit A communicatively “coupled” to circuit B can mean that circuit A communicates directly with circuit B (i.e., without an intermediary) or indirectly with circuit B (e.g., through one or more intermediaries).

[0069] References to the location of elements herein (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are used only to describe the orientation of the various elements in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the orientation of the various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and such variations are intended to be included in this disclosure.

[0070] although Figure 2Various circuits with specific functions are illustrated herein, but it should be understood that controller 26 may include any number of circuits for performing the functions described herein. For example, the activities and functions of map circuit 90, soot circuit 92, DEF deposition circuit 94, sulfur circuit 96, and ammonia circuit 98 may be combined into multiple circuits or as a single circuit. Additional circuits with additional functions may also be included. Furthermore, controller 26 may further control other activities beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0071] As described above, and in one configuration, the "circuit" can be implemented in a machine-readable medium for use by, for example Figure 3 The processor 52 executes on various types of processors. For example, executable code may include one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions, which may be organized, for example, into objects, procedures, or functions. However, executable files do not need to be physically located together, but may include different instructions stored in different locations that, when logically connected together, constitute a circuit and perform the circuit's stated purpose. In practice, the circuit of computer-readable program code may be a single instruction or multiple instructions, and may even be distributed across several different code segments, between different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and represented herein in a circuit, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized in any suitable type of data structure. Operational data may be collected as a single dataset or may be distributed across different locations, including different storage devices, and may exist at least in part simply as electronic signals on a system or network.

[0072] While the term "processor" has been briefly defined above, the terms "processor" and "processing circuitry" should be interpreted broadly. In this regard, and as stated above, a "processor" can be implemented as one or more processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other suitable electronic data processing components configured to execute instructions provided by memory. One or more processors can take the form of a single-core processor, a multi-core processor (e.g., a dual-core processor, a triple-core processor, a quad-core processor, etc.), a microprocessor, etc. Therefore, a "circuitryry" as described herein can include components distributed in one or more locations.

[0073] Although the accompanying drawings and specifications may show a specific order of method steps, this order may differ from that depicted and described unless otherwise specified above. Furthermore, two or more steps may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously unless otherwise specified above. For example, such variations may depend on the chosen software and hardware system and the designer's choices. All such variations are within the scope of this disclosure. Similarly, the software implementation of the described method can be accomplished using standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to perform various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.

Claims

1. A system comprising: A heater, which is associated with the vehicle's after-treatment system; as well as A controller includes at least one processor coupled to a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations including: Receive data indicating at least one of the vehicle's current route or current performance; The data indicating at least one of the vehicle's current route or current performance is associated with the control strategy; At least one of the timing or duration of the active regeneration event for the post-processing system is determined based on the associated control strategy; as well as The heater is activated to raise the temperature of the exhaust gas in the aftertreatment system to at least the target regeneration temperature, wherein the heater is activated according to at least one of a determined timing or a determined duration of the active regeneration event of the aftertreatment system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The control strategy was developed using advanced analytics of data collected from multiple vehicles.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The timing of the proactive regeneration event includes skipping previously planned regeneration events based on the associated control strategy.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The active regeneration event is a regeneration event for diesel particulate filters (DPF).

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The determination of at least one of the timing or duration is also based on a feedforward loop using the control strategy and data indicating at least one of the current route or the current performance.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the operation further includes: The timing and amount of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) used are determined based on the associated control strategy. The associated control strategies include information about at least one of the following: temperature of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, ammonia storage, or ammonia-NOx ratio (ANR).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises: Based on the aforementioned associated control strategy, at least one of the amount of NOx emitted by the system or the amount of ammonia leakage is minimized. The associated control strategies include information about at least one of the following: temperature of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, ammonia storage, or ammonia-NOx ratio (ANR).

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises: The cylinder deactivation (CDA) system is activated based on the associated control strategy.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The determination is also based on current weather conditions.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller communicates substantially continuously with the remote computing system via a network, and The association with the control strategy is achieved through the network.

11. A method for managing components of a post-processing system, the method comprising: The controller receives data indicating at least one of the vehicle's current route or current performance. The controller associates at least one of the current route or the current performance with a control policy; The controller determines at least one of the timing or duration of the active regeneration event for the post-processing system based on an associated control strategy; as well as The controller activates the heater to raise the temperature of the exhaust gas in the aftertreatment system to at least the target regeneration temperature, wherein the heater is activated based on at least one of a determined timing or a determined duration of the active regeneration event of the aftertreatment system.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The control strategy was developed using advanced analytics of data collected from multiple vehicles.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein, The timing of the proactive regeneration event includes skipping previously planned regeneration events based on the associated control strategy.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The determination of at least one of the timing or duration is also based on a feedforward loop using the control strategy and data indicating at least one of the current route or the current performance.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The timing and amount of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) used are determined based on the associated control strategy. The associated control strategy includes information on at least one of the temperature or the ammonia-NOx ratio (ANR) of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The controller minimizes at least one of the amount of NOx emitted by the system or the amount of ammonia leakage based on the associated control strategy. The associated control strategies include information about at least one of the following: temperature of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, ammonia storage, or ammonia-NOx ratio (ANR).

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The controller initiates the cylinder deactivation (CDA) system based on the associated control strategy.

18. A system comprising: A controller includes at least one processor coupled to a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations including: Receive data indicating at least one of the current route or current performance of a vehicle, the data providing an indication of passive regeneration events of the post-processing system; The data indicating at least one of the vehicle's current route or current performance is associated with the control strategy; as well as The heater is activated based on an associated control strategy to raise the temperature of the exhaust gas, thereby altering at least one of the timing or duration of the passive regeneration event used by the aftertreatment system.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein, The CDA system is activated to increase target regeneration more rapidly than the passive regeneration event itself.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein, At least one of the heaters or CDA systems is activated before the passive regeneration event ends to maintain the elevated exhaust gas temperature.

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