Management support system of internal combustion engine, processing circuit, and management method for internal combustion engine

Abstract

A management support system (1) comprises: an internal combustion engine (100) that combusts fuel to output power and discharges exhaust gas after the combustion; a fuel information detection sensor (200) that detects fuel information that is information relating to fuel corresponding to the form of the exhaust gas; and a processing circuit (300) that acquires a fuel consumption quantity associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine, and calculates an exhaust evaluation value relating to the exhaust gas on the basis of the fuel consumption quantity and the fuel information.

Description

Management support system for internal combustion engine, processing circuit, and management method for internal combustion engine

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management support system for an internal combustion engine, a processing circuit, and a management method for an internal combustion engine.

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for controlling an internal combustion engine that uses a blend of alcohol and gasoline fuel based on the alcohol content in the fuel calculated from the detected value of an alcohol sensor, and Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for correcting the amount of fuel injected from a fuel injection valve of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the alcohol concentration in the fuel detected by the alcohol sensor.

[0003] Patent No. 5375116 Utility Model Registration No. 2528048

[0004] In recent years, the impact of exhaust gases emitted from internal combustion engines on the global environment has become a concern, but the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 leave the extent of such impact unclear.

[0005] Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure aims to provide a management support system for an internal combustion engine, a processing circuit, and a management method for an internal combustion engine that can obtain an evaluation of exhaust gas emitted from the internal combustion engine.

[0006] A management support system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an internal combustion engine that outputs power by burning fuel and emits exhaust gas after combustion, a fuel information detection sensor that detects fuel information, which is information about the fuel according to the form of the exhaust, and a processing circuit that acquires fuel consumption associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine and calculates an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust based on the fuel consumption and the fuel information.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management support system according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an internal combustion engine and its periphery according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation for calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing another example of an operation for calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management support system according to Modification 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management support system according to Modification 2. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation for calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system according to Modification 2.

[0008] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. Among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not recited in an independent claim showing a top concept will be described as optional components. Each figure in the accompanying drawings is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact drawing. In each figure, substantially identical components are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted or simplified.

[0009] A management support system 1 according to an exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the management support system 1 according to an exemplary embodiment. A part or all of the management support system 1 is mounted on an internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 including an internal combustion engine 100. The internal combustion engine 100 outputs power by burning fuel therein and emits exhaust gases generated by the combustion of the fuel. The exhaust gases may contain greenhouse gases. Examples of greenhouse gases contained in the exhaust gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (NO).

[0010] The management support system 1 is a system that supports the management of greenhouse gases emitted from the internal combustion engine 100 as described above. The management support system 1 includes the internal combustion engine 100, a fuel information sensor 200 that detects fuel information, and a processing circuit 300 that processes the fuel information. Although not limited to this, in the present embodiment, the management support system 1 further includes a control circuit 400 that controls the internal combustion engine 100. Furthermore, the management support system 1 includes a fuel tank 500 that stores fuel. Furthermore, the management support system 1 includes a communication circuit 600 and a communicator 700. Furthermore, the management support system 1 includes an alarm 800. The fuel information sensor 200 is an example of a fuel information detection sensor.

[0011] In this embodiment, the internal combustion engine 100, fuel information sensor 200, processing circuit 300, control circuit 400, fuel tank 500, communication circuit 600, communication device 700, and alarm 800 are all mounted on the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10, but some of these may be arranged outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10.

[0012] The internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may be any device that is equipped with an internal combustion engine 100. The internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may be fixed or movable. The movable internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may have a structure that moves when an external force is applied, or may have a structure that is equipped with a prime mover and moves autonomously using the power generated by the prime mover. The movable internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may have a structure that carries a person, a structure that carries an object, or a structure that does not carry a person or an object. Examples of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may include automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, trains, ships, aircraft, construction machinery, loading and unloading machinery, industrial machinery, agricultural machinery, and generators.

[0013] The internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may include the internal combustion engine 100 as a prime mover for moving the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10, or may include a prime mover for moving the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 separate from the internal combustion engine 100. In the latter case, the internal combustion engine 100 may be used as a prime mover for operating equipment mounted on or loaded onto the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. The internal combustion engine 100 may also be used as a prime mover for operating a generator mounted on or loaded onto the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal combustion engine 100 and its peripheral configuration according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the internal combustion engine 100 includes a crankcase 101, a cylinder block 102, a crankshaft 103, and one or more pistons 104. The crankshaft 103 is disposed within the crankcase 101. The one or more pistons 104 are slidably disposed within one or more cylinders 102a of the cylinder block 102 and are connected to the crankshaft 103 so as to transmit driving force. The cylinder block 102 is connected to an intake passage 110 and an exhaust passage 120 outside the one or more cylinders 102a. The intake passage 110 and the exhaust passage 120 communicate with the one or more cylinders 102a. The intake passage 110 is a passage that introduces air into the internal combustion engine 100, and the exhaust passage 120 is a passage that discharges exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine 100. The number of cylinders 102a of the internal combustion engine 100 may be either a single-cylinder or a multi-cylinder engine. The internal combustion engine 100 may be either a four-stroke engine or a two-stroke engine.

[0015] The internal combustion engine 100 generates power by repeatedly burning and exploding a mixture of fuel and air taken in from an intake passage 110 in a cylinder 102a, while discharging exhaust gas after combustion into an exhaust passage 120. The internal combustion engine 100 converts the reciprocating motion of a piston 104 caused by the combustion and explosion into the rotational motion of a crankshaft 103, and transmits the rotational power of the crankshaft 103 to a structure or device connected to the crankshaft 103.

[0016] The fuel used by the internal combustion engine 100 may be any of fuels including fuels containing hydrocarbon compounds such as gasoline, diesel, ethanol, propane gas, and methane; fuels derived from plants and animals such as biofuels; non-carbonized fuels such as hydrogen; and synthetic fuels called e-fuels, which are produced using carbon dioxide and hydrogen as raw materials. In this embodiment, the fuel used by the internal combustion engine 100 is a fuel containing ethanol, which is an alcohol-based fuel. Plant-derived bioethanol may be used as the ethanol. For example, the fuel used may be a blend of ethanol with gasoline or diesel, which are fossil fuels, or an ethanol fuel with an ethanol content of approximately 100%.

[0017] In the following, this embodiment will be described assuming that the fuel used is a blend of gasoline and ethanol. The amount of greenhouse gases generated by burning ethanol can be lower than the amount of greenhouse gases generated by burning gasoline. The amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the ethanol production process can be lower than the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the gasoline production process.

[0018] The blend ratio of ethanol to gasoline contained in a blended fuel may vary depending on the country or region in which the blended fuel is used. For example, E10 fuel, which is specified as a blend ratio of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, E20 fuel, which is specified as a blend ratio of 20% ethanol and 80% gasoline, and E85 fuel, which is specified as a blend ratio of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, are standardized. Even blended fuels of the same standard may vary depending on the climate of the region where the blended fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10, the time of supply when the blended fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10, and the manufacturer or factory of the blended fuel. For example, the ethanol content of E85 fuel may range from 51% to 83% depending on the temperature of the region or time of supply. The higher the ethanol content and the lower the temperature, the worse the startability of the internal combustion engine 100.

[0019] The internal combustion engine 100 includes one or more internal combustion engine actuators 130 that control operation of the internal combustion engine 100. The internal combustion engine actuators 130 are controlled by the control circuit 400. The internal combustion engine actuators 130 include a fuel injection actuator 131 and an ignition actuator 132. The fuel injection actuator 131 includes a fuel injection valve that injects fuel into the cylinder block 102. The ignition actuator 132 includes a spark plug that ignites the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder block 102. In this embodiment, the internal combustion engine actuators 130 further include, but are not limited to, a throttle actuator 133. The throttle actuator 133 drives a throttle valve that adjusts the flow rate of air flowing into the cylinder block 102. The throttle valve may have a structure that allows it to be manually operated.

