Vehicle exhaust system and method for exhaust of a vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle exhaust system compresses and collects initial contaminants for a period of time after a cold start of the vehicle to wait for completion of heating of a three-way catalytic converter. Then, an exhaust pipe passage is opened. At the moment, the chemical reaction capacity of the three-way catalytic converter is remarkably improved, and therefore the problem that excessive pollutants are discharged in the heating stage of the three-way catalytic converter after cold start of the vehicle is effectively solved. In addition, the invention further provides a method for vehicle exhaust and a vehicle with the vehicle exhaust system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicles, and more particularly, to a vehicle exhaust system and a method for exhausting a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle exhaust system generally refers to the system that collects and discharges exhaust gas. It is mainly used to discharge the exhaust gas generated by the engine, while reducing the pollution and noise of the exhaust gas. Vehicle exhaust system is mainly used for light vehicles, mini vehicles, buses, motorcycles and other motor vehicles.

[0003] The vehicle exhaust system usually includes an exhaust pipe and a three-way catalytic converter. The three-way catalytic converter is mainly used to convert the polluting gases (mainly carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOX)) discharged from the vehicle engine into non-polluting gases so that the exhaust gas can meet increasingly stringent regulatory standards.

[0004] For the three-way catalytic converter, the two most important factors are the air-fuel ratio (A / F) and temperature (T). Only at the ideal air-fuel ratio will the conversion efficiency of the three polluting gases be relatively the highest at the same time. In addition, only when the appropriate temperature is reached can the rate of chemical reaction be maximized. For a period of time after the vehicle is just started, the temperature of the three-way catalytic converter is not so sufficient. At this time, the heating function of the three-way catalytic converter has not been completed, and the purification ability of the three-way catalytic converter for exhaust gas pollutants cannot be fully activated, and the cold start emission results are relatively high. As a result, excessive pollutant emissions may be emitted during the heating stage of the three-way catalytic converter.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a technique to reduce insufficiently purified pollutant gas emissions during vehicle cold start. Summary of the invention

[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007] In view of the deficiencies of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle exhaust system so as to reduce the emission of excessive polluting gases during the cold start of the vehicle.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle exhaust system is provided, which includes: a first exhaust pipe, wherein exhaust gas generated by a vehicle engine enters the first exhaust pipe; a three-way catalytic converter connected to the first exhaust pipe; a second exhaust pipe arranged upstream of the three-way catalytic converter, wherein the second exhaust pipe has a first section and a second section, and the first section and the second section are respectively connected to the first exhaust pipe; an exhaust gas collector connected to the second exhaust pipe; a first switching device arranged in the first exhaust pipe and located between the first section and the second section of the second exhaust pipe; and a second switching device arranged in the second section of the second exhaust pipe.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the first switching device and the second switching device may be exhaust valves.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the system may further include a compressor configured to compress the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the system may further include a temperature detector configured to detect a current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter.

[0012] According to one embodiment, when the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter does not reach the optimal operating temperature, the first switching device can be configured so that the exhaust gas flowing through the first exhaust pipe enters the exhaust gas collector through the second exhaust pipe but cannot enter the three-way catalytic converter, and the second switching device can be configured so that the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector cannot enter the three-way catalytic converter.

[0013] According to one embodiment, when the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaches the optimal operating temperature, the first switching device can be configured to enable the exhaust gas flowing through the first exhaust pipe to enter the three-way catalytic converter, and the second switching device is configured to enable the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector to enter the three-way catalytic converter.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the optimal operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter may be 400°C to 800°C.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for vehicle exhaust is provided, which may include the following steps: a) after a vehicle is cold started, collecting exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine while preventing the exhaust gas from entering the three-way catalytic converter; b) detecting the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter; and c) in response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaching an optimal operating temperature, allowing the collected exhaust gas to enter the three-way catalytic converter.

[0016] According to one embodiment, step a) may include: collecting the exhaust gas into an exhaust gas collector, and compressing the exhaust gas in the exhaust gas collector.

[0017] According to one embodiment, step c) may include: in response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaching an optimal operating temperature, releasing the compressed exhaust gas in the exhaust gas collector at a constant pressure.

