SE536698C2 - Determination of energy consumption - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for utilizing operating data from at least one vehicle is presented, which comprises: - a collection unit arranged for collecting name operating data, wherein said operating data comprises information about which said at least one vehicle has been utilized; a calculating unit arranged to determine, based on the name operation data, an energy consumption c for said at least one vehicle as a function of speed and torque for the driveline in said at least one vehicle; and - a utilization unit arranged to utilize said energy consumption c. Fig. 2

Description

536 698 input shaft 109, gearbox 103, output shaft 107 and shaft gear 108.

The vehicle 100 further comprises various different braking systems such as a conventional service braking system, which e.g. may comprise brake discs with associated brake pads (not shown) arranged next to each wheel. The engine 101 can be controlled based on instructions from a cruise control, or by a driver of the vehicle.

Today's motor vehicles, which include vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, electric hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, have a wide variety of characteristics which can be selected to suit a driver and / or owner of the vehicles. For example, the buyer of a vehicle should choose the type of fuel (such as diesel, gasoline, gas, ethanol, or electricity) the vehicle should be powered by, what engine power the vehicle should have, what type of gearbox 103 the vehicle should have, what type of clutch 106 the vehicle shall have, what gear the rear axle 108 shall have, what type of braking system the vehicle shall be equipped with, what type of turbocharger the vehicle shall have, what type of wheels 111, 112, 113, 114 the vehicle shall have, what type of gearbox the vehicle shall have, ie how the power is to be distributed between the front and rear axles / rear axles, and what type of after-treatment system for exhaust gas purification 200 the vehicle shall have. The properties exemplified above are only a part of all the properties a vehicle can have, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art.

Brief description of the invention Since so many different properties exist and must be chosen, for example when ordering and / or buying a new vehicle, the choice of a new vehicle becomes very difficult for the buyer.

Thereby, there is a risk that the choice of vehicle results in a vehicle with characteristics which are not optimal for the utilizing vehicle will have with the new owner. 10 15 20 25 30 536698 Suboptimized choices when ordering and / or buying vehicles can have a negative impact on, for example, the vehicle's total cost, the vehicle's fuel consumption and the vehicle's comfort for the driver.

For example, for a haulage company, in addition to the vehicle's acquisition cost, the main expenditure items for the ongoing operation of a vehicle constitute salary for the vehicle's driver, costs for repairs and maintenance and energy / fuel for propulsion of the vehicle. Energy costs, such as a fuel cost, can here affect the profitability of the haulage company to a very large extent, which is why it should be kept as low as possible. If, for example, the engine, gearbox and wheel type are chosen so that they are well adapted to the vehicle's future use, energy costs can be minimized. A vehicle that is well adapted to its use will also generate less repair costs.

By using previously known solutions, it has often been very difficult to determine at which driving conditions the energy consumption, such as for example the fuel consumption, is large and small for the vehicle, which has made the analysis of the energy consumption uncertain. This has, for example, led to the choice of properties for a vehicle, for example when producing a vehicle specification, having been difficult to do in an optimal way for the vehicle's future use, which has led to an unnecessarily high total cost for the vehicle.

This object is achieved by the above-mentioned system according to the characterizing part of claim 1. The object is also achieved by the above-mentioned computer program and computer program product.

The system and the computer program are arranged to retrieve operating data from at least one vehicle with a retrieval unit, said operating data including information on how this at least one vehicle has been utilized. Then 536698 is determined by a calculation unit an energy consumption c for the at least one vehicle as a function of speed and torque for a driveline in the at least one vehicle. For example, here the speed and torque of the engine 101 or the speed and torque of a shaft 109 included in the gearbox 103 can be used to determine the energy consumption c. A person skilled in the art will realize that the speed and torque of other suitable parts of the driveline can be used c. A utilization unit is arranged to then utilize this determined energy consumption c.

