Method for managing fuel level in a tank and associated system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for managing the fuel level in a tank (16) fitted to a motorized vehicle (10), the vehicle (10) being equipped with an internal combustion engine (12) fitted with an electronic control unit (14), the method comprising the following steps: a) retrieving fuel consumption data (Dconso) from the electronic control unit (14), b) retrieving tank fill data (Dremp) corresponding to a history of the quantities of fuel injected into the tank (16), c) processing the fuel consumption data (Dconso) and the tank fill data (Dremp) so as to calculate at least an estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) in the tank (16), d) displaying information representative of the fuel level remaining in the tank (16) to a user. Figure 1 for the abstract.

Description

Title of the invention: Method for managing the fuel level in a tank and associated system Technical field of the invention

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

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a method for managing the fuel level in a tank of a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine. Technical background

[0003] Motor vehicles using internal combustion engines are equipped with a tank to store the necessary fuel. The autonomy of the vehicle is dependent on the fuel level in the tank, i.e. the quantity of fuel remaining in the tank.

[0004] In some cases, the vehicle includes a fuel sensor or gauge that provides the user of the vehicle with an indication of the quantity of fuel present in the tank. However, this solution for monitoring the fuel level in the tank has disadvantages. Indeed, this sensor has a cost linked to the component itself and to the installation of this component in the tank. In addition, malfunctions of this sensor can inconvenience the user and lead to breakdowns of the vehicle. Replacing this type of sensor is relatively expensive. Summary of the invention

[0005] The invention proposes a method for managing the fuel level in a tank fitted to a motor vehicle, the vehicle being equipped with an internal combustion engine provided with an electronic control unit, the method comprising the following steps: a) retrieving fuel consumption data from the electronic control unit, b) recovery of tank filling data corresponding to a history of the quantities of fuel injected into the tank, (c) processing fuel consumption data and tank filling data so as to calculate at least one estimated value of the fuel level in the tank, d) display of information representative of the level of fuel remaining in the tank for a user.

[0006] According to other characteristics of the invention:

[0007] - step b) is preceded by at least one step of entering the quantity of fuel injected into the tank, said quantity of fuel injected being stored on a storage medium provided for storing the history of the tank filling operations;

[0008] - fuel consumption data and fuel filling data tanks are stored on a storage medium belonging to a remote server;

[0009] - fuel consumption data and fuel filling data tank are transmitted by wireless communication means to a remote server, and the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank is transmitted from the remote server to a mobile communication device capable of implementing step d);

[0010] - the method comprises a step of selecting a display mode during in which the user chooses from at least two of the following display modes: — realistic mode in which the information representing the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank, — pessimistic mode in which the information representing the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank reduced by a predetermined low margin, — optimistic mode in which the information representing the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank increased by a predetermined high margin, — optimized mode in which the information representing the fuel level corresponds to that of the realistic mode as long as the estimated value is greater than half the tank capacity and the information representing the fuel level corresponds to that of the pessimistic mode as soon as the estimated value is less than or equal to half the tank capacity, — personalized mode in which the information representing the fuel level in the tank corresponds to a display configuration predefined by the user;

[0011] - the method comprises a step of triggering an alert to the user when the estimated value of the fuel level in the tank falls below a predetermined threshold value;

[0012] - the method comprises a step of displaying the autonomy of the vehicle calculated in considering the estimated value of the fuel level remaining in the tank and considering an average consumption value, the average consumption value being defined by selecting a consumption mode from at least two of the following modes: — an economic mode which allows you to assign a first consumption value average representative of economical driving of the vehicle, — a normal mode which allows a second average consumption value to be assigned which is higher than the first average consumption value, — a sport mode which allows a third average consumption value to be assigned which is higher than the second average consumption value, — a personalized mode which allows a personalized average consumption value to be assigned, calculated on the basis of the actual average consumption of the vehicle over a given distance;

[0013] There is also provided a system for managing the fuel level in a tank fitted to a motor vehicle, the vehicle being 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 entry of the quantities of fuel injected into the tank and to transmit the quantities of fuel injected to the data processing module, the data processing module being configured to calculate an estimated fuel level value from the fuel consumption data and the tank filling data and to transmit this estimated value to the mobile communication device so as to display the information on the mobile communication device.

