Improved Idling and engine hours counting

Hello,

I have proposed this idea to the Wialon development team and it was noted as a good idea, but since the backlog for features is long, it has to get approval from other partners and maybe that would push it a bit higher in the list.

The problem almost all the FMS systems have, in terms of measuring idling, is that in certain conditions, it can produce quite skewed results. Almost all of the system measure it in the following method: Idling is when the engine ignition sensor is turned on and there is no movement. When this criterion is active more than a set period, then it is counted as idling.

Current idling measurement method has two fundamental flaws:

• Having the engine ignition sensor turned on, does not mean that the engine is actually running. It could be that the driver is just listening to the radio, because in some cases it does not work, unless you have the ignition turned on.
• The fact that the vehicle is not moving, does not necessarily mean that the unit is idling. It could also mean, that there is no GPS coverage or it could mean that the nature of the work the unit does, requires for it to be standing in one place, for example it is an excavator.

These two examples are enough, to claim, that the functionality how Idling could be completely wrong in its measurement. In the case of the unit being and excavator, it is nearly 100% wrong.

If the unit is equipped with a simple controller and is unable to transmit anything else, than just the state of engine ignition sensor, then there isnt much more what can be done about idling, but if the controller is able to transmit engine revolutions, be it by the means of analogue frequency input or from vehicle CAN line, then there is a much simpler and more elegant way of measuring idling.

When we know the engine speed, we will know 2 things. We will know if the engine is running and we will know if the engine is running at idle speed. Although each engine has its own idle speed then mostly they can be categorized into two groups. Petrol engines and smaller diesel engines idle at speed of just under 1000RPM and bigger diesel engines idle at speed on just under 700RPM.

Now, when we measure the time, what the unit has spent with engine speeds from 1-700 RPM or 1-1000RPM, we will know how long has the engine been on idle speed and that is the new and more precise idling time. There is no need to measure movement in this case, because the vehicle cant be operated at engine idle speed, thus it cant move. Also, by removing the movement requirement, we can measure the idling of units, what dont move while being operated.

This method can and should be further enhanced with the existing filtration methods. But under the engine revolution sensor settings, the user can select if the idling should be counted by that sensor, instead the conventional method. Additionally the user can then set the maximum allowed time for the engine to be on idle speed before it is counted as idling and the user can set the engine idling speed threshold.

In addition, there is a better way to measure engine hours for the counter, if the RPM sensor was used. That should be a simple implementation, where the user can select engine revolution sensor as one option in the selection list and the logic behind uses a simple boolean, if RPM is above zero, push the counter forward.

For those who are interested, I can say that I have implemented most of this already for my clients, but as far as idling goes, my method does not include the filtration and neither is it used as the core idling measurement for reports. But it is already something and is giving results for me and my clients.

For Engine hours counter it is very simple, works 100% and the results from that are very impressive, i get a deviation from actual engine hours counter for less than 0.5%

• Create an engine revolution sensor with the RPM parameter from your controller and use Ignition sensor as Logical AND validator. (I recommend the validation, since some controllers get stuck on last known RPM value, when the ignition is turned off)
• Create Engine Ignition Sensor and use that engine revolution sensor as the parameter and in the claculation table set it to be 1 if the value is above 1
• Table:
  0-0-0
  1-0-1

Idling measurement from RPM

• Create an Engine efficiency sensor and set the RPM sensor as parameter
• In calculation table set the sensor to be 0 when the value is 0, 1 when the value is above 1 and 0 when the value is under 700 or 1000 (depending of the engine idle speed of your unit)
  
• Table:
  0-0-0
  1-0-1
  700-0-0
• We choose the sensor to be engine efficiency sensor, because this allowes for us to see the idling value in Engine hours report under Engine efficiency duration column.

The limitation of my current use is that i cant add any allowed maximum idling time to my sensor and also I cant use it in other reports where idling is represented. But it is better than nothing and for escavator type of units it is already invaluable.

So if any of you find that this thing could be a feature in Wialon, please add your vote and comments below and lets try to show the devs, how badly our clients actually need it.