[0018] According to one embodiment, exhaust gas generated by a vehicle engine enters a first exhaust pipe, which is connected to a three-way catalytic converter; wherein step a) may include: using a second exhaust pipe arranged upstream of the three-way catalytic converter to collect the exhaust gas into the exhaust gas collector, the second exhaust pipe having a first section and a second section, the first section and the second section being respectively connected to the first exhaust pipe.

[0019] According to one embodiment, step a) may include: using a first switching device arranged in the first exhaust pipe and located between the first section and the second section of the second exhaust pipe to prevent the exhaust gas from entering the three-way catalytic converter.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the method may further include: in response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter not reaching the optimal operating temperature, using a second switching device arranged in the second section of the second exhaust pipe to prevent the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector from entering the three-way catalytic converter.

[0021] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, which may include the vehicle exhaust system according to the present invention.

[0022] By adopting the system and method of the present invention, the emission of pollutant gases after a vehicle is cold started can be effectively reduced.

[0023] These and other features and advantages will become apparent by reading the following detailed description and by reference to the associated drawings.It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative only and are not restrictive of the aspects of what is claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to understand the manner in which the above features of the present invention are used in detail, the above briefly summarized contents can be described in more detail with reference to various embodiments, some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings only show some typical aspects of the present invention and should not be considered to limit its scope, because the description may allow for other equally effective aspects.

[0025] Figure 1 A block diagram illustrating various components and / or systems implemented in an exemplary vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a vehicle exhaust system is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 A flow chart illustrating a method for exhausting a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 A block diagram of an exemplary computing device is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the described exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures or processing steps are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0030] As mentioned above, when the vehicle is cold started, the heating function of the three-way catalytic converter has not yet been completed, and the chemical reaction between the precious metal medium and the exhaust gas has not yet been completed, resulting in higher pollutant emissions. According to the present invention, based on the heating function of the existing three-way catalytic converter, the initial pollutants are compressed and collected for a period of time to wait for the heating of the three-way catalytic converter to be completed. Then, the exhaust pipe channel is opened. At this time, the chemical reaction capacity of the three-way catalytic converter will be significantly improved, thereby effectively solving the problem of excessive pollutant emissions during the heating stage of the three-way catalytic converter.

[0031] Figure 1 1 illustrates a block diagram of various components and / or systems implemented in an exemplary vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that Figure 1 For illustrative purposes only, the present invention is not limited to Figure 1 The vehicle 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 may be applicable to a vehicle including Figure 1 The components shown may be more or less than the components of the vehicle.

[0032] The vehicle 100 may include one or more cameras 135. The camera may include a camera sensor and a mounting assembly. Different mounting assemblies may be used for different cameras on the vehicle 100. For example, a front camera may be mounted in a front bumper, in a rod of a rearview mirror assembly, or in other front areas of the vehicle 100. A rear camera may be mounted in a rear bumper / fender, on a rear windshield, in a trunk, or on other rear areas of the vehicle. Side mirrors may be mounted on the sides of the vehicle 100, such as integrated into a mirror assembly or a door assembly. The camera may provide object detection and distance estimation (especially for objects of known size and / or shape), and may also provide information about rotational motion relative to the vehicle's axis (such as during a turn). When used in conjunction with other sensors, the camera may be calibrated to verify travel distance and angular orientation by using other systems (such as by using LIDAR, distance sensors, etc.). The camera may similarly be used to verify and calibrate other systems to verify that distance measurements are correct, and is also used to verify that object detection is accurately performed so that objects are mapped to the correct position relative to the vehicle by LIDAR and other systems accordingly. Similarly, when combined with, for example, an accelerometer, the time to impact with a road hazard can be estimated (eg, the time elapsed before hitting a pothole).

[0033] In one embodiment, the accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer 140 can be used to provide and / or verify motion and direction information. The accelerometer and gyroscope can be used to monitor wheel and driveline performance. In one embodiment, the accelerometer can also be used to verify the actual collision time of road hazard obstacles (such as potholes) relative to the predicted time based on existing braking and acceleration models and steering models. In one embodiment, the gyroscope and magnetometer can be used to measure the rotation state of the vehicle and the orientation relative to magnetic north, respectively, and to measure and calibrate the estimation and / or model of the turning radius at the current speed and / or the maneuverability metric at the current speed (especially when used in conjunction with measurements from other external and internal sensors (such as other sensors 145, such as speed sensors, and / or odometer measurements)).