[0014] Advantageously, the system comprises a remote server provided with a storage medium configured to store the fuel consumption data transmitted by the electronic control unit and / or the tank filling data.

[0015] Advantageously, the data processing module is located on the remote server. Brief description of the figures

[0016] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig-1] is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle and level management system of fuel in the tank of the vehicle according to a first embodiment;

[0018] [Fig.2] is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle and level management system of fuel in the vehicle tank according to a second embodiment. Detailed description of the invention

[0019] In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be designated by the same reference numbers.

[0020] In [Fig. 1] a vehicle 10 is shown which is equipped with an internal combustion engine 12 provided with an electronic control unit 14. The vehicle 10 is also provided with a fuel tank 16 which makes it possible to supply the internal combustion engine 12.

[0021] Advantageously, the vehicle 10 comprises a wireless communication module 18 which makes it possible to transmit data to the outside of the vehicle 10, in particular to a mobile communication device 20 carried by a user of the vehicle 10.

[0022] The wireless communication module 18 comprises, for example, an antenna (not shown) which allows data to be transmitted using a standardized communication protocol such as: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, 4G / 5G / LTE, etc. The wireless communication module 18 may also comprise a microprocessor and an internal memory (not shown) allowing it to execute algorithms and save data.

[0023] The wireless communication module 18 can also be partly integrated into the electronic control unit 14.

[0024] The electronic control unit 14 is for example connected to the wireless communication module 18 by a data transmission device 22 of the CAN bus (Controller Area Network data bus) type so as to be able to transmit data linked to the operation of the internal combustion engine 12 to the wireless communication module 18. This data includes for example fuel consumption data Dconso, in particular the instantaneous consumption value.

[0025] Advantageously, the instantaneous consumption can be measured in liters of fuel consumed per second.

[0026] Advantageously, the mobile communication device 20, which may be a mobile telephone, or “smartphone”, comprises a display screen 24 capable of providing information relating to the vehicle 10 to the user.

[0027] A specific program, or “application”, may for example be installed on the mobile communication device 20 so as to allow the user to manage information linked to the operation of the vehicle 10, in particular information representative of the level of fuel present in the fuel tank 16.

[0028] The mobile communication device 20 comprises an input interface 26, for example a virtual keyboard formed on a touch screen associated with the display screen 24, which allows the user to enter the quantity of fuel injected into the fuel tank 16 at each filling operation.

[0029] Advantageously, the Dremp data for filling the tank 16, in particular the history of the quantities of fuel injected at each filling operation, are stored on a remote server 28, for example using a cloud computing service, or “could computing”.

[0030] Advantageously, the mobile communication device 20 is configured to be able to transmit and receive data remotely with the remote server 28, by implementing a standardized communication protocol, for example via a mobile telephone network.

[0031] A data processing module 30 is provided for calculating an estimated value Nest of the fuel level in the tank 16 by combining the filling data Dremp of the tank 16 with the fuel consumption data Dconso. This data processing module 30 can be embedded on the vehicle 10, or on the mobile communication device 20, or on the remote server 28. In the embodiment of [Fig.l] the data processing module 30 has been placed on the mobile communication device 20.

[0032] The data processing module 30 may for example be part of the specific program mentioned above.

[0033] The data processing module 30, when it is on board the vehicle 10, can be integrated into the wireless communication unit 18, in an internal microprocessor of this unit.

[0034] The various components described above thus form a fuel level management system 32 in the tank 16.

[0035] A method for managing the fuel level in the tank 16 by the system 32 described previously is now described.

[0036] Input steps are implemented during which the user records, using the input interface 26 of the mobile communication device 20, the Dremp filling data, in particular the quantity of fuel injected at each filling operation of the tank 16. This Dremp filling data is transmitted to the remote server 28 which stores it on a storage medium 34.

[0037] The consumption data Dconso are recovered by the data processing module 30 thanks to the wireless communication module 18 which receives them through the data transmission device 22 and which transmits them to the mobile communication device 20.

[0038] The Dremp filling data is retrieved by the data processing module 30 from the storage medium 34 thanks to the remote server 28 which transmits this Dremp data to the mobile communication device 20.

[0039] It is also possible to transmit the Dremp filling data directly to the data processing module 30 at the time the user enters these data in the mobile communication device 20. The filling data D remp are sent to the remote server 28 to keep the filling history.

