Securing a filling operation of a motor vehicle fuel tank

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle (1) in order to avoid the use of a fuel incompatible with the vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer system (100) implementing such a method. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of computer and electronic systems for facilitating the driving and / or maintenance of motor vehicles. The invention relates in particular to a method for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer system implementing such a method. The invention applies to motor vehicles such as land motor vehicles, in particular cars. State of the prior art

[0002] Some motor vehicles require fuel to operate, for example gasoline or diesel, and a tank is thus installed on board these vehicles to allow its storage when the vehicle is moving. Generally, access to the tank is via a hatch provided in the body of the vehicle, the fuel flap, which the user operates when filling the tank. In addition, in order to allow the user to know which fuel is compatible with his vehicle, automobile manufacturers have generally provided an indication, often affixed near the fuel flap. Finally, to further limit the risk of the user using the wrong fuel, which could result in damaging the vehicle's engine, fuel dispensers are also provided with mechanical means to minimize the risk of using an incompatible fuel.

[0003] However, although these means exist, they do not completely prevent the risk of a user making a mistake and filling the tank with fuel that is not compatible with his vehicle. The known means and equipment therefore prove insufficient to reliably secure the operation of a motor vehicle in terms of fuel tank filling operations. Summary of the invention

[0004] The invention aims to remedy this problem. In particular, it aims to provide a solution for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a vehicle which minimizes as much as possible the risk of using a fuel incompatible with the vehicle. The invention also aims to facilitate the operations of filling a motor vehicle with fuel by providing relevant information to vehicle users. By this means, The invention aims to maximize the longevity and ergonomics of motor vehicles.

[0005] In order to achieve these aims, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a method for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, said method being implemented by means of a computer system which comprises a first computer device on board the vehicle and a second computer device hosted within a fuel distribution infrastructure comprising at least one fuel dispenser, said method comprising the steps of: i. determine, by the first device, whether the vehicle is located at a distance less than a pre-established threshold value from the fuel distribution infrastructure; ii. cause, by the first device, the broadcasting of visual and / or audio content in the passenger compartment of the vehicle which provides information about a fuel dispenser in the fuel distribution infrastructure which has fuel compatible with the vehicle; and iii. cause, by the first device, at least the closing and / or locking of a fuel flap of the vehicle when it is established that a fuel selected to carry out the filling operation is incompatible with the vehicle.

[0006] According to a variant, step i) can be carried out by means of a navigation system and / or a radio frequency signal communication system of the vehicle.

[0007] According to another variant, step ii) can be carried out by means of a communication between the first device and the second device during which the first device causes the transmission of data characterizing a fuel compatible with the vehicle to the second device and, in response, the second device causes the transmission of data characterizing the location of the fuel distributor of the fuel distribution infrastructure which has a fuel compatible with the vehicle.

[0008] According to yet another variant, step iii) can be carried out as a function of data characterizing a fuel selected to carry out the filling operation, the transmission of which to the first device is caused by the second device as soon as a filling equipment of the fuel dispenser is manipulated.

[0009] According to yet another variant, step iii) may comprise a step consisting of causing, by the first device, the broadcasting of sound and / or visual content.

[0010] According to yet another variant, the method may further comprise a step consisting of causing, by the second device, the blocking of the distribution by the fuel dispenser of any fuel incompatible with the vehicle.

[0011] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a system for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, said system being a computer system which comprises at least a first computer device on board the vehicle and a second computer device hosted within a fuel distribution infrastructure comprising at least one fuel dispenser, which are configured to jointly implement a method as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0012] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended figures, in which:

[0013] [Fig-1] is a diagram illustrating a system according to the invention; and

[0014] [Fig.2] is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0015] In [Fig.l] the context of the invention is schematically illustrated. It shows a motor vehicle 1 conventionally equipped with a fuel filler flap 2, a navigation system 3, which interacts in a conventional manner with a satellite positioning system, and a human-machine interface 4, which allows the broadcasting of sound and / or visual content, in particular in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1. It also comprises a radiofrequency signal communication system 5 to be able to communicate by means of conventional communication networks and protocols (e.g. V2X; ITS-G5; 3 / 4 / 5G) with remote communicating entities, in particular with a fuel distribution infrastructure 6 provided with at least one fuel dispenser 7 (i.e. petrol pump) and which has conventional wired and / or wireless communication equipment (e.g. antennas, server, router, network switch, cloud, LAN, WAN, WIFI, Bluetooth, NFC, etc.).Alternatively or cumulatively, such equipment is an integral part of the fuel dispensers 7 of the fuel distribution infrastructure 6.

