Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
  • G07C5/0808—Diagnosing performance data
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/004—Indicating the operating range of the engine
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/008—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles communicating information to a remotely located station
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the general field of electronic monitoring systems comprising an on-board housing on a device including at least one motor, a reservoir and an electronic supply circuit and a sedentary control tool to which the onboard box is able to be connected wired or not. More specifically, the invention relates to electronic monitoring systems for monitoring fuel consumption by the engine of the device on which the housing is embedded.
• Fuel consumption monitoring is currently a particularly critical issue from both an economic and an environmental point of view.
• the invention therefore relates primarily to the road transport of goods.
• This sector of activity annually consumes several tens of billions of liters of diesel and the share of the cost of fuel in the cost price of road transport continues to grow. It turns out that controlling this item of expenditure is now very important to ensure the profitability of road transport companies.
• onboard boxes that are able to connect to the tachograph of a vehicle, its GPS receiver and the CAN bus of the vehicle on which the box is shipped. Such a box is likely to repatriate wired or not, for example via a cable or via a modem, data on fuel consumption to a restitution software managed by an operator of the fleet of vehicles concerned.
• the consumption data can then be known a posteriori or in real time by the rendering software. This can lead to decisions based on the observed data.
• the use of the tachograph chrono makes it possible to know the speed of the vehicle as well as to have access to data of timestamping of the data.
• the GPS receiver provides access to geolocation data.
• the CAN bus provides access to data from the on-board electronic system on the vehicle.
• the only electronic data circulating on the CAN bus making it possible to follow the fuel consumption carried out by the engine of the vehicle is, in the usual way, a data item from a flowmeter placed on the pipe allowing the fuel to enter the vehicle. combustion chamber or data from an equivalent system measuring the amount of fuel flowing to the combustion chamber.
• Such a structure of an electronic system for monitoring the fuel consumption by a vehicle allows a proper tracking of fuel consumption.
• known electronic surveillance systems do not provide information on the place of the violation or on the date and time of the violation. They do not know how to distinguish a flight from other events that may occur at a constant geographical position.
• the main purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies observed in known electronic surveillance systems by proposing an electronic monitoring system that makes it possible to calculate actual fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for a device in motion or at a standstill. with exclusion or no fuel thefts including an on-board unit on a device including at least one motor, a tank and an electrical supply circuit, and a sedentary control tool to which the on-board box is able to be connected by wire or no,
• the embedded box comprises:
• At least one connector for connection to at least one specific fuel level sensor capable of taking quantitative fuel level measurements between a top wall and a bottom wall of the tank and for receiving, by the housing, fuel level from this sensor, the specific sensor being calibrated prior to the commissioning of the electronic system so that each output value of the sensor is associated bijectively with a fuel level position between the upper wall and the bottom wall of the tank and a precise volume of fuel remaining in the tank regardless of the fuel level between the upper wall and the lower wall,
• At least one clock capable of providing timestamp data
• At least one receiver for receiving geolocation data and
• At least one memory for storing successive data lines comprising the fuel level data, the time stamp data and the geolocation data at a given instant with a periodicity of between 1 and 240 seconds;
• the on-board box is adapted to be powered by the power supply circuit of the appliance when the appliance is operating and to feed itself, when the appliance is not operating, with a self-contained battery, suitable for recharge when the device is running;
• the onboard box further comprises a data processing module capable of detecting a level drop of fuel at a constant geographical position from the successive data lines recorded and of communicating, when a fuel drop at a constant geographical position, and therefore for a device at a standstill, is detected, an alert to the control tool in real time or deferred when the box is connected to the control tool, the data processing module also being able to communicate data lines to the control tool;
• control tool is able to be connected to the on-board box wired or not and comprises at least one memory for recording the alerts and the data lines communicated by the onboard box, a data processing unit and a screen for display the alerts and the data communicated by the onboard box,
• the box furthermore comprises means for detecting the operating status or otherwise of the engine of the apparatus, the operational status data of the engine being included in the data line to be processed by the data processing module in such a way as to include the engine operating status data in the alert communicated to the control tool;
• the control tool thus determining the engine time on the device at rest and engine times on the moving device.
• the term "apparatus at standstill" means that the apparatus has a zero speed.
• the onboard box periodically has access to a quantitative measurement of the actual level of fuel in the tank through the presence of a quantitative fuel level sensor placed in the tank.
• these fuel level data are permanently coupled in real time with the geolocation data and the time stamp data on the same data line, the invention enables a real-time monitoring of the fuel tanks. .
• this fuel level sensor is previously calibrated to take quantitative fuel level measurements between a top wall and a bottom wall of the tank.
• the invention is such that the specific sensor is calibrated prior to the commissioning of the electronic system so that each output value of the sensor is associated bijectively with a fuel level position between the upper wall and the bottom wall of the tank and a precise volume of fuel remaining in the tank regardless of the fuel level between the upper wall and the lower wall.
• This feature is not accessible with gauges usually installed in tanks.
