Method and device for supporting a driver of a vehicle

• US 10,190,883 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Buchholz, Jan, Engel, Sebastian, Hohlstein, Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taveras, Kenny A.
• Application Number:
  US15/216,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20170023373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A method for supporting a driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, includes automatically detecting with a navigation device of the vehicle whether the vehicle has deviated from a defined driving route determined by the navigation device. When the vehicle has deviated from the defined driving route, it is determined with the navigation device whether an amount of propulsion energy stored in an energy storage device of the vehicle is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station. When an energy refilling station can no longer be reached with the vehicle automatically a phone connection with a vehicle external help center is established with a phone device of the vehicle, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, or it is automatically displayed to the driver with a display device of the vehicle prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, to establish a phone connection with a vehicle external help central.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a driver of a vehicle, comprising:

guiding the driver with a navigation device of the vehicle from a starting point to a destination via a defined driving route;

automatically detecting with the navigation device whether the vehicle has deviated from the defined driving route;

when it is detected that the vehicle has deviated from the defined driving route, determining with the navigation device whether an amount of propulsion energy stored in an energy storage device of the vehicle is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station;

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, automatically establishing a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center with a phone device of the vehicle, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, or

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, automatically displaying to the driver with a display device of the vehicle prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, a signal that the driver should establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center;

when a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center is established, transmitting vehicle data with a data transmitting device of the vehicle to the vehicle-external help center,

wherein the vehicle data include at least one member selected from the group consisting of data regarding the actual position of the vehicle, data regarding the average propulsion energy consumption of the vehicle, data regarding an amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle, and data regarding an actual energy consumption of the vehicle; and

in response to transmission of data regarding the actual energy consumption of the vehicle to the vehicle-external help center, controlling by the vehicle-external help center with a control device at least one energy setting device of the vehicle with which an energy consumption of the vehicle can be set and/or changed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a warning signal to the driver with a warning signal outputting device of the vehicle, when the vehicle has to be driven to the next energy refilling station on the driving route of the vehicle to prevent the vehicle from becoming stranded.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising detecting with the navigation device whether after outputting the warning signal the vehicle was driven to the next energy refilling station on the route of the vehicle, wherein when after outputting of the warning signal, the vehicle was not driven to the next refilling station on the driving route of the vehicle, automatically determining with the navigation device whether at least one energy refilling station can still be reached by the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising when a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center is established, transmitting to the navigation device of the vehicle with a data transmitting device of the vehicle-external help center data regarding a location of at least one parking lot that can still be reached by the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station is performed as a function of at least one item of data selected from the group consisting of data regarding an average propulsion energy consumption of the vehicle, data regarding an amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle, data regarding an actual traffic situation of the vehicle, road data, and data regarding an actual position of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting and/or determining the driving route with the navigation device so that when following the driving route at least one energy refilling station can still be reached by the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting and/or determining the driving route with the navigation device so that when following the driving route at least one energy refilling station can still be reached by the vehicle.

7. A method for supporting a driver of a vehicle, comprising:

guiding the driver with a navigation device of the vehicle from a starting point to a destination via a defined driving route;

automatically detecting with the navigation device whether the vehicle has deviated from the defined driving route;

when it is detected that the vehicle has deviated from the defined driving route, determining with the navigation device whether an amount of propulsion energy stored in an energy storage device of the vehicle is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station;

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle automatically, establishing a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center with a phone device of the vehicle, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, or

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, automatically displaying to the driver with a display device of the vehicle prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, a signal that the driver should establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center; and

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, outputting a warning signal to vehicles in a vicinity of the vehicle with a warning signal outputting device of the vehicle, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising when a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center is established transmitting vehicle data with a data transmitting device of the vehicle to the vehicle-external help center.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle data include at least one member selected from the group consisting of data regarding the actual position of the vehicle, data regarding the average propulsion energy consumption of the vehicle, data regarding an amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle, and data regarding an actual energy consumption of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising outputting a warning signal to the driver with a warning signal outputting device of the vehicle, when the vehicle has to be driven to the next energy refilling station on the driving route of the vehicle to prevent the vehicle from becoming stranded.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting with the navigation device whether after outputting the warning signal the vehicle was driven to the next energy refilling station on the route of vehicle, wherein when after outputting of the warning signal, the vehicle was not driven to the next refilling station on the driving route of the vehicle, automatically determining with the navigation device whether at least one energy refilling station can still be reached by the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising when a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center is established, transmitting to the navigation device of the vehicle with a data transmitting device of the vehicle-external help center data regarding a location of at least one parking lot that can still be reached by the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining whether the amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station is performed as a function of at least one item of data selected from the group consisting of data regarding an average propulsion energy consumption of the vehicle, data regarding an amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle, data regarding an actual traffic situation of the vehicle, road data, and data regarding an actual position of the vehicle.

