Method for managing fuel level in storage tank and associated system

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method for managing the fuel level in a tank (16) fitted in a motor vehicle (10), where the vehicle (10) is fitted with an internal combustion engine (12) equipped with an electronic control unit (14), comprising the following steps: a) retrieving fuel consumption data (Dcons) originating from the electronic control unit (14); b) retrieving tank fill data (Dfill) corresponding to the log of the quantity of fuel injected into the tank (16); c) processing the fuel consumption data (Dcons) and the tank filling data (Dfill) in order to calculate at least one estimate (Lest) of the fuel level in the tank (16); d) displaying to the user information representative of the remaining fuel level in the tank (16).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for managing the fuel level in a tank.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for managing the fuel level in a tank of a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine. BACKGROUND

[0003] Motor vehicles using an internal combustion engine are equipped with a tank for storing the necessary fuel. The range of the vehicle depends on the fuel level in the tank, i.e. the amount of fuel remaining in the tank.

[0004] In some cases, the vehicle comprises a fuel sensor or fuel gauge to provide the user of the vehicle with an indication of the amount of fuel present in the tank. However, this solution for monitoring the fuel level in the tank has drawbacks. Indeed, the cost of this sensor is associated both with the component itself and with the installation of this component in the tank. Furthermore, a malfunction of this sensor can disturb the user and cause a malfunction of the vehicle. Replacing a sensor of this type is relatively expensive. SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention proposes a method for managing the fuel level in a tank equipped in a motor vehicle, wherein the vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine being equipped with an electronic control unit, the method comprising the steps of: a) retrieving fuel consumption data originating from the electronic control unit; b) retrieving tank filling data corresponding to a log of the amount of fuel injected into the tank; c) processing the fuel consumption data and the tank filling data to calculate at least one estimate of the fuel level in the tank; d) displaying information representative of the remaining fuel level in the tank to the user.

[0006] According to other features of the invention: - there is at least one step of inputting the amount of fuel injected into the tank before step b), wherein the amount of fuel injected is stored on a storage medium provided for storing a log of operations for filling the tank; - the fuel consumption data and the tank filling data are stored on a storage medium belonging to a remote server; - the fuel consumption data and the tank filling data are transmitted to a remote server by wireless communication and the estimate of the fuel level in the tank is transmitted from the remote server to a mobile communication device capable of implementing step d); - the method comprises a step of selecting a display mode, during which the user selects from at least two of the following display modes: - a real mode, in which the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to an estimated value of the fuel level in the tank; - a conservative mode, in which the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank minus a predetermined low margin; - an optimistic mode, in which the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank plus a predetermined high margin; - an optimized mode, in which the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the information of the real mode as long as the estimated value is greater than half the tank capacity, and to the information of the conservative mode as long as the estimated value is less than or equal to half the tank capacity; - a personalized mode, in which the information representative of the fuel level in the tank corresponds to a display configuration predefined by the user; - the method comprises a step of triggering a warning intended for the user when the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank falls below a predetermined threshold; - the method comprises a step of displaying the range of the vehicle calculated by taking into account the estimated value of the fuel level remaining in the tank and by taking into account an average consumption value, wherein the average consumption value is defined by selecting a consumption mode from at least two of the following modes: - an economy mode, which allows assigning a first average consumption value representative of an economical driving of the vehicle; - a normal mode, which allows assigning a second average consumption value higher than the first average consumption value; - a sport mode, which allows assigning a third average consumption value higher than the second average consumption value; - a personalized mode, which allows assigning a personalized average consumption value calculated on the basis of the actual average consumption of the vehicle over a determined distance.

[0007] A system for managing the fuel level in a tank fitted to a motor vehicle is also proposed, in which the vehicle is fitted with an internal combustion engine, the system comprising: - an electronic engine control unit configured to transmit fuel consumption data to a data processing module; - a mobile communication device configured to allow manual input of the amount of fuel injected into the tank and to transmit the amount of fuel injected to the data processing module; wherein the data processing module is configured to calculate an estimate of the fuel level based on the fuel consumption data and the tank filling data and to transmit the estimate to the mobile communication device for displaying the information on the mobile communication device.

[0008] Advantageously, the system comprises a remote server equipped with a storage medium configured to store the fuel consumption data and / or the tank filling data transmitted by the electronic control unit.