[0034] The Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR, also known as laser radar) 150 subsystem uses pulsed lasers to measure the distance to an object. While cameras can be used for object detection, LIDAR 150 provides a means to more confidently detect the distance (and orientation) of an object, especially with respect to objects of unknown size and shape. LIDAR 150 measurements can also be used to estimate travel rate, vector direction, relative positioning, and braking distance by providing accurate distance measurements and incremental distance measurements.

[0035] The memory 160 may be used with the processor 110 and / or the digital signal processor (DSP) 120, and the memory may include flash memory, RAM, ROM, disk drive, or flash memory card or other memory device, or various combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the memory 160 may include instructions for implementing the various methods described throughout this specification. In one embodiment, the memory may include instructions for the following operations: operating and calibrating sensors, and receiving maps, weather, vehicles (both vehicle 100 and surrounding vehicles) and other data, and determining driving parameters (such as relative positioning, absolute positioning, braking distance, acceleration and turning radius at current speed and / or maneuverability at current speed, vehicle distance, turn initiation / timing and execution, and initiation / timing of driving operations) using various internal and external sensor measurements and received data and measurements.

[0036] In one embodiment, the power and drive systems (generator, battery, transmission, engine) and related systems 175 and systems 155 (brakes, actuators, throttle control, steering and electrical) may be controlled by processor(s) and / or hardware or software or by an operator of the vehicle or by some combination thereof. The systems 155 (brakes, actuators, throttle control, steering and electrical, etc.) and power and drive or other systems 175 may be utilized in conjunction with performance parameters and operating parameters to enable autonomous (and manual, with respect to alarms and emergency overrides / brakes / stopping) safe and accurate driving and operation of the vehicle 100, such as to merge into traffic, park, accelerate and otherwise operate the vehicle 100 safely, effectively and efficiently. In one embodiment, inputs from various sensor systems (such as cameras 135, accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers 140, LIDAR 150, GNSS receivers 170, radar 153, inputs, messaging and / or measurements from wireless transceiver(s) 130 and / or other sensors 145, or various combinations thereof) may be used by the processor 110 and / or DSP 120 or other processing system to control the power and drive system 175 as well as the systems (brakes, actuators, throttle control, steering and electrical) 155.

[0037] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers can be used to determine positioning relative to the ground (absolute positioning) and, when used with other information (such as measurements and / or mapping data from other objects), can be used to determine positioning relative to other objects (such as relative to other vehicles and / or relative to the road).

[0038] In one embodiment, the GNSS receiver 170 may support one or more GNSS constellations and other satellite-based navigation systems. For example, in one embodiment, the GNSS receiver 170 may support global navigation satellite systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), Galileo, and / or BeiDou, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the GNSS receiver 170 may support regional navigation satellite systems (such as NAVIC or QZSS or a combination thereof) and various augmentation systems (e.g., satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) or ground-based augmentation systems (GBAS)), such as Doppler orbit diagrams and radio positioning integrated by satellite (DORIS) or wide area augmentation system (WAAS) or European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) or Multipurpose Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) or Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS). In one embodiment, the GNSS receiver(s) 130 and the antenna(s) 132 may support multiple frequency bands and sub-bands, such as GPS L1, L2, and L5 bands, Galileo E1, E5, and E6 bands, Compass (Beidou) B1, B3, and B2 bands, GLONASS G1, G2, and G3 bands, and QZSS L1C, L2C, and L5-Q bands.

[0039] The GNSS receiver 170 may be used to determine position and relative position that may be used for positioning, navigation, and for calibrating other sensors when appropriate, such as for determining the distance between two points in time under clear sky conditions and using the distance data to calibrate other sensors (such as odometers and / or LIDAR). In one embodiment, GNSS-based relative position based on, for example, Doppler and / or pseudorange measurements shared between vehicles may be used to determine a highly accurate distance between two vehicles, and when combined with vehicle information (such as shape and model information and GNSS antenna position) may be used to calibrate, verify, and / or influence the confidence level associated with information from LIDAR, cameras, radar, sonar, and other distance estimation techniques. GNSS Doppler measurements may also be used to determine the linear and rotational motion of a vehicle or vehicles relative to another vehicle, which may be used in conjunction with gyroscopes and / or magnetometers and other sensor systems to maintain calibration of those systems based on measured position data. Relative GNSS positioning data may also be combined with high confidence absolute position from roadside equipment (also referred to as roadside units or RSUs) to determine a high confidence absolute position of a vehicle. Additionally, during inclement weather that may obscure LIDAR and / or camera-based data sources, relative GNSS positioning data may be used to avoid other vehicles and remain within lanes or other assigned road areas. For example, using an RSU equipped with a GNSS receiver and V2X capabilities, GNSS measurement data may be provided to the vehicle, which, when provided along with the absolute position of the RSU, may be used to navigate the vehicle relative to a map, thereby keeping the vehicle in a lane and / or road despite lack of visibility.