• the known gauges are generally tubular or lever gauges measuring the level by level. From 18 to 21 millimeters on the height. What is more, the known gauges generally allow to quantitatively measure the level on only 80% of the height of the tank excluding the upper part.
• the invention requires that a new interface be installed between a gauge and the housing according to the invention to perform the quantitative calibration of the gauge that it is dedicated to the implementation of the invention or is a gauge previously installed for another goal, especially indicative.
• the invention proposes the use of the quantitative data from the fuel level sensor in combination with the geolocation and time stamping data, these data being recorded together for a given moment with a given periodicity. They are known within the embedded box according to the invention regardless of the operating status of the device on which the box is embedded.
• the power supply system of the on-board unit uses either a connection to the power supply circuit of the device, or a connection to a stand-alone battery that recharges when the device is operating. This ensures the storage of data with strictly the same periodicity regardless of the status of the device, including the shutdown of the device.
• the combination between the control of the power supply of the on-board box and the storage of the data specific to the invention at fixed periodicity allows a strict monitoring of what takes place in the tank.
• This allows, according to the invention, the implementation of the data processing module capable of detecting a fuel level drop at a constant geographical position from the successive data lines recorded regardless of the operating status of the device .
• the permanent power supply of the embedded box proves to be essential to implement such a detection which otherwise would absolutely not be reliable or could miss events.
• the invention allows to be informed continuously and permanently of the presence of a fuel level drop constant geographical position knowing the date, location and fuel volume corresponding to the fall of the fuel level.
• the invention makes it possible to completely control the need or not to refuel the vehicles before their departure from a logistics center having its own fuel tank.
• the invention provides access to real-time information of the volume present in the tanks. This saves time because it makes it possible to drive trucks that have enough fuel safely and this reduces the queue in front of the tanks. It is common to observe such queues of several hours from the trucks in the morning at some carriers. This necessarily generates an economic gain.
• none of the known devices makes it possible to have real-time access to the real level of fuel within one or more tanks. Indeed, in the known devices, only the consumption of the vehicle is known from the data relating to the amount of fuel that goes to the combustion chamber, for example through the use of a flow meter. Also, only an approximation can be given according to the average consumption since the last full.
• the invention makes it possible to have knowledge of the real consumption of vehicles by deducting fuel drops at a constant geographical position which can only correspond to a siphoning of the tank. This makes it possible to deduce fuel thefts from the calculation of the actual consumption and therefore the environmental impact of a company on CO2 emissions, the main greenhouse gas, which are directly linked to actual consumption. fuel.
• the invention of course makes it possible to identify the liters lost for any reason whatsoever and thus to calculate the financial losses due to the liters of fuel paid and not consumed by the vehicles of the company.
• the invention makes it possible to eliminate the engine running events while stopping fuel drops at a constant geographical position. Indeed, in the event that the system is not able to know the status of operation of the engine, it can not separate a flight from normal consumption of the engine running at a standstill.
• the invention thus allows a great fineness of determination of the events of fuel drops and their nature.
• the engine status in operation is different from the position of the ignition key. Indeed, the ignition key can be in the on position while the engine is not running. In this case, no fuel consumption can be observed.
• the invention is concerned here with the rotating motor.
• the characteristic according to which an alert is provided to the control tool to which the on-board box can be connected can take various forms, from a simple report to a sound or visual alert in real time or in real time. deferred time.
• the data processing advantageously carried out in the housing can, in a degraded mode, be performed at within the control tool after receiving the data lines.
• the invention makes it possible to know exactly the date and time at which a siphoning was carried out. Indeed, the fuel drop at constant geographical position is clearly indicative of a siphoning of the tank.
• the geolocation data also gives the position of the vehicle at the time of the flight. The data on the operating status of the engine makes it possible to eliminate the engine time events on the aircraft when the flight events themselves are stopped.
• the knowledge of the rotating engine data in the case where, in addition to the disappearance of fuel, the kinetics of the disappearance of the fuel sign the presence of a theft, further reinforces the evidence of guilt of the driver responsible for the vehicle at the time of the fuel drop. In addition, it also makes it possible to identify unproductive consumption such as vehicles with the engine stopped.
• an additional advantage of having access to the operating status of the engine is the possibility of accessing the engine time switched off device with, directly associated, the place, the day and the hour when it was product.
• the invention gives access not only to the duration during which the engine remained on but at the beginning of this event as well as at the end of this event.
• a time elapsed between two specific dates is known thanks to the time stamp.
• RFID solutions may also be used.
• the housing can in particular be connected to these instruments. It will then be possible to trace the information available on these instruments without an intermediate box and to cross all this information.
• the engine times switched on device at a standstill are precisely known and localized in time and space. This is accessible whether the device is running or not.
• the distinction between these two types of fuel drop at the stop is a very interesting because it allows not to accuse a driver wrongly for a flight and conversely not to fail to report inappropriate behavior to fuel savings.
• the invention assists road haulage companies to reduce their fuel consumption and also to reduce the share of the fuel station in their accounts in addition to monitoring the theft of fuel. Companies can also subscribe to charters allowing a voluntary commitment from an environmental point of view.