Thus, the present invention provides energy consumption c for at least one vehicle as a function of speed and torque, where this energy consumption c is calculated based on operating data and may be, for example, diesel consumption, gasoline consumption, gas consumption, ethanol consumption or electricity consumption. By providing the energy consumption c for the at least one vehicle, the analysis of the energy consumption c can be considerably simplified. For example, from the determined energy consumption c it can be easily understood at which driving falls and / or at which driving the largest amount of energy is consumed, which means that attempts can be made to reduce these driving falls and / or runs and thereby reduce the energy consumption c.

In this way, for example, a simple understandable explanation of how the energy consumption c depends on driving fall and / or driving can be provided in the development / optimization of vehicles, in vehicle sales or in driver training. For example, when selling, a salesperson can thereby easily and factually substantiate Show how the energy consumption c can be reduced by choosing properties for the new vehicle. In driver training, it can be shown simply and in fact how the energy consumption c can be reduced by driving the vehicle in a way that reduces energy consumption, for example by reducing the speed.

The energy consumption c provided by the present invention can also be used to determine how good simulations correspond to reality and / or adjust these simulations so that they better correspond to reality.

The present invention can also be used by, for example, salespeople to create trust with customers, since the salesperson will then be perceived by customers as interested and well-informed if the salesperson can show customers that he knows how customers use their vehicles and what energy consumption c this provides.

It can often be sensitive for a salesperson to ask the customer how he uses his vehicles and it is also common for the customer not to know in detail how his vehicle is used. Thus, by utilizing the present invention, the seller can be helped to increase his customer awareness considerably. It is often crucial for the salesperson to build a network of contacts with customers who trust him. To be able to do that, it is important to know how they drive and how they want to use their vehicles to sell the right cars to them.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, based on the provided energy consumption c, a systematic production of a vehicle specification is performed. This means that an optimized choice of vehicle can be made when ordering and / or purchasing the vehicle, whereby the total cost of the vehicle and also the driver comfort can be significantly improved.

Through this embodiment, a large number of parameters can be taken into account which are related to different vehicle characteristics when the vehicle specification is produced, which gives a very reliable development of the vehicle specification.

In the systematic production of vehicle specifications, one or more simulations are performed of how an adjustment of one or more of these parameters affects the property of the vehicle itself. This means that, for example, a seller can explain to the customer in a simple and clear way, for example, how the choice of the various parameters will affect the driving experience and / or the total cost of the vehicle.

The one or more simulations are based on operating data that has been stored in one or more vehicles when these have been in operation.

For example, therefore, if the present invention is utilized, a haulier or vehicle owner who has previously used one or more vehicles on a particular route, or on a route similar to that particular route, may utilize operating data from those vehicles about the vehicle to be ordered and / or or purchased will be used on the same route. Correspondingly, a customer and / or buyer can also use operational data from vehicles owned by other persons and / or companies, which use vehicles for this route, or a similar route. Utilization of operating data from vehicles owned by others may require a permit of some kind from the other vehicle owner.

Since the operating data for a particular route includes a variety of types of information, such as, for example, speed limits on the route, topography of the route, road conditions for the route and driving resistance of the route, which may be utilized by the present invention in one or more simulations, using the embodiment easily a very detailed and optimized vehicle specification is produced by the system. Significantly more parameters and also considerably more relevant values for these parameters will be used in the development of the vehicle specification than with previously known solutions. This means that the reliability in the production of the vehicle specification becomes very good by utilizing the embodiment.

The present invention can also be used to streamline the sales process. In the past, salespeople have often had difficulty finding sufficient time. By means of an embodiment of the invention, by using, for example, a chassis number and / or a registration number, they can directly make simulations and / or optimizations which result in a vehicle specification. The administration previously necessary and time-consuming for the seller during the sales process, which among other things involved interaction with the buyer, can therefore be minimized by the embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further elucidated below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used for like parts, and in which: Figure 1 shows schematically parts of an exemplary vehicle, Figure 2 shows an example of an energy consumption matrix, Figure 3 shows an example of a load matrix, Figure 4 shows a control unit according to the invention.

