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] This invention relates to a plurality of sensors to detect a volume of fuel available in a fuel tank, and more specifically to a flow meter and a fuel tank sensor that are used in combination to detect the volume of fuel that is available in the fuel tank for consumption.

Background of the invention
[0002] KR 20110023192 A describes a fuel consumption measuring apparatus and method to more precisely measure the fuel consumption by controlling the pressure of a fuel pump in real time according to the opening degree of a throttle valve. A fuel consumption measuring apparatus comprises a fuel tank, a fuel pump, a connection line, a flow meter, a sensor, and a controller. The fuel pump is provided in the fuel tank in order to pump and deliver the fuel of the fuel tank with variable pressure. The flow meter is arranged on the connection line in order to detect the flow rate of fuel in the connection line. The sensor senses the opening degree of a throttle valve connected to an engine. The controller is electrically connected to the sensor and the fuel pump and controls the pressure of the fuel pump according to the opening degree detected by the sensor.

Brief description of the accompanying drawing
[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a plurality of sensors to detect a volume of fuel available in a fuel tank in one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0004] Figure 1 illustrates an algorithm 100 to detect a quantity of fuel available in a fuel tank of a vehicle. The algorithm 100 comprises determining 110 a level of fuel that is present within a fuel tank of a vehicle by means of a fuel level sensor that is positioned within the fuel tank, and transmitting 120 the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle from the fuel level sensor to an electronic control unit. The algorithm 100 further comprises determining 130 a quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank via a flow meter that delivers fuel from a fuel inlet nozzle to the fuel tank, and determining 140 a quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of an engine by means of a memory unit that is positioned within the electronic control unit, wherein the memory unit stores the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine from the electronic control unit from a time when fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank. The algorithm 100 to detect the quantity of fuel available in the fuel tank of the vehicle further comprises determining 150 a quantity of fuel available in the fuel tank by the electronic control unit based on the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle, the quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank, and the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine.

[0005] Figure 1 illustrates an algorithm 100 to detect a quantity of fuel available in a fuel tank of a vehicle. The algorithm 100 comprises determining 110 a level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle. More specifically, the algorithm comprises determining 110 the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle by means of a fuel level sensor that is positioned within the fuel tank. Therein, the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle is transmitted 120 from the fuel level sensor to an electronic control unit. More specifically, the fuel level sensor transmits 120 an electronic signal to the electronic control unit that is indicative of the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle. The algorithm 100 further comprises determining 130 a quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank via a flow meter that delivers fuel from a fuel inlet nozzle to the fuel tank. More specifically, the flow meter is in flow communication between the fuel inlet nozzle and the fuel tank and determines 130 the quantity of fuel that is delivered from the fuel inlet nozzle to the fuel tank of the vehicle. Therefore, the algorithm 100 comprises determining 130 the actual quantity of fuel that is supplied to the fuel tank via the flow meter that delivers fuel from the fuel inlet nozzle to the fuel tank. Therein, the electronic control unit determines 140 a quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by each of the plurality of fuel injectors to each of the plurality of cylinders of the engine from a time when fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank. More specifically, a memory unit is positioned within the electronic control unit. The memory unit of the electronic control unit stores the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine from the time when fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank until the present time.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, the algorithm 100 to detect the quantity of fuel available in the fuel tank of the vehicle further comprises determining 150 the quantity of fuel that is available in the fuel tank by the electronic control unit based on the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle, the quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank via the flow meter, and the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine. More specifically, the electronic control unit computes the quantity of fuel that is actually remaining and available for use in the fuel tank based on the signal that is received from the fuel level sensor that transmits a signal to the electronic control unit indicating the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle. This value of the quantity of fuel that is actually remaining and available for use in the fuel tank is added to the quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank via the flow meter from the time when fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank until the present time. Therein, the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by each of the plurality of fuel injectors to each of the plurality of cylinders of the engine is subtracted from the value of the quantity of fuel that is actually remaining and available for use in the fuel tank that is added to the quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank via the flow meter from the time when fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank until the present time. This new value is the quantity of fuel that is available for use in the fuel tank that may be used for further injection and delivery of fuel to each of the plurality of injectors that deliver pressurized fuel to each of the plurality of cylinders of the engine.

[0007] The solution proposed in the invention facilitates live available fuel tracking, and real time fuel efficiency tracking. In addition, the invention facilitates real time monitoring of the fuel system and engine health. Moreover, different analysis may be made by the driver like weekly fuel consumption, mileage history, low fuel indication, and full to near to empty fuel availability check in the fuel tank. This information can be used in many ways to caution the driver about low fuel volume, record the history of fuel volumes on a daily database, ECU can display live mileage tracking on driver information system, and smart functions can be enabled like the ECU can suggest how much fuel is enough for the vehicle based on best performance need and trip travel distance.

[0008] It must be understood that the embodiments explained above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Many modifications in the embodiments with regard to dimensions of various components are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.
, Claims:CLAIMS

We Claim

1. An algorithm (100) to detect a quantity of fuel available in a fuel tank of a vehicle, the algorithm (100) comprising:
determining (110) a level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle by means of a fuel level sensor that is positioned within the fuel tank;
transmitting (120) the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle from the fuel level sensor to an electronic control unit;
determining (130) a quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank via a flow meter that delivers fuel from a fuel inlet nozzle to the fuel tank;
determining (140) a quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of an engine by means of a memory unit that is positioned within said electronic control unit, wherein the memory unit stores the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine from the electronic control unit from a time when fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank; and
determining (150) a quantity of fuel available in the fuel tank by the electronic control unit based on the level of fuel that is present within the fuel tank of the vehicle, the quantity of fuel that is actually supplied to the fuel tank, and the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine.

2. The algorithm (100) to detect the quantity of fuel available in the fuel tank in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit determines the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine from the time when the fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank to a subsequent time when the fuel is actually supplied to the fuel tank and stores the quantity of fuel that is to be supplied by the at least one fuel injector to at least one cylinder of the engine in the memory unit.