JP3656358B2 - Engine management device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an engine management apparatus for appropriately managing engine oil by using a vehicle information communication system for causing each vehicle to transmit vehicle information such as a driving situation to a base station and performing vehicle dynamics management based on the vehicle information. It is about.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a system for effectively moving and managing many vehicles, vehicle information of each vehicle (information on a position, a running state, etc., hereinafter referred to as “vehicle data” or simply “data”) is a base station. There is known a vehicle information communication system in which a base station creates a database and performs data calculation based on this information, and issues instructions and warnings to a driver as necessary to manage vehicle dynamics.
[0003]
On the other hand, important matters in vehicle engine management include replenishment and replacement of engine oil, and when to perform these operations is usually determined based on travel distance. For example, a manufacturer or a user (eg, a shipping company) creates a maintenance schedule based on a specified travel distance depending on the type of vehicle and the type of engine. According to this, engine oil was replenished and replaced.
[0004]
Incidentally, as a conventional document relating to the vehicle information communication system as described above, there is, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-118198.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
(problem)
The above-described conventional engine management is performed exclusively based on the travel distance, and there is a problem in that the travel history of each vehicle (or each engine) is not taken into consideration.
[0006]
(Explanation of problem)
For example, even if the same type of vehicle equipped with the same type of engine travels the same travel distance, the engine oil consumption differs between a vehicle that travels a lot on a mountain road and a vehicle that travels a lot on a flat road. Naturally, the amount of engine oil consumed is higher for vehicles that have traveled a lot on mountain roads.
[0007]
The conventional maintenance schedule does not take into account the specific circumstances of each vehicle (or each engine), and if it is the same type of vehicle or engine, uniform maintenance (eg, refilling engine oil, Exchange).
Even if it was done considering the driving history of each vehicle, it was entirely up to the experience (or kang) of the driver and the vehicle manager. Therefore, if the driver or the person in charge of vehicle management changes, the manner of maintenance also changes, and appropriate maintenance is not always performed.
[0008]
In addition, while the vehicle is operating away from the base, the engine management is left to the driver only, so some drivers are forced to drive over long distances under severe conditions for engines with engine oil shortage. Sometimes it happened. In such a case, an engine trouble was caused.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, in the engine management device of the present invention, a receiving device that receives an engine speed signal transmitted from a vehicle, and a replenishment amount and a replenishment time when engine oil is replenished are stored. Engine oil replenishment information storage means, means for integrating the engine speed after the engine oil is replenished among the engine speeds received by the receiver, and obtaining an engine speed integral value; and the engine speed A correlation equation representing a relationship between an integral value and an estimated value of engine oil consumption, wherein the correlation is corrected by the engine oil supplement information stored in the engine oil supplement information storage means. Based on the means for obtaining the estimated value of engine oil consumption from the integral value of the engine speed and the estimated value of engine oil consumption obtained by the above correlation equation The engine oil remaining is configured comprising an alarm generation means for issuing an alarm when a predetermined amount or less.
Furthermore, it is good also as providing the transmission means which transmits the alarm generated by the alarm generation means to a vehicle.
[0010]
(Summary of actions to be resolved)
Engine oil is regarded as the expiry value when starting to use a new car, when refilling the engine oil, or when changing the engine oil. After the expiry value has been reached, the engine speed transmitted from the vehicle is integrated to rotate the engine A number integral value is obtained, and this is applied to a predetermined correlation equation to obtain an estimated value of engine oil consumption. As a result, it is estimated how much the engine oil has been reduced, and when the remaining engine oil falls below a predetermined amount, an alarm is issued, and the engine oil is replenished or replaced.
[0011]
In the present invention, the correlation equation is not fixed, and when the engine oil is replenished, the actual relationship between the two in the vehicle is further increased based on the actual replenishment amount and the integrated value of the engine speed at the time of replenishment. Modify to reflect accurately. Therefore, a correlation formula that reflects the actual travel history of each vehicle is prepared for each vehicle. Therefore, replenishment and replacement of engine oil is performed for each vehicle in consideration of its running history, and engine management can be performed in detail.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a vehicle information communication system in which the engine management apparatus of the present invention is incorporated. In FIG. 2, 1 is a vehicle side device, 2 is a base station side device, 3 is a transmission / reception device, 4 is a vehicle controller, 5 is a vehicle data detection device, 5-1 is an engine rotation sensor, 6 is a transmission / reception device, and 7 is a base. The station side servers A and B are data areas.
