Apparatus and method for providing optimal gear advice

• US 10,436,602 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Mobility Solutions BV (Bridgestone Corporation), TomTom Telematics BV (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TomTom Telematics BV (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Verheijen, Paul Roeland, Pauwelussen, Jasper Johannes Anthonius, Ebert, Christoph, Orlowsky, Steffen, Leupold, Marco, Dietzel, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Hlavka, David J
• Application Number:
  US15/528,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20170314679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• 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: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/18081 With torque flow from driveshaft to engine, i.e. engine being driven by vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0623 Fuel flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0642 Idle condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0647 Coasting condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/213 Fuel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0655 : Coasting condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 : Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 : Braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 : Engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 : Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/52 : Engine fuel consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/366 : Engine or motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0218 : Calculation or estimation of the available ratio range, i.e. possible gear ratios, e.g. for prompting a driver with a display
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2063/426 : with means for advising the driver for proper shift action, e.g. prompting the driver with allowable selection range of ratios
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/44 : dependent on machine speed of the machine, e.g. the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/46 : dependent on a comparison between speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/70 : dependent on the ratio established
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 : characterised by the method for generating shift signals
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0246 : characterised by initiating reverse gearshift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/42 : Ratio indicator devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 : Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 : Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• 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: G01P 1/06 : Indicating or recording devices, e.g. for remote indication indicating or recording in general G01D; registering or indicating working conditions of vehicles G07C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/004 : Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/06 : in graphical form
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 : Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 : using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 : Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 : using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 : from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 : for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0137 : for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 : for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 : with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 : where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 : Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 : where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 : where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 : where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 : where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09685 : where the complete route is computed only once and not updated
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 : where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 : Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear is disclosed. The method comprises determining a current gear of the vehicle and determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle. An indication is then provided to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear when: (i) the determined current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold; and (ii) the determined current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear.

Claims

1. A method of providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear, comprising:

determining a current gear of the vehicle;

determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle;

determining a coasting state of the vehicle; and

providing the indication to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in the optimal gear when;

(i) the current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold;

(ii) the current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle; and

(iii) the coasting state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is not currently coasting, wherein the coasting state of the vehicle is determined based upon at least one of the current speed of the drive unit of the vehicle and a fuel usage rate of the drive unit of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is based on a fuel type used by the drive unit of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fuel type is one of diesel or petrol.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a first predetermined threshold is used for a petrol drive unit, and a second predetermined threshold is used for a diesel drive unit, and wherein the first predetermined threshold is higher than the second predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the current gear of the vehicle and the current speed of the drive unit is received from a remote device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the current gear of the vehicle comprises:

receiving a speed-rpm ratio of the vehicle, the speed-rpm ratio being based on a speed of the vehicle and a corresponding current speed of the drive unit of the vehicle;

evaluating a difference between the speed-rpm ratio and a speed-rpm ratio from an entry in a gear table from among a plurality of entries in the gear table, each entry of the plurality of entries in the gear table associating a separate available gear of the geared vehicle with a speed-rpm ratio; and

determining that the current gear of the vehicle is the available gear of the entry in the gear table when the difference is within a predetermined difference threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the maximum gear of the vehicle is determined from the gear table.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the indication to the driver that the vehicle is not in the optimal gear comprises at least one of:

displaying a graphical icon on a display device within the vehicle;

providing an audio warning to the driver; and

providing a haptic warning to the driver.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first time indicative of the total driving time of a journey on road network;

determining a second time indicative of the driving time during the journey that the vehicle was not in the optimal gear; and

determining a score indicative of the amount of time during the journey that the vehicle was driven in the optimal gear based on the first and second times.

10. A method of determining a score indicative of the amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear, comprising:

determining a first time indicative of the total driving time of the journey;

determining a second time indicative of the driving time during the journey that the vehicle was not in the optimal gear, wherein the vehicle is not in the optimal gear when;

(i) a current speed of the drive unit of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold;

(ii) a current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle; and

(iii) the vehicle is not currently in a coasting state; and

determining the score indicative of the amount of time during the journey that the vehicle was driven in the optimal gear based on the first and second times.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the score is based on a ratio of the second time to the first time.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising at least one of:

displaying a representation of the score on a display device within the vehicle; and

transmitting the score for display on a remote device.

13. An apparatus for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear, comprising at least one processor and a memory containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine a current gear of the vehicle;

determine a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle;

determine a coasting state of the vehicle; and

provide the indication to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in the optimal gear when;

(i) the current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold;

(ii) the current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle; and

(iii) the coasting state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is not currently coasting, wherein the coasting state of the vehicle is determined based upon at least one of the current speed of the drive unit of the vehicle and a fuel usage rate of the drive unit of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is a vehicle tracking device or a portable navigation device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, comprising a receiver, optionally a wireless receiver, to receive at least one of the current gear of the vehicle and the current speed of the drive unit from a remote device coupled to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) port of the vehicle.

16. An apparatus for determining a score indicative of an amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear, comprising at least one processor and a memory containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine a first time indicative of a total driving time of the journey;

determine a second time indicative of a driving time during the journey that the vehicle was not in the optimal gear, wherein the vehicle is not in the optimal gear when;

(i) a current speed of the drive unit of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold;

(ii) a current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle; and

(iii) the vehicle is not currently in a coasting state; and

determine the score indicative of the amount of time during the journey that the vehicle was driven in the optimal gear based on the first and second times.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of an apparatus comprising at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform a method for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear, the method comprising:

determining a current gear of the vehicle;

determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle;

determining a coasting state of the vehicle; and

providing the indication to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear when;

(i) the current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold;

(ii) the current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle; and

(iii) the coasting state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is not currently coasting, wherein the coasting state of the vehicle is determined based upon at least one of the current speed of the drive unit of the vehicle and a fuel usage rate of the drive unit of the vehicle.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein determining the current gear of the vehicle comprises:

receiving a speed-rpm ratio of the vehicle, the speed-rpm ratio being based on a speed of the vehicle and a corresponding current speed of the drive unit of the vehicle;

evaluating a difference between the speed-rpm ratio and a speed-rpm ratio from an entry in a gear table from among a plurality of entries in the gear table, each entry of the plurality of entries in the gear table associating a separate available gear of the geared vehicle with a speed-rpm ratio; and

determining that the current gear of the vehicle is the available gear of the entry in the gear table when the difference is within a predetermined threshold.