[0016] According to the invention, a system 100 for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle is composed of a first computer device 200 on board the vehicle 1 and a second computer device 300 hosted within the fuel distribution infrastructure 6, possibly integrated into a fuel dispenser 7. Each of these devices conventionally comprises a memory and at least one processor, and they are advantageously configured to jointly implement the steps of a method for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle within the meaning of the present invention as described below.

[0017] The first device 200 is possibly an integral part of a calculator, while that the second device 300 can be integrated within a server. The communications (i.e. data exchanges) between the devices are preferably carried out using a conventional communication technology of intelligent transport systems, for example of the V2X type. Alternatively or cumulatively, direct communications between the vehicle 1 and the fuel distribution infrastructure 6 and / or the fuel distributor 7 are carried out using fifth generation mobile communication means (i.e. 5G).

[0018] According to the invention, all the elements described above contribute to implementing a method for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, as described below in connection with [Fig.2].

[0019] [Fig.2] illustrates by means of a flowchart the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0020] According to a first step 401 of the method according to the invention, the first device 200 determines whether the vehicle 1 is located at a distance less than a pre-established threshold value (eg 50m) from the fuel distribution infrastructure 6.

[0021] In other words, the implementation of the method according to the invention is initiated by the first device 200 which continuously monitors when the vehicle 1 is located near the fuel distribution infrastructure 6. And for this, it preferentially interacts with the navigation system 3 of the vehicle 1, the mapping of which conventionally lists the location of the fuel distribution infrastructures. Alternatively or cumulatively, it uses the radiofrequency signal communication system 5 to communicate directly with the fuel distribution infrastructure 6, for example by V2X communication, and thus know its proximity to the vehicle 1. And when it establishes that the vehicle 1 is indeed located near the fuel distribution infrastructure 6, the first device 200 then carries out the following step of the method according to the invention described below.

[0022] According to a second step 402 of the method according to the invention, the first device 200 causes the broadcasting of visual and / or sound content in the passenger compartment of the vehicle which provides information about a fuel dispenser of the fuel distribution infrastructure 6 which has a fuel compatible with the vehicle 1.

[0023] For this, the first device 200 causes the transmission of data characterizing a fuel compatible with the vehicle to the second device 300 and, in response, the latter causes the transmission of data characterizing the location of a fuel dispenser which has a fuel compatible with the vehicle 1. And it is according to this data received from the second device 300 that the first device 200 is thus able to know the location of a fuel dispenser suitable for carrying out the filling operation and that it can thus cause the broadcasting by means of the human-machine interface 4 of an audio and / or visual content. to advantageously direct the user towards this fuel dispenser adapted to fill the fuel tank of the vehicle 1. Thus, at this stage of the implementation of the method according to the invention, the operation of filling a fuel tank of the vehicle 1 is facilitated due to this indication which can be provided to the user and which allows him to immediately go towards a fuel dispenser adapted to the vehicle 1. This is how the ergonomics of the vehicle are significantly improved in connection with the performance of such an operation.

[0024] According to a third step 403 of the method according to the invention, the first device 200 causes at least the closing and / or locking of the fuel flap 2 of the vehicle 1 as soon as it establishes that a fuel selected to carry out the filling operation is incompatible with the vehicle 1.