[0040] The data processing module 30 calculates the estimated value of the fuel level Nest remaining in the tank 16 by combining the consumption data Dconso with the filling data Dremp.

[0041] For example, if during a first filling operation the user injected 20 liters of fuel into the tank 16 which was empty, that he entered this information by means of the input interface 26, and that, at a time t1, the electronic control unit 14 measured a consumption of 4 liters of fuel between the first filling operation and the time t1, the data processing module 30 provides an estimated value of the fuel level Nest of 16 liters.

[0042] During a second filling operation of the tank 16, if the user injects 3 liters and enters this information by means of the input interface 26, the remote server 28 receives this information and stores it. At a time t2 located after the second filling operation, the electronic control unit 14 measures for example a consumption of 2 liters of fuel between the time t1 and the time t2. The data processing module 30 can thus calculate at the time t2 that the estimated value of the fuel level Nest is equal to 17 liters.

[0043] At any time, the data processing module 30 can transmit to the mobile communication device 20 the estimated value of the Nest fuel level so as to display it on the display screen 24.

[0044] Advantageously, the data processing module 30 can, according to a predetermined periodicity, for example every 100 milliseconds, deduce from the estimated fuel level Nest the quantity of fuel consumed per 100 milliseconds. This allows the calculation of the quantity of fuel in the tank to be refreshed at a high frequency so as to be able to communicate to the user information on the fuel level in real time.

[0045] Of course, the data processing module 30 can also calculate the autonomy of the vehicle 10 by taking into account the estimated fuel level Nest and the consumption data Dconso so as to display the estimated distance that the vehicle can travel with the fuel remaining in the tank 16.

[0046] The autonomy of the vehicle 10 can be displayed on the display screen of the mobile communication device 20.

[0047] According to the embodiment of [Fig. 1], the fuel consumption data Dconso are transmitted by the wireless communication module 18 of the vehicle 10 to the mobile communication device 20 which combines them with the filling data Dremp to calculate the estimated fuel level Nest.

[0048] According to an alternative embodiment illustrated by [Fig.2], the consumption data Dconso can be transmitted by the wireless communication module 18 to the remote server 28 which combines them with the filling data Dremp provided by the mobile communication device 20 to calculate the estimated fuel level Nest. In this case, the data processing can be carried out by the remote server 28 and it is the remote server 28 which transmits the value of the estimated fuel level Nest to the mobile communication device 20 for display to the user.

[0049] Advantageously, the fuel level management method comprises a step of selecting a display mode during which the user chooses from several display modes. We will now describe examples of display modes that can be selected by the user.

[0050] According to a first display mode called realistic mode, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level Nest in the tank 16.

[0051] According to a second display mode called pessimistic mode, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level Nest in the tank 16 reduced by a predetermined low margin. This allows the user to receive alerts earlier in the event of the level being too low. The specific program installed on the mobile communication device 20 may for example provide for displaying a particular pictogram and / or a particular color code to give the user an indication of the urgency of refilling the tank 16.

[0052] According to a third display mode called optimistic, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level Nest in the tank 16 increased by a predetermined high margin. This allows for example the user to reduce the number of alert messages or to postpone the moment when the alert messages appear in the event of the level being too low in the tank 16.

[0053] According to a fourth display mode called optimized, the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to that of the realistic mode as long as the estimated value is greater than half the capacity of the tank 16 and the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to that of the pessimistic mode as soon as the estimated value is less than or equal to half the capacity of the tank 16.

[0054] According to a fifth display mode called personalized, the information representative of the fuel level in the tank corresponds to a display configuration predefined by the user, in which the user can select more precisely which estimated fuel level value to display, for example according to a different logic depending on whether a quarter, a half, or three-quarters of the tank 16 remains.