Description of Preferred Embodiments The present invention provides a system which can calculate an energy consumption c, such as a fuel consumption in the form of a diesel consumption, a petrol consumption, a gas consumption, an ethanol consumption or an electricity consumption, which can be intuitively understood by, for example, a driver, a 10 25 30 536698 seller and a buyer of a vehicle, and can be used in driver training, sales and further development of the vehicle.

The system according to the invention comprises a collection unit, a calculation unit and a utilization unit. The retrieval unit arranged for retrieving operating data including information on how at least one vehicle has been used before the retrieval.

The term "arranged for" includes in this document the terms "adapted for" and "set up for". Such operational data may be stored in the vehicle of the day while being driven. Database can here comprise essentially all suitable units in which data can be stored, such as a server, a computer, a database, a register or similar storage units.

According to an embodiment of the invention, operating data from more than one vehicle is used, whereby a statistical reliability of operating data increases. Here, for example, operating data from several vehicles on a certain route can be collected and used by the system. This reduces the risk that a driver's personal driving style means that operating data from this driver's vehicle does not represent an average driver. Thus, by this embodiment, an energy consumption c is obtained which should be generally applicable to several drivers.

The system according to the invention also comprises a calculation unit, which is arranged to determine an energy consumption c for at least one vehicle as a function of speed and torque for a driveline in this at least one vehicle, the driveline comprising, inter alia, the engine and gearbox as described above. This determination of the energy consumption c is based on operating data, which is obtained by the acquisition unit.

The system also comprises a utilization unit, which is arranged to utilize the energy consumption c determined by the system in, for example, sales, production of vehicle specifications, driver training and further development of vehicles.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the calculation unit is arranged to determine the energy consumption c in the form of an energy consumption matrix, which shows energy consumption c per said speed and torque. For example, the energy consumption c in the form of diesel consumption for specific speeds and torques can be read here, which provides a very intuitive provision of the energy consumption information.

Figure 2 shows a non-limiting example of such an energy consumption matrix. Along the X-axis, the speed is specified, for example an engine speed, and along the Y-axis, torque is specified, for example an engine torque, which has been delivered at each speed in relation to a maximum torque, ie as a percentage of the maximum torque. The maximum torque can be different at different speeds. At different / certain speeds (X-axis) and different / certain torques (Y-axis) the vehicle has thus had an energy consumption c, where the values for the energy consumption c for the fields in the energy consumption matrix can be normalized with respect to all fields in the energy consumption matrix. energy consumption matrix is obtained. The value of the energy consumption c for the fields is calculated by the vehicle saving values within a torque range, for example 85-98% of the maximum torque and within a speed range, for example 1240-1320 rpm.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the utilization unit is arranged to present said energy consumption matrix graphically. Such a presentation can be performed in a wide variety of ways, for example, by display on a screen, by printing on paper, or by any other means of display known to one skilled in the art.

The energy consumption matrix provided by the present invention has an advantage in that it directly shows at what speeds and torques the vehicle consumes its energy. For example, with the help of the energy consumption matrix it can be realized that the vehicle consumes relatively little of its energy at idle, but that it consumes a relatively large part of its energy at high load, ie at high torque.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the calculation unit is arranged to determine the energy consumption c based on a load matrix. This load matrix shows the utilized time per speed and torque and is based on operating data.

Figure 3 shows such a load matrix. Along the X-axis, the speed is indicated, such as an engine speed, and along the Y-axis, torque is indicated, such as an engine torque, which has been used for each speed in relation to a maximum torque. The maximum torque can be different at different speeds. At different speeds / certain (X-axis) and different / certain torques (Y-axis) the vehicle has thus been used time t, where the value of time t for the fields in the load matrix can be normalized with respect to all fields in the load matrix, whereby a standardized load matrix obtained. The value of t for the fields is calculated by the vehicle saving values within a torque range, for example 85-98% of the maximum torque and within a speed range, for example l240-1320 rpm.

