Vehicle display device

• US 20090251303A1
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Kaneda, Kouji
• Granted Patent: US 8,305,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/50 Control arrangements; Data network features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/02 Arrangement of instruments arrangement of lighting devices for dashboards B60Q3/10

Abstract

A vehicle display device is arranged in a vehicle having an idling stop function that automatically stops an engine when the vehicle temporarily stops. The device includes a control unit that calculates a deviation of a current instant fuel consumption with respect to an average fuel consumption in a past predetermined period of the vehicle; and a fuelometer that indicates fuel consumption information representing whether a current driving state of the vehicle decreases the average fuel consumption. When the vehicle is in the idling stop state, the fuelometer indicates that the deviation is 0 regardless of the instant fuel consumption and the average fuel consumption.

Claims

1. A vehicle display device arranged in a vehicle having an idling stop function that automatically stops an engine when the vehicle temporarily stops, the device comprising:

a control unit that calculates a deviation of a current instant fuel consumption with respect to an average fuel consumption in a past predetermined period of the vehicle; and

a fuelometer that indicates fuel consumption information representing whether a current driving state of the vehicle decreases the average fuel consumption,

wherein when the vehicle is in the idling stop state, the fuelometer indicates that the deviation is 0 regardless of the instant fuel consumption and the average fuel consumption.

2. The vehicle display device according to claim 1,

wherein the fuelometer is a meter with a needle arranged on an indication panel in a deflecting manner, the meter indicating the fuel consumption information by deflecting the needle in accordance with the deviation in a plus direction or a minus direction from a 0 position arranged on the indication panel, and

wherein when the vehicle is in the idling stop state, needle indicates the 0 position to indicate that the deviation is 0.

3. The vehicle indication device according to claim 1,

wherein the fuelometer is a meter with a needle arranged on an indication panel in a deflecting manner, the meter indicating the fuel consumption information by deflecting the needle in accordance with the deviation in a plus direction or a minus direction from a 0 position indicated on the indication panel, and

wherein when the vehicle is in the idling stop state, an indicator lamp arranged near the 0 position of the indication panel is lit or blinked to indicate that the deviation is 0.

4. The vehicle display device according to claim 2,

wherein the fuelometer comprises the needle driven by the stepping motor, and

wherein when the vehicle is in the idling stop state, the control unit controls the stepping motor to be deflected by a predetermined angle at a position at which the needle indicates the 0 position.