Remote Sensing Emissions Detection for OBD False Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle owners are unnecessarily burdened with repairs due to false positive OBD fault codes, which are triggered by overly stringent algorithms, leading to increased economic concerns, especially for older vehicles, as these codes do not accurately reflect emissions compliance during normal operation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a remote sensing device to measure in-use vehicle emissions and compare them with OBD fault code data to identify false failures, allowing for the differentiation between actual emissions compliance and improperly triggered fault codes, thereby reducing unnecessary repairs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If OBD systems use complex software algorithms to infer emissions performance, then emissions monitoring capability is improved, but false positive fault codes increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote sensing device as an intermediary to directly measure emissions from vehicle exhaust pipes. This external measurement system mediates between the OBD's inferential algorithms and the actual emissions data, providing objective verification to distinguish true failures from false positives generated by overly sensitive software algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by comparing OBD fault code data with actual emissions measurements from the remote sensing device. When OBD codes are triggered, the system retrieves corresponding emissions data to verify whether actual emissions exceeded regulatory limits, creating a feedback loop that validates or refutes the OBD's inferential conclusions.
2Measurement precision
If OBD algorithms are made more stringent to detect emissions violations, then detection sensitivity is improved, but false failure rates increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of stringent algorithms generating false positives into a beneficial verification process. By using remote sensing measurements to test vehicles that triggered OBD codes, the system transforms the problem of high false positive rates into an opportunity to validate and calibrate the sensitivity thresholds, ultimately improving algorithm accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/inferential OBD system with an optical measurement system (remote sensing device using light absorption spectroscopy). This substitution directly measures emissions concentrations in the exhaust stream, bypassing the need for complex inferential algorithms and providing direct empirical evidence to verify fault code accuracy.
3Reliability
If vehicle owners undergo repairs based on OBD fault codes, then emissions compliance is ensured, but unnecessary repair costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification by comparing OBD fault code data with historical emissions data from the remote sensing device before authorizing repairs. This preliminary action identifies patterns of false positives associated with specific vehicle makes, models, or software versions, allowing the system to flag potentially spurious fault codes and prevent unnecessary repair expenditures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach helps to accurately determine if vehicles are generating false OBD fault codes, reducing unnecessary repairs and economic burdens on vehicle owners by correlating in-use emissions with OBD fault code results, ensuring compliance with emissions standards and maintaining brand goodwill for manufacturers.
Implementation Method 1
The remote sensing may comprise a light source for projecting a beam and a detector that receives the beam, with the beam projected across and/or onto a roadway and configured to pass through emissions of the vehicles
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method to rapidly perform emissions measurements of in-use vehicles being driven by the general public for comparison with vehicle inspection OBD emission fault code testing results for determining if the inspection results indicate that false failures are being generated for a particular vehicle group, such as based on make and model, engine size, engine combustion management technology and/or pollution control technology, or determining if the inspection results correlate with increased in-use emissions. The system may access or integrate with a database of vehicle inspection OBD emission fault code testing results that may be analyzed to evaluate the existence of higher than normal or expected OBD failure rates for emissions related items. The system and method require no recruitment testing of in-use vehicles with potentially detectable connections, but instead incorporate a vehicle emissions remote sensing device that does not require mechanical or electrical connection to the vehicle.