[0020] The fuel tank 500 is connected to the internal combustion engine 100, specifically to the fuel injection actuator 131, via a fuel line 501 which is a pipe. The fuel tank 500 stores fuel to be used by the internal combustion engine 100. The fuel tank 500 includes, inside the fuel tank 500, a fuel pump 502 which sends fuel to the internal combustion engine 100, and a fuel sensor 503 which measures the amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank 500. An example of the fuel sensor 503 is a fuel gauge. The fuel pump 502 and the fuel sensor 503 are connected to the control circuit 400 and are controlled by the control circuit 400.

[0021] The fuel information sensor 200 is a sensor for detecting fuel information, which is information about the fuel according to the form of exhaust gas emitted from the internal combustion engine 100. The fuel information sensor 200 outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the processing circuit 300, the control circuit 400, or both. In this embodiment, the fuel information sensor 200 includes one or more of an exhaust sensor 201, a component sensor 202, and a position sensor 203, although this is not limited thereto. The component sensor 202 is an example of a specific component detection sensor, and the position sensor 203 is an example of a position information detection sensor.

[0022] The exhaust sensor 201 detects air-fuel ratio information, which is information relating to the air-fuel ratio of combustion in the internal combustion engine 100, from the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine 100. The air-fuel ratio information is one type of fuel information. The air-fuel ratio is a dimensionless quantity obtained by dividing the air mass by the fuel mass at the time of combustion and explosion in the internal combustion engine 100. Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the exhaust sensor 201 detects O ２ The sensor is disposed in the exhaust flow path 120. For example, ２ The sensor detects, as air-fuel ratio information, the presence or absence of oxygen contained in the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust flow path 120. Based on the detection result of the exhaust sensor 201, the control circuit 400 can control the internal combustion engine 100 depending on whether the air-fuel ratio is lower than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and in a rich state, or whether the air-fuel ratio is higher than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and in a lean state.

[0023] The exhaust sensor 201 may be a full-range air-fuel ratio sensor that detects the concentration of oxygen contained in exhaust gas. Examples of full-range air-fuel ratio sensors include an A / F (Air-by-Fuel) sensor and a LAF (Linear Air-Fuel Ratio) sensor. The control circuit 400 detects the amount of deviation of the air-fuel ratio from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio based on the detection result of the exhaust sensor 201, and can control the internal combustion engine 100 based on the amount of deviation.

[0024] The component sensor 202 detects a specific component contained in the fuel used by the internal combustion engine 100. The component sensor 202 may be configured to detect the content ratio of the specific component in the fuel. The content ratio of the specific component is one piece of fuel information. In the present embodiment, the component sensor 202 detects the concentration of ethanol contained in the fuel, although this is not limited thereto. For example, the component sensor 202 may be disposed in the fuel tank 500 or the fuel line 501.

[0025] The position sensor 203 detects the position of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. The position of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 is information for acquiring fuel information. The position sensor 203 may be realized by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or a combination of two or more of these. Such a position sensor 203 can detect the position of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 on Earth. By detecting the position of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10, the position sensor 203 can detect the position where fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 and the position where fuel is consumed by the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. As will be described in detail later, the processing circuit 300 can acquire greenhouse gas emission information, which is one type of fuel information, using the detection result of the position sensor 203.

[0026] Returning to FIG. 1 , the alarm 800 notifies various pieces of information to a user of the management support system 1 in a manner that allows them to perceive them. For example, the alarm 800 may have a structure that notifies information visually and / or audibly. For example, the alarm 800 may include a display or other indicator that notifies information visually. The alarm 800 may include a speaker that notifies information audibly. For example, the alarm 800 may notify an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust of the internal combustion engine 100 under the control of the processing circuit 300. The exhaust evaluation value will be described later.

[0027] The communicator 700 mediates communication between devices external to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 and the processing circuit 300 or the control circuit 400. The communication may be wired communication, wireless communication, or a combination thereof. In the present embodiment, the communicator 700 is a wireless communication device including an antenna for wireless communication. Examples of wireless communication used by the communicator 700 may include wireless LANs (Local Area Networks) such as Wi-Fi, wireless PANs (Personal Area Networks) such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and ZigBee (registered trademark), and short-range wireless communication such as RF-ID (Radio Frequency Identification) and NFC (Near Field Communication).

[0028] The communication device 700 may have a structure and function to connect to a communication network (described later) via wired communication, wireless communication, or a combination thereof. The communication device 700 may include one or more communication devices that realize a communication function of mediating the above-mentioned wireless communication and a communication function of mediating communication with the communication network. Any known communication device may be used as the communication device 700.

[0029] The communication circuit 600 controls the transmission and reception of information via the communication device 700. The communication circuit 600 controls the transmission and reception of wireless signals between an external device of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 and the processing circuit 300 or the control circuit 400. For example, the communication circuit 600 may be configured to establish a wireless communication connection with the external device and perform processes such as signal conversion between transmission and reception signals and processing signals.

[0030] In this embodiment, the processing circuit 300 includes, but is not limited to, a processor 301 and a memory. The processing circuit 300 may include storage within the processing circuit 300 or separately from the processing circuit 300. The memory and storage of the processing circuit 300 are collectively referred to as a storage unit 302. A portion of the storage unit 302 may be external to the processing circuit 300 and connected to the processing circuit 300. The control circuit 400 includes a processor 401 and a memory. The control circuit 400 may include storage within the control circuit 400 or separately from the control circuit 400. The memory and storage of the control circuit 400 are collectively referred to as a storage unit 402. A portion of the storage unit 402 may be external to the control circuit 400 and connected to the control circuit 400. The control circuit 400 may include some or all of the functions of the processing circuit 300.

[0031] The processor executes functions, methods, or combinations thereof implemented by code or instructions included in a program stored in storage. Examples of processors include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, a processor core, a multiprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The processor may implement each process described herein using a logic circuit formed on an integrated circuit (an integrated circuit (IC) chip, a large-scale integration (LSI)), or a dedicated circuit. These circuits may be implemented using one or more integrated circuits. Multiple processes may be implemented using a single integrated circuit.

[0032] The memory temporarily stores programs loaded from storage and provides a working area for the processor. The memory also temporarily stores various data generated while the processor is executing the programs. Examples of memory include semiconductor memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory).

[0033] The storage stores programs and various data. Examples of the storage include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), and semiconductor memory such as flash memory.

[0034] The communication circuit 600 may or may not include a processor and memory, similar to the processing circuit 300 and the control circuit 400 .

[0035] Some or all of the functions of the processing circuit 300, the control circuit 400, and the communication circuit 600 may be realized by software functions implemented by a processor and memory, dedicated hardware circuits such as electronic circuits or integrated circuits, or a combination of software functions and hardware circuits.

[0036] 2, a control circuit 400 controls the internal combustion engine 100. The control circuit 400 controls various actuators and the like in response to detection signals from sensors that detect the state of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. The control circuit 400 adjusts the torque output by the internal combustion engine 100 in response to detection signals from sensors that detect the state of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. For example, the control circuit 400 controls the operations of the throttle actuator 133, the fuel injection actuator 131, and the ignition actuator 132 so that the torque corresponds to the rotation speed of the crankshaft 103, the speed of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10, and the throttle opening.

[0037] The control circuit 400 performs feedback control to control the amount of fuel injected by the fuel injection actuator 131, using the air-fuel ratio information detected by the exhaust sensor 201 as feedback information. In the feedback control, the control circuit 400 increases or decreases the amount of fuel injected into the internal combustion engine 100 in response to an increase or decrease in the air-fuel ratio based on the air-fuel ratio information. In this embodiment, the exhaust sensor 201 is ２ Since it is a sensor, the control circuit 400 ２ This allows the control circuit 400 to control the internal combustion engine 100 so as to output power in accordance with a plurality of types of fuel with different blend ratios of ethanol and gasoline.

[0038] The control circuit 400 controls the amount and timing of fuel injection by the fuel injection actuator 131 in accordance with the detection results of an intake air temperature sensor that detects the temperature of air flowing into the intake passage 110, a water temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the cooling water of the internal combustion engine 100, and a rotation sensor that detects the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine 100. In this way, the control circuit 400 can control the internal combustion engine 100 to output power in accordance with multiple types of fuel with different mixture ratios of ethanol and gasoline.