As can be seen from the load matrix, for example, the vehicle has spent a relatively long time at idle, which may mean that an analysis of the load matrix may lead to the erroneous conclusion that the energy consumption c for this idling would be large. Through the present invention, the correct conclusion can instead be drawn that the energy consumption c for idling is relatively small. When analyzing the load matrix, it also appears that relatively little energy is consumed at high loads, i.e. at high torques, despite the fact that the energy consumption matrix according to the present invention clearly indicates that a relatively large part of the energy consumption c occurs at high loads.

Thus, the present invention provides a more accurate and also easier to understand information related to operating data in the form of the energy consumption matrix than that provided by the load matrix.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the calculation unit uses a motor mussel to convert the utilized time specified in the load matrix into energy consumption c in the energy consumption matrix. The motor mussel includes information related to energy consumed per unit of time and per speed and torque.

For example, the engine shell may indicate the amount of fuel the engine 101 consumes per injection into the engine at the respective torque and speed. This amount of fuel can be obtained, for example, based on measurements of an engine in a cell, i.e. on measurements of an engine installed in a test cell for which the amount of injected fuel is measured to obtain values for the torques at the corresponding speed.

For a speed and a torque, i.e. for a field in the energy consumption matrix, a product of the amount of fuel per injection multiplied by the number of injections during the time t for the corresponding field in the load matrix gives the energy consumption in the form of the amount of fuel consumed for this field. Thus, the energy consumption c in the form of the fuel consumption for a field in the energy consumption matrix can be determined according to: c = (fuel per injection) * (number of injections below t); where (Eq. 1) - c is the energy consumption in the form of the fuel consumption for a field in the energy consumption matrix; and - t is the value of the time for the corresponding field in the load matrix.

Equation l can be written in more detail as: c = (fuel per injection) * t * speed * (number of injections revolutions); where (Eq. 2) - c is the energy consumption in the form of the fuel consumption for a field in the energy consumption matrix; and - t is the value of the time for the corresponding field in the load matrix.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the utilization unit is arranged to utilize the determined energy consumption c in an assessment of how well a simulated utilization of the at least one vehicle corresponds to an actual utilization of the at least one vehicle. Simulations of vehicle utilization can be used, for example, when developing vehicle specifications for vehicles, which is described in more detail below. Simulations can also be used, for example, in the further development of vehicles, in driver training and in other situations when it is advantageous to estimate how a vehicle is used and / or behaves in different driving cases. 12 10 15 20 25 30 536698 The assessment of how well the simulation corresponds to reality is performed according to an embodiment in that the calculation unit first determines the energy consumption cüm for the simulated use of the vehicle and for the corresponding actual use. Next, the utilization unit compares the energy consumption cam for the simulated utilization with the energy consumption cam for the actual utilization. If there are differences between the simulated and the actual utilization, the parameters for the simulated utilization are adjusted based on the comparison so that the simulation becomes more similar to reality. In this way, very realistic simulations are obtained.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system according to the present invention is arranged to perform a systematic selection of a specification for a first vehicle.

This vehicle specification includes a number of parameters related to at least one property of the first vehicle. Typically, the present invention can thus be used when an order and / or purchase of a vehicle is to be made, since a vehicle specification is necessary for the newly built vehicle to be ordered or the used vehicle to be purchased to have the characteristics requested by the buyer. However, the present invention can also be used in other situations where simulations of vehicle characteristics based on a number of parameters obtained from operating data are performed.

The system according to this embodiment comprises the utilization unit and a simulation unit.

Simulation unit is arranged to simulate how an adjustment of at least one of the parameters affects the at least one property of the first vehicle. According to the present invention, this simulation unit is arranged to perform the simulation based on the determined energy consumption c. With the aid of the determined energy consumption c it can be checked whether the simulation parameters used have the correct values.