[0040] Radio detection and ranging (radar 153) uses transmitted radio waves reflected from an object. The reflected radio waves are analyzed based on the time required for the reflection to arrive and other signal characteristics of the reflected waves to determine the location of nearby objects. Radar 153 can be used to detect the location of nearby cars, roadside objects (signs, other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.), and can usually detect objects even in the presence of ambiguous weather (such as snow, rain or hail). Thus, radar 153 can be used to supplement LIDAR 150 system and camera 135 when providing ranging information to other objects by providing ranging and distance measurements and information when vision-based systems usually fail. In addition, radar 153 can be used to calibrate and / or sanity check other systems (such as LIDAR 150 and camera 135). Ranging measurements from radar 153 can be used to determine / measure braking distance at current speed, acceleration, maneuverability at current speed, and / or turning radius at current speed and / or maneuverability metrics at current speed. In some systems, ground penetrating radar can also be used to track the road surface via, for example, radar reflection marks on the road surface or terrain features such as ditches.

[0041] The following combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 The vehicle exhaust system and the vehicle exhaust method of the present invention will be explained in detail.

[0042] Figure 2 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a vehicle exhaust system 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that Figure 2 For illustration purposes only, the vehicle exhaust system 200 of the present invention may include Figure 2 More or fewer components may be used than shown.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle exhaust system 200 may include a first exhaust pipe 210, and the exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine may be gathered into the first exhaust pipe 210. The vehicle exhaust system 200 may further include a three-way catalytic converter 220 connected to the first exhaust pipe 210. In the prior art, the exhaust gas gathered into the first exhaust pipe 210 directly enters the three-way catalytic converter 220, regardless of whether the three-way catalytic converter 220 has completed the heating stage (for example, whether it has been heated to the optimal working temperature (for example, 400° C. to 800° C.)). According to the present invention, in order to reduce the emission of pollutant gas after the cold start of the vehicle and before the heating stage of the three-way catalytic converter is not completed, a second exhaust pipe 230 may be arranged upstream of the three-way catalytic converter 220. In this article, "upstream" and "downstream" are expressed relative to the order in which the exhaust gas generated by the engine is discharged from the engine to the outside of the vehicle. For example, “the second exhaust pipe 230 is arranged upstream of the three-way catalytic converter 220” may mean that the exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine first passes through the second exhaust pipe 230 and then passes through the three-way catalytic converter 220. In one embodiment, the second exhaust pipe 210 may include one or more sections, such as Figure 2 , wherein the first section 231 and the second section 232 may be connected to the first exhaust pipe 210, respectively, and the first section 231 is connected to the third section 233, and the second section 231 is also connected to the third section 233. In one example, the first section 231 and the second section 232 may be arranged in parallel (for example, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 However, in another example, the first segment 231 and the second segment 232 may be arranged in a non-parallel manner (for example, a certain portion of a segment may be curved, may be at a certain angle to each other, etc.). Figure 2 In one embodiment not shown in the figure, the third section 233 may be omitted, so that the first section 231 is directly connected to the second section 232 .

[0044] In one embodiment, the vehicle exhaust system 200 may further include an exhaust gas collector 240. The exhaust gas collector 240 may be any suitable container capable of temporarily storing exhaust gas. Figure 2 In the example shown, the exhaust gas collector 240 may be connected to the third section 233 of the second exhaust pipe 230. However, in an embodiment where the third section 233 is omitted, the exhaust gas collector 240 may be connected to the first section 231 and / or the second section 232. In an optional embodiment, the vehicle exhaust system 200 may further include a compressor 250, which may be configured to compress the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector 240. In addition, in an optional embodiment, the vehicle exhaust system 200 may further include a temperature detector ( Figure 2 (not shown), the temperature detector may be configured to detect the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter 220.