[0039] The processing circuit 300 is configured to calculate an emission evaluation value related to exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine 100. The emission evaluation value is an evaluation value of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions related to the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine 100. The emission evaluation value may be an evaluation value related to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of a fuel containing gasoline and ethanol in the internal combustion engine 100. The emission evaluation value may be an evaluation value related to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced due to the use of a fuel containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine 100 compared to the use of a fuel not containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine 100.

[0040] The evaluation value related to greenhouse gas emissions may be an evaluation value related to either or both of the greenhouse gas content in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine 100 and the greenhouse gas emissions related to the fuel that produced the exhaust gas. The evaluation value related to the greenhouse gas emission reduction amount may be an evaluation value based on the difference between the evaluation value related to greenhouse gas emissions from a fuel containing ethanol and the evaluation value related to greenhouse gas emissions from a fuel that does not contain ethanol. Below, an example will be described in which the exhaust evaluation value is an evaluation value related to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from using a fuel that contains gasoline and ethanol in the internal combustion engine 100. The evaluation value related to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from using a fuel that does not contain ethanol in the internal combustion engine 100 can be calculated in the same way as in the case of a fuel that contains gasoline and ethanol, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0041] The processing circuit 300 calculates an exhaust emission evaluation value based on the fuel information detected by the fuel information sensor 200 and the fuel consumption amount associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine 100. The processing circuit 300 may obtain information related to the fuel consumption amount from the control circuit 400 and calculate the fuel consumption amount using the obtained information. Examples of the fuel consumption amount may include the amount of fuel consumed over a specific period of time, the amount of fuel consumed per predetermined period of time, and the amount of fuel consumed per unit of time.

[0042] For example, the processing circuit 300 may acquire information including the fuel injection amount from the fuel injection valve of the fuel injection actuator 131, the fuel injection duration at that fuel injection amount, and the number of fuel injections from the control circuit 400, and calculate the fuel consumption amount based on the acquired information. The fuel injection amount may be the injection amount per unit time.

[0043] For example, the processing circuit 300 may acquire information regarding the output generated by the internal combustion engine 100 from the control circuit 400, and calculate the fuel consumption amount based on the acquired information. In this case, the processing circuit 300 may acquire information including the load, rotation speed, and throttle opening of the internal combustion engine 100 from the control circuit 400, and calculate the output generated by the internal combustion engine 100 based on the acquired information. Furthermore, the processing circuit 300 may calculate the fuel consumption amount based on the output generated by the internal combustion engine 100.

[0044] For example, the processing circuit 300 may acquire information on the amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank 500 from the fuel sensor 503, and calculate the amount of fuel consumed based on the acquired information.

[0045] The processing circuit 300 obtains the concentration of ethanol in the fuel based on the fuel information detected by the fuel information sensor 200 .

[0046] For example, the processing circuit 300 may obtain the concentration of ethanol contained in the fuel from the component sensor 202 of the fuel information sensor 200 .

[0047] For example, the processing circuit 300 may obtain air-fuel ratio information from the exhaust sensor 201 of the fuel information sensor 200. Using the air-fuel ratio information, the processing circuit 300 identifies the timing at which the exhaust sensor 201 detects a specific air-fuel ratio state, such as the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.

[0048] Exhaust sensor 201 is O ２ If it is a sensor, O ２ The sensor outputs a voltage signal, and outputs a voltage value corresponding to an air-fuel ratio higher than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and in a lean state, and a voltage value corresponding to an air-fuel ratio lower than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and in a rich state. ２ The timing when the sensor outputs the intermediate value between these two voltage values ​​corresponds to the timing when the air-fuel ratio is stoichiometric. Therefore, the processing circuit 300 identifies the timing when the exhaust sensor 201 detects the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio state.

[0049] When the exhaust sensor 201 is a full-range air-fuel ratio sensor, the value of the current flowing through the full-range air-fuel ratio sensor corresponds to the concentration of oxygen contained in the exhaust gas, and therefore the processing circuit 300 determines the timing at which the exhaust sensor 201 detects a specific air-fuel ratio state, such as the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, based on the current value.

[0050] Furthermore, the processing circuit 300 acquires, from the control circuit 400, information on the fuel injection amount from the fuel injection valve of the fuel injection actuator 131 and information on the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine 100. The intake air amount may be detected by a sensor such as an air flow sensor arranged in the intake flow path 110, or may be calculated by the control circuit 400 or the processing circuit 300 based on the opening degree of the throttle valve, etc.

[0051] The processing circuit 300 calculates the mixture ratio of ethanol and gasoline in the fuel based on the fuel injection amount and intake air amount at a timing when the air-fuel ratio is a specific air-fuel ratio, such as the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. In this case, the processing circuit 300 calculates the air-fuel ratio in the internal combustion engine 100 based on the fuel injection amount and intake air amount. The processing circuit 300 calculates the mixture ratio of ethanol and gasoline that makes the calculated air-fuel ratio the specific air-fuel ratio, i.e., the ethanol concentration. For example, the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio of gasoline is 14.7, and the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio of ethanol is 9. The stoichiometric air-fuel ratio of the mixed fuel is determined between 9 and 14.7 depending on the mixture ratio. Therefore, the mixture ratio can be determined from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. Mixture ratios for other specific air-fuel ratios can be determined in a similar manner. The processing circuit 300 may store the relationship between the specific air-fuel ratio and the mixture ratio in the memory 302.

[0052] The processing circuit 300 uses the fuel consumption amount, the concentration of ethanol contained in the fuel, and greenhouse gas emission information to calculate an emission evaluation value related to the exhaust of the internal combustion engine 100. The emission evaluation value is an evaluation value based on the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by the internal combustion engine 100. For example, the emission evaluation value may be expressed by the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by the internal combustion engine 100, a correction value for the emission amount, an index representing the emission amount, or an index representing the correction value.

[0053] The emission information is information on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions related to the fuel during the process up to the completion of combustion of the fuel in the internal combustion engine 100 of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. The emission information may be set for each type of raw fuel that constitutes the mixed fuel, and in this embodiment, includes emission information for gasoline and emission information for ethanol. The emission information is information on the fuel according to the form of exhaust from the internal combustion engine 100, and is one type of fuel information.

[0054] In this embodiment, the processing circuit 300 calculates the gasoline consumption amount and the ethanol consumption amount using the fuel consumption amount and the ethanol concentration, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the processing circuit 300 applies the gasoline emission information to the gasoline consumption amount to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the gasoline. The processing circuit 300 applies the ethanol emission information to the ethanol consumption amount to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the ethanol. The consumption amount may be the consumption amount per unit time, and the emissions may be the emissions amount per unit time.

[0055] The emission information includes type-related information related to greenhouse gas emissions according to the type of raw fuel. The type-related information may include information on greenhouse gas emissions related to the use of raw fuels, which is specified for each type of raw fuel. The emission amounts related to the use of raw fuels may include greenhouse gas emissions generated by the combustion of the raw fuels in the internal combustion engine 100, etc. The emission amounts may be expressed using an emission coefficient. For example, the unit of the emission coefficient may be expressed as the mass of greenhouse gases emitted per unit amount of raw fuel, such as kiloliters. The emission coefficient increases as the amount of greenhouse gas generated increases. The processing circuit 300 can calculate the greenhouse gas emissions by applying the type-related information for each raw fuel to the consumption amount of each type of raw fuel. The processing circuit 300 may output such emission amounts as an exhaust evaluation value.

[0056] The emission information may include one or more corrected emission information items that correct the greenhouse gas emission amount for each type of raw fuel. The processing circuit 300 may output, as the emission evaluation value, a corrected value obtained by correcting the greenhouse gas emission amount for each type of raw fuel using the one or more corrected emission information items, or an index representing the emission amount converted from the corrected value.

[0057] One piece of corrected emission information may include gas-related information regarding the impact on global warming according to the type of greenhouse gas generated by the use of the raw fuel. The gas-related information may include information on the degree of impact on global warming specified for each type of raw fuel. For example, the degree of impact may be expressed in global warming potentials specified for each type of greenhouse gas and indicating the degree of impact on global warming. Examples of global warming potentials include those specified for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. The specified factors are 1 for carbon dioxide, 25 for methane, and 298 for nitrous oxide. The processing circuit 300 may perform a correction, such as an increase in the emissions, by applying, for example, the global warming potential of each greenhouse gas contained in the exhaust gas from the raw fuel to the greenhouse gas emissions for each type of raw fuel.