• the monitoring system according to the invention makes it possible to achieve a precise and effective measurement of actual CO2 consumption and emissions by excluding or excluding fuel thefts according to the desired information and by identifying the unproductive consumption such as the vehicles in question. 'engine stop switched on which can be reduced by driver education.
• the invention makes it possible to deliver CO2 emission calculations by geographical area for specific periods, or by customer of the carrier, or by vehicle and / or driver.
• the crossing of the vehicle location information and the movement of the illuminated vehicle thus allows an optimal monitoring of the behavior of the drivers and the fuel consumption. They therefore make it possible to know the points on which improvements can be made and actions carried out.
• the control tool has access to the engine time off, engine time on device to the shutdown and engine time on moving device.
• the invention thus makes it possible to have a measure of the total consumption on the journeys made. This makes it possible to target actions in a quantified and realistic reduction objective based on the perfect knowledge of the consumption by vehicles and / or drivers that defines an initial inventory.
• the on-board box according to the invention also makes it possible to access the distance detail traveled, to display the road on digital maps as well as to have access to the stops of the vehicle.
• the means for detecting the operating status of the motor are chosen from a connection to a sensor placed at the excitation terminal of an alternator of the circuit electrical supply of the device, a connection to a bodybuilder giving the information engine running, a connection to the battery to make a measurement of the voltage difference across the main battery, the data processing module knowing previously the voltage difference observed between the voltage observed with a ignition key position ON and the voltage observed with the engine on.
• the data module of the housing is capable of detecting a fuel level increase at a constant geographical position characteristic of the completion of a filling of the tank from the successive recorded data lines and to communicate, when a fuel increase at constant geographical position is detected, in real time or delayed, a signal specific to the control tool to signal the presence of a filling.
• This characteristic makes it possible to locate, in a set of data lines, the instants of realization of a tank filling whether it is a full or only a relative fuel increase in the tank. This characteristic also makes it possible to know the location, date and time of each filling or filling of the tank with possibly visualization on a map.
• This feature allows the user of the control tool to have the dates and times of the tank refills and the quantity actually supplied within the tank.
• This feature is useful for not only locating refills / full in time but also for confirming the presence of a fuel substitution as is sometimes observed.
• control tool furthermore comprises a data entry interface for allowing a user to enter external data relating to the filling of the tank, the data processing unit being adapted to receive these external data entered, to detect inconsistencies between the external data entered by the user and the specific signals to the fills communicated by the onboard box.
• this feature can detect flights to the tank. Such flights are for example made by filling a can before, during or after the filling of the vehicle tank on which the onboard case of the electronic monitoring system according to the invention is installed.
• the control tool By comparing the increase in fuel level observed and detected in the on-board unit and signaled by the specific signal sent to the control tool with the data entered with the control tool and indicating the amount of fuel paid. , usually announced on the receipt provided by the service station in which the filling of the tank was made, on the same date and approximately at the same time, the control tool has access to the quantity of fuel which was then dumped in another container than the tank of the apparatus on which the on-board housing of the electronic system according to the invention is installed.
• the electronic monitoring system makes it possible to know how the missing fuel has been stolen. Indeed, when a fuel drop at a constant geographical position is observed, it will be a siphoning and when the comparison between the amount of fuel paid on a charge of filling a tank with the amount of fuel measured during an increase in fuel level reveals an inconsistency, a theft to the tank will be detected.
• the recording periodicity of the data lines is between 60 and 120 seconds. This recording period makes it possible to achieve a rough compromise between the fluctuations in the fuel level that can be detected within the tank and a sufficiently fine sampling of the level in the tank to enable the detection of a fuel drop. at constant geographical position as this is covered by the invention. Fluctuations in the tank may be due in particular to acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle.
• the recording periodicity of the data lines is between 85 and 95 seconds.
• a time interval chosen around 90 seconds makes it possible to optimally overcome the fluctuations in levels due to the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle and such a measurement every minute and half allows very reliable tracking of driver behavior.
• this measurement made with a chosen period around 90 seconds avoids having to achieve an average fuel level when a fluctuation due to acceleration or deceleration is observed.
• the casing further comprises a connector for being connected to at least one contact key position detector and in that the data coming from this detector are included in the data line and are processed by the module. processing of data to include the contact key position data in the alert communicated to the control tool.
• this contact key position data makes it possible to provide the operator where the control tool is installed to have additional proof to characterize the theft of fuel and especially to identify the person responsible because the key contact is usually issued to a particular driver at the start of the race and returned by the latter at the end of the race. If the ignition key has been left in the "On" position when the tank drops at a constant geographical position, the driver in question will then be difficult to say that he is not responsible or that he ignores the realization of this larceny.
• the housing comprises a calibration module of the fuel level sensor chosen from the ultrasonic-type sensors, the sensors using a float, the calibration associating automatically in a bijective manner, prior to the setting in use of the electronic system, a sensor output value at each fuel level position between the top wall and the bottom wall of the tank and at a precise volume of fuel remaining in the tank.