15. A device for supporting a driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle said device comprising:

a navigation device, a phone device, a display device, a data transmitting device, a control device, an energy setting device and a vehicle-external help center,

said navigation device being configured to guide the driver from a starting point to a destination via a defined driving route, to automatically detect a deviation of the vehicle from the defined driving route, and to determine whether an amount of propulsion energy stored in an energy storage device of the vehicle, in particular an amount of fuel stored in a fuel tank of the vehicle, is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station, in particular a fuel station;

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, said phone device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, being configured to automatically establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center;

when a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center is established, said data transmitting device being configured to transmit vehicle data to the vehicle-external help center, wherein the vehicle data include at least one member selected from the group consisting of data regarding the actual position of the vehicle, data regarding the average propulsion energy consumption of the vehicle, data regarding an amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle, and data regarding an actual energy consumption of the vehicle;

or

said display device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, being configured to automatically display to the driver a signal to establish a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center,

said control device, in response to the transmission of data regarding the actual energy consumption of the vehicle to the vehicle-external help center, being configured to control by the vehicle-external help center the energy setting device of the vehicle with which an energy consumption of the vehicle can be set and/or changed.

16. A device for supporting a driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle said device comprising:

a navigation device, a phone device, a display device, a warning signal outputting device and a vehicle-external help center,

said navigation device being configured to guide the driver from a starting point to a destination via a defined driving route, to automatically detect a deviation of the vehicle from the defined driving route, and to determine whether an amount of propulsion energy stored in an energy storage device of the vehicle, in particular an amount of fuel stored in a fuel tank of the vehicle, is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station, in particular a fuel station;

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, said phone device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, being configured to automatically establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center, or

said display device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, being configured to automatically display to the driver a signal to establish a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center;

said warning signal outputting device, when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, being configured to output a warning signal to vehicles in a vicinity of the vehicle, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded.

17. A motor vehicle comprising:

a navigation device, a phone device, a data transmitting device, a control device, an energy setting device and a display device,

said navigation device being configured to guide the driver from a starting point to a destination via a defined driving route, to automatically detect a deviation of the vehicle from the defined driving route, and to determine whether an amount of propulsion energy stored in an energy storage device of the vehicle, in particular an amount of fuel stored in a fuel tank of the vehicle, is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station, in particular a fuel station,

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, said phone device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, being configured to automatically establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center;

when a phone connection with the vehicle-external help center is established, said data transmitting device being configured to transmit vehicle data to the vehicle-external help center, wherein the vehicle data include at least one member selected from the group consisting of data regarding the actual position of the vehicle, data regarding the average propulsion energy consumption of the vehicle, data regarding an amount of propulsion energy stored in the energy storage device of the vehicle, and data regarding an actual energy consumption of the vehicle;

or

said display device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, being configured to automatically display a signal to the driver to establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center;

said control device, in response to the transmission of data regarding the actual energy consumption of the vehicle to the vehicle-external help center, being configured to control by the vehicle-external help center the energy setting device of the vehicle with which an energy consumption of the vehicle can be set and/or changed.

18. A motor vehicle comprising:

a navigation device, a phone device, a warning signal outputting device and a display device,

said navigation device being configured to guide the driver from a starting point to a destination via a defined driving route, to automatically detect a deviation of the vehicle from the defined driving route, and to determine whether an amount of propulsion energy stored in an energy storage device of the vehicle, in particular an amount of fuel stored in a fuel tank of the vehicle, is sufficient to still reach at least one energy refilling station, in particular a fuel station,

when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, said phone device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, being configured to automatically establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center;

or

said display device, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded, configured to automatically display a signal to the driver to establish a phone connection with a vehicle-external help center;

said warning signal outputting device, when an energy refilling station can no longer be reached by the vehicle, being configured to output a warning signal to vehicles in a vicinity of the vehicle, prior to the vehicle becoming stranded.