[0058] One of the corrected emission information may include first production-related information regarding greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of the fuel, which is a blended fuel. The first production-related information may include information regarding greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of the blended fuel by a manufacturer. The first production-related information may be information calculated by the blended fuel manufacturer. The emissions may be expressed as an emission coefficient. The processing circuit 300 may apply the first production-related information of the blended fuel to each of the greenhouse gas emissions for each type of raw fuel, thereby correcting the emissions by adding or subtracting a premium. The larger the emissions included in the first production-related information, the larger the premium rate may be.

[0059] One of the corrected emission information may include second production-related information regarding greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of raw fuels constituting the mixed fuel. The second production-related information may include, for each type of raw fuel, information on greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of the raw fuel by the manufacturer. The second production-related information may be information calculated by the raw fuel manufacturer. The emissions may be expressed as an emission coefficient. The processing circuit 300 may apply the second production-related information of the raw fuel to the greenhouse gas emissions for each type of raw fuel, thereby correcting the emissions by adding or subtracting a premium. The larger the emissions included in the second production-related information, the larger the premium rate may be.

[0060] One piece of corrected emission information may include feedstock-related information regarding greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of raw materials for the raw fuel. The feedstock-related information may include information regarding greenhouse gas emissions from the raw materials for the raw fuel to the raw fuel manufacturer. Examples of feedstock-related information may include information regarding greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of the raw materials and information regarding greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation of the raw materials from the production site of the raw materials to the raw fuel manufacturer.

[0061] Emissions related to the production of raw fuel materials may include greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of raw materials by producers, such as the mining of crude oil, which is a raw material for gasoline, and the cultivation of corn or sugarcane, which is a raw material for ethanol. Emissions related to the transportation of raw materials may include greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the transportation of raw materials depending on the transportation means and transportation distance of the raw materials. The greater the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the transportation means or the longer the transportation distance, the greater the greenhouse gas emissions related to the transportation. Emissions may be expressed as an emission coefficient. The processing circuit 300 may apply the raw material-related information for the raw fuel to the greenhouse gas emissions for each type of raw fuel, thereby correcting the emissions, such as by adding or subtracting from the emissions. The greater the emission amount included in the raw material-related information, the greater the surcharge rate may be.

[0062] One of the corrected emission information may include storage-related information related to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the storage of the blended fuel. The storage-related information is related to storage facilities that store fuel shipped from fuel manufacturers until it is shipped to fuel distributors. Examples of the storage-related information may include greenhouse gas emissions information related to the location of the storage facility and greenhouse gas emissions information related to the storage facility.

[0063] The emissions related to the location of the storage facility may include greenhouse gas emissions related to the transportation of fuel from the manufacturer to the storage facility. The emissions related to fuel transportation may include greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the transportation of fuel depending on the means of transportation and transportation distance of the fuel. The emissions related to the storage facility may include greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the operation of the storage facility. The storage-related information may be information calculated by the operator of the storage facility. The emissions may be expressed as an emission coefficient. The processing circuit 300 may apply the storage-related information to each of the greenhouse gas emissions for each type of raw fuel, thereby making corrections such as adding or subtracting from the emissions. The larger the emissions included in the storage-related information, the larger the surcharge rate may be. If the manufacturer of the blended fuel and the operator of the storage facility are the same company, the above correction is not necessary.

[0064] One of the corrected emission information may include consumption-related information relating to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the location of consumption of the fuel blend. The consumption-related information may be related to the location where the fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 that is the consumer. Examples of consumption-related information may include greenhouse gas emissions information relating to the location of a fuel distributor and greenhouse gas emissions information relating to the distributor.

[0065] The emissions related to the location of the distributor may include greenhouse gas emissions related to the transportation of fuel from a fuel manufacturer or storage facility to the distributor. The emissions related to fuel transportation may include greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the transportation of fuel depending on the means of transportation and transportation distance of the fuel. The emissions related to the distributor may include greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the operations of the distributor. The consumption-related information may be information calculated by the fuel distributor. The emissions may be expressed as an emission coefficient. The processing circuit 300 may apply the consumption-related information to each of the greenhouse gas emissions for each type of raw fuel to make corrections such as adding or subtracting from the emissions. The larger the emissions included in the consumption-related information, the larger the surcharge rate may be.

[0066] A part or all of the greenhouse gas emission information may be stored in advance in the memory 302. The processing circuit 300 may acquire a part or all of the greenhouse gas emission information from an external device 2 located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 and store it in the memory 302. The processing circuit 300 may acquire the emission information via the communicator 700, may acquire the emission information from a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable recording medium that stores the emission information, or may acquire the emission information via a transmission medium such as the Internet. The processing circuit 300 can function as a fuel information detection sensor.

[0067] The external device 2 may store a database that stores greenhouse gas emission information related to fuel supplied at a fuel station of a fuel distributor. Examples of the external device 2 may include a fuel dispenser in the fuel station of the fuel distributor, an information terminal in the fuel station, a server or information terminal of the distributor, a server or information terminal of a fuel manufacturer, a server or information terminal of a raw fuel manufacturer, and a server or information terminal of a storage facility operator. An example of a server includes a server computer. Examples of information terminals may include electronic devices including desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet terminals, and other computers.

[0068] The processing circuit 300 may be directly connected to a fuel supply device or an information terminal at a fuel station via the communication device 700 and acquire greenhouse gas emission information therefrom. A mobile terminal of a user of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may be directly connected to a fuel supply device or an information terminal at a fuel station and acquire greenhouse gas emission information therefrom, and the processing circuit 300 may be connected to the mobile terminal via the communication device 700 and acquire the greenhouse gas emission information from the mobile terminal. The emission information may include type-related information and corrected emission information separately, or may include type-related information corrected using the corrected emission information.

[0069] The processing circuit 300 may acquire information about the fuel station from a fuel dispenser or an information terminal at the fuel station via the communication device 700 or the mobile terminal, and store the information in association with the emission information in the memory 302. The information about the fuel station may include one or more of identification information of the fuel station, information about the location of the fuel station, and information about the fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 at the fuel station. The processing circuit 300 may store information about the location of the fuel station based on the detection result of the position sensor 203 of the fuel information sensor 200, the information about the fuel station, and the emission information in association with each other in the memory 302. The processing circuit 300 may acquire information from the fuel dispenser or the information terminal at the fuel station via communication during accounting processing for the supplied fuel.

[0070] The processing circuit 300 and the communication device 700 as described above can function as a fuel information detection sensor that acquires fuel information provided from an external device 2 located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. The processing circuit 300 and the communication device 700 or the position sensor 203 can function as a position information detection sensor that detects information about the position where fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10.

[0071] The processing circuit 300 may connect to one or more of the above servers via the communicator 700 and a communication network to obtain greenhouse gas emission information from the servers.

[0072] For example, the processing circuit 300 may transmit information about the fuel station acquired when receiving fuel at the fuel station to the server. Furthermore, the processing circuit 300 may transmit information about the location of the fuel station detected by the position sensor 203 when receiving fuel at the fuel station to the server. The processing circuit 300 may transmit information about the fuel station and the location of the fuel station at any timing by using the information stored in the memory 302.

[0073] Based on the received information, the server may identify one or more of the type-related information and the one or more corrected emission information included in the emission information corresponding to the fuel dispensed at the fuel station, and transmit the identified information to the processing circuit 300. The server may transmit emission information including the type-related information and the corrected emission information separately, or may transmit emission information in which the type-related information has been corrected using the corrected emission information. The server may store various types of type-related information that have been corrected in advance using the corrected emission information, and may be configured to perform a process of correcting the type-related information using the corrected emission information.

[0074] The processing circuit 300 and the communication device 700 or the position sensor 203 as described above can function as a fuel information detection sensor that acquires fuel information provided from an external device 2 located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10.

