IP Library Granted Patent US 8,181,507
Granted Patent B2
US 8,181,507 · App. 12/132,192 · Granted May 22, 2012

Wind condition based vapor leak detection test

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,181,507
App. No.
12/132,192
Granted
May 22, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control system comprising a wind condition determination module that determines a wind condition and a leak detection test control module that selectively diagnoses a vapor leak associated with a vehicle based on the wind condition. A method comprising determining a wind condition and selectively diagnosing a vapor leak associated with a vehicle based on the wind condition.

Claims (27)

1. A control system, comprising:

a wind condition determination module that determines a wind condition when an engine is off, wherein said wind condition includes at least one of a wind speed and a mass flowrate of air; and

a leak detection test control module that selectively diagnoses a vapor leak associated with a vehicle based on said wind condition.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said wind condition determination module determines said wind speed based on a wind speed signal.

3. The control system of claim 2 further comprising a wind speed sensor that provides said wind speed signal.

4. The control system of claim 2 wherein said control system receives said wind speed signal from a remote data source based on a location of said vehicle.

5. The control system of claim 2 wherein said leak detection test control module compares said wind speed to a predetermined wind speed threshold and disables a leak detection test when said wind speed exceeds said predetermined wind speed threshold.

6. The control system of claim 1 wherein said wind condition includes a change in said mass flowrate of air.

7. The control system of claim 6 wherein said change is an absolute difference between a present mass flow rate of air and a previous mass flow rate of air.

8. The control system of claim 6 wherein said leak detection test control module compares said change to a predetermined change and disables a leak detection test when said change is greater than said predetermined change.

9. The control system of claim 8 wherein said leak detection test control module resumes said leak detection test when said engine is off after said engine is on for a predetermined time period.

10. The control system of claim 8 wherein said leak detection test control module continues said leak detection test when said change is less than said predetermined change.

11. A method, comprising:

determining a wind condition when an engine is off, wherein said wind condition includes at least one of a wind speed and a mass flowrate of air; and

selectively diagnosing a vapor leak associated with a vehicle based on said wind condition.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining said wind speed based on a wind speed signal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving said wind speed signal from a wind speed sensor.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving said wind speed signal from a remote data source based on a location of said vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising comparing said wind speed to a predetermined wind speed threshold and disabling a leak detection test when said wind speed exceeds said predetermined wind speed threshold.

16. A method, comprising:

determining a wind condition;

selectively diagnosing a vapor leak associated with a vehicle based on said wind condition; and

determining said wind condition by determining a mass airflow in an intake of an engine when said engine is off and determining a mass airflow change based on said mass airflow.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining said mass airflow change as an absolute difference between a present mass airflow and a previous mass airflow.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising comparing said mass airflow change to a predetermined mass airflow change threshold and disabling a leak detection test when said mass airflow change exceeds said predetermined mass airflow change threshold.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising resuming said leak detection test when said engine is off after said engine is on for a predetermined time period.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising continuing said leak detection test when said mass airflow change is below said predetermined mass airflow change threshold.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034384/0758 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0211 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0475 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0909 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0187 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0215 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023126/0914 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0769 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022554/0538 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0363 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2008
From: MC LAIN, KURT D.; WANG, WENBO; WANG, ZHONG; CADMAN, WILLIAM R.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021043/0410 →