Method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust aftertreatment device, exhaust aftertreatment system, computer program product and computer-readable medium

Abstract

Method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust gas aftertreatment device, in which by means of a vehicle-side electronic computing device - consumption information (10) is received (14) which characterises a consumption of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device of a reducing agent, - tank information (12) characterising a filling level of a reducing agent tank is received (14), - the fuel information is assessed together with the consumption information with regard to divergence (16), - when the divergence between the fuel information and the consumption information is detected, error information is stored in a blockchain characterising the motor vehicle (18) and an action of the motor vehicle is triggered (20), - when storing the error information in the blockchain, a predefined time interval is started, whereby the action is triggered after the expiry of the time interval if no action to resolve the problem is taken, and the action is omitted if the action to resolve the problem is carried out within the time interval, and - triggering of the action is prevented if, before the expiry of the time interval, repair information which can be assigned to the error information and which characterises a repair of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system as a problem-solving action is received by the electronic computing device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust aftertreatment device, an exhaust aftertreatment system, a computer program product and a computer-readable medium.

[0002] WO 2018 / 014123 A1 discloses a system for vehicle records that includes a vehicle history application. The vehicle history application is configured to receive a notification characterizing a vehicle event, which may be a service event. Attributes of the event can be stored in a blockchain.

[0003] Furthermore, US 2010 / 0086446 A1 discloses a method for performing a fault diagnosis on a supply system for a liquid reducing agent in an engine exhaust gas purification device for the reductive purification of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gases. In the method, a reducing agent fill level in a tank is determined and the fill level is compared with a reducing agent dosage. An alarm is issued depending on the result of the comparison.

[0004] Furthermore, DE 11 2013 002 497 T5 discloses a method for providing a maintenance trigger for a system with selective catalytic reduction, particularly for diesel engine applications. Furthermore, DE 10 2014 017 829 A1 discloses a method for checking the functionality of a metering device designed to introduce a reducing agent for exhaust gas aftertreatment into an exhaust system of a vehicle. Furthermore, DE 10 2016 219 834 B4 discloses a method for monitoring the contents of a storage tank of a system based on selective catalytic reduction for exhaust gas aftertreatment of a vehicle's internal combustion engine.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust gas aftertreatment device, an exhaust gas aftertreatment system for a motor vehicle, a computer program product and a computer-readable medium by means of which manipulation of an exhaust gas aftertreatment device can be prevented.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust aftertreatment device with the features of patent claim 1, by an exhaust aftertreatment system for a motor vehicle with the features of patent claim 4, by a computer program product with the features of patent claim 5, and by a computer-readable medium with the features of patent claim 6. Advantageous embodiments with expedient further developments of the invention are specified in the respective dependent claims and in the following description.