[0009] Advantageously, the data processing module is located on the remote server. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Other features and advantages of the application will become apparent on reading the following detailed description, which is to be understood in relation to the attached drawings in which: [ Figure 1 ] is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle and a system for managing the fuel level in a tank of the vehicle according to a first embodiment; [ Figure 2 ] is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle and a system for managing the fuel level in a tank of the vehicle according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be denoted by the same reference signs.

[0012] Figure 1 A vehicle 10 is shown, equipped with an internal combustion engine 12 equipped with an electronic control unit 14. The vehicle 10 is also equipped with a fuel tank 16 for supplying the internal combustion engine 12.

[0013] Advantageously, the vehicle 10 comprises a wireless communication module 18 allowing the transmission of data outside the vehicle 10, in particular to a mobile communication device 20 carried by the user of the vehicle 10.

[0014] The wireless communication module 18 comprises, for example, an antenna (not shown) allowing the transmission of data using standardized communication protocols, such as: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, 4G / 5G / LTE, etc. The wireless communication module 18 can also comprise a microprocessor and an internal memory (not shown) allowing it to execute algorithms and save data.

[0015] The wireless communication module 18 can also be partially integrated into the electronic control unit 14.

[0016] The electronic control unit 14 is connected to the wireless communication module 18, for example by means of a data transmission device 22 of the CAN bus (Controller Area Network data bus) type, so as to be able to transmit data relating to the operation of the internal combustion engine 12 to the wireless communication module 18. This data includes, for example, fuel consumption data D cons , in particular the instantaneous consumption value.

[0017] Advantageously, the instantaneous consumption can be measured in litres of fuel consumed per second.

[0018] Advantageously, the mobile communication device 20, which can be a mobile phone or a "smartphone", comprises a display screen 24 able to provide the user with information relating to the vehicle 10.

[0019] A specific program or "app" can be installed, for example on the mobile communication device 20, to allow the user to manage information relating to the operation of the vehicle 10, in particular information indicative of the existing level of fuel in the fuel tank 16.

[0020] The mobile communication device 20 comprises an input interface 26 (for example a virtual keyboard formed on a touch panel associated with the display screen 24) which allows the user to input the amount of fuel injected into the fuel tank 16 during each refuelling operation.

[0021] Advantageously, the refuelling data D fill of the tank 16, in particular the log of the amount of fuel injected during each refuelling operation, are stored on a remote server 28, for example using a cloud computing service.

[0022] Advantageously, the mobile communication device 20 is configured to be able to perform remote data transmission and reception with the remote server 28, for example by implementing a network standardised communication protocol via the mobile phone.

[0023] A data processing module 30 is provided for calculating an estimated value L est of the level of fuel in the tank 16 by combining the refuelling data D fill of the tank 16 with the fuel consumption data D cons . This data processing module 30 can be installed on the vehicle 10, or on the mobile communication device 20, or on the remote server 28. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the data processing module 30 is placed on the mobile communication device 20. Figure 1

[0024] The data processing module 30 can be, for example, part of the specific program mentioned above.

[0025] When the data processing module 30 is installed on the vehicle 10, it can be integrated into the wireless communication unit 18, in the internal microprocessor of the unit. ​

[0026] The various components described above thus form a system 32 for managing the fuel level in the tank 16.

[0027] A method for managing the fuel level in the tank 16 using the system 32 described above will now be described.

[0028] Input steps are implemented during which the user uses the input interface 26 of the mobile communication device 20 to record refueling data D fill , in particular the amount of fuel injected during each refueling operation of the tank 16. This refueling data D fill is transmitted to the remote server 28 which stores this data on the storage medium 34.

[0029] Consumption data D cons are retrieved by the data processing module 30 using the wireless communication module 18 which receives this consumption data via the data transmission device 22 and transmits it to the mobile communication device 20.

[0030] Refueling data D fill are retrieved by the data processing module 30 using the remote server 28 from the storage medium 34 which transmits this data D fill to the mobile communication device 20.

[0031] When the user enters the refueling data D fill into the mobile communication device 20, this refueling data can also be transmitted directly to the data processing module 30. The refueling data D fill are sent to the remote server 28 in order to maintain a log of refueling operations.

[0032] The data processing module 30 calculates an estimate of the fuel level L cons remaining in the tank 16 by combining the consumption data D fill with the refueling data D est .

[0033] For example, if during a first refueling operation the user injects 20 liters of fuel into an empty tank 16, then uses the input interface 26 to enter this information, and if at time tl the electronic control unit 14 measures a fuel consumption of 4 liters between the first refueling operation and time tl, then the data processing module 30 will provide an estimate of the fuel level L est of 16 liters.