[0013]
As the vehicle data detection device 5, for example, there is an engine rotation sensor 5-1, but there are also a vehicle speed sensor, a device for detecting the position of the vehicle, and the like. The vehicle controller 4 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and is configured as a computer. The vehicle controller 4 processes detected data in a form suitable for transmission, or processes a signal received by the transmission / reception device 3. To do.
[0014]
The base station side server 7 is also provided with a computer, and creates a database by accumulating the transmitted data of each vehicle, or performs a large-scale process or calculation that cannot be performed by the vehicle controller due to insufficient capacity. And the command signal to each vehicle is produced | generated as needed.
Communication between the vehicle-side device 1 and the base station-side device 2 is performed between the transmission / reception devices 3 and 6. As these transmission / reception devices, for example, a mobile phone or a radio device is used.
[0015]
Data communication between the base station side device 2 and the vehicle side device 1 of one vehicle is not always performed for reasons such as reduction of communication cost, but every predetermined time or every predetermined distance traveling. It is common to do so.
For example, vehicle data is sampled and detected every second, stored in a storage element in the vehicle controller 4, and transmitted to the base station apparatus 2 every 15 minutes.
[0016]
The engine management apparatus of the present invention is mainly configured in the base station side server 7. In the present invention, the engine speed signal transmitted from the vehicle-side device 1 and the engine oil replenishment / replacement information (for example, the replenishment amount) input by the operator to the base station-side server 7 are: Used.
[0017]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the engine management apparatus of the present invention. This flowchart is repeatedly sent at an extremely short period by the operation of the CPU or the like in the base station side server 7.
Step 1: The engine speed data transmitted from the vehicle side device 1 is received. In order to estimate the degree of influence on the engine oil, the integrated value of the engine speed after the expiration of the engine oil is superior to the engine speed itself, so the engine speed integrated value is calculated.
[0018]
now,
D _T = Integrated value of engine speed from time T when engine oil is set to the expiration value to time T Δt = Time interval between previous data reception time (T−Δt) and current data reception time T E _T = engine rotation at time T If it is a number, the engine speed integral value D _T is obtained by the following equation.
D _T = D _{( T} -Δt ₎ + E _T Δt (1)
The calculated engine speed integral value D _T is stored in the data area B in the base station side server 7.
[0019]
Step 2... When information on replenishment and replacement of engine oil (eg, replenishment amount, replenishment date, etc.) is input, it is stored in the data area B. When engine oil is replenished or replaced at a maintenance shop, the information on the replenishment or replacement is input to the base station side server 7 by the operator based on the vehicle chart entered at the maintenance shop. If it is performed at a service place instead of a maintenance shop, it will be entered at a later date based on the vehicle chart entered by the driver, or the driver may input the information to the vehicle controller 4 using an in-vehicle terminal and send it. Come on. Usually, it is often performed at a user's maintenance shop or a dealer's maintenance shop.
[0020]
Step 3: Check whether the engine oil has been refilled. That is, the record regarding the replenishment of the engine oil in the data area B is checked.
Step 4: If the engine oil has been replenished, the information on the engine speed integral value _{DT and} the information on engine oil replenishment and replacement recorded in the data area B are stored in the data area A.
[0021]
Step 5: When the engine speed integral value _DT increases, the engine oil consumption also increases. Therefore, it can be seen that there is a correlation between the two. However, not every vehicle has traveled on a road in the same state at the same speed and for the same time, and the driving history differs for each individual vehicle. That is, since the way of applying a load to the engine mounted on each vehicle varies from vehicle to vehicle (or from driver to driver), the correlation is not constant but varies from vehicle to vehicle.
[0022]
In the present invention, the estimated value of engine oil consumption that the engine oil will have been consumed is y, and the following correlation is assumed between y and the engine speed integral value D _T.
y = CD _T (2)
Where C is a coefficient.