[0007] To prevent manipulation of exhaust gas aftertreatment devices, the invention provides a method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust gas aftertreatment device, in which method consumption information characterizing a consumption of a reducing agent by the exhaust gas aftertreatment device is received by means of an on-board electronic computing device. In particular, the exhaust gas aftertreatment device can be an exhaust gas aftertreatment device based on a selective catalytic reaction, in which nitrogen oxides in an exhaust gas of the motor vehicle are to be reduced by adding the reducing agent. The reducing agent can be used in particular in fluid form in the exhaust gas aftertreatment device in order to reduce nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas. For example, the reducing agent is urea or ammonia, which reacts with the exhaust gas in liquid or gaseous form.The consumption information can, for example, be determined by means of a computing device for a determined composition of the exhaust gas and a predetermined setting of nitrogen oxide concentration in the exhaust gas, and can be made available to the vehicle-mounted electronic computing device. The consumption information thus characterizes how much of the reducing agent is required to set a predetermined value for nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas after exhaust gas aftertreatment for the determined composition of the exhaust gas or to reduce a determined nitrogen oxide content in the exhaust gas by a predetermined proportion as part of the exhaust gas aftertreatment. The method further provides that tank information characterizing a fill level of a reducing agent tank is received by means of the electronic computing device.The reducing agent used for exhaust gas aftertreatment is stored in the reducing agent tank and provided by the reducing agent tank to the exhaust gas aftertreatment device. The tank information characterizing the fill level of the reducing agent tank can be determined, for example, by means of a sensor arranged in the reducing agent tank or on the reducing agent tank, in particular a float, and provided to the vehicle-mounted electronic computing device. Furthermore, according to the invention, the tank information is evaluated together with the consumption information with regard to divergence by means of the vehicle-mounted electronic computing device. This means that it is determined whether the received tank information is realistic or appropriate with regard to the received consumption information.If it is determined that the tank information is realistic or appropriate with regard to the consumption information, the divergence is not detected. If a state of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system determined based on the tank information deviates by more than a defined, predetermined amount from a state of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system determined based on the consumption information, the divergence between the tank information and the consumption information is detected. The method further provides that, upon detection of the divergence between the tank information and the consumption information, error information is stored in a blockchain characterizing the motor vehicle, and an action is triggered by the motor vehicle.Thus, as soon as the divergence is detected, the error information characterizing the divergence is stored in the blockchain, making subsequent deletion or modification of the error information extremely difficult. If the divergence is detected during the process, the divergence is stored in the blockchain in the form of error information, so that the error information characterizing the divergence is permanently available and indicates possible manipulation, allowing the motor vehicle characterized by the error information to be checked for manipulation. The process further provides for the vehicle-mounted electronic computing device to trigger the action so that the motor vehicle reacts to the possible manipulation.The method thus enables a particularly simple verification of continuity between the tank information characterizing the fill level and the consumption information characterizing the consumption of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device, whereby the storage of the error information in the blockchain makes it more difficult to manipulate the error information in the event of a detected divergence.

[0008] Furthermore, it is provided that a predetermined time interval is started by means of the electronic computing device when the error information is stored in a blockchain, and that the action is triggered after the expiration of the time interval if a problem-solving action is not carried out, and the action is omitted if the problem-solving action is carried out within the time interval. In other words, the time interval is a grace period within which the triggering of the action can be prevented by carrying out the problem-solving action. Independently of the problem-solving action, the error information is stored in the blockchain shortly after the divergence is determined. For example, it is possible that when the time interval is started, a warning message characterizing the start of the time interval is issued in the interior of the motor vehicle as the first action.If the troubleshooting action is not performed within the specified time interval, a second action is triggered, for example, blocking the engine from restarting and / or providing the error information to the vehicle's external electronic computing device. If the troubleshooting action is performed within the specified time interval, the second action is not performed. The troubleshooting action thus gives the driver of the vehicle the option of preventing the triggering of the action, for example, the second action.

[0009] Furthermore, it is provided that the electronic computing device prevents the triggering of the action if, before the expiration of the time interval, the electronic computing device receives repair information that can be assigned to the error information and characterizes a repair of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system as a problem-solving action. This means that, in principle, the electronic computing device prevents the triggering of the action or the triggering of the second action if it is determined that the exhaust gas aftertreatment system has been repaired as part of the problem-solving action. This repair information is, in particular, assigned to the error information and stored in the blockchain, so that it is visible in the blockchain that the error information has been determined and the problem-solving action has been carried out.This can, for example, prevent the expiration of a vehicle registration as a second action.