The simulation parameters can also be adjusted based on the determined energy consumption c, since the energy consumption c easily shows when the majority of the fuel is consumed and also what can be done to reduce the consumption.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the system is arranged to select the at least one second vehicle so that the at least one second vehicle has been utilized in a substantially similar manner as the first vehicle is planned to be utilized. In other words, here the system chooses to base the development of the vehicle specification on other vehicles which in all probability provide a vehicle specification that will be well adapted to the future use of the first vehicle.

For example, at least one second vehicle can be selected so that it has driven on one or more routes on which the first vehicle is planned to come to drive. The at least one second vehicle can also be selected so that it has driven on one or more routes which in one or more respects are similar to the one or more routes the first vehicle is planned to drive on.

In this way, a vehicle specification can be obtained which is tailored for, i.e. directly adapted to, a future use of the first vehicle, which gives a low total cost for the vehicle and at the same time a good driver comfort.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the retrieval unit of the system comprises a receiving unit, an identification unit and a retrieval unit. The receiving unit is arranged to receive an entry of identification information for the at least one second vehicle. This identification information may typically be a chassis number, a registration number, or any other information suitable for vehicle identification. The identification unit is arranged to identify the at least one second vehicle based on the identification information, after which the retrieval unit is arranged to retrieve operating data for the identified vehicle.

For example, one or more registration numbers for one or more vehicles that a customer and / or a buyer and / or a seller knows or thinks they know have suitable operating data are entered into the system's receiving unit. Typically, the customer and / or buyer can enter here a registration number for one of their previous vehicles that the customer and / or buyer knows has been used in a similar way as the new vehicle is to be used, after which operating data for this identified vehicle is retrieved to the system and can be used via energy consumption c to determine the vehicle specification.

Once operational data has been obtained from one or more suitable vehicles, and the energy consumption c has been determined, different simulations can be made based on this energy consumption c, for which one or more parameter values are changed. These different simulations can then be compared with each other and / or used to see what effect adjustments of parameter values will have on the properties of the vehicle, whereby a suitable vehicle specification can be systematically selected.

More specifically, for this embodiment, the simulation unit is set up by calculating through a first simulation a first simulation value based on the energy consumption and on at least a first parameter value for at least one of the plurality of parameters. This at least a first parameter value is here related to a first vehicle specification.

The simulation unit is also arranged to in a second simulation calculate a second simulation value based on the energy consumption c and on at least a second parameter value for at least one of the plurality of parameters, where the second parameter value is related to a second vehicle specification.

A comparison unit then compares whether the simulation parameters used have the correct values and compares the first and second simulation values, after which an indication of whether the first vehicle specification or the second vehicle specification is suitable is provided. The appropriate vehicle specification can thus be provided here based on the comparison of the first and second simulation values.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a plurality of vehicle specifications may be indicated as suitable. Here, a plurality of second simulation values are included in the at least one second simulation value, each of this plurality of second simulation values being calculated based on the respective at least one second parameter value. The comparison unit then compares the first simulation value with this plurality of other simulation values. Thereafter, a predetermined number of vehicle specifications are identified as possible suitable vehicle specifications based on the comparison. An indication of this predetermined number of possible suitable vehicle specifications is then provided.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the first and the at least one second simulation value are related to fuel consumption. Here, the comparison unit thus determines a difference in fuel consumption that results from the adjustment of the parameter, ie the difference in fuel consumption between the first and second simulation. Since the first and second simulations are related to a first and a second vehicle specification, respectively, the comparison will also indicate a difference in fuel consumption for each vehicle specification for the energy consumption c used in the simulations. The difference in fuel consumption can be indicated in a number of different ways, for example in percent, as liters per 100 km, as energy, or as carbon dioxide emissions. As fuel consumption is important both for the vehicle's total cost and for the environment, the difference in fuel consumption for the different vehicle specifications can be an important factor when choosing a vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the first and the at least one second simulation value are related to an energy store. In this document, the term energy storage includes essentially any device that can store any kind of energy, such as a battery or a capacitor, which can be charged and stored electrical energy, a flywheel, which includes a mass that can be set in rotation, whereby rotational energy is stored as the the rotating mass, or a rubber band, which is twisted up to be able to release the energy when the rubber band returns to its original state. Energy can here, for example, be stored during braking to be used later in subsequent accelerations, which is typically used, for example, in electric hybrids.