[0045] In one embodiment, the vehicle exhaust system 200 may include a first switch device 270 and a second switch device 280, examples of which may include but are not limited to exhaust valves, relays, etc. Figure 2 As shown, the first switching device 270 may be arranged in the first exhaust pipe 210 between the first section 231 and the second section 232 , and the second switching device 270 may be arranged in the second section 232 .

[0046] The working principle of the vehicle exhaust system 200 according to the present invention is described in detail below.

[0047] After the vehicle is cold started and until the three-way catalytic converter 220 reaches the optimal operating temperature, the first switch device 270 may be configured to disconnect the first exhaust pipe 210 from the three-way catalytic converter 220 so that the exhaust gas flowing through the first exhaust pipe 210 can only enter the exhaust gas collector 240 through the first section 231 of the second exhaust pipe 230 but cannot enter the three-way catalytic converter 220, and the second switch device 280 may be configured to disconnect the second section 232 of the second exhaust pipe 230 from the first exhaust pipe 210 so that the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector 240 cannot enter the three-way catalytic converter 220. In this way, during this stage, the exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine cannot enter the three-way catalytic converter 220, but is temporarily stored in the exhaust gas collector 240. Preferably, the compressor 250 may be used to compress the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector 240 so that more exhaust gas can be stored in the exhaust gas collector 240.

[0048] When the three-way catalytic converter 220 reaches the optimal operating temperature after being continuously heated, the first switch device 270 can be configured to connect the first exhaust pipe 210 with the three-way catalytic converter 220, so that the exhaust gas flowing through the first exhaust pipe 210 can enter the three-way catalytic converter 220, and the second switch device 280 can be configured to connect the second section 232 of the second exhaust pipe 230 with the first exhaust pipe 210, so that the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector can also enter the three-way catalytic converter. Preferably, the compressed exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector 240 can be released at a constant pressure.

[0049] Through the above process, the initial pollutants are (compressed and) collected for a period of time after the vehicle is cold started to wait for the heating of the three-way catalytic converter to be completed. Then, the exhaust pipe channel is opened. At this time, the chemical reaction capacity of the three-way catalytic converter will be significantly improved, thereby effectively solving the problem of excessive pollutant emissions during the heating stage of the three-way catalytic converter.

[0050] Figure 3 A flow chart illustrating a method 300 for exhausting a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, Figure 3 The method 300 described in the above reference may be used. Figure 2 In another embodiment, Figure 3 The method 300 described in the accompanying drawings may be partially implemented using the following references: Figure 4 The illustrated computing device 400 is implemented.

[0051] At block 310, the method 300 may include collecting exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine after a cold start of the vehicle while preventing the exhaust gas from entering the three-way catalytic converter. In one embodiment, an exhaust pipe (e.g., Figure 2 The second exhaust pipe 230 in the exhaust gas collector is used to collect the exhaust gas. Preferably, a compressor (e.g., Figure 2 In one embodiment, a switch device (e.g., a compressor 250 in the exhaust pipe) can be used to compress the exhaust gas in the exhaust gas collector. Figure 2 The first switching device 270 and the second switching device 280 in the exhaust gas collector are used to prevent the exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine and the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector from entering the three-way catalytic converter.

[0052] In block 320, method 300 may include detecting the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter. In one embodiment, a dedicated temperature detector may be used to detect the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter. In another embodiment, an existing device such as a temperature sensor in the vehicle may also be used to detect the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter.

[0053] In box 330, method 300 may include allowing the collected exhaust gas to enter the three-way catalytic converter in response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaching the optimal operating temperature. In one embodiment, the optimal operating temperature may be a temperature that fully activates the three-way catalytic converter's ability to purify exhaust pollutants, which may range from 400°C to 800°C, for example. In one embodiment, when the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaches the optimal operating temperature, the compressed exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector may be released at a constant pressure and allowed to enter the three-way catalytic converter. In another embodiment, when the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaches the optimal operating temperature, the exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine may be allowed to directly enter the three-way catalytic converter.

[0054] Figure 4 Illustrated is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device 400 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is one example of a hardware device applicable to aspects of the present invention.

[0055] refer to Figure 4 Now, a computing device 400 will be described, which is an example of a hardware device (e.g., user equipment, cloud server, vehicle control unit, etc.) that can be applied to various aspects of the present invention. The computing device 400 can be any machine that can be configured to perform processing and / or calculations, and can be but is not limited to a workstation, server, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant, smart phone, vehicle computer, or any combination thereof. The various methods / devices / servers / user equipment described above can be implemented in whole or in part by the computing device 400 or similar devices or systems.