[0025] For this, the first device 200 preferably proceeds by communicating with the second device 300 to obtain from the latter data characterizing a fuel selected to carry out the filling operation. Preferably, the second device 300 thus monitors the fuel dispenser 7 and it establishes, as soon as a filling equipment (i.e. nozzle) is manipulated, which fuel is going to be distributed. And, on request or automatically, the second device 300 transmits the data characterizing a fuel selected to carry out the filling operation to the first device 200. Upon receipt of this data, the first device 200 checks the compatibility of the selected fuel with the vehicle 1. And if it establishes at this stage that the selected fuel is not compatible with the vehicle 1, it then causes the closing and / or locking of the fuel flap 2.Thus, the user can no longer perform an operation of filling a fuel tank of vehicle 1 with a fuel which is not compatible with vehicle 1.

[0026] According to an alternative embodiment, the first device then implements an additional step during which it causes the broadcasting of sound and / or visual content. Thus, in addition to causing the fuel flap 2 to close and / or lock, the first device 200 in this case causes the broadcasting of sound and / or visual content, for example in the form of an audible alert broadcast in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The user is thus doubly alerted to the fact that the fuel selected to carry out the filling operation is not compatible with the vehicle 1.

[0027] According to another alternative embodiment, the second device 300 performs an additional step during which it causes the blocking of the distribution by the fuel dispenser 7 of any fuel incompatible with the vehicle. To do this, it preferentially uses the data characterizing a fuel compatible with the vehicle which are transmitted by the first device 200 during the second step of the method, according to which it establishes which filling equipment(s) of the fuel dispenser 7 must be temporarily blocked. According to this variant, redundant security is thus provided to mitigate the risk of a possible malfunction during the implementation of the third step 403 of the method at the vehicle level, and this via the fuel dispenser 7 which, according to this advantageous embodiment variant, can only deliver fuel which is compatible with the vehicle.

[0028] Consequently, thanks to the method and the device according to the invention described above, a solution is provided for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a vehicle so as to minimize as much as possible the risk of using a fuel incompatible with the vehicle. In addition, the invention also facilitates the performance of an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle by allowing the provision of relevant information, in particular for access to a fuel dispenser suitable for a vehicle. By these means, the invention maximizes the longevity and ergonomics of motor vehicles.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle (1), said method being implemented by means of a computer system (100) which comprises a first computer device (200) on board the vehicle and a second computer device (300) hosted within a fuel distribution infrastructure (6) comprising at least one fuel dispenser (7), characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. determining, by the first device (200), whether the vehicle (1) is located at a distance less than a pre-established threshold value from the fuel distribution infrastructure (6); ii.causing, by the first device (200), the broadcasting of visual and / or audio content in the passenger compartment of the vehicle which provides information about a fuel dispenser of the fuel distribution infrastructure (6) which has a fuel compatible with the vehicle (1); and iii. causing, by the first device (200), at least the closing and / or locking of a fuel flap (2) of the vehicle as soon as it is established that a fuel selected to carry out the filling operation is incompatible with the vehicle (1).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that step i) is carried out by means of a navigation system (3) and / or a radio frequency signal communication system (5) of the vehicle.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step ii) is carried out by means of a communication between the first apparatus (200) and the second apparatus (300) during which the first apparatus (200) causes the transmission of data characterizing a fuel compatible with the vehicle to the second apparatus (300) and, in response, the second apparatus (300) causes the transmission of data characterizing the location of the fuel distributor of the fuel distribution infrastructure which has a fuel compatible with the vehicle.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

5.

6.

7. that step iii) is carried out according to data characterizing a fuel selected to carry out the filling operation, the transmission of which to the first device (200) is caused by the second device (300) as soon as a filling equipment of the fuel dispenser (7) is manipulated. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step iii) comprises a step consisting of causing, by the first device (200), the broadcasting of sound and / or visual content. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method further comprises a step consisting of causing, by the second apparatus (300), the blocking of the distribution by the fuel dispenser of any fuel incompatible with the vehicle. System (100) for securing an operation of filling a fuel tank of a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said system is a computer system which comprises at least a first computer device (200) on board the vehicle and a second computer device (300) hosted within a fuel distribution infrastructure (6) comprising at least one fuel dispenser (7), which are configured to jointly implement a method according to one of the preceding claims.

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