[0055] Advantageously, the data processing module 30 makes it possible to display the autonomy of the vehicle 10 calculated by considering the estimated value of the fuel level Nest remaining in the tank 16 and by considering a value of

[0056]

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[0063] average consumption per kilometer. The average consumption value can be defined by selecting one of several consumption modes. For example, when a so-called economical mode is selected, a first average consumption value per kilometer is used on the basis of economical driving of the vehicle 10, i.e. aimed at minimizing fuel consumption. When a so-called normal mode is selected, a second average consumption value per kilometer, which is higher than the first average consumption value per kilometer, is used. When a so-called sport mode is selected, a third average consumption value per kilometer, which is higher than the second average consumption value per kilometer, is used. When a so-called custom mode is selected, a custom value of average consumption per kilometer calculated on the basis of the actual average consumption of the vehicle 10 over a given number of kilometers is used. The system and method proposed here eliminate the need for a fuel level sensor. This avoids this type of malfunction and saves the cost of this component and related accessories such as cables and connectors. It is noted that this system and method are particularly useful for two-wheeled vehicles such as scooters or other small vehicles for which the relative cost of a fuel level sensor to the total cost of the vehicle is significant, compared to a larger vehicle such as a heavy goods vehicle or a four-wheeled motor vehicle. LEGEND 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 Dconso: fuel consumption data Dremp: tank filling data Nest: estimated fuel level

Claims

Claims

1. Method for managing the fuel level in a tank (16) equipping a motorized vehicle (10), the vehicle (10) being equipped with an internal combustion engine (12) provided with an electronic control unit (14), the method comprising the following steps: a) retrieving fuel consumption data (Dconso) from the electronic control unit (14), b) retrieving tank filling data (Dremp) corresponding to a history of the quantities of fuel injected into the tank (16), c) processing the fuel consumption data (Dconso) and the tank filling data (Dremp) so as to calculate at least one estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) in the tank (16), d) displaying information representative of the level of fuel remaining in the tank (16) for a user.

2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that step b) is preceded by at least one step of entering the quantity of fuel injected into the tank (16), said quantity of fuel injected being stored on a storage medium (34) provided for storing the history of the operations for filling the tank (16).

3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fuel consumption data (Dconso) and the tank filling data (Dremp) are stored on a storage medium (34) belonging to a remote server (28).

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fuel consumption data (Dconso) and the tank filling data (Dremp) are transmitted by wireless communication means to a remote server (28), and in that the estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) in the tank (16) is transmitted from the remote server (28) to a mobile communication device (20) capable of implementing step d).

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of selecting a display mode during which the user chooses from at least two of the following display modes: - realistic mode in which the information representative of the level of fuel corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) in the tank (16), - pessimistic mode in which the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) in the tank (16) reduced by a predetermined low margin, - optimistic mode in which the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to the estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) in the tank (16) increased by a predetermined high margin, - optimized mode in which the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to that of the realistic mode as long as the estimated value (Nest) is greater than half the capacity of the tank (16) and the information representative of the fuel level corresponds to that of the pessimistic mode as soon as the estimated value (Nest) is less than or equal to half the capacity of the tank (16), - personalized mode in which the information representative of the fuel level in the tank (16) corresponds to a display configuration predefined by the user.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of triggering an alert intended for the user when the estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) in the tank (16) falls below a predetermined threshold value.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of displaying the autonomy of the vehicle (10) calculated by considering the estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) remaining in the tank (16) and by considering an average consumption value, the average consumption value being defined by selecting a consumption mode from at least two of the following modes: - an economic mode which allows you to assign a first average consumption value representative of economical driving of the vehicle, - a normal mode which allows you to assign a second average consumption value higher than the first average consumption value, - a sports mode which allows you to assign a third average consumption value higher than the second average consumption value, - a personalized mode which allows you to assign a personalized average consumption value calculated on the basis of the actual average consumption of the vehicle over a given distance.

8. System (32) for managing the fuel level in a tank (16) fitted to a motorized vehicle (10), the vehicle being fitted with an internal combustion engine (12), the system (32) comprising: - an electronic control unit (14) of the engine configured to transmit fuel consumption data (Dconso) to a data processing module (30), - a mobile communication device (20) configured to allow manual entry of the quantities of fuel injected into the tank (16) and to transmit the quantities of fuel injected to the data processing module (30),the data processing module (30) being configured to calculate an estimated value of the fuel level (Nest) from the fuel consumption data (Dconso) and the tank filling data (Dremp) and to transmit this estimated value to the mobile communication device (20) so as to display the information on the mobile communication device (20).,

9. System (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a remote server (28) provided with a storage medium (34) configured to store the fuel consumption data (Dconso) transmitted by the electronic control unit (14) and / or the tank filling data (Dremp).

10. System (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the data processing module (30) is located on the remote server (28).

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