[0056] The computing device 400 may include components that may be connected or communicated via one or more interfaces and a bus 402. For example, the computing device 400 may include a bus 402, one or more processors 404, one or more input devices 406, and one or more output devices 408. The one or more processors 404 may be any type of processor and may include, but are not limited to, one or more general purpose processors and / or one or more special purpose processors (e.g., a dedicated processing chip). The input device 406 may be any type of device capable of inputting information to the computing device and may include, but are not limited to, a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen, a microphone, and / or a remote controller. The output device 408 may be any type of device capable of presenting information and may include, but are not limited to, a display, a speaker, a video / audio output terminal, a vibrator, and / or a printer. The computing device 400 may also include or be connected to a non-transient storage device 410, which may be any storage device that is non-transient and capable of data storage, and may include, but is not limited to, a disk drive, an optical storage device, a solid-state memory, a floppy disk, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a tape or any other magnetic medium, an optical disk or any other optical medium, a ROM (read-only memory), a RAM (random access memory), a cache memory, and / or any memory chip or cassette, and / or any other medium from which a computer can read data, instructions, and / or code. The non-transient storage device 410 may be detachable from the interface. The non-transient storage device 410 may have data / instructions / code for implementing the above methods and steps. The computing device 400 may also include a communication device 412. The communication device 412 can be any type of device or system that can communicate with internal devices and / or with a network and can include but is not limited to a modem, a network card, an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device and / or a chipset, such as a Bluetooth device, an IEEE 1302.11 device, a WiFi device, a WiMax device, a cellular communication device and / or the like.

[0057] When the computing device 400 is used as an in-vehicle device, it can also be connected to external devices (e.g., a GPS receiver, sensors for sensing different environmental data (such as an accelerometer, a wheel speed sensor, a gyroscope, etc.)). In this way, the computing device 400 can, for example, receive positioning data and sensor data indicating the driving conditions of the vehicle. When the computing device 400 is used as an in-vehicle device, it can also be connected to other devices for controlling the driving and operation of the vehicle (e.g., an engine system, a wiper, an anti-lock brake system, a light control system, etc.).

[0058] In addition, the non-transitory storage device 410 may have map information and software components so that the processor 504 can implement route guidance processing. In addition, the output device 406 may include a display for displaying a map, displaying a location mark of the vehicle, and displaying an image indicating the driving status of the vehicle. The output device 506 may also include a speaker or a headphone interface for audio guidance.

[0059] The bus 402 may include, but is not limited to, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, an Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus. In particular, for in-vehicle devices, the bus 402 may also include a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus or other structures designed for automotive applications.

[0060] The computing device 400 may also include a working memory 414 , which may be any type of working memory capable of storing instructions and / or data that facilitate the operation of the processor 404 and may include, but is not limited to, random access memory and / or read-only storage devices.

[0061] Software components may be located in the working memory 414, including but not limited to an operating system 416, one or more application programs 418, drivers and / or other data and codes. Instructions for implementing the above methods and steps may be included in the one or more application programs 418, and the modules / units / components of the aforementioned various devices / servers / user equipment may be implemented by the processor 404 reading and executing the instructions of the one or more application programs 418.

[0062] It should also be recognized that changes may be made according to specific needs. For example, custom hardware may also be used, and / or specific components may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or any combination thereof. In addition, connections to other computing devices, such as network input / output devices, etc. may be employed. For example, programming hardware (e.g., programmable logic circuits including field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and / or programmable logic arrays (PLAs)) with assembly language or hardware programming languages ​​(e.g., VERILOG, VHDL, C++) may be used to implement part or all of the disclosed methods and devices using logic and algorithms according to the present invention.

[0063] Although various aspects of the present invention have been described so far with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above-described methods, systems and devices are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these aspects, but is limited only by the appended claims and their equivalents. Various components may be omitted or replaced by equivalent components. In addition, the steps may be implemented in an order different from the order described in the present invention. In addition, various components may be combined in various ways. It is also important that, as technology develops, many of the components described may be replaced by equivalent components that appear later.

