A vehicle navigation system having a database configured to store map data. The database includes links corresponding to road segments and attributes associated with the links. The map data includes at least some links associated with a curvature attribute. A mean absolute curvature is stored for the curvature attribute for corresponding links. The mean absolute curvature may be determined from a normalized sum or integral of absolute curvature values along the road segment corresponding to the link. The system includes a processing unit configured to estimate an energy consumption of the vehicle for a link using the curvature attribute retrieved from the database for the link.

A fuel consumption-measuring system includes a feed line, a first pump which pumps fuel from a tank via the feed line to a consumer, a fuel consumption-measuring device in the feed line, a first return line which branches off at the consumer and opens into the feed line between the fuel consumption-measuring device and the consumer, a second return line which branches off from the feed line between the first pump and the fuel consumption-measuring device which opens into the tank, a branch which leads from the feed line into the second return line, a heat exchanger, and a flow device arranged in the first and second return lines. The flow device provides an equal volume flow at an opening of the first return line into the feed line and at the branch leading from the feed line into the second return line.

A method is used to control a fuel level gauge of a vehicle system and includes: monitoring, via an engine controller, a fuel economy of the vehicle system; comparing, via the engine controller, the fuel economy with a predetermined fuel economy threshold to determine whether the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold; adjusting, via the engine controller, a sensitivity of a display filter in response to determining that the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold for a predetermined amount of time in order to maximize an accuracy of the fuel level gauge, wherein the display filter smoothes an unfiltered fuel level signal received from a fuel level sensor of the vehicle system, thereby generating a filtered fuel level signal; and controlling, via an instrument panel controller, the fuel level gauge of the vehicle system.

One way to improve fuel efficiency of a vehicle is to detect the vehicle operational shortcomings related to fuel consumption by determining whether fuel used during operation of the vehicle is normal fuel use or wasted fuel use. Considerations of idling, speeding and inappropriate gear shifts are some ways to measure the amount of fuel wasted due to operator shortcomings. Communicating this information to the operator in real-time so adjustments can be made will improve vehicle fuel efficiency. These techniques are applicable to tracking employment of other driving best practices as well.

Methods and systems are provided for determining a fuel level of a fuel tank. In one example, a method may include transiently powering a fuel level sensor responsive to a fuel tank refilling event to obtain a fuel level measurement, maintaining the fuel level sensor unpowered after obtaining the fuel level measurement, and, while maintaining the fuel level sensor unpowered, inferring the fuel level based the obtained fuel tank fuel level measurement and an amount of fuel consumed since the obtained fuel level measurement. In this way, electrical power consumption by the fuel level sensor is reduced while a fuel level indication is provided.

This method for determining at least one fuel cosumption domain for an aircraft is implemented by an electronic device. It comprises acquiring a flight envelope as a function of the altitude and a propulsion variable.

It comprises, for at least one flight phase, calculating a consumption limit curve as a function of the altitude and the propulsion variable, corresponding to a forecasted average consumption for said flight phase; and determiningfrom the flight envelope and the limit curvethe consumption domain as a function of the altitude and the propulsion variable and including a first consumption subdomain lower than the forecasted consumption for said flight phase and a second consumption subdomain greater than said forecasted consumption, the first and second subdomains being separated by the limit curve.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for determining or providing fuel information of a vehicle, such as predicting fuel intake and usage for the vehicle. A method for predicting a fueling event of a vehicle comprises using a mobile computing device carried in the vehicle to track the vehicle along a route. Multiple stop events may be detected when tracking the vehicle, and for each of the multiple stop events, each of duration and a geographic location may be determined. Next, a given stop event of the multiple stop events may be determined to be a fueling event based at least in part on a duration and geographic location of the given stop event.

A method to predict time and/or distance remaining before a fluid system reaches a low fluid level includes determining a fluid level of the fluid system before execution of a fluid request command; determining an amount of time that fluid from the fluid system was spent in response to execution of the fluid request command; and determining external inputs that may affect a frequency of the fluid request command. A calculation of the risk of a low fluid level event occurring is made by inputting the current fluid level of the fluid system, the amount of time that fluid from the fluid system was being spent, and the external inputs that may affect the frequency of the fluid request command into a remaining useful fluid prediction model. A low fluid level alert is provided when the remaining useful fluid prediction model determines a low fluid event may occur.

A method is used to control a fuel level gauge of a vehicle system and includes: monitoring, via an engine controller, a fuel economy of the vehicle system; comparing, via the engine controller, the fuel economy with a predetermined fuel economy threshold to determine whether the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold; adjusting, via the engine controller, a sensitivity of a display filter in response to determining that the fuel economy is less than the predetermined fuel economy threshold for a predetermined amount of time in order to maximize an accuracy of the fuel level gauge, wherein the display filter smoothes an unfiltered fuel level signal received from a fuel level sensor of the vehicle system, thereby generating a filtered fuel level signal; and controlling, via an instrument panel controller, the fuel level gauge of the vehicle system.

A material calculator for a truck to deliver a predetermined quantity of brine per mile driven by the truck for a known route of miles independent of and proportional to truck speed, wherein the truck carries a known number of gallons of brine and a known number of pounds of salt. The material calculator has a processor accepting entry values of route miles to be driven, number of times the route of miles is to be driven, number of gallons of brine carried by the truck, and the number of pounds of salt carried by the truck. The processor has software for calculating dispensing of the brine and salt so that each is exhausted when the route is completed. A hydraulic pump pumps hydraulic fluid to a variable flow positive displacement pump to implement the calculated number of gallons of brine per mile to be dispensed for the known route.