[0075] A mobile terminal of a user of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may connect to the server via a communication network, transmit information about the fuel station and information about the location of the fuel station to the server, and acquire greenhouse gas emission information from the server. The processing circuit 300 may acquire greenhouse gas emission information from the mobile terminal via the communicator 700. The mobile terminal may transmit information about the fuel station acquired from a fuel dispenser or information terminal at the fuel station, or may transmit information about the fuel station and information about the location of the fuel station acquired from the processing circuit 300. In the latter case, the mobile terminal may transmit the information at any timing. Based on the received information, the server may transmit emission information, including information corresponding to the fuel supplied at the fuel station, to the mobile terminal. Examples of the mobile terminal may include smart devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets.

[0076] The connection between the processing circuit 300 or the mobile terminal and the server may be via a website or an application program installed on the processing circuit 300 or the mobile terminal.

[0077] The communication network is not particularly limited and may include, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, or a combination of two or more of these. The communication network may be configured to use short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and ZigBee (registered trademark), a network dedicated line, a carrier's dedicated line, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile communication network, the Internet network, satellite communication, or a combination of two or more of these. The mobile communication network may use a fourth-generation mobile communication system, a fifth-generation mobile communication system, or the like. The communication network may include one or more communication networks.

[0078] An example of an operation for calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation for calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 3 shows an example in which the management support system 1 includes a component sensor 202 as the fuel information sensor 200.

[0079] In step S101, the processing circuit 300 of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 acquires, from the component sensor 202, a detection result of the ethanol concentration in the fuel in the fuel tank 500 or the fuel line 501. The processing circuit 300 may acquire the detection result during or after a specific period of time has elapsed.

[0080] Next, in step S102, the processing circuit 300 acquires information on the fuel injection amount by the fuel injection actuator 131 during the specific period from the control circuit 400. The processing circuit 300 may acquire the information on the fuel injection amount successively during the specific period, or may acquire the information on the fuel injection amount after the specific period has elapsed.

[0081] Next, in step S103, the processing circuit 300 calculates the gasoline consumption amount and the ethanol consumption amount during the specific period based on the ethanol concentration in the fuel and the fuel injection amount during the specific period. In this example, the processing circuit 300 calculates the consumption amount per unit time.

[0082] Next, in step S104, the processing circuit 300 acquires greenhouse gas emission information for the fuel used by the internal combustion engine 100 during a specific period. In this example, the processing circuit 300 reads out the emission information stored in the memory 302. The emission information is information acquired by the processing circuit 300 from the external device 2 via the communication device 700 when the most recent fuel supply was received. Note that the processing circuit 300 or the mobile terminal of the user of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may transmit, at any timing, information about the location of the fuel station where the most recent fuel supply was received or information about the fuel station to a server, and acquire greenhouse gas emission information for the fuel at that fuel station from the server.

[0083] Next, in step S105, the processing circuit 300 calculates the greenhouse gas emissions per unit time from gasoline and ethanol using the greenhouse gas emission information, the gasoline consumption per unit time, and the ethanol consumption per unit time. For example, the processing circuit 300 calculates the emissions using type-related information included in the emission information and one or more pieces of corrected emission information.

[0084] Next, in step S106, the processing circuit 300 calculates the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline and ethanol over a specific period based on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit time from gasoline and ethanol, and stores the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions as an emission evaluation value in the memory 302. If past emission evaluation values ​​are stored in the memory 302, the processing circuit 300 may update the past emission evaluation value with a new emission evaluation value, or may accumulate the emission evaluation value by adding the new emission evaluation value to information on the past emission evaluation value. Note that the processing circuit 300 may calculate the emission evaluation value by performing further processing on the total amount of emissions.

[0085] Next, in step S107, the processing circuit 300 outputs information on the exhaust evaluation value, which is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline and ethanol during the specific period. The processing circuit 300 may transmit the information on the exhaust evaluation value to a device external to the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 via the communication device 700, or may cause the alarm 800 to notify the information.

[0086] By performing steps S101 to S107 as described above, the processing circuit 300 can calculate and output the exhaust evaluation value for the specific period using the detection results of the component sensor 202.

[0087] Another example of the operation of calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 4 shows an example in which the management support system 1 includes an exhaust sensor 201 as the fuel information sensor 200.

[0088] In step S201, the processing circuit 300 of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 acquires, during a specific period, a detection result from the exhaust sensor 201. The processing circuit 300 may acquire, during or after the specific period, the detection result of the exhaust sensor 201 during the specific period via the control circuit 400.

[0089] Next, in step S202, the processing circuit 300 acquires information on the amount of fuel injected by the fuel injection actuator 131 during the specific period and information on the amount of intake air of the internal combustion engine 100 during the specific period from the control circuit 400. The processing circuit 300 may acquire the above information sequentially during the specific period, or may acquire the above information after the specific period has elapsed.

[0090] Next, in step S203, the processing circuit 300 identifies the timing at which the air-fuel ratio becomes a specific air-fuel ratio, such as the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, based on the detection result of the exhaust sensor 201. The processing circuit 300 calculates the mixture ratio of ethanol and gasoline in the fuel based on the fuel injection amount and intake air amount at that timing. As a result, the processing circuit 300 calculates the ethanol concentration in the fuel.

[0091] Next, in step S204, similar to step S103 in FIG. 3, the processing circuit 300 calculates the amount of gasoline consumed per unit time and the amount of ethanol consumed per unit time during the specific period based on the concentration of ethanol in the fuel and the amount of fuel injected during the specific period.

[0092] Next, in step S205, the processing circuit 300 obtains greenhouse gas emission information for the fuel used by the internal combustion engine 100 during a specific period, similar to step S104 in FIG.

[0093] Next, in step S206, the processing circuit 300 calculates the greenhouse gas emissions per unit time from gasoline and ethanol using the type-related information included in the emission information and one or more pieces of corrected emission information, similar to step S105 in FIG. 3 .

[0094] Next, in step S207, the processing circuit 300 calculates the total greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline and ethanol over a specific period, similar to step S106 in FIG.

[0095] Next, in step S208, the processing circuit 300 outputs information on the exhaust evaluation value, which is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline and ethanol during a specific period, similar to step S107 in FIG.

[0096] By performing steps S201 to S208 as described above, the processing circuit 300 can calculate and output an exhaust evaluation value for a specific period using the detection result of the exhaust sensor 201.

[0097] (Modification 1) Modification 1 of the embodiment will be described. The management support system 1A according to Modification 1 differs from the embodiment in that it includes a management circuit 900 that manages a plurality of internal combustion engine-mounted devices 10. In the following, the differences between this modification and the embodiment will be described, and descriptions of the similarities between the modification and the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0098] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management support system 1A according to Modification 1. As shown in Fig. 5, the management support system 1A includes two or more internal combustion engine-mounted devices 10 and a management circuit 900. The configuration of the internal combustion engine-mounted devices 10 is similar to that of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 of the management support system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0099] The management circuit 900 is mounted on a device located at a distance from the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. In this modification, the management circuit 900 is mounted on the server 3. The management circuit 900 includes a processor 901 and a memory, similar to the processing circuit 300. The server 3 includes storage within the management circuit 900 or separately from the management circuit 900. The memory and storage of the management circuit 900 are collectively referred to as a storage device 902. The server 3 is an example of an external device.

[0100] The server 3 includes a communicator 3a. The server 3 is connected to a communication network N via the communicator 3a so as to be able to communicate data. The processing circuit 300 of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 is connected to the communication network N via a communicator 700 so as to be able to communicate data. The server 3 and the processing circuit 300 are connected to each other via the communication network N so as to be able to communicate data. The communication network N may be any of the communication networks exemplified above.

[0101] The processing circuit 300 of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 transmits the exhaust evaluation value to the server 3. The management circuit 900 of the server 3 stores the exhaust evaluation values ​​received from two or more internal combustion engine-mounted devices 10 in the memory 902.

[0102] The processing circuit 300 of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may transmit, together with the exhaust evaluation value, either or both of identification information set for the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or the internal combustion engine 100 and attribute information set for the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or the internal combustion engine 100 to the server 3. Furthermore, the processing circuit 300 may transmit, together with the exhaust evaluation value, combination information that associates the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 with the internal combustion engine 100. The management circuit 900 of the server 3 may store the exhaust evaluation value, identification information, attribute information, and combination information related to the same internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or internal combustion engine 100 in the memory 902 while associating them with one another.