Thus, according to the embodiment, the comparison unit determines a difference in energy storage between the first and second vehicle specifications because these are related to the first and second simulation, respectively, or the comparison unit at least determines if there is a potential for gain in energy storage. A potential for profit in energy storage depends on how the other vehicle has been driven. In general, a lot of energy can be stored and recovered if many decelerations are made. However, it can still be more efficient in terms of energy to drive the vehicle with fewer brakes. At least 17 10 15 20 25 30 536698 the number and length of the brakes and their suitability should therefore be taken into account when determining the potential gain in energy storage.

Each of the parameters used in the simulations of the present invention may, for example, be related to one or more vehicle characteristics: a transmission for a rear axle, a gearbox, an engine, a clutch, a braking system, a turbocharger, a wheel type, a gearbox, a battery and an exhaust purification system. Thus, for example, a simulation where a parameter related to the rear axle gear ratio can be adjusted to see how this affects the rear axle gear ratio. Similarly, adjustments of parameters related to the gearbox, engine, clutch, brake system, turbocharger, wheel type, gearbox, battery or exhaust purification system can be used to simulate the characteristics of the gearbox, engine, clutch, brake system, turbocharger, transmission shaft, affected by the adjustment. Hereby a vehicle specification comprising a plurality of such parameters can be produced by utilizing the present invention, where these parameters have been adjusted so that the vehicle characteristics become those desired by the customer and / or the buyer.

Operating data, which form the basis for, for example, the load matrix, may include a usage time for at least one gear in the gearbox 103 in the at least one second vehicle, respectively. Thus, operating data here indicates which gears have been used and how long the different gears have been used in the at least one second vehicle. Operating data for the service life of gears can, according to one embodiment, be stored in connection with the gearbox 103 in the at least one second vehicle. According to one embodiment, operating data for the service life of gears can also be calculated, for example, based on the load matrix, which includes values corresponding to time periods when the at least one second vehicle has used different engine speeds and different engine torques.

Thus, according to one embodiment, the operating data system of the present invention is provided in the form of at least one load matrix, wherein the at least one load matrix comprises values corresponding to time periods in which the at least one second vehicle has used different engine speeds and different engine torques.

Operating data may also include a usage time for at least one speed, respectively, which is supplied to a gearbox in the at least one second vehicle. Here, operating data indicates a description of which speeds have been used by the other vehicle and how long these different speeds have been used in the at least one second vehicle.

Operating data may also include a service life of at least one engine torque which has been applied to gearbox 103 in the at least one second vehicle, i.e. a description of which engine torques have been utilized and how long these engine torques have been utilized.

Operating data may also include at least one fuel consumption for the engine 101 in the at least one second vehicle.

According to one embodiment, losses in the driveline for two different vehicles, or for two different vehicle specifications, can be simulated based on its speeds and driving forces. These losses can then be compared with each other. Operating data may also include a service life of at least one engine torque per gear used in the at least one second vehicle, i.e. a description of which engine torques have been used for the various gears and how long these engine torques were used.

This embodiment provides a good resolution for the motor torque as it is divided per gear.

Operating data may also include at least one loss for a driveline in the at least one second vehicle.

Operating data may also include at least one road slope d and at least one vehicle section for road sections where at least one second vehicle has been utilized, typically for road sections along routes where the first vehicle is intended to be used. Based on road slope d and speed, the driving resistance can be calculated, ie the forces that slow down the vehicle's progress.

