Multi-functional Display for Tachometer

• US 20090030584A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jianhao Meng
• Original Assignee: Jianhao Meng
• Inventors: Meng, Jianhao
• Granted Patent: US 8,055,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/64
• 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 63/42 Ratio indicator devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/10 for indicating predetermined speeds

Abstract

A novel display apparatus and method that enables the operator to shift gears smoothly on motor vehicles is described. The display shows engine revolutions per minute (RPM) at various traveling speeds for any gears all in one dial. The display may also show shifting paths for different driving styles. The static version of the display may be overlaid on top of existing tachometer. The dynamic version of display runs on portable devices with Global Positioning System (GPS) will show optimal RPM and shift indicator continuously. Further, the dynamic display is wireless networked to provide real-time driving instructions.

Claims

1. An apparatus that displays multiple future values given multiple present values and the relationship between the present value and the future value in a two dimensional dial.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display shows engine RPM and vehicle speed at various gears so that it assists driver to shift smoothly on motor vehicles with manual or automatic transmissions.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display has concentric arcs that represent transmission gears, and the radius of the arc is proportional to the gear ratio that it represents.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display has multiple segments of Archimedean spiral connecting the arcs as described in claim 3 where one end of the spiral is the current RPM, the other end is the optimal shifting RPM of the next gear, and further, the connecting segments of Archimedean spiral indicate a constant vehicle speed (assuming friction is negligible during a gear shift).

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, where Archimedean spiral may be substituted by other visually similar curves such as polynomials.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display shows different shifting paths under different driving conditions.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display is implemented on a plural number of portable devices with graphical display such as but not limited to Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), smart phones etc.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display is printed out and overlaid to existing tachometers.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, 6 and claim 7, wherein the shifting paths, RPM cursors and real-time shift indicator are displayed on portable devices based on current position obtained via Global Positioning System (GPS) and the preloaded terrain information.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 and claim 9, wherein the shifting paths and real-time shift indicator are displayed on portable devices by remote operator and/or computing server via wireless network.