Fuel saving driving assistance apparatus

• US 20100235038A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Itoh, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

It is determined whether a vehicle enters a halting state or a slow moving state. It is detected that an accelerator opening degree of the vehicle is zero during a deceleration duration up to the time to enter the halting state or the slow moving state. Further, an accelerator zero duration is calculated which is a duration for which the vehicle is in the halting state or the slow moving state while the accelerator opening degree is zero. Furthermore, an accelerator zero travel distance is calculated which the vehicle runs during the calculated accelerator zero duration. Based on the accelerator zero travel distance, it is determined whether the fuel saving driving operation is performed in traveling during the accelerator zero travel duration. Even in the state where the travel speed of the vehicle changes more than needs during inertia travel, the fuel saving driving operation is diagnosed appropriately.

Claims

1. A fuel saving driving assistance apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a travel state as to whether the vehicle is in a halting state or in a slow moving state;

means for determining an accelerator opening as to whether an accelerator opening degree of an accelerator of the vehicle is zero; and

,

means for diagnosing a driving operation as to whether a fuel saving driving operation is performed,

the driving operation diagnosing means being further configured to

calculate, based on determination results by the travel state determining means and the accelerator opening determining means,

a deceleration duration up to a time when the halting state or the slow moving state is detected, and

an accelerator zero travel duration for which an accelerator opening degree is zero during the deceleration duration,

calculate an accelerator zero travel distance during the calculated accelerator zero travel duration, and

determine whether a fuel saving driving operation with respect to a driving operation during the accelerator zero travel duration is performed based on the calculated accelerator zero travel distance.

2. The fuel saving driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the travel state determining means is further configured to determine that the vehicle is in the halting state or in the slow moving state in cases that a vehicle speed corresponding to a travel speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed value and an acceleration of the vehicle continues to be negative for a predetermined duration.

3. The fuel saving driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the travel state determining means is further configured to determine that the vehicle is in the halting state or in the slow moving state in cases that it is detected that the vehicle is halting or turning at an intersection based on a present position of the vehicle and map data.

4. The fuel saving driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the accelerator opening determining means is further configured to determine that the accelerator opening degree is zero in cases that a fuel quantity which the vehicle consumes in a predetermined time is less than a predetermined value.

5. The fuel saving driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the accelerator opening determining means is further configured to determine that the accelerator opening degree is zero in cases that a number of rotations per a predetermined time of an engine of the vehicle is less than a predetermined value.

6. The fuel saving driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the driving operation diagnosing means is further configured to

determine that a fuel saving driving operation with respect to a driving operation during the accelerator zero travel duration is performed when the accelerator zero travel distance is equal to or greater than a reference value, and

determine that a fuel saving driving operation with respect to a driving operation during the accelerator zero travel duration is not performed when the accelerator zero travel distance is less than the reference value.

7. The fuel saving driving assistance apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the driving operation diagnosing means being further configured to change the reference value depending on the vehicle speed at a start of the accelerator zero travel duration with reference to a reference value map, which sets up the reference value.

8. The fuel saving driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for providing a report indicating that a fuel saving driving with respect to a driving operation during the accelerator zero travel duration is not performed when the driving operation diagnosing means determines that a fuel saving driving operation with respect to a driving operation during the accelerator zero travel duration is not performed.

9. A method for diagnosing a fuel saving driving operation for a vehicle using a fuel saving driving assistance apparatus, the method comprising:

determining a travel state as to whether the vehicle is in a halting state or in a slow moving state;

determining an accelerator opening as to whether an accelerator opening degree of an accelerator of the vehicle is zero;

calculating, based on determination results by determining the travel state and determining the accelerator opening,

a deceleration duration up to a time when the halting state or the slow moving state is detected, and

an accelerator zero travel duration for which an accelerator opening degree is zero during the deceleration duration;

calculating an accelerator zero travel distance during the calculated accelerator zero travel duration; and

determining whether a fuel saving driving operation with respect to a driving operation during the accelerator zero travel duration is performed based on the calculated accelerator zero travel distance.

10. A program product stored in a computer readable storage medium, the program product comprising instructions for execution by a computer, the instructions including the method according to claim 9, which is computer-implemented.