Operating data may also include at least one sea level for places where at least one other vehicle has been used. In this way, a property of the turbocharger can be determined. For example, there are turbochargers which are specially adapted for use at high altitudes, which can be selected in the vehicle specification. Engine properties can also be determined based on at least one height above sea level as different engines are differently suitable for different heights above sea level.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operating data comprises a vehicle load for the other vehicle. The vehicle load together with the speed of the other vehicle can be used to base the simulation on. The vehicle load can here preferably be stored as vehicle load per speed in order to be easily used in the simulation. In this document, cargo / vehicle load refers to the mass or weight of what is transported by the vehicle. In other words, the load / vehicle load is, for example, related to what is in the vehicle's luggage compartment or on the vehicle's bed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the system for utilizing operational data of the present invention may additionally be implemented in a computer program, which when executed in a computer causes the computer to perform the method. The computer program usually forms part of a computer program product 403, wherein the computer program product comprises a suitable digital storage medium on which the computer program is stored. Said computer readable medium consists of a suitable memory, such as for example: ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), Flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), a hard disk drive, etc .

Figure 4 schematically shows a control unit 400. The control unit 400 comprises a calculation unit 401, which may be constituted by substantially any suitable type of processor or microcomputer, e.g. a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).

The calculation unit 401 is connected to a memory unit 402 arranged in the control unit 400, which provides the calculation unit 401 e.g. the stored program code and / or the stored data calculation unit 401 is needed to be able to perform calculations. The calculation unit 401 is also arranged to store partial or final results of calculations in the memory unit 402.

Furthermore, the control unit 400 is provided with devices 411, 412, 413, 414 for receiving and transmitting input and output signals, respectively. These input and output signals may contain waveforms, pulses, or other attributes, which of the input signals 411, 413 for receiving input signals may be detected as information and may be converted into signals which may be processed by the computing unit 401. These signals then the computing unit 401. The devices 412, 414 for transmitting output signals are arranged to convert signals obtained from the computing unit 401 for creating output signals by e.g. modulate the signals, which can be transmitted to other parts of and / or systems in the vehicle.

Each of the connections to the devices for receiving and transmitting input and output signals, respectively, may consist of one or more of a cable; a data bus, such as a CAN bus (Controller Area Network bus), a MOST bus (Media Orientated Systems Transport bus), or any other bus configuration; or by a wireless connection. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-mentioned computer may be constituted by the computing unit 401 and that the above-mentioned memory may be constituted by the memory unit 402.

In general, control systems in modern vehicles consist of a communication bus system consisting of one or more communication buses for interconnecting a number of electronic control units (ECUs), or controllers, and various components located on the vehicle. Such a control system can comprise a large number of control units, and the responsibility for a specific function can be divided into more than one control unit. Vehicles of the type shown thus often comprise significantly more control units than are shown in Figure 4, which is well known to those skilled in the art.

In the embodiment shown, the present invention is implemented in the control unit 400. However, the invention can also be implemented in whole or in part in one or more other control units already existing with the vehicle or a control unit dedicated to the present invention. The person skilled in the art also realizes that the above system can be modified according to the various embodiments of the method according to the invention.

In addition, the invention relates to a motor vehicle 1, for example a truck or a bus, comprising at least one system for utilizing operating data according to the invention.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments of the invention but relates to and encompasses all embodiments within the scope of the appended independent claims. 23

Claims (17)

