How an Auxiliary Controller Manages Supplemental Fuel Injection
A method for an add-on computer to calculate and control extra fuel injection by piggybacking on data from a car's original engine computer.
Original patent title: “Supplemental fuel control system”
A method for an add-on computer to calculate and control extra fuel injection by piggybacking on data from a car's original engine computer. Granted to Individual in 2025 with 23 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system where an auxiliary controller intercepts data from a vehicle's factory-installed Engine Control Unit (ECU) to manage a secondary set of fuel injectors. By receiving the primary fuel injector's 'on time' and the total engine air mass, the auxiliary controller calculates exactly how much extra fuel is needed to reach a desired air-to-fuel ratio. It then determines the precise timing for the secondary injectors to fire for each engine cylinder. This allows for precise fuel enrichment without needing to reprogram or replace the original factory computer.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover systems that replace the factory ECU entirely.
- Does not cover fuel injection systems that operate without receiving air mass data from the primary ECU.
- Does not cover mechanical fuel injection systems that lack electronic timing control.
- Does not cover systems that do not calculate individual injector 'on times' based on cylinder-specific air mass data.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system dynamically calculates the supplemental fuel mass by subtracting the primary fuel contribution from the total required fuel, effectively treating the secondary injectors as a 'trim' system that works in harmony with the factory's existing logic.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Aftermarket port fuel injection controllers for forced induction engines
E85 flex-fuel conversion kits
Nitrous oxide injection fueling controllers
Water-methanol injection systems with electronic fuel mapping
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology is highly relevant for the automotive aftermarket, particularly for performance tuning and alternative fuel conversions (like E85 or methanol). By allowing an auxiliary device to handle supplemental fueling, tuners can increase engine power or switch fuel types without the extreme complexity and cost of hacking or replacing the proprietary factory engine management software.
Filed
May 5, 2025
Granted
October 14, 2025
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
This technology is primarily utilized by independent automotive performance companies and aftermarket ECU manufacturers like Haltech, MoTeC, and various specialized tuning shops that develop piggyback controllers for high-performance street and racing vehicles.
Market impact
This patent formalizes a common practice in the performance tuning industry, providing a clear framework for 'piggyback' fuel management. It enables a niche market for modular engine upgrades, allowing vehicle owners to bypass the limitations of locked factory ECUs while maintaining the reliability of the original engine management strategy.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system where an auxiliary controller intercepts data from a vehicle's factory-installed Engine Control Unit (ECU) to manage a secondary set of fuel injectors. By receiving the primary fuel injector's 'on time' and the total engine air mass, the auxiliary controller calculates exactly how much extra fuel is needed to reach a desired air-to-fuel ratio. It then determines the precise timing for the secondary injectors to fire for each engine cylinder. This allows for precise fuel enrichment without needing to reprogram or replace the original factory computer.
The clever bit
The system dynamically calculates the supplemental fuel mass by subtracting the primary fuel contribution from the total required fuel, effectively treating the secondary injectors as a 'trim' system that works in harmony with the factory's existing logic.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover systems that replace the factory ECU entirely.
- Does not cover fuel injection systems that operate without receiving air mass data from the primary ECU.
- Does not cover mechanical fuel injection systems that lack electronic timing control.
- Does not cover systems that do not calculate individual injector 'on times' based on cylinder-specific air mass data.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$29K – $94K
Midpoint $59K · 18.9 yr remaining · industry baseline
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Jr., D. W. S., & Merriman, A. J. (2025). How an Auxiliary Controller Manages Supplemental Fuel Injection (U.S. Patent No. 12,442,345). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12442345/raptor-mass-production
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How an Auxiliary Controller Manages Supplemental Fuel Injection cover?
A method for an add-on computer to calculate and control extra fuel injection by piggybacking on data from a car's original engine computer.
Who owns patent US 12442345?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 2025.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 14, 2045, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology is highly relevant for the automotive aftermarket, particularly for performance tuning and alternative fuel conversions (like E85 or methanol). By allowing an auxiliary device to handle supplemental fueling, tuners can increase engine power or switch fuel types without the extreme complexity and cost of hacking or replacing the proprietary factory engine management software.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover systems that replace the factory ECU entirely.
Same assignee
More from Individual
Patent monitoring