INFORMATION DISPLAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HYBRID VEHICLES

• US 20100057280A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Espinosa, John W., Brewer, Shawn, Crowe, Paul S.
• Application Number:
  US12/202,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/048 displaying data transmitted between vehicles, e.g. for platooning, control of inter-vehicle distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1015 Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/104 Output speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 : Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/06 : Ignition switch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 : Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 : Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

An information display system is provided that presents the configuration of a vehicle'"'"'s axles along with one or more other powertrain components in iconic format to the vehicle operator. The information display system may also present information that allows the driver to increase fuel efficiency.

Claims

1. A method of displaying the axle configuration of a vehicle on a graphical display, the method comprising:

receiving, at a software interface of the graphical display, data that describes the attributes of the vehicle'"'"'s axle configuration;

establishing variables internal to the graphical display that represent the axle configuration of the vehicle;

presenting a visual depiction of the vehicle'"'"'s axle configuration on the graphical display; and

wherein presenting the visual depiction of the vehicle'"'"'s axle configuration is not dependent on receiving data from a sensor that is external to the graphical display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving, at a software interface of the graphical display, data that describes the attributes of the vehicle'"'"'s powertrain;

and

presenting a visual depiction of the vehicle'"'"'s powertrain on the graphical display in iconic format.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving, at a software interface of the graphical display, data that describes the current fuel efficiency of the vehicle;

and

presenting a visual depiction of the vehicle'"'"'s current fuel efficiency on the graphical display.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving, at a software interface of the graphical display, data that describes the current throttle position of the vehicle;

and

presenting a visual depiction of the vehicle'"'"'s current fuel throttle position on the graphical display.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving, at a software interface of the graphical display, data that describes the current mode of vehicle operation;

and

presenting a textual indicator of the vehicle'"'"'s current mode of operation on the graphical display.

6. An information display for a vehicle having components including an electric motor generator, an energy storage device, an internal combustion engine, at least one axle, and vehicle drive wheels, the information display system comprising:

an iconic representation of the vehicle, including a motor icon representing at least a portion of the electric motor generator, an energy storage device icon representing the energy storage device, an engine icon representing the internal combustion engine, and a drive axle icon representing the at least one drive axle;

wherein the drive axle icon is determined based on information permanently stored at the display.

7. The vehicle information display of claim 6, further comprising

a vehicle drive wheels icon representing the vehicle drive wheels;

a first power flow indicator selectively displayed between the motor icon and the vehicle drive wheels icon to indicate power being transferred between at least a portion of the electric motor generator and the vehicle drive wheels; and

a second power flow indicator selectively displayed between the motor icon and the energy storage device icon to indicate power being transferred between at least a portion of the electric motor generator and the energy storage device

8. The vehicle information display of claim 6, further comprising a graphical representation of the current fuel economy of the vehicle;

and a graphical representation of the current application of a throttle.

9. The vehicle information display of claim 6, further comprising

a textual indicator presenting a mode of operation of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle information display of claim 6, further comprising

a textual indicator presenting a percentage of current application of the throttle.

11. A graphical display system for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

at least one signal producing device generating data;

memory permanently storing axle configuration data;

a processor communicatively connected to the signal producing device and the memory to transform the signal producing device data and the axle configuration data into one or more display signals;

a display device disposed in communication with the processor for receiving the one or more display signals and displaying the one or more signals as a viewable image, wherein the viewable image includes an energy storage device icon, an engine icon, a motor icon, and a drive axle icon.

12. The graphical display system of claim 11, wherein the drive axle icon depicts a single drive axle.

13. The graphical display system of claim 11, wherein the drive axle icon depicts dual drive axles.

14. The graphical display system of claim 11, wherein the motor icon is an electric motor icon.

15. The graphical display system of claim 11, wherein the energy storage icon is a battery icon.