Claims:
We Claim:
1. A method (100) to indicate the filter clogging condition during shut off condition of a vehicle; said method (100) comprising at least of following steps:
setting (101) a predefined voltage level in an electric feed pump of the fuel filter;
sensing (102) current drawn by the electric feed pump based on said setting (101) the predefined voltage level;
comparing (103) the sensed current with a threshold current value; and
indicating (104) said filter-clogging condition based on comparing (103) the sensed current with the threshold current value.
2. The method (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method (100) starts after a predefined time after the said shut off condition of said vehicle.
3. The method (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensed (102) current is peak value.
4. The method (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said threshold current value is based on the overall system parameters.
5. A control unit to indicate the filter clogging in a vehicle; Said controller adapted to:
set a predefined voltage level in an electric feed pump of the fuel filter;
sense the current drawn by the electric feed pump based on said predefined voltage level;
compare the sensed current with a threshold current value; and
indicate filter-clogging condition based on said compared sensed current with the threshold current value.
, Description:Complete Specification:
The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] The invention relates to a method to indicate the filter clogging condition during shut off of a vehicle by a control unit.

Background of the invention
[0002] Typically, the fuel is stored in the fuel tank for delivery to an engine. The filter removes the dust and contaminants from the fuel before it flows to the pump. In commercial vehicles and the passenger cars, the fuel filters are replaced at regular intervals during servicing. In vehicle, a start-stop system automatically shut down and restarts the internal combustion engine to reduce the amount of time the engine spends idling, thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

[0003] The patent application US6116513 discloses a system for continuing heating of a vehicle interior after the engine which normally controls the heating of the vehicle has been turned off. The system comprises a first control circuit located in the engine compartment of the vehicle, which continues to pump heated engine coolant through the heater core of the vehicle after the engine has been turned off. A second control circuit located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle continues to operate the heater fan, heater core blows air, and into the passenger compartment after the engine has been turned off.
Brief description of the accompanying drawings:
[0004] Different modes of the invention are disclosed in detail in the description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing:
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a method according to an embodiment in the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0007] Figure 1 shows a method 100 to indicate the filter clogging condition during shut off of a vehicle. The method 100 comprises at least of following steps. In step S1, setting 101 a predefined voltage level in an electric feed pump of a fuel injection system. In step S2, sensing 102 the current drawn by the electric feed pump based on the setting predefined voltage level and level of loading of the filter. In step S3, comparing 103 the sensed current with a threshold current value and in the step S4, indicating 104 the filter clogging condition based on comparing the sensed current with the threshold current value.

[0008] The method 100 starts at a predefined time after the shut off condition of the vehicle. So after the vehicle is switched off, the method 100 runs by the control unit after a delay of few seconds let say 5 seconds. The delay is to make sure that the vehicle is shut off completely and the entire device attached to the vehicle comes to rest. Then the control unit starts the method 100 and indicate the filter clogging condition.

[0009] In the step S1, the predefined voltage level is always less than the voltage level in running condition of the vehicle, as this is voltage level in shut off condition of the vehicle. The predefined voltage level is always dependent on the battery condition of the vehicle.

[0010] In this method 100, the sensed 102 current value which is taken into consideration by a control unit is a peak value. The “peak value” here refers to the value when the current drawn by the electric feed pump reaches at its peak before settling to a stable value.

[0011] In the method 100, the threshold current value is based on the overall system parameters. Here the threshold value is the value for the filter, which is predicted to be appropriate for the replacement of filter. The threshold value is stored in the ECU, with ECU continuously comparing the threshold value and the actual value.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a control unit indicates the filter clogging condition in a vehicle. The control unit is adapted to set a predefined voltage level in an electric feed pump of the filter, sense the current drawn by the electric feed pump based on predefined voltage level, compare the sensed current with a threshold current value and indicate filter-clogging condition based on the compared sensed current with the threshold current value.

[0013] Based on the disclosure disclosed above the working of the method by a control unit is described below. For example when the vehicle is shut off by the user the voltage for the electric feed pump comes to 0volts. After a brief delay let say after 5seconds, the voltage to the electric feed pump is set 101 to a predefined voltage level. A control unit senses 102 the current drawn by the electric feed pump reaches to a peak value. The peak value of the sensed current is compared 103 to the threshold value and then the control unit indicates 104 if the filter needs to be replaced based on its clogging condition.

[0014] This method 100 is run by the control unit of the vehicle after each shut off of the vehicle. Once the peak value reaches to the threshold value then only the indication is there to replace or service the filter of the vehicle. The filter change is indicated to the driver through an alert on the dashboard, so that the vehicle can be taken to the service center for replacement of the filter. Here the alert can be an audio or a visual alert for example the alert can be a beep or a blink of light.

[0015] In the above-disclosed disclosure, the filter can be changed when the filter is clogged fully as indicated by the method 100 and control unit. The filter clogging is an accurate indication here without having any influence of engine load, engine speed, injection quantity, leakage in high-pressure system etc. All the influencing parameters are eliminated by using this method and the control unit as the method runs in a shut off condition of vehicle by the control unit.

[0016] ‘Adapted’ or ‘arranged’, in the context of the instant disclosure, refers to the technical capability or the technical capacity of a component, in relation to which the term ‘adapted’ or ‘arranged’ is used, to carry out or executed a specified action or actions, upon the requirement of the specified action or actions to be carried out or executed. Moreover, the usage of the term ‘adapted’ or ‘arranged’ here, is in reference with the normal technical capability or technical capacity of the component, imparted by the design or the structure or the composition of the component, and not in reference with any special or extraneous capability or capacity, beyond the scope of the normal technical capability or technical capacity. Therefore, there is a need to address this problem

[0017] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.