DRIVING EFFICIENCY MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20080297335A1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Beyond Innovation Technology Co Ltd
• Original Assignee: Beyond Innovation Technology Co Ltd
• Inventors: Lee, Yang-Han, Yeh, Han-Kuo, Pao, Yiu-Sung
• Application Number:
  US12/043,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A driving efficiency management apparatus and a method thereof are provided. The driving efficiency management apparatus includes a detection unit, a storage unit, a processing unit, and a display. The detection unit detects the driving condition of a vehicle and generates a driving information. The storage unit receives and stores the driving information. The processing unit compares the driving information and generates an economical performance information and an optimal driving operation information according to the comparison result. The display displays the economical performance information or the optimal driving operation information.

Claims

1. A driving efficiency management apparatus, comprising:

a detection unit, for obtaining a driving information according to the driving condition of a vehicle in real time;

a storage unit, for storing the driving information;

a processing unit, for comparing the driving information and generating an economical performance information and an optimal driving operation information according to the comparison result; and

a display, for displaying the economical performance information or the optimal driving operation information.

2. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display displays the economical performance information with a currency sign.

3. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optimal driving operation information comprises a gear level and an engine speed of the vehicle.

4. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is a head-up display (HUD) in the vehicle.

5. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving information comprises a longitude/latitude information and a vehicle condition information, and the detection unit comprises:

a trip computer bus, for transmitting the vehicle condition information through a connection to an trip computer of the vehicle; and

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, coupled to the storage unit, the GPS receiver receiving a GPS satellite signal to obtain the longitude/latitude coordinates of the vehicle and generating the longitude/latitude information according to the longitude/latitude coordinates, wherein the processing unit compares the longitude/latitude information with a plurality of local information to determine whether the driving route of the vehicle passes through a specific road section, when the vehicle runs in the specific road section, the processing unit selects one of a plurality of driving operation information as the optimal driving operation information and generates the economical performance information by comparing the optimal driving operation information with the vehicle condition information.

6. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the storage unit comprises:

a vehicle condition information register, for storing the vehicle condition information;

a map information register, for providing the local information; and

a positioning information register, for storing the longitude/latitude information.

7. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising:

an optimal driving index database, for providing the driving operation information and a plurality of economical road sections,

wherein the processing unit selects one of the economical road sections as the specific road section according to the current position of the vehicle.

8. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the trip computer bus is a controller area network bus (CAN-bus).

9. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving information comprises a vehicle condition information, and the detection unit comprises:

a trip computer bus, for transmitting the vehicle condition information through a connection to the trip computer of the vehicle,

wherein the processing unit compares the vehicle condition information and a plurality of driving operation information to select one of the driving operation information as the optimal driving operation information and generates the economical performance information by comparing the optimal driving operation information and the vehicle condition information.

10. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the storage unit comprises:

a vehicle condition information register, for storing the vehicle condition information.

11. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising:

a driving optimal database, for providing the driving operation information.

12. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the trip computer bus is a CAN-bus.

13. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving information comprises a gravity information, and the detection unit comprises:

a gravity sensor, for sensing a relative moving path of the vehicle and generating the gravity information according to the relative moving path,

wherein the processing unit compares the gravity information and a plurality of driving operation information to select one of the driving operation information as the optimal driving operation information and generates the economical performance information by comparing the optimal driving operation information and the gravity information.

14. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the storage unit comprises:

a path register, for storing the gravity information.

15. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising:

a driving optimal database, for providing the driving operation information.

16. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a memory card slot, for inserting a portable memory card and electrically connecting the portable memory card and the storage unit,

wherein the processing unit stores the driving information, the economical performance information, and the optimal driving operation information into the portable memory card to allow a management center for managing the vehicle to evaluate the driving efficiency of a driver of the vehicle according to information stored in the portable memory card.

17. The driving efficiency management apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless transmission unit, coupled to the storage unit and the processing unit, the wireless transmission unit transmitting the driving information, the economical performance information, and the optimal driving operation information to the management center by an electromagnetic signal,

wherein the management center evaluates the driving efficiency of the driver of the vehicle according to the driving information, the economical performance information, and the optimal driving operation information.

18. A driving efficiency management method, comprising:

a. obtaining a driving information in real time according to the driving condition of a vehicle;

b. comparing the driving information and generating an economical performance information and an optimal driving operation information according to the comparison result; and

c. dynamically displaying the economical performance information or the optimal driving operation information.

19. The driving efficiency management method according to claim 18, wherein step a comprises:

obtaining a vehicle condition information through a connection to a trip computer of the vehicle.

20. The driving efficiency management method according to claim 18, wherein the driving information comprises a longitude/latitude information and the vehicle condition information, and step b comprises:

receiving a GPS satellite signal to obtain the longitude/latitude coordinates of the vehicle and generating the longitude/latitude information according to the longitude/latitude coordinates in real time;

providing a plurality of driving operation information and a plurality of local information;

comparing the longitude/latitude information and the local information to determine whether the driving route of the vehicle passes through a specific road section; and

selecting one of the driving operation information as the optimal driving operation information and generating the economical performance information by comparing the optimal driving operation information and the vehicle condition information when the vehicle runs in the specific road section.