[0034] During a second refueling operation of the tank 16, if the user injects 3 liters and inputs this information using the input interface 26, the remote server 28 receives and stores this information. At a time t2 following the second refueling operation, the electronic control unit 14 measures that the fuel consumption between the time tl and the time t2 is for example 2 liters. Thus, the data processing module 30 can calculate at the time t2 an estimate L est of the fuel level equal to 17 liters.

[0035] At any time, the data processing module 30 can transmit to the mobile communication device 20 an estimate L est of the fuel level, so that this estimate can be displayed on the display screen 24.

[0036] Advantageously, the data processing module 30 can deduce from the estimated fuel level L est the amount of fuel consumed every 100 milliseconds. This allows the calculation of the amount of fuel in the tank to be refreshed at a high frequency, so that information relating to the fuel level can be transmitted to the user in real time.

[0037] Of course, the data processing module 30 can also take into account the estimated fuel level L est and the consumption data D cons to calculate the range of the vehicle 10, to display an estimate of the distance that the vehicle can travel with the fuel remaining in the tank 16.

[0038] The range of the vehicle 10 can be displayed on the display screen of the mobile communication device 20.

[0039] According to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 , the fuel consumption data D cons are transmitted by the wireless communication module 18 of the vehicle 10 to the mobile communication device 20, which combines this fuel consumption data with the refueling data D fill to calculate the estimated fuel level L est .

[0040] According to the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 , the consumption data D cons may be transmitted by the wireless communication module 18 to the remote server 28, which combines this consumption data with the refueling data D fill supplied by the mobile communication device 20 to calculate the estimated fuel level L est . In this case, the data can be processed by the remote server 28, and it is the remote server 28 that transmits to the mobile communication device 20 an estimate L est of the fuel level, so that this mobile communication device displays it to the user.

[0041] Advantageously, the method for managing the fuel level comprises a step of selecting a display mode, during which the user selects from among several display modes. Examples of display modes that can be selected by the user will now be described.

[0042] According to a first display mode, called the real mode, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to an estimated value L of the fuel level in the tank 16 est .

[0043] According to a second display mode, called the conservative mode, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to an estimated value L of the fuel level in the tank 16 est minus a predetermined low margin. This allows the user to receive a warning earlier when the level is too low. A specific program installed on the mobile communication device 20 can allow, for example, the display of a specific pictogram and / or a specific color code to provide the user with an indication of the urgency of refilling the tank 16.

[0044] According to a third display mode, called the optimistic mode, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to an estimated value L of the fuel level in the tank 16 est plus a predetermined high margin. This allows, for example, the user to reduce the number of warning messages when the level in the tank 16 is too low, or to postpone the time at which the warning messages appear.

[0045] According to a fourth display mode, called the optimized mode, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the information of the real mode as long as the estimated value is greater than half the capacity of the tank 16, and to the information of the conservative mode as long as the estimated value is less than or equal to half the capacity of the tank 16.

[0046] According to a fifth display mode, called the personalized mode, the information representative of the fuel level in the tank corresponds to a display configuration predefined by the user, in which the user can, for example, according to different logics depending on whether a quarter, half or three quarters of fuel remains in the tank 16, select more precisely which estimated fuel level value is to be displayed.

[0047] Advantageously, the data processing module 30 allows the display of the range of the vehicle 10, calculated by taking into account the estimated value L of the fuel level remaining in the tank 16 est and by considering an average consumption value per kilometer. The average consumption value can be defined by selecting one of several consumption modes.

[0048] For example, when the "economy" mode is selected, a first average consumption value per kilometer is used, based on an economic driving of the vehicle 10, i.e. intended to minimize fuel consumption.

[0049] When the "normal" mode is selected, a second average consumption value per kilometer is used, higher than the first average consumption value per kilometer.

[0050] When the "sport" mode is selected, a third average consumption per kilometre value higher than the second average consumption per kilometre value is used.

[0051] When the "personalized" mode is selected, a personalized average consumption per kilometre value calculated on the basis of the actual average consumption of the vehicle 10 over a determined number of kilometres is used.

[0052] The system and the method proposed herein eliminate the need to use a fuel level sensor. In this way, it is possible to avoid this type of malfunction and to save the cost of this component and of accessories such as cables and connectors associated with this component.

[0053] It should be noted that this system and this method are particularly suitable for two-wheeled vehicles such as scooters or other small vehicles, in which the relative cost of the fuel level sensor with respect to the total cost of the vehicle is significant compared to large vehicles such as heavy trucks or four-wheeled motor vehicles.