• the data processing unit of the control tool is adapted to calculate an actual consumption of the apparatus from the recorded data lines.
• the data processing unit of the control tool is adapted to calculate a carbon dioxide emission carried out by the apparatus.
• This calculation provides direct access to the carbon footprint of the business developed by the device, which can be part of a commercially viable approach to customer chargers increasingly sensitive to environmental issues. It can also contribute to a modern corporate image that respects the environment and is part of a sustainable development perspective. Overall, this may lead to a better image of road transport.
• the apparatus having a working function ancillary to the operation of its engine, the housing comprises means for determining the operating status of this auxiliary work function, the operating status data of the Scheduled work function being included in the data line, the control tool thus determining the engine run time switched on device at work stop and the engine run time switched off device off work.
• This status data during operation of a work function makes it possible to dissociate the engine times when the device is switched off at productive standstill, ie the engine times when the device is switched off when the engine is running. stop unproductive, that is to say without work. Indeed, for certain particular actions, the specialized vehicles must have the engine running to perform the work function. In this case, the engine times when the appliance is switched off must not be counted as consumption. unproductive. This characteristic makes it possible to dissociate these two cases. Over a period of several hours when the engine remained switched off device, this feature will identify the times during which, typically, a power take-off used for performing the auxiliary work function (pump, crane, etc.). .) was enabled. This duration will be excluded from unproductive consumption.
• the invention also relates to a housing intended to be embedded on an apparatus comprising at least one tank, a motor and an electric supply circuit, and adapted to be connected by wire or not to a sedentary control tool for the realization of an electronic system according to one of the preceding claims,
• At least one connector for connection to at least one specific fuel level sensor capable of taking quantitative fuel level measurements between a top wall and a bottom wall of the tank and for receiving, by the housing, fuel level from this sensor, the specific sensor being calibrated prior to the commissioning of the electronic system so that each output value of the sensor is associated bijectively with a fuel level position between the upper wall and the bottom wall of the tank and a precise volume of fuel remaining in the tank whatever the fuel level between the upper wall and the lower wall,
• At least one clock capable of providing timestamp data
• At least one receiver for receiving geolocation data and
• At least one memory for storing successive data lines each comprising the fuel level data, the time stamp data and the geo-location data at a given instant with a periodicity of between 1 and 240 seconds;
• the on-board box is adapted to be powered by the power supply circuit of the appliance when the appliance is operating and to feed itself, when the appliance is not operating, with a self-contained battery, suitable for recharge when the device is running;
• the onboard box further comprises a data processing module capable of detecting a level drop of fuel at a constant geographical position from the successive data lines recorded and of communicating, when a fuel drop at a constant geographical position, and therefore for a device at a standstill, is detected, an alert to the control tool in real time or deferred when the box is connected to the control tool, the data processing module also being able to communicate data lines to the control tool,
• the box furthermore comprises means for detecting the operating status or not of the engine of the apparatus, the operating status data being included in the data line to be processed by the data processing module so as to include the engine operating status data in the alert communicated to the control tool.
• Such a suitable housing can be connected to a control tool if necessary and allows the implementation of the invention within the apparatus of which the electronic system according to the invention is intended to monitor consumption.
• the invention also relates to a sedentary control tool adapted to be connected wired or not to an embedded box according to the invention, for the production of an electronic system according to the invention, and comprising at least one memory for recording the alerts and data lines communicated by the onboard box from which it accesses the engine times on at the stop and the engine times on in motion, a screen to display the alerts and data provided by the onboard box.
• the invention also relates to a monitoring method intended to be installed concomitantly within a box embedded on a device including at least one motor, a reservoir and an electrical supply circuit, and within a sedentary control tool to which the on-board box is adapted to be connected wired or not for the production of an electronic system according to the invention, comprising the following steps:
• each output value of the sensor is associated bijectively with a position of the fuel level between the upper wall and the lower wall of the tank and to a precise volume of fuel remaining in the tank whatever the level of fuel between the upper wall and the lower wall,
• a step of connection via at least one connector of the housing, to the specific fuel level sensor capable of taking quantitative fuel level measurements between a top wall and a bottom wall of the tank and receiving, by the housing, fuel level data from this sensor,
• a step of recording in a memory of the box, successive data lines comprising the fuel level data, the time stamp data provided by the clock of the box, the data coming from the status sensor in operation or not. of the engine and the geolocation data at a given instant with a periodicity of between 1 and 240 seconds,
• a power selection step on a criterion of operation of the electrical circuit of the device allowing the housing to be powered by the power supply circuit of the device when the device operates and to feed, when the device does not work, from a battery autonomous, able to recharge when the device works;
• the various steps of the method according to the invention are determined by instructions of computer programs.
• the invention also relates to a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented in a computer, this program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation of the steps of the method according to the invention.
• This program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other form desirable shape.
• the invention also relates to a computer-readable information medium, comprising instructions of a computer program as mentioned above.
• the information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program.