[0103] The processing circuit 300 may store the exhaust evaluation value, the identification information, the attribute information, and the combination information in the storage device 302, and may further store linking information linking two or more of these together in the storage device 302. The processing circuit 300 may transmit the linking information together with the exhaust evaluation value, etc. to the server 3. The management circuit 900 may store the linking information together with the exhaust evaluation value, etc. in the storage device 902.

[0104] The identification information may be any information that allows the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or the internal combustion engine 100 to be identified and distinguished from other internal combustion engine-mounted devices or internal combustion engines. The identification information may be an identification code that is a combination of symbols including letters and numbers. This allows the server 3 to identify the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or the internal combustion engine 100 that transmitted the exhaust evaluation value.

[0105] Examples of attributes set for the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 may include a manager, manufacturer, and distributor of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. The manager of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 is a person who purchases, leases, and operates the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. Examples of attributes set for the internal combustion engine 100 may include a manager, manufacturer, and distributor of the internal combustion engine 100. The manager of the internal combustion engine 100 may also be a person who purchases, leases, and operates the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 that is equipped with the internal combustion engine 100.

[0106] The management circuit 900 of the server 3 groups the exhaust evaluation values ​​of two or more internal combustion engine-mounted devices 10 according to their attributes. The management circuit 900 may aggregate the exhaust evaluation values ​​grouped according to the attributes. The management circuit 900 may transmit or present the aggregated value of the exhaust evaluation values ​​according to the attributes to an information terminal or server of a manager, manufacturer, or seller of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or internal combustion engine 100 corresponding to the attribute. This allows the exhaust evaluation for each manager, manufacturer, or seller to be obtained.

[0107] (Variation 2) Variation 2 of the embodiment will be described. The management support system 1B according to Variation 2 differs from the embodiment and Variation 1 in that it includes an evaluation processing circuit 1000 that calculates an exhaust evaluation value, located away from the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. Below, the differences between this variation and the embodiment and Variation 1 will be described, and explanations of the same points as the embodiment or Variation 1 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0108] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management support system 1B according to Modification 2. As shown in Fig. 6, the management support system 1B includes one or more internal combustion engine-mounted devices 10 and an evaluation processing circuit 1000. The configuration of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 is similar to that of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 of the management support system 1 according to the embodiment. The internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 includes an information processing circuit 300B as the processing circuit 300.

[0109] The evaluation processing circuit 1000 is mounted on a device located away from the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10. In this modification, the evaluation processing circuit 1000 is mounted on a server 4. The evaluation processing circuit 1000 includes a processor 1001 and a memory, similar to the processing circuit 300 according to the embodiment. The server 4 includes storage within the evaluation processing circuit 1000 or separately from the evaluation processing circuit 1000. The memory and storage of the evaluation processing circuit 1000 are collectively referred to as a storage device 1002. The server 4 is an example of an external device.

[0110] The server 4 includes a communicator 4a. Similar to the server 3 of the first modification, the server 4 is connected to the communication network N via the communicator 4a so as to be able to communicate data. The information processing circuit 300B of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 is connected to the communication network N via the communicator 700 so as to be able to communicate data.

[0111] In this modification, the information processing circuit 300B executes the process up to the process of calculating the gasoline consumption amount and the ethanol consumption amount during a specific period, among the series of processes for calculating the exhaust evaluation value executed by the processing circuit 300 according to the embodiment. The information processing circuit 300B transmits information on the gasoline consumption amount and the ethanol consumption amount during the specific period to the server 4. The information processing circuit 300B may transmit the consumption amount per unit time.

[0112] The information processing circuit 300B may transmit to the server 4 information on the location of the fuel station from which the fuel was most recently supplied, which information is obtained by the position sensor 203. The information processing circuit 300B may transmit to the server 4 information on the fuel station that was obtained from the fuel station when the fuel was most recently supplied.

[0113] Furthermore, the information processing circuit 300B may transmit to the server 4 either or both of the identification information set for the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or the internal combustion engine 100 and the attribute information set for the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 or the internal combustion engine 100. This allows the server 4 to identify the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 that transmitted the information or the internal combustion engine 100. Furthermore, the information processing circuit 300B may transmit to the server 4 combination information that associates the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 with the internal combustion engine 100.

[0114] The server 4 may have a database of greenhouse gas emission information in the memory 1002, and the evaluation processing circuit 1000 may acquire from that database the greenhouse gas emission information for the fuel used in the internal combustion engine 100. The evaluation processing circuit 1000 may acquire the greenhouse gas emission information for the fuel used in the internal combustion engine 100 from a database of greenhouse gas emission information held by a server other than the server 4.

[0115] The evaluation processing circuit 1000 calculates an exhaust evaluation value based on the gasoline consumption amount and the ethanol consumption amount during a specific period and greenhouse gas emission information for the fuel used in the internal combustion engine 100, and stores the calculated value in the memory 1002. The evaluation processing circuit 1000 may transmit information on the exhaust evaluation value to the information processing circuit 300B of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 that mounts the internal combustion engine 100.

[0116] The server 4 can calculate and manage exhaust emission evaluation values ​​for one or more internal combustion engine-mounted devices 10 .

[0117] An example of an operation for calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system 1B according to Modification 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation for calculating an exhaust evaluation value by the management support system 1B according to Modification 2. Fig. 7 shows an example in which the management support system 1 includes a component sensor 202 as the fuel information sensor 200.

[0118] In step S301, the information processing circuit 300B of the internal combustion engine-mounted device 10 acquires the detection result of the component sensor 202 during or after the specific period, similar to step S101 in FIG.

[0119] Next, in step S302, similar to step S102 in FIG. 3, the information processing circuit 300B acquires information on the amount of fuel injected by the fuel injection actuator 131 during or after the specific period from the control circuit 400.

[0120] Next, in step S303, the information processing circuit 300B calculates the amount of gasoline consumed per unit time and the amount of ethanol consumed per unit time during the specific period, similar to step S103 in FIG.

[0121] Next, in step S304, the information processing circuit 300B calculates the amount of gasoline and ethanol consumed over a specific period of time.

[0122] Next, in step S305, the information processing circuit 300B transmits information on the gasoline consumption amount and the ethanol consumption amount over the specific period, and either or both of information on the fuel station from which the fuel was most recently supplied and information on the location of the fuel station, to the server 4. The server 4 may store in the memory 1002 a database containing information associating information on fuel stations with the locations of the fuel stations.

[0123] Next, in step S306, the evaluation processing circuit 1000 of the server 4 obtains greenhouse gas emission information for the fuel used by the internal combustion engine 100 during a specific period from a database of greenhouse gas emission information based on the information received from the information processing circuit 300B.

[0124] Next, in step S307, similar to step S105 in FIG. 3, the evaluation processing circuit 1000 calculates the greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline and ethanol using the gasoline consumption and ethanol consumption over a specific period, the type-related information included in the emission information, and one or more pieces of corrected emission information.

[0125] Next, in step S308, evaluation processing circuit 1000 stores the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline and ethanol over the specific period as an exhaust evaluation value in memory 1002. Evaluation processing circuit 1000 may transmit information on the exhaust evaluation value to information processing circuit 300B.

[0126] By performing steps S301 to S308 as described above, the information processing circuit 300B and the evaluation processing circuit 1000 can share the calculation process of the exhaust evaluation value during the specific period and calculate the exhaust evaluation value.

[0127] In the second modification, the evaluation processing circuit 1000 is configured to execute steps S306 to S308, but is not limited to this.

[0128] For example, the evaluation processing circuit 1000 may be configured to execute steps S307 and S308. In this case, the information processing circuit 300B may acquire greenhouse gas emission information and transmit it to the server 4, similar to the processing circuit 300 of the embodiment.

