FR2882353A1 - FUEL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE FILLING OF A FUEL TANK - Google Patents

Abstract

Use of a transmitter / receiver pair to control the filling of fuel tanks of motor vehicles equipped with a fuel system with processor.

Description

Fuel system and filling control method

  The present invention relates to a fuel system and a method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank.

  When filling the fuel tank of a vehicle, various incidents can occur: introduction of a wrong type of fuel; overfilling; loss or forgetfulness of the cap; wounds, soiling ...

  Several different systems have been developed in recent years to avoid the user some of these inconveniences.

  Thus, it is known in particular applications WO 99 / 5.3409 and WO 00/55752, to integrate a data carrier and a radio transmitter to a vehicle to communicate with a corresponding receiver on a service station to ensure the filling by fuel fully automatically (fuel type, automatic billing ...). Such a system, however, has the disadvantage of a relatively high cost associated with the addition of said radio transmitter and data carrier.

  It is also known, particularly documents US 5,995,898 and US 6,112,152, to couple a radio transmitter to an existing processor on the vehicle to be able to adjust the payment of fuel to a service station, perform an automatic diagnosis during maintenance, billing vehicle rentals ....

  Finally, it is known (in particular from US Pat. No. 6,408,232) to use BLUETOOTH technology (a standard and inexpensive system for communicating radio waves between electronic devices, which consists in providing said devices with specific chips) for communicating information from the processors. on vehicles, a personal computer, a maintenance garage, the police ...

  The idea behind the present invention is to specifically use the so-called intelligent fuel system processor to control the filling of fluids used in the engine circuit (fuel, oil, additives) and this via the use of a transmitter / transmitter pair. receiver, preferably using standard BLUETOOTH technology.

  For this purpose, the present invention relates to a fuel system of a motor vehicle comprising a fuel tank and being managed by a processor, characterized in that the processor is coupled to an emitter capable of communicating at least one piece of information stored in the processor to a receiver.

  The fuel system according to the invention is suitable ind; for engines powered by volatile liquid fuels or for engines powered by heavy liquid fuels. In this specification, the fuel system is an assembly of components that are intended to be incorporated into a motor vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, riverboat, marine vessel or airplane, for example). These elements generally include devices related to fuel storage (tank, canister ...) and its power supply to the engine.

  The term "fuel" means a hydrocarbon suitable for supplying internal combustion engines. The term liquid hydrocarbon means a hydrocarbon which, under normal engine operating conditions, is in a liquid state in the fuel tank of the fuel system.

  The expression "volatile liquid hydrocarbon" designates a liquid hydrocarbon (according to the above definition) which has a saturation vapor pressure greater than 1 bar at 293 K (20 C). Volatile liquid hydrocarbons commonly used for the supply of thermal engines of motor vehicles are those sold commercially under the name of gasoline and intended for thermal engines with instigated ignition, known as explosion.

  The term "heavy liquid hydrocarbon" refers to a liquid hydrocarbon having a saturated vapor pressure of less than 1 bar at 293 K (20 C). Heavy liquid hydrocarbons commonly used for the supply of thermal engines of motor vehicles are those sold commercially under the names diesel or diesel and intended for spontaneous ignition engines, operating according to the diesel cycle.

  The elements of the fuel system according to the invention are made of a material compatible with each of the liquid hydrocarbons that it is capable of treating. This material must be chemically inert both vis-à-vis volatile liquid hydrocarbons and heavy liquid hydrocarbons at the usual pressures and temperatures of use. It can be a plastic material or a metal. The elements of the system according to the invention can also be mixed, ie d. include metal parts and plastic parts.

  Thermoplastics give good results in the context of the invention, in particular because of the advantages of weight, mechanical and chemical resistance and easier implementation, in particular when the elements of the system have complex shapes.

  By processor is meant in the context of the invention, any computer capable of managing at least part of the fuel system and in particular to manage the storage of fuel (filling the tank, ventilation, gauging ...), and possibly also, its power supply to the engine. This processor typically records / manages fuel level data in the tank (via a fuel gauge), temperature and pressure (outside and in the fuel tank), instant engine fuel consumption , at the position of the fuel filler flap (which it can possibly also control), at the position (opening / closing) of valves (which it can possibly also control), at the state of the engine (running , stop, speed ...), vehicle speed ...

  In the fuel system according to the invention, the processor is coupled to an issuer capable of communicating at least one of the information (data) that it stores. By this is meant that the processor communicates the data to the transmitter via a suitable communication medium which can be an electrical signal type PWM, CAN, LIN, FlexRay or other.

  The advantage of the invention lies in the fact that once the data communicated to a transmitter, it can effectively communicate it to a receiver compatible with it, preferably also coupled (via a communication medium as described supra ) a processor capable of understanding and using this data.

  For this purpose, any type of transmitter may be suitable. Since the transmitter and receiver are generally on separate supports, they communicate advantageously via waves. Preferably, the transmitter used in the context of the invention emits radio waves and in particular radio waves of short frequency. Most preferably, this transmitter uses BLUETOOTH technology, which operates in the 2.40 - 2.48 GHz frequency range. Such a system is indeed cheap because simple and standard adopted by many manufacturers of electronic equipment and telephony.

  The fuel system according to the invention may comprise, in addition to the fuel tank, at least one additive tank with a view to reducing particulate emissions (in particular for diesel engines) and certain polluting gases (NOx, CO 2). .). The present invention is advantageously applied to fuel systems comprising at least one additive tank (urea for injection into the exhaust gas with a view to reducing the emission of NOx, metal salts directly mixed with the fuel in order to favor the regeneration of diesel particulate filters ...) whose operation (dosing and storage of this additive) is also managed by the aforementioned processor (central processor of the fuel system) or by an independent processor capable of communicating with the processor fuel system (via LIN, for example). In this case, advantageously, the transmitter coupled to the processor is also capable of transmitting data relating to the operation of this additive tank.