• the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording means, for example example a floppy disk, a hard disk, a flash memory, a USB key, etc.
• the information medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means.
• the program according to the invention can be downloaded in particular on an Internet type network.
• the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.
• FIG. 1 shows schematically an electronic monitoring system according to the invention
• FIG. 2 shows an example of successive data lines recorded inside the on-board box and downloaded into the control tool before being plugged in as shown in this figure;
• FIGS. 3A and 3B respectively show an example of an alarm setting to signal a drop in the fuel level at a constant geographical position and a specific signal signaling the presence of a filling of the tank with a constant geographical position and an example of a display of over-consumption alerts;
• FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D show tables and graphs in which abnormal overconsumption events are detected
• FIG. 5 shows an example of sensors using a float that can be used for the implementation of the invention.
• FIG. 6 shows a table resulting from a calibration of the fuel level sensor according to the invention
• FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the method according to the invention.
• figure 8 shows a form likely to be drawn up within the control tool for managing a fleet of vehicles or a group of drivers.
• FIG. 1 schematically shows an electronic monitoring system according to the invention.
• This system comprises a housing 10, embedded on a device including at least one motor 11, a reservoir 12 and an electrical supply circuit.
• This power supply circuit conventionally comprises a battery 13 and various means of connection to the motor 11, in particular to recover the energy delivered by the latter through an alternator.
• the battery 13 is also connected to a plurality of sensors generally present on board the apparatus 1, either directly or via the housing 10.
• the battery 13 is connected to the housing 10, itself connected to a fuel level sensor 14 capable of taking quantitative measurements of fuel level in the tank 12 between the upper wall and the lower wall of this tank 12.
• the sensor 14 is also connected to the housing 10 so that it can transmit the fuel level data that it is able to acquire.
• the housing 10 comprises a connector 101. This connector which allows the transmission of data advantageously also supports the supply of the sensor 14 via the housing 10.
• the housing 10 further comprises a tilt power connector 102, able to switch the supply of the housing 10 between the electrical supply circuit of the device 1 and therefore by a direct supply by the battery 13 and an auxiliary and autonomous power supply circuit based on the implementation of a battery 15 appendix.
• the battery 15 is advantageously connected to the housing 10, itself connected to the main battery 13.
• this auxiliary battery 15 is able to recharge on the electrical supply circuit of the device 1 during operation of the engine 11 and supplying electrical power to the housing 10 as soon as the electrical supply circuit of the apparatus 1 is de-energized.
• the housing 10 further comprises a data processing module 104, a clock 103, able to provide timestamp data to the data processing module 104, a receiver 105 for receiving geolocation data and a memory 106.
• the memory 106 is used in particular according to the invention to record successive data lines comprising the fuel level data from the sensor 14, the time stamping data from the clock 103, geo-location data from from the receiver 105 at a given instant with a periodicity of between 1 and 240 seconds.
• the recording periodicity of the data lines will advantageously be between 60 and 120 seconds to enable the fastest oscillations of the fuel level within the tank 12 to be eliminated.
• the periodicity of 120 seconds makes it possible to have a sufficient fuel level sampling to identify the acts that the monitoring system according to the invention is intended to detect.
• the optimum period range for optimizing both the amount of stored data, the suppression of oscillations in the reservoir and the detection of desired events is between 85 and 95 seconds.
• the housing 10 of the system can be installed advantageously inside the dashboard.
• the electronic monitoring system also comprises a control tool 2 provided with a memory 20 for recording the alerts and the data lines communicated by the on-board box 10, a data processing unit 21 and a screen 22 for display the alerts and the data communicated by the onboard box 10.
• control tool further comprises a data entry interface 23, allowing the user to enter external data relating to the filling of the reservoir 12.
• Figure 2 shows a number of data lines as recorded with a periodicity of 90 seconds during operation of a vehicle followed by the monitoring device according to the invention.
• the message transferred by the enclosure to the control tool has the format next :
• the speed of sending data is programmable between 4800, 9600 and 19200 bauds per second.
• the control tool has access to sensor statuses giving information on the operation of the engine and the position of the ignition key.
• Other possible statuses available through other sensors installed on the vehicle may also be included in data lines of the type shown in Figure 2.
• FIGS. 3A and 3B respectively show the setting of the over-consumption warning thresholds and the detection of a filling of the tank. These thresholds are able to trigger an alert when they are exceeded at the constant geographical position.
• the data processing module makes a comparison between the fuel level observed on two or more successive lines and compares with the maximum flows parameterized within the housing as shown in Figure 3A.
• maximum fluxes are indicated for various states of engine operation and vehicle displacement.
• the choice of a parameterization of the overconsumption adapted to the average consumption of the vehicle avoids the triggering of false alarms and makes it possible to detect selectively the overconsumption.
• the invention in fact provides that the data processing module performs various comparisons of levels, in particular comparisons between two lines of data recorded at the beginning and at the end of a constant geographical position.