[0064] List of reference numerals:

[0065] 100 Vehicles

[0066] 110 Processor

[0067] 120DSP

[0068] 130(s) wireless transceiver

[0069] 135 Camera

[0070] 140Accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer

[0071] 145 Other sensors (speed sensor / speedometer, distance / odometer, weather, light, rain sensor, tire pressure sensor, tire traction sensor (anti-lock and / or traction control), etc.)

[0072] 150LIDAR

[0073] 153 Radar

[0074] 155 systems (brakes, actuators, throttle control, steering and electrical, etc.)

[0075] 160 Memory

[0076] 170GNSS transceiver

[0077] 175 Power and drive systems (generators, batteries, transmissions, engines) and related systems

[0078] 200 Vehicle exhaust system

[0079] 210 First exhaust pipe

[0080] 220 Three-way catalytic converter

[0081] 230 Second exhaust pipe

[0082] 231 Section 1

[0083] 232 Second Segment

[0084] 233 Section 3

[0085] 240 Exhaust gas collector

[0086] 250 Compressor

[0087] 270 First switch device

[0088] 280 Second switch device

[0089] 300 Methods

[0090] 310 Collects exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine after a cold start and prevents the exhaust gas from entering the three-way catalytic converter

[0091] 320 detects the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter

[0092] 330 In response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaching the optimal operating temperature, the collected exhaust gas is allowed to enter the three-way catalytic converter.

[0093] 400 computing devices

[0094] 402 Bus

[0095] 404 Handler

[0096] 406 Input Device

[0097] 408 Output Device

[0098] 410 Storage Devices

[0099] 412 Communication equipment

[0100] 414 Working memory

[0101] 416 Operating System

[0102] 418 Applications

Claims

1. A vehicle exhaust system, comprising: a first exhaust pipe into which exhaust gas generated by an engine of the vehicle enters; a three-way catalytic converter connected to the first exhaust pipe; a second exhaust pipe arranged upstream of the three-way catalytic converter, wherein the second exhaust pipe has a first section and a second section, the first section and the second section are respectively connected to the first exhaust pipe; an exhaust gas collector connected to the second exhaust pipe; a first switching device arranged in the first exhaust pipe and located between the first section and the second section; as well as A second switching device is arranged in the second section.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are exhaust valves. 3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a compressor configured to compress the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector. 4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature detector configured to detect a current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter does not reach the optimal operating temperature, the first switching device is configured so that the exhaust gas flowing through the first exhaust pipe enters the exhaust gas collector through the second exhaust pipe but cannot enter the three-way catalytic converter, and the second switching device is configured so that the exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector cannot enter the three-way catalytic converter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein when the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaches an optimal operating temperature, the first switching device is configured to enable exhaust gas flowing through the first exhaust pipe to enter the three-way catalytic converter, and the second switching device is configured to enable exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector to enter the three-way catalytic converter.

7. The system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the optimal operating temperature is 400°C to 800°C.

8. A method for exhausting a vehicle, comprising: a) after a vehicle cold start, collecting exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine while preventing the exhaust gas from entering the three-way catalytic converter; b) detecting the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter; and c) in response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaching an optimal operating temperature, The collected exhaust gas is allowed to enter the three-way catalytic converter.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the optimal operating temperature is 400°C to 800°C.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein step a) comprises: The exhaust gas is collected in an exhaust gas collector, and the exhaust gas in the exhaust gas collector is compressed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step c) comprises: In response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter reaching an optimal operating temperature, the compressed exhaust gas in the exhaust gas collector is released at a constant pressure.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the exhaust gas generated by the vehicle engine enters a first exhaust pipe, and the first exhaust pipe is connected to the three-way catalytic converter; wherein step a) comprises: The exhaust gas is collected into the exhaust gas collector using a second exhaust pipe arranged upstream of the three-way catalytic converter, the second exhaust pipe having a first section and a second section, the first section and the second section being connected to the first exhaust pipe, respectively.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step a) comprises: The exhaust gas is prevented from entering the three-way catalytic converter using a first switching device arranged in the first exhaust pipe between the first section and the second section of the second exhaust pipe.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: In response to the current operating temperature of the three-way catalytic converter not reaching an optimal operating temperature, a second switching device arranged in the second section of the second exhaust pipe is used to prevent exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas collector from entering the three-way catalytic converter.

15. A vehicle comprising the vehicle exhaust system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images