[0010] In a further development of the invention, it has proven advantageous if standstill information characterizing a standstill of the motor vehicle is received by the electronic computing device, and the error information is not stored in the blockchain if the divergence occurs while the motor vehicle is at a standstill. This means that the vehicle-side electronic computing device determines whether the motor vehicle is at a standstill, and the error information is not stored in the blockchain if the divergence occurs in tank information determined during the standstill. In particular, the reducing agent tank can be filled with the reducing agent while the motor vehicle is at a standstill.A divergence during a standstill can thus occur in such a way that the consumption information characterizes a consumption of the reducing agent, whereas the tank information characterizes an increase in the fill level of the reducing agent tank. To prevent the error information from being stored in the blockchain due to the refilling of the reducing agent tank with the reducing agent, the error information is not stored in the blockchain if the tank information was determined while the motor vehicle was stationary. Alternatively or additionally, the determination of the divergence during a standstill of the motor vehicle or of tank information determined while the motor vehicle was stationary can be prevented by the electronic computing device.Including the downtime information in the decision whether or not to store the error information in the blockchain leads to a particularly low error rate when determining and storing the error information in the blockchain.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, it has proven advantageous if the electronic computing device triggers the output of a warning signal in the interior of the motor vehicle and / or the locking of the motor vehicle's engine upon restarting the motor vehicle and / or the transmission of error information to a computing device external to the vehicle. The warning signal can be output acoustically, visually, and / or haptically in the interior of the motor vehicle. For example, the warning signal can be output in the form of an acoustic and / or visual warning message indicating that the next service point must be reached to avoid the vehicle's registration becoming invalid.Alternatively or additionally, the warning message can indicate that, due to the discrepancy, different toll fees must be paid and / or fines may or will be imposed on the haulage company and / or the driver. Furthermore, the warning message can alternatively or additionally indicate that if the vehicle is switched off, the engine will not start due to the detected discrepancy. Alternatively or additionally, the motor of the vehicle, for example, an internal combustion engine or an electric motor, can be disabled as an action, preventing the engine from restarting after it has been manually switched off.Alternatively or additionally, the error information can be sent as an action to the vehicle's external electronic processing device. This external electronic processing device can be a server device of a transport company that owns the vehicle and / or the police. This makes it particularly easy to inform the police and / or the transport company about the detected discrepancy, allowing them to check the vehicle's exhaust aftertreatment system for tampering.

[0012] The invention further relates to an exhaust gas aftertreatment system for a motor vehicle, comprising an exhaust gas aftertreatment device and a vehicle-mounted electronic computing device, each of which has already been described in connection with the method according to the invention. The electronic computing device is configured to carry out the method according to the invention described above. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system is thus particularly secure against manipulation of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device.

[0013] The invention further relates to a computer program product which comprises instructions which in turn cause the electronic computing device of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system to carry out the method according to the invention.

[0014] Furthermore, the invention comprises a computer-readable medium on which the computer program product according to the invention is stored. Advantages and advantageous developments of the method according to the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous developments of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to the invention, the computer program product according to the invention, and the computer-readable medium according to the invention, and vice versa.

[0015] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the single figure, can be used not only in the respective specified combination, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0016] The sole figure shows a process diagram for a method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust gas aftertreatment device and an electronic computing device, wherein a discrepancy between a determined consumption of a reducing agent in the exhaust gas aftertreatment device and a fill level of a reducing agent tank in which the reducing agent is stored is determined by means of the electronic computing device. As a result of the determined discrepancy, error information characterizing the discrepancy is stored in a blockchain characterizing the motor vehicle, and an action is executed by means of the electronic computing device. The motor vehicle is, in particular, a motor vehicle, in particular a truck.To prevent freight forwarders from tampering with a motor vehicle's exhaust aftertreatment system for cost reasons, thereby achieving particularly low transport costs per kilometer, a method described below is provided for operating a motor vehicle equipped with an exhaust aftertreatment system. The method is intended to make tampering with the exhaust aftertreatment system more difficult. In this case, the exhaust aftertreatment system performs exhaust aftertreatment of the motor vehicle's exhaust gas based on a selective catalytic reaction. For this purpose, the motor vehicle's exhaust gas is reacted with a reducing agent to reduce nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas as part of the exhaust aftertreatment process.In order to avoid manipulation of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device, the method provides for a possible manipulation to be determined and for error information characterizing the possible manipulation to be stored and assigned to the motor vehicle, wherein the method stores the error information in such a way that it can only be changed or deleted with particularly high effort.