• Figure 3B shows a number of detected overconsumption as displayed on the screen of the control tool. Overconsumption observed are each associated with an operating site (Marseille, Toulon or Nice) of several vehicles identified by their registration. The alert has previously been sent to the control tool 2 by the boxes 10 installed on the vehicles concerned.
• the control tool 20 then displays the overconsumption in the format shown in FIG. 3B which shows the operating site, the registration of the vehicle concerned, the date and time of observation of the abnormal overconsumption, the volume of the decrement observed and the code of the driver who was at the time driving the vehicle bearing the registration concerned.
• FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D show examples of, respectively, data lines in which a flight is detected, a constant geographical position fuel level curve showing a siphoning flight, an alert as displayed on the control tool and a fuel level monitoring curve with vehicle movements and on which suspicious events appear.
• the truck makes a small visible displacement on the geolocation data, before stopping in register / data line 7.
• the volume VI of the tank has, according to the successive registers 9 to 12, decreased by 41 liters without vehicle movement. This typically signifies the occurrence of siphoning, the amount disappeared as a function of the stopping time being greater than the consumption of a motor running at a standstill.
• control tool can calculate and display a fuel level curve as a function of the successive registers.
• the curve of FIG. 4B graphically displays the detected flight in the table of FIG. 4A.
• FIG. 4C shows an example of displaying the "flight" alert associated with the flight visible on the data table of FIG. 4A.
• the control tool may also possibly display the locations of the events observed on a map. It can also provide all kinds of consumption statistics over more or less important time slots.
• Figure 4D shows an example of a fuel level curve on which suspicious events are detected. It can thus be seen that the VM zones of the curve correspond to the vehicle in motion by correlation with the geolocation data. There is also a VA zone where the vehicle is stopped. There are also two suspicious events E1 and E2 where the fuel level has dropped rapidly. In the case where the vehicle is found immobilized at times corresponding to these registers with the geolocation data, a flight is detected.
• Figure 5 shows a float sensor 14, which can be used in the invention. It will be noted here that other types of sensors, for example ultrasonic sensors, may be used to implement the invention as soon as a quantitative measurement of the fuel level can be acquired between the upper wall of the tank 12 and the lower wall of it. There are also tubular-type sensors where the float is wound around a sensor axis and which can be used within a device according to the invention.
• the sensor 14 shown in FIG. 5 has a fixing disk 140 on the tank, a longitudinal body 141 intended to be placed vertically in the tank and advantageously adjustable in its length to be able to adapt to various tank sizes, an arm lever 142 provided at its end with a float 143.
• the lever arm 142 is articulated about an axis 144 placed on the lower end of the body 141 of the sensor 14.
• the height L of the body 141 of the sensor can be adjusted using screws placed in holes placed for this purpose along the body 141.
• the length R of the lever arm 142 of the float 143 may also be varied depending on where the float 143 and the attachment pin 144 are attached to the sensor body.
• the installation of the sensor comprises two steps. The first is to adjust the length L of the body 141 so that it is equal to 50% of the diameter H of the tank when it is cylindrical or 50% of the height H of the tank when it is cubic, square or rectangular. Then, float position 143 is set on lever arm 142 so that when arm 142 of float 143 is in the full tank position, the top wall of float 143 is at the height of the tank top wall. . .
• the high rotational position is quantitative for the highest fuel levels possible in the tank 12.
• the float 143 must always be in a buoyant position and can not be wedged against the high wall.
• the float and the various elements of the sensor will be dimensioned for this even if a margin of error at the top and bottom of the tank may possibly be accepted.
• the shape of the tank and the position of the filling port will be such that the float 143 can not be plated on the top wall.
• the height L of the body 141 of the sensor between the upper wall of the reservoir 12 and the articulation axis 144 of the lever arm 142 and the length R of the lever arm 142 will actually be chosen according to the height H of the tank 12.
• Adjustable arm fuel level sensors may thus be used within the tanks of the apparatus on which the invention will be installed.
• FIG. 6 shows a table in which are listed an example of different calibration points associating the output signal, denoted SC, of the sensor 14 with the quantity of fuel present in the tank 12.
• SC the output signal
• the advantage of the manual calibration is its accuracy and reliability since the quantity of fuel introduced into the tank 12 is completely controlled. It is thus possible to precisely associate an output signal SC of the sensor 14 corresponding exactly to the quantity of fuel. present in the tank.
• the tank is previously emptied and disconnected from any other tanks on the device.
• the absence of connection between the tanks avoids in fact that, during calibration, the fuel of the other tanks filters to the tank during calibration or vice versa.
• the embedded box 10 is connected to its power source and that the sensor is further connected to the housing 10.
• the float 143 must of course be installed correctly in the tank 12 and the movement of the lever arm 142 of the float 143 must be able to be done without obstacle over the entire height of the tank 12.
• the calibration can be done via the user interface present on the control tool. This is an advantageous achievement. Nevertheless, an ancillary device could also be used to perform this operation.
• Such an auxiliary device or the control tool is, in any case, able to program the housing 10 by indicating the identifiers of the connected tanks, their maximum capacity and their position.
