Exhaust control system

Abstract

An exhaust management system for use in a motor vehicle having a muffler and a combustion engine generating an exhaust also has a bypass channel configured to be mounted to bypass the muffler of the exhaust system. The system also has a valve controlling air flow through the bypass channel, and a controller operably coupled with the valve. The controller is configured to be switchable between at least two modes. The at least two modes include a provider dynamic mode configured to be modified by a provider only, and a user dynamic mode configured to be modified by a user. The user has no rights to modify the provider dynamic mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A user interface for controlling an exhaust management system for use in a motor vehicle having a muffler and a combustion engine generating an exhaust, the exhaust management system having a substantially unmuffled bypass channel configured to bypass the muffler and allow flow of exhaust from the combustion engine, and a valve configured for controlling air flow through the bypass channel, the user interface being having controlling logic configured to respond to user input by:
 switching between at least two modes, the at least two modes comprising 1) a static mode that controls valve movement in response to user selection and independently of any dynamic parameters of the motor vehicle, and 2) a dynamic mode in which the valve is movable in response to at least one dynamic parameter of the motor vehicle;   controlling the movement of the valve about a plurality of positions including and between an open mode and a closed mode as a function of the at least one dynamic parameter of the motor vehicle when in the dynamic mode; and   permitting the valve to be in a position that is at least partly open at certain times when in the dynamic mode.   
     
     
         2 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         3 . The user interface as defined by  claim 2  wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display on a mobile computer device. 
     
     
         4 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  wherein the user interface comprises a voice activated user interface. 
     
     
         5 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  wherein the vehicle has a transmission system, further wherein the at least one dynamic parameter comprises at least one of throttle position, speed of the vehicle, load on the combustion engine, RPM of the combustion engine, gear of the transmission system, a position of the vehicle in its environment, and a local time. 
     
     
         6 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  configured to access a look-up-table when in the dynamic mode, the controller using the at least one dynamic parameter to determine a valve setting, based on the look-up table, when in the dynamic mode, the valve position being controlled based on the valve setting. 
     
     
         7 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  configured to switch to a quiet mode upon receipt of a phone call or message by the motor vehicle, the logic configured to close the valve in the quiet mode. 
     
     
         8 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  configured to control the movement of the valve in a plurality of positions between the open mode and the closed mode as a function of user selection in the static mode. 
     
     
         9 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  configured to switch to an override mode that closes the valve as a function of a local time of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  configured to switch to an override mode that closes the valve depending on a geographic position of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The user interface as defined by  claim 1  wherein the motor vehicle has a throttle configured to operate at a variety of positions, the motor vehicle also being configured to operate at a plurality of speeds, the at least one dynamic parameter comprising at least one of a throttle position of the throttle and a speed of the plurality of speeds of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . A method of enabling a user interface to control an exhaust management system for use in a motor vehicle having a muffler and a combustion engine generating an exhaust, the exhaust management system having a substantially unmuffled bypass channel configured to bypass the muffler and allow flow of exhaust from the combustion engine, and a valve configured for controlling air flow through the bypass channel, the method enabling the user interface to respond to user input by the acts of:
 switching between at least two modes, the at least two modes comprising 1) a static mode that controls valve movement in response to user selection and independently of any dynamic parameters of the motor vehicle, and 2) a dynamic mode in which the valve is movable in response to at least one dynamic parameter of the motor vehicle;   controlling the movement of the valve about a plurality of positions including and between an open mode and a closed mode as a function of the at least one dynamic parameter of the motor vehicle when in the dynamic mode; and   permitting the valve to be in a position that is at least partly open at certain times when in the dynamic mode.   
     
     
         13 . The method as defined by  claim 12  wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined by  claim 13  wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display on a mobile computer device. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined by  claim 12  wherein the vehicle has a transmission system, further wherein the at least one dynamic parameter comprises at least one of throttle position, speed of the vehicle, load on the combustion engine, RPM of the combustion engine, gear of the transmission system, a position of the vehicle in its environment, and a local time. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined by  claim 12  further enabling the user interface to respond to user input by the act of switching to a quiet mode upon receipt of a phone call or message by the motor vehicle, the method closing the valve in the quiet mode. 
     
     
         17 . The user interface as defined by  claim 12  wherein the method enables the user interface to respond to user input by the act of switching to an override mode that closes the valve depending on a geographic position of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product for use on a computer system for enabling a user interface to control an exhaust management system for use in a motor vehicle having a muffler and a combustion engine generating an exhaust, the exhaust management system having a substantially unmuffled bypass channel configured to bypass the muffler and allow flow of exhaust from the combustion engine, and a valve configured for controlling air flow through the bypass channel, the computer program product comprising a tangible, non-transient computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code being responsive to user input and comprising:
 program code for switching between at least two modes, the at least two modes comprising 1) a static mode that controls valve movement in response to user selection and independently of any dynamic parameters of the motor vehicle, and 2) a dynamic mode in which the valve is movable in response to at least one dynamic parameter of the motor vehicle;   program code for controlling the movement of the valve about a plurality of positions including and between an open mode and a closed mode as a function of the at least one dynamic parameter of the motor vehicle when in the dynamic mode; and   program code for permitting the valve to be in a position that is at least partly open at certain times when in the dynamic mode.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product as defined by  claim 18  wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product as defined by  claim 18  further comprising program code for switching to a quiet mode upon receipt of a phone call or message by the motor vehicle to close the valve.