[0129] For example, the evaluation processing circuit 1000 may be configured to execute steps S303 to S308. In this case, the information processing circuit 300B may transmit the detection result of the component sensor 202, information on the fuel injection amount, and either or both of information on the fuel station from which fuel was most recently supplied and information on the location of the fuel station to the server 4. Furthermore, the information processing circuit 300B may acquire greenhouse gas emission information and transmit it to the server 4, similar to the processing circuit 300 of the embodiment.

[0130] Although exemplary embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications. In other words, various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, various modifications made to the embodiments or modifications, and forms constructed by combining components of different embodiments and modifications, are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0131] For example, in the embodiment and the modified example, the management support system calculates an emission evaluation value related to the exhaust of the internal combustion engine 100 for a blended fuel of gasoline and ethanol, but the fuel for which the emission evaluation value is calculated is not limited to the above fuel. For example, the management support system may calculate an emission evaluation value related to the exhaust of the internal combustion engine 100 for a blended fuel of diesel and ethanol in the same way as for a blended fuel of gasoline and ethanol.

[0132] In the embodiment and the modified example, the management support system calculates an emission evaluation value based on greenhouse gas emissions, but is not limited to this. For example, the management support system may calculate emission evaluation values ​​for other substances contained in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine 100. Examples of other substances contained in the exhaust gas may include air pollutant gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons, as well as particulate matter. The management support system may calculate the emission amounts of these other substances based on fuel consumption. Furthermore, since type-related information and corrected emission information can be set for the other substances as well, the management support system may calculate the emission amounts of the other substances using emission information, similar to greenhouse gas emissions. The management support system may calculate the emission amounts of greenhouse gases, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, particulate matter, or a combination of two or more of these, and then calculate an emission evaluation value based on the emissions.

[0133] In the embodiment and the modified example, the management support system calculates the exhaust evaluation value based on the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, but it may also calculate the amount of emission of one or a combination of two of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide contained in the greenhouse gases of the exhaust gas, and calculate the exhaust evaluation value based on the calculated emissions. For example, the management support system may calculate the exhaust evaluation value based on the amount of emission of carbon dioxide, which is contained in the exhaust gas at a high ratio among the substances contained in the greenhouse gases. Such an exhaust evaluation value can also be used to obtain a highly accurate evaluation of the exhaust gas emitted from the internal combustion engine 100.

[0134] Examples of aspects of the technology of the present disclosure are as follows: A management support system for an internal combustion engine according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes an internal combustion engine that outputs power by burning fuel and emits exhaust gas after combustion, a fuel information detection sensor that detects fuel information that is information related to the fuel according to the form of the exhaust, and a processing circuit that acquires fuel consumption associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine and calculates an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust based on the fuel consumption and the fuel information.

[0135] In the first aspect, the exhaust type is determined according to the type of fuel, and therefore the fuel information indicates information according to the type of fuel. The processing circuit calculates an exhaust evaluation value according to both the type of fuel and the amount of fuel consumed. This allows the management support system to improve the accuracy of the exhaust evaluation value and support management of the internal combustion engine even when different types of fuel are supplied to the internal combustion engine.

[0136] In the first aspect, the internal combustion engine management support system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure may further include a memory that stores the exhaust evaluation value calculated by the processing circuit, and the processing circuit may update the exhaust evaluation value based on the exhaust evaluation value read from the memory and the exhaust evaluation value newly calculated by the processing circuit, and store the updated exhaust evaluation value in the memory.

[0137] According to the second aspect, the management support system can obtain an exhaust evaluation value for the operation of the internal combustion engine over a long period of time by updating past exhaust evaluation values ​​stored in memory using newly calculated exhaust evaluation values.

[0138] In the first or second aspect, the management support system for an internal combustion engine according to the third aspect of the present disclosure further includes a control circuit that controls the internal combustion engine to output power according to multiple types of fuel with different exhaust forms, and the processing circuit may use the fuel consumption amount associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine controlled by the control circuit to calculate the exhaust evaluation value.

[0139] According to the third aspect, the management support system can accurately calculate the exhaust evaluation value according to the fuel consumption amount due to differences in the type of fuel, even for the same type of internal combustion engine.

[0140] In any of the first to third aspects, the internal combustion engine management support system according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure may further include a control circuit that controls the internal combustion engine, and the control circuit may include the functions of the processing circuit.

[0141] According to the fourth aspect, the control circuit is likely to acquire information on the type of fuel and the fuel consumption amount for controlling the internal combustion engine. Since such a control circuit includes the function of a processing circuit, it is possible to simplify the configuration for acquiring information for calculating the exhaust emission evaluation value.

[0142] In any of the first to fourth aspects, the internal combustion engine management support system according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure may further include an evaluation processing circuit as the processing circuit, a communicator that transmits information to an external device located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine, and an information processing circuit that transmits information related to the exhaust evaluation value to the external device via the communicator.

[0143] According to the fifth aspect, it is possible to obtain an exhaust evaluation value and provide management support using an external device.

[0144] In any of the first to fifth aspects, the internal combustion engine management support system according to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure further comprises an evaluation processing circuit as the processing circuit, a communicator that transmits and receives information to an external device located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine, and an information processing circuit that transmits information for calculating the exhaust evaluation value to the external device via the communicator, and the evaluation processing circuit may be mounted on the external device and calculate the exhaust evaluation value using information received from the information processing circuit via the communicator.

[0145] According to the sixth aspect, the evaluation processing circuit is provided in the external device, and therefore the evaluation processing circuit mounted in the internal combustion engine mounted device can be simplified.

[0146] In any of the first to sixth aspects, the internal combustion engine management support system according to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure further includes an evaluation processing circuit as the processing circuit, a communicator that transmits information to an external device located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine, and an information processing circuit that transmits information to the external device via the communicator, and the information processing circuit may transmit the exhaust evaluation value or information for calculating the exhaust evaluation value, and identification information that identifies the internal combustion engine or the internal combustion engine-mounted device to the external device.

[0147] According to the seventh aspect, the external device can easily obtain the exhaust evaluation value for each piece of identification information and provide management support.

[0148] In any of the first to seventh aspects, the internal combustion engine management support system according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure may further include an alarm that notifies the exhaust evaluation value in a manner that is perceptible to a user of the management support system.

[0149] According to the eighth aspect, the user of the management support system can be notified of the exhaust evaluation value.

[0150] In any one of the first to eighth aspects, in the management support system for an internal combustion engine according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, the exhaust evaluation value may be a value relating to an evaluation of greenhouse gases contained in the exhaust.

[0151] According to the ninth aspect, the management support system can perform greenhouse gas evaluation regarding exhaust from an internal combustion engine.

[0152] In any of the first to ninth aspects, in the management support system for an internal combustion engine according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, the exhaust evaluation value may include either or both of an evaluation value relating to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of fuel containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine, and an evaluation value relating to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced due to the use of fuel containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine compared to the use of fuel not containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine.

[0153] According to the tenth aspect, the management support system can calculate an exhaust emission evaluation value when fuel containing ethanol is used in an internal combustion engine.

[0154] In any of the first to tenth aspects, in the internal combustion engine management support system according to the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, the fuel information detection sensor may be realized by including either or both of a specific component detection sensor that detects specific components contained in the fuel used by the internal combustion engine and an exhaust sensor that detects the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine.

[0155] According to the eleventh aspect, the management support system can acquire and use, as fuel information, either or both of information on specific components contained in the fuel used by the internal combustion engine and information on the air-fuel ratio during operation of the internal combustion engine, to calculate an exhaust emission evaluation value, thereby making it possible to calculate an exhaust emission evaluation value resulting from the actual operation of the internal combustion engine.

[0156] In any of the first to eleventh aspects, in the internal combustion engine management support system according to the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, the fuel information detection sensor may be realized to include a position information detection sensor that detects either or both of information on the position where fuel is supplied to an internal combustion engine-mounted device equipped with the internal combustion engine and information on the position where fuel is consumed by the internal combustion engine-mounted device.

[0157] According to the twelfth aspect, the management support system can calculate an emission evaluation value that reflects the influence of either or both of the location where fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine-mounted device and the location where fuel is consumed by the internal combustion engine-mounted device. It is possible to calculate an emission evaluation value that is caused by the location where fuel is supplied and the location where fuel is consumed.