The coefficient C is not always a constant value, but based on the engine speed integral value _DT data collected for the vehicle, the engine oil replenishment amount, etc., regression calculation (so-called curve fit) By this method, it is corrected to a value that more accurately reflects the actual relationship between the two in the vehicle.
[0023]
That is, in this step 5, when the engine oil is replenished, the new relationship between the engine oil replenishment amount and the engine speed integral value _DT so far is understood, so that the relationship can be as much as possible. The value of the coefficient C is corrected so that it can be expressed accurately.
With this modification, it is possible to obtain an estimated value y of engine oil consumption that reflects well the driving history peculiar to each vehicle, such as how much it travels on mountain roads and how much it travels on flat roads. Become.
[0024]
Step 6: Check if the engine oil has been changed. That is, the record regarding the change of the engine oil in the data area B is checked. If so, go to Step 7.
Step 7: The information in the data area B is cleared when the engine oil is replenished and the information in the data area B is stored in the data area A, or when the engine oil is replaced. The reason for this is that the data area B records information until the next expiration value after the engine oil is set to the previous expiration value, and the coefficient C is corrected by checking the degree of consumption of the engine oil. This is because it is used as a data area for reference. When the correction of the coefficient C is completed, the information so far is already applied, so that they are cleared and prepared for the subsequent recording of information.
[0025]
Step 8 ... The engine oil consumption estimated value y is obtained from the correlation equation (y = CD _T ). That is, since the engine speed integral value _DT up to this stage is known, by multiplying it by the coefficient C, it can be estimated how much engine oil has been consumed.
Step 9: Check whether the amount of engine oil is equal to or less than a predetermined amount (K). This stores the initial engine oil expiry amount (H), calculates Hy, and compares it with K to check (Hy <K). If it is not less than the prescribed amount, the process returns to step 1 and the above steps are repeated.
[0026]
Step 10: If the amount is less than the specified amount, an alarm is issued to the driver of the vehicle and the person in charge of management of the base station. That is, an alarm signal indicating that the engine oil is insufficient is transmitted from the base station side device 2 to the vehicle side device 1 of the corresponding vehicle, and at the same time, the engine oil is insufficient in any vehicle on the display of the base station side server 7. Displays a warning that the condition has been reached.
This alarm may be performed only on the base station side server 7.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the engine management apparatus of the present invention, the engine oil consumption estimated value is obtained by applying the engine rotational speed integral value to the correlation equation, the remaining engine oil amount is predicted, and the predetermined amount is obtained. An alarm is issued when the following condition is met, but the correlation equation is not fixed and is as follows.
In other words, when engine oil is replenished, correction is made to reflect the actual relationship between the two in the vehicle more accurately based on the actual replenishment amount and the engine speed integral value at the time of replenishment. , Replacement is performed in consideration of the driving history of the vehicle, and the engine management can be performed finely.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an engine management apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a vehicle information communication system in which the engine management apparatus is incorporated.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle side apparatus, 2 ... Base station side apparatus, 3 ... Transmission / reception apparatus, 4 ... Vehicle controller, 5 ... Vehicle data detection apparatus, 5-1 ... Engine rotation sensor 5-1, 6 ... Transmission / reception apparatus, 7 ... Base station Side server, A, B ... Data area B

Claims (2)

A receiving device for receiving an engine speed signal transmitted from the vehicle;
Engine oil replenishment information storage means for storing a replenishment amount and a replenishment timing when engine oil is replenished;
Means for integrating the engine speed after the engine oil is replenished among the engine speeds received by the receiving device to obtain an engine speed integral value;
A correlation equation representing the relationship between the engine speed integral value and the engine oil consumption estimated value, wherein the correlation is corrected by the engine oil supplement information stored in the engine oil supplement information storage means. A means for obtaining an estimated value of engine oil consumption from an engine speed integral value using an equation;
An engine management device comprising: an alarm generation means for issuing an alarm when the remaining amount of engine oil calculated based on the estimated value of engine oil consumption obtained by the correlation equation is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.   2. The engine management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit configured to transmit an alarm generated by the alarm generation unit to the vehicle.

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