• This operation is started with empty tank and it is necessary to stop several times to capture the signal at the exit of the level sensor and add a new line of data to the calibration files according to the quantity of fuel that has been introduced into the tank. tank.
• a file is then generated which precisely describes the float and the reservoir in addition to the calibration points which associate the sensor signal with the quantity of fuel.
• Such a file of the type shown in FIG. 6 is then used for the following installations in vehicles having configurations similar to floats and tank sizes.
• the calibration file will be identified by data corresponding to the size and volume of the tank.
• Such a calibration file is typically a result of a manual preliminary calibration of a reservoir identical to that for which the calibration file has been downloaded.
• the tank can be filled to about 1/16 .
• 75 liters of fuel will be placed in the tank.
• the output signal SC of the sensor is then captured and a data point is added to the calibration file.
• the tank is filled by 16 th . Nevertheless, fractions tank volume divisions of from l / 12 to l th / 20 th are quite possible to ensure the reliability of the calibration of the monitoring system.
• the intermediate values are then calculated automatically by the housing 10, typically by linear approximation.
• the position of the float 143 corresponds to an analog resistance measurement measured on a potentiometer or ohmmeter 145 placed under the path of the lever arm 142 near the axis 145 of the sensor.
• the value of the resistance of the potentiometer 145 is then variable as a function of the position of the lever arm 142 which is due to the buoyancy of the float 143 at the level of the fuel surface.
• the position of the float is then marked according to the outgoing value of the potentiometer 145 on a number of positions of the order of one hundred and preferably around 65 positions.
• the sensors used with the system will advantageously have a resistance that can vary between two extremal values, previously known, from the full tank to the empty tank.
• extremal resistance values correspond to the extreme positions of the float 143 respectively for a full tank and an empty tank.
• these values will range from 33 to 245 ohms or from 0 to 180, 33 ohms or 0 ohms corresponding to the empty tank or the full tank and 245 and 180 corresponding to the full tank or the empty tank.
• These resistance values of the float 143 correspond to intervals of digital values ranging, for example, from 19,700 to 48,700 respectively for a full tank and an empty tank.
• the invention therefore uses a voltage at the output of the circuit of the level sensor 14. This voltage varies according to the resistance which itself varies according to the height of the fuel level and, with the type of sensor of FIG. , the position of the float.
• the voltage which is an analog datum is transformed into a digital datum which is advantageously an index whose rank is, for example, from 0 to 65.535.
• the digital index is associated with a total volume in liters present in the tank. This transforms an analog value that is a voltage at the output of the sensor into a digital value that is associated with a value "liters in tank”.
• Liters in tank between two consecutive calibration points are automatically calculated pro rata.
• a calibration file of 20 lines allows a real calibration of the fuel level in the tank every 3 centimeters, from 0 to 60 centimeters.
• each 3 centimeters corresponds to 30 liters of fuel. Intermediate positions are pro-rated.
• FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the method according to the invention. This method is implemented mainly in the control box 10 but also partially within the control tool 20.
• the supply of the casing 10 is permanently ensured by means of a certain number of steps looped on themselves, making it possible permanently to supply the casing 10, either by the battery 13 or by the battery 15 according to the state of the engine 11.
• step EA1 the operation of the motor 11 is examined.
• the battery 13 is turned on.
• the battery 13 is selected by the tilt connector 102, within a step EA2, to supply the housing 10 in a step EA4.
• step EA3 the battery 15 is selected by the tilt connector 102 to supply the housing 10 in a step EA4.
• the operation of the motor 11 is examined to allow the tilt connector 102 to choose between the two power modes. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to use a sensor of position of the ignition key instead of an operating sensor of the engine 11, typically a voltage sensor placed on the excitation terminal of the alternator. Indeed, generally, as soon as the ignition key is in the "ON" position, the power supply circuit is energized and is therefore able to power the housing 10.
• the method according to the invention questions the clock 103, in a step EM1, in order to know the appropriate sampling instant at which the various data constituting a data line will be captured at the chosen and preprogrammed periodicity, here 90 seconds.
• the date and time D / H are then used to associate, in a step
• the set of data Loc, SC, D / H is stored in the memory in the form of a line LQ /
• the memory implemented within the embedded box 10 will advantageously have a capacity around 20,000 lines, 24,000 for example, which corresponds to about 20 consecutive days.
• an AL alarm is then sent to the control tool 20 which receives it, records it and advantageously proceeds to a display of this AL alert in a step FM2.
• control tool 2 is connected to or connects to the housing 10 in a step FM0. Then, in an FMI step, the lines LQ / H are transferred offline or in real time to the control tool 20 where they are stored in a memory.
• the control tool 20 then makes it possible to draw up various tables of results of the type of that presented in FIG. 8.
• results are presented the characteristics of consumptions observed for a plurality of vehicles operated at different operating sites and driven by different drivers.
• the identity of the driver who drove the vehicle on which the housing 10 is embedded is generally external data acquired within the control tool 20 by data entry through the user interface 23.