10 15 20 25 30 536698 Patent claim System for utilizing operating data from at least one vehicle (100), characterized by: - a retrieval unit arranged for retrieving said operating data, said operating data comprising information on how said at least one vehicle has been utilized; a calculation unit arranged to determine, based on said operating data, an energy consumption c in the form of an energy consumption matrix for said at least one vehicle (100) as a function of speed and torque for a driveline in said at least one vehicle (100); and - a utilization unit arranged to utilize said energy consumption c. A system according to claim 1, wherein said energy consumption c corresponds to at least one fuel consumption in the group of: - diesel consumption; - fuel consumption; - gas consumption; - ethanol consumption; and - electricity consumption. A system according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein said energy consumption matrix shows energy consumption c per said speed and torque. A system according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein said utilization unit is arranged to present said energy consumption matrix graphically. A system according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein said calculation unit is arranged to determine said energy consumption c based on a load matrix, which is based on operating data and shows the time used per said speed and torque. A system according to claim 5, wherein said calculation unit is arranged to use a motor mussel in said determination to convert said utilized time in the load matrix into an energy consumption c, whereby said energy consumption matrix is obtained. The system of claim 6, wherein said motor shell includes information related to energy consumed per unit time and per said speed and torque. A system according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein said utilization unit is arranged to utilize said energy consumption c in an assessment of how well a simulated utilization of said at least one vehicle corresponds to an actual utilization of said at least one vehicle. A system according to claim 8, wherein: - said calculation unit is arranged to determine said energy consumption for said simulated utilization c fi m and for said actual utilization cam; and - said utilization unit is arranged to compare said energy consumption cgm for said simulated utilization with said energy consumption cat for said actual utilization, and to adjust at least one parameter for said simulated utilization based on said comparison. A system according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein said system is arranged to perform a systematic selection of a specification for a first vehicle, said specification comprising a plurality of parameters related to at least one property of said first vehicle, said utilization unit comprising a simulation unit arranged for simulating how an adjustment of at least one of said plurality of parameters affects said at least one property of said first vehicle, said simulation being based on said energy consumption c. A system according to claim 10, wherein said system is arranged to select said at least one second vehicle so that said at least one second vehicle has been utilized in a substantially similar manner as said first vehicle is planned to be utilized. A system according to any one of claims 10-11, wherein said operating data comprises information related to at least one utilization of at least one second vehicle in the group of: - a service life of respectively at least one gear in a gearbox (103) in said at least one second vehicle ; a service life of at least one speed, respectively, which is supplied to a gearbox (103) in said at least one second vehicle; a service life of respectively at least one engine torque which is supplied to a gearbox (103) in said at least one second vehicle; a service life of at least one engine torque per used gear for a gearbox (103) in said at least one second vehicle, respectively; - at least one fuel consumption for an engine (101) in said at least one second vehicle; - at least one driving force on at least one wheel (111, 112, 113, 114) of said at least one second vehicle; - at least one loss for a driveline in said at least one second vehicle; - at least one road slope d and at least one vehicle speed for road sections where said at least one other vehicle has been utilized; and - at least one height above sea level for places where said at least one second vehicle has been used. A system according to any one of claims 10-12, wherein said simulation unit is arranged to at least perform the steps of: - calculating a first simulation value based on said operating data and on at least a first parameter value for at least one of said plurality of parameters, wherein said at least one first parameter value is related to a first specification; calculating at least a second simulation value based on said operating data and on at least a second parameter value for said at least one of said plurality of parameters, said at least one second parameter value being related to a second specification; - comparing said first simulation value and said at least one second simulation value; indicate said first specification or said second specification as an appropriate specification based on said comparison. A system according to claim 13, wherein said first simulation value and said at least one second simulation value are related to at least one in the group of: - fuel consumption; - driveability; - component life; and energy storage. A system according to any one of claims 10-14, wherein at least one of said plurality of parameters is related to at least one property in the group of: a gear shaft gearbox; - a gearbox (103); - an engine (10l); - a coupling (l06); - a braking system; - a turbocharger; - a wheel type; - a distribution gearbox; - a battery; and - an exhaust gas purification system (200). Computer program comprising program code, which when said program code is executed in a computer causes said computer to perform a method of utilizing operating data, characterized by: - obtaining operating data from at least one vehicle, said operating data comprising information on how said at least one vehicle has been exploited; a calculation based on said operating data for determining an energy consumption c in the form of an energy consumption matrix for said vehicle as a function of speed and torque for a driveline in said vehicle; and - an utilization of said energy consumption c. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium and a computer program according to claim 16, wherein said computer program is included in said computer readable medium. 28