  The present invention also relates to a method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank forming part of a fuel system as described above, in which the processor communicates directly and actively with the control system of a fuel station. filling the tank using a transmitter / receiver pair, preferably integrated into each of the systems. In other words, the information mentioned above comprises at least one piece of data that is capable of effectively controlling the filling of said tank. By control, it is intended to ensure that the filling is authorized or refused according to the value of this data.

  For this purpose, the present invention thus relates to a method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank forming part of a fuel system managed by a processor, characterized in that the processor communicates via a transmitter, at least one information to a receiver acting directly on a control system of a filling station of the tank, so as to activate or block the filling.

  This data, which is transmitted from the processor to the control system of the station via a pair transmitter / receiver compatible (preferably BLUE T OOTH type: see above), can be a fixed data (continuous / independent operation), introduced in the processor such as the type of fuel, the balance on the bank account of the user .... It is indeed advantageous, especially in case of manual filling, that the control system can block the filling when choosing the wrong type of fuel.

  Alternatively or additionally, this data may be variable data such as the filling level of the tank so as to block the pumps when this level is reached (and to avoid overfilling that are possible with the current manual pumps). More precisely, in this case the information comprises a comparison between a maximum level of filling of the fuel tank and a value read by a gauge of the tank. The use of such information to repetitively reproduce the same level of maximum tank filling would in particular simplify the valve system used on existing tanks to handle pressures / depressions.

  Finally, in the case of an automatic filling (robotized), the information may include the type of vehicle (and in particular, the model and its dimensions), the position of the hatch on the vehicle or any other information to position correctly the filler neck of the tank relative to the robot.

  In the context of the invention, it is advantageous to use a maximum of information already available in the processor of the fuel system and / or intentionally introduced therein (such as the type of fuel for example), and which are likely to improve the control of the filling.

  According to a particularly advantageous variant, it is also possible to introduce into the processor of the fuel system, practical data which have nothing to do with said system but which are intended to facilitate the life of the user during or after filling. . Thus, for example, and as proposed in the prior art for independent media / transmitters, it would be possible to introduce into the processor, information related to the operation of the vehicle (to manage it on a PC); direct communication with the bank account of the user so as to make the payment automatically ... It could also be done so that the processor records data relating to the identification of the user and the mileage traveled by users. rental or company vehicles and communicate them to the station via the above-mentioned transceiver system. In this case, it is advantageous for the control system of the station to be in communication with a computer network capable of transmitting this information to the persons / companies concerned.

  Finally, it would be possible to integrate in the processor the overall management of the fluid levels of other tanks present on the vehicle such as the level of oil, cooling water, windshield washer fluid ... and to ensure that the information concerning them are also communicated to the user via the aforementioned transmitter or to the receiver of the service station, or to another receiver present for example on the vehicle.

  Thus, according to one variant, the transmitter coupled to the processor of the fuel system can communicate at least one piece of information (data) to a visual or auditory display device located in the passenger compartment (in case of automatic filling) or near the vehicle. fuel filler (in case of manual filling). It can for example be the level of filling of the tank; mileage and / or average fuel consumption since last refill; good locking / unlocking of the system at the end / beginning of filling ...

  As regards the types of possible displays, reference is made to the application FR 04.07838 in the name of the applicant and relates to a filling bowl of a fuel tank of a motor vehicle comprising an information system transmitting information. information actively to a user.

  It follows from the foregoing that the present invention also relates to a filling bowl of a motor vehicle comprising a coded information receiver in wave form coupled to a display member of said coded information. By filling bowl is meant the assembly consisting of the tubing head, the fuel door and the space between these two elements.

  According to this aspect of the invention, at least one piece of information transmitted by the processor via the transmitter (preferably a radio transmitter and more particularly, integrated with a BLUETOOTH chip) is displayed in this bowl using a receiver pair. / compatible display organ.

  This bowl may further include other ancillary functions (informative and / or comfort) such as: sound transmission via the bowl during the use of a mobile phone; this sound transmission can be done through a loudspeaker installed in the filling bowl or on the fuel filler; É Sound broadcasting (Radio / Music) via the filling bowl: continuity of listening between the inside and the outside of the vehicle; Lighting of the bowl; integration of information (visual (witness) or audible) concerning the level of the fluid reservoirs on the vehicle (engine oil, cooling water, washer fluid ...).

Claims (10)

  1. A fuel system of a motor vehicle comprising a fuel tank and being managed by a processor, characterized in that the processor is coupled to a transmitter capable of communicating at least one piece of information stored in the processor to a receiver.   2. Fuel system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the transmitter uses BLUETOOTH technology.   3. fuel system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one other tank whose operation is also managed by the processor of the fuel system or by an independent processor capable of communicating, with the fuel system processor.   4. A method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank forming part of a fuel system managed by a processor, characterized in that the processor communicates via a transmitter, at least one information to a receiver acting directly on a fuel system. control of a filling station of the tank, so as to activate or block the filling.   5. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the information comprises the type of fuel used by the vehicle.   6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the information comprises a comparison between a maximum filling level of the fuel tank and a value read by a gauge of the tank.   7. Method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the station is an automatic filling station comprising a robot and that the information comprises data relating to the positioning of the filler neck of the tank relative to the robot.   8. Method according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the processor stores data relating to the fluid level of other tank (s) present (s) on the vehicle and communicates via the 'transmitter.   9. Method according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the transmitter communicates at least one information stored in the processor to a receiver coupled to a visual or auditory display member located in the passenger compartment or near the fuel filler of the vehicle.   10. Filling bowl of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a coded information receiver in wave form coupled to a display member of said coded information.