• C ' this is also the case for other data relating to the operation of vehicles, in particular a zone of activity, for example to achieve in particular virtual guarding ("geofencing" in English).
• the information can be retrieved by the on-board system when the one is connected to the tachograph of the vehicle.
• the data can be automatically detected in real time by the onboard system.
• the device can automatically control whether the GPS position at the time of detection of a full corresponds to the location of a fuel pump. This corresponds to a combination of information.
• Such a dashboard makes it possible to follow the consumption more or less detailed according to the driver, according to the site of operation or depending on the vehicle.
• control tool 20 comprises a user interface 23 for acquiring external data provided by a user of the control tool 20.
• control tool 20 will then be advantageously informed on the amount of fuel introduced into each tank, depending on fuel bills.
• control tool 20 By comparing the quantity of fuel thus seized with a fuel increase corresponding to the filling time and date corresponding to the invoice, it is possible, thanks to the invention, to compare the quantities of fuel automatically within the control tool 20. In this case, the control tool 20 will be able, automatically and autonomously, to provide an alert to signal an inconsistency between the two quantities, if any. A robbery will then be suspected.
• control tool 20 since the control tool 20 has LD / H data lines as received and stored in the control tool, it is possible to perform a number of calculations, including ratios between the time of engine switched on with vehicle stopped and engine time on vehicle moving. These ratios give access to a percentage of consumption that can be saved.
• the invention makes it possible to know the place, the date and the time of the overconsumption due to a motor running vehicle stopped. This makes it possible to correct the behavior of the drivers and to reduce the overconsumption due to keeping the engine switched off.
• the apparatus may have a function of work ancillary to the operation of its engine requiring the operation of the engine to be activated.
• the housing then comprises means for determining the operating status of this ancillary work function, the operating status data of the engine being included in the data line to be processed by the data processing module.
• the times during which the work function is activated are then excluded from the idle idle engine running times.
• the knowledge of the operating status of the work function is typically determined from the activation or not of a power take-off carried by the device.
• the control tool 20 also makes it possible to collect the data by group. For example, all vehicles operating on a site could be grouped together to calculate an average consumption of the site and to be able to compare the exploitations on various sites. Comparisons between trucks can be also made or comparisons between drivers.
• the control tool 20 according to the invention in combination with the embedded box 10 according to the invention, therefore makes it possible to report on the past of an operation as well as reporting on the current operation, that is, that is to say at the present time of operation, since it makes it possible to send alerts in real time to the control tool 20.
• the control tool 20 is connected wirelessly to the embedded box 10 for, for example, that the housing 10 can transmit AL alerts in real time to the control tool 20.
• the embedded box 10 can be wiredly connected to the control tool 20 to transfer the data lines.
• a wired path is more suited to the amount of data then transferred from the housing 10 to the control tool 20.
• an RS232 connection may be used.
• the control tool 20 will also advantageously be capable of displaying, on its display device, maps showing the path of the vehicle as well as the locations of the tank fillings and, possibly, the places at which a drop in the fuel level has occurred. been observed.
• the invention makes it possible to have a detailed precise vision of the fuel consumption and thus to reduce irregular and unproductive consumption.
• the invention therefore makes it possible overall to reduce fuel consumption and to enhance the profitability and competitiveness of companies.
• the invention allows better overall management by setting up tables various tracking.
• Commitments in structuring approaches can be undertaken by the road transport companies through the invention and thus generate an additional source of mobilization and motivation of all the staff.

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=42315660

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (16)

Families Citing this family (16)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2009
  • 2009-10-21 FR FR0957388A patent/FR2951573B1/fr active Active
• 2010
  • 2010-10-20 PT PT107851495T patent/PT2502209T/pt unknown
  • 2010-10-20 SI SI201031430A patent/SI2502209T1/sl unknown
  • 2010-10-20 CA CA2777255A patent/CA2777255C/fr active Active
  • 2010-10-20 WO PCT/FR2010/052238 patent/WO2011048333A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2010-10-20 LT LTEP10785149.5T patent/LT2502209T/lt unknown
  • 2010-10-20 HU HUE10785149A patent/HUE031608T2/hu unknown
  • 2010-10-20 RS RS20170355A patent/RS55869B1/sr unknown
  • 2010-10-20 DK DK10785149.5T patent/DK2502209T3/en active
  • 2010-10-20 EP EP10785149.5A patent/EP2502209B1/de active Active
  • 2010-10-20 US US13/503,069 patent/US8600653B2/en active Active
  • 2010-10-20 PL PL10785149T patent/PL2502209T3/pl unknown
  • 2010-10-20 ES ES10785149.5T patent/ES2618627T3/es active Active
  • 2010-10-20 BR BR112012009494-7A patent/BR112012009494B1/pt active IP Right Grant
• 2017
  • 2017-03-20 CY CY20171100350T patent/CY1118755T1/el unknown
  • 2017-03-30 HR HRP20170516TT patent/HRP20170516T1/hr unknown

Non-Patent Citations (7)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events