[0054] Reference signs 10: vehicle 12: internal combustion engine 14: electronic control unit 16: fuel tank 18: wireless communication module 20: mobile communication device 22: data transmission device 24: display screen 26: input interface 28: remote server 30: data processing module 32: fuel level management system 34: storage medium D cons : fuel consumption data D fill : tank refuelling data L est : estimated fuel level.

Claims

1. A method for managing the fuel level in a tank (16) assembled in a motor vehicle (10), wherein, The vehicle (10) is equipped with an internal combustion engine (12) and an electronic control unit (14). The method includes the following steps: a) Retrieve fuel consumption data (D) from the electronic control unit (14). cons ); b) Retrieve the tank filling data (D) corresponding to the log of the amount of fuel injected into the tank (16). fill ); c) Processing the fuel consumption data (D) cons ) and the tank filling data (D fill ), to calculate at least one estimate (L) of the fuel level in the storage tank (16). est ); d) Select a display mode. During this process, the user selects from at least two of the following display modes: - Realistic mode, in which the information representing the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value (L) of the fuel level in the storage tank (16). est ); - Conservative mode, in which the information indicating the fuel level corresponds to an estimated value (L) of the fuel level in the storage tank (16). est Subtract the predetermined low margin; - Optimistic mode, in which the information representing the fuel level corresponds to an estimated value (L) of the fuel level in the storage tank (16). est In addition to the pre-determined high margin; - Optimization mode, in which the estimated value (L) is used. est If the estimated value (L) is greater than half the capacity of the storage tank (16), it indicates that the fuel level information corresponds to the actual model information, and as long as the estimated value (L) is greater than half the capacity of the storage tank (16), it means ... est If the fuel level is less than or equal to half the capacity of the storage tank (16), the information on the fuel level corresponds to the information of the conservative mode. - Personalized mode, in which the information indicating the fuel level in the storage tank (16) corresponds to a display configuration predefined by the user; e) Display information to the user, according to the selected display mode, indicating the remaining fuel level in the tank (16).

2. The method as described in the preceding claim, characterized in that, Prior to step b), there is at least one step of inputting the amount of fuel injected into the tank (16), wherein the amount of fuel injected is stored on a storage medium (34) which is provided for storing a log of the operation of filling the tank (16).

3. The method as described in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, This fuel consumption data (D) cons ) and the tank filling data (D fill ) is stored on storage medium (34) belonging to remote server (28).

4. The method as described in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, This fuel consumption data (D) cons ) and the tank filling data (D fill The fuel level in the storage tank (16) is transmitted to a remote server (28) via wireless communication, and is characterized in that the estimated value (L) of the fuel level in the storage tank (16) is transmitted to a remote server (28) via wireless communication. est The data is transmitted from the remote server (28) to the mobile communication device (20) that is capable of performing step e).

5. The method as described in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: when the estimated value (L) of the fuel level in the storage tank (16) is... est When the value drops below a predetermined threshold, a warning is triggered specifically for that user.

6. The method as described in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: displaying the driving range of the vehicle (10), which is an estimate (L) taking into account the remaining fuel level in the tank (16). est And it is calculated taking into account the average consumption value, which is defined by selecting a consumption mode from at least two of the following modes: - Economy mode, which allows the assignment of a first average consumption value representing the economic driving of the vehicle; - Normal mode, which allows assigning a second average consumption value higher than the first average consumption value; - Exercise mode, which allows a third average consumption value to be assigned that is higher than the second average consumption value; - Personalized mode, which allows you to assign a personalized average consumption value, calculated based on the vehicle's actual average consumption over a defined distance.

7. A system (32) for managing the fuel level in a tank (16) assembled in a motor vehicle (10), wherein, The vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine (12), and the system (32) includes: - Electronic engine control unit (14), which is configured to transmit fuel consumption data (D cons ) is transmitted to the data processing module (30); - A mobile communication device (20) configured to allow manual input of the amount of fuel injected into the storage tank (16) and to transmit the amount of fuel injected to the data processing module (30). The data processing module (30) is configured to implement the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The system (10) as described in the preceding claim, characterized in that, The system includes a remote server (28) equipped with a storage medium (34) configured to store the fuel consumption data (D) transmitted by the electronic control unit (14). cons ) and / or the tank filling data (D fill ).

9. The system (10) as described in the preceding claim, characterized in that, The data processing module (30) is located on the remote server (28).

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