[0017] A process diagram for the method is shown in the single figure. First, consumption information 10 and tank information 12 are provided for an on-board electronic computing device of the motor vehicle. The consumption information 10 characterizes a consumption of a reducing agent by the exhaust gas aftertreatment device, in this case a urea solution for the aftertreatment of the motor vehicle's exhaust gas. The consumption information can characterize a volume flow and / or a mass flow and / or an absolute volume and / or an absolute mass of consumed reducing agent. The tank information 12 characterizes a fill level of a reducing agent tank of the motor vehicle, in which the reducing agent is to be stored and from which the reducing agent is provided for the exhaust gas aftertreatment device.In a first method step 14, at least the consumption information 10 and the fuel information 12 are received by the electronic computing device. Following receipt of the consumption information 10 and the fuel information 12, the electronic computing device evaluates the consumption information 10 and the fuel information 12 in a second method step 16 with regard to a divergence and thus an inconsistency between the consumption information 10 and the fuel information 12. If the divergence is determined in a second method step 16, then, in a third method step 18, error information characterizing the divergence is stored in a blockchain assigned to the motor vehicle by the electronic computing device.Simultaneously with the third method step 18, a fourth method step 20 can be triggered by the electronic computing device as a result of determining the divergence, wherein in the fourth method step 20, the electronic computing device triggers an action. The action can involve issuing a warning signal, in particular an acoustic and / or visual warning message in the interior of the motor vehicle, and / or locking an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is restarted, and / or providing the error information to an electronic computing device external to the vehicle.

[0018] As an alternative to simultaneously performing the third method step 18 and the fourth method step 20, a predefined time interval can be started during the execution of the third method step 18, within which execution of the action can be stopped, provided that a problem-resolving action is carried out within the time interval. If the problem-resolving action is not carried out by the end of the time interval, the action within the scope of method step 20 is triggered after the end of the time interval. As a problem-resolving action, a driver or owner of the motor vehicle can carry out a repair of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device, as a result of which repair information characterizing the repair of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device is provided to the vehicle-side electronic computing device.Upon receiving the repair information, the electronic computing device stops the action if the repair information was received within the specified time interval and stores the repair information associated with the error information in the blockchain.

[0019] To prevent error information from being stored in the blockchain due to a discrepancy between the consumption information and the fuel information when refilling the reducing agent tank, the electronic computing device receives standstill information 22 in the first method step 14, provided the motor vehicle is stationary. The standstill information 22 characterizes a time and / or duration of the standstill of the motor vehicle. In this case, the electronic computing device inhibits the second to fourth method steps 16, 18, 20 for fuel information 12 received during the standstill.

[0020] The described exhaust gas aftertreatment device can, in particular, be part of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system of the motor vehicle, which, in addition to the exhaust gas aftertreatment device, comprises the described vehicle-mounted electronic computing device. In particular, a computer program product can be provided that includes instructions that cause the electronic computing device to perform the described method steps of the method. For this purpose, a computer-readable medium on which the computer program product is stored can be provided.

[0021] The described method is based on the knowledge that additional control units and / or emulators can be used to simulate a functioning exhaust gas aftertreatment system, particularly an SCR system, even though the SCR system is deactivated, in order to keep mileage-related transport costs for freight forwarders particularly low. Exhaust emissions from vehicles equipped with manipulated SCR systems are extremely poor, as the combustion in these vehicles' internal combustion engines is designed for exhaust gas aftertreatment using selective catalytic reaction (SCR). Furthermore, manipulation of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system (SCR system) distorts competition between freight forwarders, as toll fees for vehicles with manipulated exhaust gas aftertreatment systems do not correspond to the actual emissions class of the vehicles in question.To prevent manipulation of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system, in particular the exhaust gas aftertreatment device, blockchain technology is used, particularly in conjunction with smart contracts executed by the electronic computing device. These smart contracts automatically check for compliance with criteria, in this case the presence of a divergence, and independently execute associated actions. In the present method, an expected consumption of the reducing agent is compared with an actual drop in the reducing agent liquid level in the reducing agent tank. If a divergence between the expected consumption and the actual drop in the liquid level is detected, the error information is permanently stored in the blockchain and reported to the vehicle-external electronic computing device.