[0158] In any of the first to twelfth aspects, the management support system for an internal combustion engine according to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure may further include a fuel tank that stores fuel and is connected to the internal combustion engine so as to be able to supply the stored fuel, and the fuel information detection sensor may be realized by including a sensor that acquires fuel information provided from an external device located outside an internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine when fuel is supplied to the fuel tank.

[0159] According to the thirteenth aspect, the management support system can calculate the emission evaluation value by acquiring fuel information from an external device as fuel information and using the information. Thus, it is possible to calculate the emission evaluation value caused by the supplied fuel.

[0160] A processing circuit according to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure performs the following operations: acquiring fuel consumption associated with the power output of an internal combustion engine that outputs power and emits exhaust gas after combustion by burning fuel; acquiring fuel information, which is information about fuel according to the form of exhaust from the internal combustion engine, detected by a fuel information detection sensor; acquiring fuel consumption associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine; and calculating an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust from the internal combustion engine based on the fuel consumption and the fuel information.

[0161] According to the fourteenth aspect, the processing circuit can achieve the same effect as the management support system according to each aspect of the present disclosure.

[0162] A method for managing an internal combustion engine according to a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure includes obtaining a fuel consumption amount associated with the power output of an internal combustion engine that outputs power and emits exhaust gas after combustion by burning fuel, obtaining fuel information that is information related to fuel according to the form of exhaust from the internal combustion engine, and obtaining an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust from the internal combustion engine by performing a calculation based on the fuel consumption amount and the fuel information.

[0163] According to the fifteenth aspect, the management method for an internal combustion engine can achieve the same effects as the management support system according to each aspect of the present disclosure.

[0164] In a fifteenth aspect, the method for managing an internal combustion engine according to a sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure may further include acquiring the exhaust evaluation values ​​of a plurality of the internal combustion engines, acquiring attributes set for the internal combustion engine or an internal combustion engine-mounted device that mounts the internal combustion engine for each of the plurality of internal combustion engines, and aggregating or grouping the exhaust evaluation values ​​of the plurality of internal combustion engines according to the attributes.

[0165] According to the sixteenth aspect, it becomes possible to aggregate or group exhaust evaluation values ​​of a plurality of internal combustion engines according to attributes set for devices mounted on the internal combustion engines.

[0166] A part or all of the method of the present disclosure may be realized by, for example, a circuit such as a CPU or an LSI, an IC card, or a stand-alone module, etc. Multiple elements included in the method of the present disclosure may be realized by one device, or may be realized by two or more devices in a shared manner.

[0167] The present disclosure may also be a computer program that causes a computer to execute a method according to each aspect of the present disclosure. Such a computer program can achieve the same effects as the method according to each aspect of the present disclosure. The computer program may, for example, be a program recorded on a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable recording medium, and may be configured to be read from the recording medium using a recording medium drive device and installed on a computer. The computer program may, for example, be a program that can be distributed via a transmission medium such as the Internet, and may be configured to be downloaded and installed on a computer.

[0168] The functions of the elements disclosed herein can be performed using circuits or processing circuits, including general-purpose processors, special-purpose processors, integrated circuits, ASICs, conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. A processor is considered a processing circuit or circuit because it includes transistors and other circuitry. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the recited functions or hardware that is programmed to perform the recited functions. The hardware may be hardware disclosed herein or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the recited functions. Where the hardware is a processor, which is considered a type of circuit, the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software, and the software is used to configure the hardware and / or processor.

[0169] All numbers such as ordinal numbers and quantities used in this specification are provided as examples to specifically explain the technology of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrated numbers. The connection relationships between components are provided as examples to specifically explain the technology of the present disclosure, and the connection relationships that realize the functions of the present disclosure are not limited to these.

[0170] Because the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms without departing from the scope of its essential characteristics, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the description in the specification, and therefore the exemplary embodiments and modifications are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. All modifications within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are intended to be embraced by the claims.

Claims

1. A management support system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an internal combustion engine that outputs power by burning fuel and emits exhaust gas after combustion; a fuel information detection sensor that detects fuel information, which is information related to the fuel according to the form of the exhaust; and a processing circuit that acquires the amount of fuel consumed in conjunction with the power output of the internal combustion engine, and calculates an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust based on the amount of fuel consumed and the fuel information.

2. The internal combustion engine management support system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing the exhaust evaluation value calculated by the processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit updates the exhaust evaluation value based on the exhaust evaluation value read from the memory and the exhaust evaluation value newly calculated by the processing circuit, and stores the updated exhaust evaluation value in the memory.

3. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit that controls the internal combustion engine so that power output is in accordance with a plurality of types of fuel with different exhaust forms, and the processing circuit uses the amount of fuel consumption associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine controlled by the control circuit to calculate the exhaust evaluation value.

4. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit for controlling the internal combustion engine, the control circuit including the functions of the processing circuit.

5. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising: an evaluation processing circuit as the processing circuit; a communication device that transmits information to an external device located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine; and an information processing circuit that transmits information related to the exhaust evaluation value to the external device via the communication device.

6. An internal combustion engine management support system as described in claim 1, further comprising: an evaluation processing circuit as the processing circuit; a communication device that transmits and receives information to an external device located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine; and an information processing circuit that transmits information for calculating the exhaust evaluation value to the external device via the communication device, wherein the evaluation processing circuit is mounted on the external device and calculates the exhaust evaluation value using information received from the information processing circuit via the communication device.

7. An internal combustion engine management support system as described in claim 1, further comprising: an evaluation processing circuit as the processing circuit; a communication device that transmits information to an external device located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine; and an information processing circuit that transmits information to the external device via the communication device, wherein the information processing circuit transmits the exhaust evaluation value or information for calculating the exhaust evaluation value, and identification information that identifies the internal combustion engine or the internal combustion engine-mounted device to the external device.

8. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm that notifies the exhaust evaluation value in a manner that is perceptible to a user of the management support system.

9. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust evaluation value is a value relating to an evaluation of greenhouse gases contained in the exhaust.

10. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust evaluation value includes either or both of an evaluation value relating to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of fuel containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine, and an evaluation value relating to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced due to the use of fuel containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine compared to the use of fuel not containing ethanol in the internal combustion engine.

11. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel information detection sensor is realized by including either or both of a specific component detection sensor that detects specific components contained in the fuel used by the internal combustion engine and an exhaust sensor that detects the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine.

12. The internal combustion engine management support system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel information detection sensor includes a position information detection sensor that detects either or both of information on the position where fuel is supplied to an internal combustion engine-mounted device equipped with the internal combustion engine and information on the position where fuel is consumed by the internal combustion engine-mounted device.

13. The management support system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising a fuel tank that stores fuel and is connected so as to be able to supply the stored fuel to the internal combustion engine, and wherein the fuel information detection sensor includes a sensor that acquires fuel information provided from an external device located outside the internal combustion engine-mounted device that includes the internal combustion engine when fuel is supplied to the fuel tank.

14. A processing circuit that performs the following operations: acquiring fuel consumption associated with the power output of an internal combustion engine that outputs power and emits exhaust gas after combustion by burning fuel; acquiring fuel information that is information about fuel corresponding to the form of exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine detected by a fuel information detection sensor; acquiring fuel consumption associated with the power output of the internal combustion engine; and calculating an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine based on the fuel consumption and the fuel information.

15. A method for managing an internal combustion engine, comprising: acquiring fuel consumption associated with the power output of an internal combustion engine that outputs power and emits exhaust gas after combustion by burning fuel; acquiring fuel information that is information related to fuel according to the form of exhaust from the internal combustion engine; and acquiring an exhaust evaluation value related to the exhaust from the internal combustion engine by performing a calculation based on the fuel consumption and the fuel information.

16. The method for managing an internal combustion engine according to claim 15, further comprising: acquiring the exhaust evaluation values ​​of a plurality of the internal combustion engines; acquiring, for each of the plurality of internal combustion engines, attributes set for the internal combustion engine or an internal combustion engine-mounted device that mounts the internal combustion engine; and aggregating or grouping the exhaust evaluation values ​​of the plurality of internal combustion engines according to the attributes.

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