TRAINING A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE TO ACHIEVE IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY

• US 20090326753A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Wei Tzu, Figueroa, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,116,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles

Abstract

A system for training a driver to achieve improved fuel economy monitors the driving parameters of a vehicle, analyzes the monitored driving parameters, calculates suggested driving behavior adjustments, and communicates the driving behavior adjustments to the driver as the driver is driving.

Claims

1. A system for training a driver of a vehicle to achieve improved fuel economy, comprising:

a monitoring subsystem to monitor one or more driving parameters of the vehicle;

an analysis subsystem communicatively coupled to the monitoring subsystem and configured to calculate one or more suggested driving behavior adjustments by applying one or more fuel-economy-improving principles to the one or more driving parameters; and

a driver interface communicatively coupled to the analysis subsystem and located in the vehicle to communicate the one or more driving behavior adjustments to the driver during vehicle operation.

2. The system of claim 1, where the monitoring subsystem includes a global positioning system receiver.

3. The system of claim 1, where the monitoring subsystem further includes an adaptive cruise control radar.

4. The system of claim 1, where the monitoring subsystem includes an on-board diagnostic subsystem of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, where the one or more driving parameters of the vehicle include one or more of speed, acceleration, current location, destination, fuel level, fuel pressure, engine rotations-per-minute, engine load, engine run-time, engine coolant temperature, elevation, weather conditions, traffic data, and grade of a road.

6. The system of claim 1, where the driver interface includes a display to visually communicate driving behavior adjustments to the driver during vehicle operation.

7. The system of claim 6, where the display uses a first color to visually communicate a driving behavior adjustment to reduce throttle.

8. The system of claim 7, where the display uses a second color to visually communicate a driving behavior adjustment to coast.

9. The system of claim 7, where the display uses a third color to visually communicate that a driving behavior adjustment is not currently needed.

10. The system of claim 1, where the driver interface includes a speaker to auditorily communicate driving behavior adjustments to the driver during vehicle operation.

11. The system of claim 10, where the driver interface auditorily communicates using verbal instructions.

12. The system of claim 1, where the analysis subsystem is selectably configured with a plurality of proficiency settings to alter levels of suggested driving behavior adjustments communicated to a driver by the driver interface.

13. The system of claim 1, where the driver interface communicates an impact on trip duration of a suggested driving behavior adjustment.

14. The system of claim 1, where the driver interface displays a route the vehicle traveled color coded to match suggested driving behavior adjustments provided to the driver throughout the route.

15. A method for training a driver of a vehicle to achieve improved fuel economy, comprising:

monitoring one or more driving parameters of the vehicle;

calculating one or more suggested driving behavior adjustments by applying one or more fuel-economy-improving principles to the one or more driving parameters; and

communicating the one or more driving behavior adjustments to the driver during vehicle operation.

16. The method of claim 15, where the communicating is done visually during vehicle operation.

17. The method of claim 16, where a first color visually communicates a driving behavior adjustment to reduce throttle.

18. The method of claim 17, where a second color visually communicates a driving behavior adjustment to coast.

19. The method of claim 17, where a third color visually communicates a driving behavior adjustment is not needed.

20. Computer readable memory comprising instructions, that when executed by a processing subsystem of a fuel-economy-training system, enable the fuel-economy-training system to instruct a driver to improve fuel economy of a vehicle by:

monitoring one or more driving parameters of the vehicle;

calculating one or more suggested driving behavior adjustments by applying one or more fuel-economy-improving principles to the one or more driving parameters; and

communicating the one or more driving behavior adjustments to the driver during vehicle.