Information display system and method

• US 10,052,954 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Skaff, Ryan, Gilman, Dale, Aldighieri, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US15/293,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20170028852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An information display system may include an information display including a gauge specifying energy consumption of a vehicle and an average efficiency indicator specifying an average of the energy consumption, and a controller, in communication with the information display, configured to calculate an average efficiency value based on an amount of the energy consumption per unit distance over time, and adjust the average efficiency indicator based upon the average efficiency value.

Claims

1. An information display system comprising:

an information display including a gauge specifying energy consumption of a vehicle and an average efficiency indicator specifying an average of the energy consumption, the gauge further specifying an accessory region indicative of a portion of the energy consumption attributed to accessories used for purposes apart from propulsion, wherein the accessory region includes an accessory floor indicating a minimum efficiency value obtainable through driving behavior changes; and

a controller, in communication with the information display, configured to;

calculate an average efficiency value based on an amount of the energy consumption per unit distance over time; and

adjust the average efficiency indicator based upon the average efficiency value.

2. The information display system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the accessory floor by adding the energy consumption from use of the accessories and energy consumption from a climate control system.

3. The information display system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a target distance and calculate an efficiency threshold value based on a battery state and the target distance.

4. The information display system of claim 3, wherein the target distance includes a predicted target distance based on an average trip distance.

5. The information display system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a distance to empty (DTE) value based upon the battery state and the target distance.

6. The information display system of claim 5, wherein the DTE is calculated at vehicle key-on.

7. An energy consumption gauge comprising:

a linear bar having an upper limit and a lower limit;

an average efficiency indicator movable between the upper and lower limits, the efficiency indicator corresponding to an average energy consumption rate over time; and

an accessory consumption region having an accessory floor indicating a minimum driving behavior efficiency value.

8. The energy consumption gauge of claim 7, wherein the average energy consumption rate is an amount of energy consumed per distance over a predefined time.

9. The energy consumption gauge of claim 7, wherein the distance to empty (DTE) is calculated at vehicle key-on.