Patent ID: 7983830
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: B60K,B60W,B60Y,F02D,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method, of conserving fuel used by a combustion engine powering a vehicle, comprising: receiving as an input to an engine power module a first function comprising a user-specified power output of a combustion engine over a time duration; processing the first function into a second function comprising a directive power output of the engine over the time duration; wherein the second function has at least one region of equal or increased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output; wherein the second function has at least one region of decreased engine power output relative to the user-specified engine power output; wherein, when the engine outputs power equal to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration, the engine consumes less fuel than the engine would have consumed if the engine outputted power equal to the user-specified power output of the engine over the time duration; wherein the engine performs substantially the same amount of work under the directive power output over the time duration as the engine would perform under the user-specified power output over the time duration; and outputting, to an engine control module, the second function, such that the engine outputs power according to the directive power output of the engine over the time duration; wherein the vehicle travels continuously at substantially the same speed under the directive power output as it would under the user-specified power output.