[0022] If the vehicle is moving, the reducing agent tank cannot be refilled. Therefore, it is expected that the fill level in the reducing agent tank will drop accordingly, depending on the amount of reducing agent requested by an engine control unit for injection. If the fill level in the reducing agent tank drops accordingly and actual consumption thus corresponds to the expected consumption, the smart contract is not fulfilled because there is no divergence. The condition for fulfilling the smart contract, and thus for the existence of the divergence and, consequently, for triggering the action, is that the fill level in the reducing agent tank does not drop in line with the expected consumption.

[0023] As an action, a warning message can be triggered in an instrument cluster in the interior of the vehicle, which indicates, for example, that the vehicle's engine will not start shortly. In addition, a message can be sent to a cloud and the error information can be stored in the blockchain so that a service facility and / or the police can monitor the roadworthiness of the vehicle. As a result of the error information being stored in the blockchain or the error information being reported to the cloud, it is clear that there is a fault in the exhaust gas aftertreatment system or that the exhaust gas aftertreatment system has been tampered with. The error information can only be deleted with great effort because it is stored in the blockchain. Following repairs, only the repair information can be saved as a correction.

[0024] The reducing agent tank can be refueled while the vehicle is stationary, which updates the conditions of the smart contract.

[0025] The method enables exhaust gas purification to be ensured throughout the vehicle's lifespan with minimal additional hardware effort. On the hardware side, a float can be installed in the reducing agent tank, which can be used to provide tank information. The method makes it possible to at least largely rule out manipulation of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system, which could be detrimental to competition among freight forwarders and air pollution control. List of reference symbols 10 Consumption information 12 Tank information 14 first procedural step 16 second procedural step 18 third procedural step 20 fourth procedural step 22 Downtime information

Claims

[1] Method for operating a motor vehicle having an exhaust gas aftertreatment device, in which by means of a vehicle-mounted electronic computing device - consumption information (10) is received (14) which characterises a consumption of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device of a reducing agent, - tank information (12) characterising a fill level of a reducing agent tank is received (14), - the fuel information is assessed together with the consumption information with regard to divergence (16), - when the divergence between the fuel information and the consumption information is detected, error information is stored in a blockchain characterising the motor vehicle (18) and an action of the motor vehicle is triggered (20), - when storing the error information in the blockchain, a predefined time interval is started, whereby the action is triggered after the expiry of the time interval if no action to resolve the problem is taken, and the action is omitted if the action to resolve the problem is carried out within the time interval, and - triggering of the action is prevented if, before the expiry of the time interval, repair information which can be assigned to the error information and which characterises a repair of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system as a problem-solving action is received by the electronic computing device. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized bythat standstill information (22) characterizing a standstill of the motor vehicle is received (14) by means of the electronic computing device and the storage of the error information in the blockchain is omitted if the divergence occurs when the motor vehicle is at a standstill. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the electronic computing device triggers the output of a warning signal in an interior of the motor vehicle and / or the locking of an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is restarted and / or the transmission of error information to a computing device external to the vehicle. [4] Exhaust gas aftertreatment system for a motor vehicle, comprising an exhaust gas aftertreatment device and an on-board electronic computing device, characterized bythat the electronic computing device is configured to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 3. [5] Computer program product comprising instructions which cause the electronic computing device of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 4 to carry out the method according to one of claims 1 to 3. [6] A computer-readable medium on which the computer program product according to claim 5 is stored.

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