IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,472,877
Granted Patent B2
US 10,472,877 · App. 15/498,047 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

Vehicle fuel cooling

Inventors: Aed M. Dudar (Canton, MI); Scott Alan Bohr (Novi, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
E05F15/71B60G17/016B60G17/0165B60G17/0185F01P7/00F01P7/167G07C5/0808B60G2400/70B60G2600/08E05Y2900/536F01P2025/32F01P2037/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,472,877
App. No.
15/498,047
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An engine coolant temperature at an expected time of activation of a vehicle is predicted. Upon determining that the predicted engine coolant temperature is greater than an ambient air temperature by a temperature threshold, a vehicle component is actuated at a time determined based on the expected time of activation.

Claims (26)

1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

predict an engine coolant temperature at an expected time of activation of a vehicle;

predict an ambient air temperature at the expected time of activation;

upon determining that the predicted engine coolant temperature is greater than the predicted ambient air temperature by a temperature threshold, actuate a vehicle component at a time determined based on the expected time of activation; and

perform a fuel line leak diagnostic at the expected time of activation when the predicted engine coolant temperature is within the temperature threshold of the predicted ambient air temperature.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component is a suspension and the computer is further programmed to actuate the suspension to raise a front end of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component is a front hood of the vehicle and the computer is further programmed to open the front hood.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component is a propulsion and the computer is further programmed to identify a roadway having a road grade greater than a road grade threshold and to actuate the propulsion to move the vehicle to the identified roadway.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component is a propulsion and the computer is further programmed to determine a wind direction and to actuate the propulsion to align the vehicle along the wind direction.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to collect a plurality of measurements of the engine coolant temperature and to predict the engine coolant temperature at the expected time of activation of the vehicle based on the measurements.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of measurements is collected at a predetermined period of time that is measured from one of: a previous measurement and a time of deactivation of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to detect an insolation on the vehicle and to actuate a propulsion to move the vehicle when the insolation is above an insolation threshold.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify a location having an insolation below the insolation threshold and to actuate the propulsion to move the vehicle to the location.

10. A method, comprising:

predicting an engine coolant temperature at an expected time of activation of a vehicle;

predicting an ambient air temperature at the expected time of activation;

upon determining that the predicted engine coolant temperature is greater than the predicted ambient air temperature by a temperature threshold, actuating a vehicle component at a time based on the expected time of activation; and

performing a fuel line leak diagnostic at the expected time of activation when the predicted engine coolant temperature is within the temperature threshold of the predicted ambient air temperature.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle component is a suspension, and the method further comprises actuating the suspension to raise a front end of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle component is a front hood of the vehicle, and the method further comprises opening the front hood.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle component is a propulsion, and the method further comprises identifying a roadway having a road grade greater than a road grade threshold and actuating the propulsion to move the vehicle to the identified roadway.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle component is a propulsion, and the method further comprises determining a wind direction and to actuate the propulsion to align the vehicle along the wind direction.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising collecting a plurality of measurements of the engine coolant temperature and predicting the engine coolant temperature at the expected time of activation of the vehicle based on the measurements.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of measurements is collected at a predetermined period of time that is measured from one of: a previous measurement and a time of deactivation of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising detecting an insolation on the vehicle and to actuate a propulsion to move the vehicle when the insolation is above an insolation threshold.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising identifying a location having an insolation below the insolation threshold and to actuate the propulsion to move the vehicle to the location.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2017
From: BOHR, SCOTT ALAN; DUDAR, AED M.
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 042154/0181 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180314248A1 · Nov 1, 2018