Selective presentation of coasting coach indicator for consecutive learned deceleration areas in close proximity

• US 10,482,787 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2017
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Wrobel, Shannon Alicia, Payne, Joshua D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Samchuan C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Humphrey, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US15/464,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20180277019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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: G09B 19/14 Traffic procedures, e.g. traffic regulations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip

Abstract

A vehicle can be configured to provide coasting coach support when approaching a learned deceleration area, advising on how to more efficiently operate the vehicle as it approaches the learned deceleration area. An indicator can be presented within the vehicle to inform the driver that coasting coach support is provided for the learned deceleration area. However, in certain situations, it may not be possible for a vehicle to provide coasting coach support for a learned deceleration area, such as may occur when the vehicle encounters two consecutive learned deceleration areas located in close proximity to each other. There may not be sufficient time to provide coasting coach support for the second of the two consecutive learned deceleration areas. In such instances, the vehicle can be configured to present the coasting coach indicator for the first deceleration area and to disable the coasting coach indicator for the second deceleration area.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle, the vehicle being configured to provide coasting coach support when approaching a learned deceleration area, the vehicle being configured to present a coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for the learned deceleration area, the method comprising:

identifying, while the vehicle is in use, consecutive learned deceleration areas including a first learned deceleration area and a second learned deceleration area, the second learned deceleration area being subsequent to the first learned deceleration area along a travel path of the vehicle, the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area being identified using a navigation system within the vehicle, the navigation system including a global positioning system, a local positioning system, a geolocation system, camera-based localization, laser-based localization, or combinations thereof;

determining whether the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other;

responsive to determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other;

presenting the coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for the first learned deceleration area, whereby a driver is informed that coasting coach support is provided for the first learned deceleration area, and wherein the vehicle provides coasting coach support for the first learned deceleration area; and

disabling the coasting coach indicator for the second learned deceleration area, whereby the coasting coach indicator is not presented within the vehicle for the second learned deceleration area such that the driver is informed that coasting coach support is not provided for the second learned deceleration area, and wherein the vehicle does not provide coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area is a learned stop.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

responsive to determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are not located in close proximity to each other, presenting the coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for both the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area, whereby the driver is informed that coasting coach support is provided for both the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coasting coach indicator is a visual indicator.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

acquiring, using one or more sensors, vehicle deceleration data for the second learned deceleration area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other includes:

determining a reset distance for the first learned deceleration area;

determining a start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area;

determining whether the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area overlaps the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area; and

responsive to determining that the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area overlaps the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area, determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

responsive to determining that the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area does not overlap the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area, determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are not located in close proximity to each other.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area is located a predetermined distance before the second learned deceleration area along the travel path of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the reset distance is a predetermined distance after the first learned deceleration area along the travel path of the vehicle.

10. A system for a vehicle, the vehicle being configured to provide coasting coach support when approaching a learned deceleration area, the vehicle being configured to present a coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for the learned deceleration area, the system comprising:

a navigation system within the vehicle, the navigation system including a global positioning system, a local positioning system, a geolocation system, camera-based localization, laser-based localization, or combinations thereof; and

one or more processors, the one or more processors being programmed to initiate executable operations comprising;

identifying, using the navigation system while the vehicle is in use, consecutive learned deceleration areas including a first learned deceleration area and a second learned deceleration area, the second learned deceleration area being subsequent to the first learned deceleration area along a travel path of the vehicle;

determining whether the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other;

responsive to determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other;

presenting the coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for the first learned deceleration area, whereby a driver is informed that coasting coach support is provided for the first learned deceleration area, and wherein the vehicle provides coasting coach support for the first learned deceleration area; and

disabling the coasting coach indicator for the second learned deceleration area, whereby the coasting coach indicator is not presented within the vehicle for the second learned deceleration area such that the driver is informed that coasting coach support is not provided for the second learned deceleration area, and wherein the vehicle does not provide coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area is a learned stop.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the executable operations further include:

responsive to determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are not located in close proximity to each other, presenting the coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for both the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area, whereby the driver is informed that coasting coach support is provided for both the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the coasting coach indicator is a visual indicator.

14. The system of claim 10, further including one or more sensors operatively connected to the one or more processors, and wherein the executable operations further include:

acquiring, using the one or more sensors, vehicle deceleration data for the second learned deceleration area.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein determining whether the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other includes:

determining a reset distance for the first learned deceleration area;

determining a start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area;

determining whether the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area overlaps the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area; and

responsive to determining that the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area overlaps the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area, determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other.

16. The system of claim 15, further including:

responsive to determining that the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area does not overlap the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area, determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are not located in close proximity to each other.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area is located a predetermined distance before the second learned deceleration area along the travel path of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the reset distance is a predetermined distance after the first learned deceleration area along the travel path of the vehicle.

19. A computer program product for a vehicle, the vehicle being configured to provide coasting coach support when approaching a learned deceleration area, the vehicle being configured to present a coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for the learned deceleration area, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therein, the program code executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

identifying, using a navigation system while the vehicle is in use, consecutive learned deceleration areas including a first learned deceleration area and a second learned deceleration area, the second learned deceleration area being subsequent to the first learned deceleration area along a travel path of the vehicle, the navigation system being within the vehicle, the navigation system including a global positioning system, a local positioning system, a geolocation system, camera-based localization, laser-based localization, or combinations thereof;

determining whether the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other;

responsive to determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other;

presenting the coasting coach indicator within the vehicle for the first learned deceleration area, whereby a driver is informed that coasting coach support is provided for the first learned deceleration area, and wherein the vehicle provides coasting coach support for the first learned deceleration area; and

disabling the coasting coach indicator for the second learned deceleration area, whereby the coasting coach indicator is not presented within the vehicle for the second learned deceleration area such that the driver is informed that coasting coach support is not provided for the second learned deceleration area, and wherein the vehicle does not provide coasting coach support for the first learned deceleration area.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein determining whether the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other includes:

determining a reset distance for the first learned deceleration area;

determining a start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area;

determining whether the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area overlaps the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area; and

responsive to determining that the start point for coasting coach support for the second learned deceleration area overlaps the reset distance of the first learned deceleration area, determining that the first learned deceleration area and the second learned deceleration area are located in close proximity to each other.