GUIDANCE DEVICE, GUIDANCE METHOD, AND GUIDANCE PROGRAM

• US 20110015819A1
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Goto, Hirohiko, Niwa, Toshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• 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: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/26 Controlling the braking effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/604 Merging friction therewith; Adjusting their repartition
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 : Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/188 : Parking lock mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 : Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 : Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 : Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Guidance devices, methods, and programs acquire a current speed of a vehicle and calculate a regeneration upper limit operation amount of the regenerative brake based on the current speed of the vehicle. The devices, methods, and programs acquire a deceleration target speed, acquire a deceleration target position, calculate a distance to the deceleration target position, and calculate a deceleration required operation amount of the brake pedal required for reducing the current speed of the vehicle to the deceleration target speed at the deceleration target position based on the acquired current speed of the vehicle, the acquired deceleration target speed, and the calculated distance to the deceleration target position. The devices, methods, and programs communicate guidance regarding the operation amount of the brake pedal based on the calculated regeneration upper limit operation amount and the calculated deceleration required operation amount.

Claims

1. A guidance device that provides guidance regarding an operation amount of a brake pedal in a vehicle having a friction brake and a regenerative brake, the guidance device comprising:

a controller configured to;

acquire a current speed of the vehicle;

calculate a regeneration upper limit operation amount, which is an upper limit value of the operation amount of the brake pedal when only the regenerative brake is operated, based on the current speed of the vehicle;

acquire a deceleration target speed;

acquire a deceleration target position;

calculate a distance to the deceleration target position;

calculate a deceleration required operation amount of the brake pedal required for reducing the current speed of the vehicle to the deceleration target speed at the deceleration target position based on the acquired current speed of the vehicle, the acquired deceleration target speed, and the calculated distance to the deceleration target position;

create guidance regarding the operation amount of the brake pedal based on the calculated regeneration upper limit operation amount and the calculated deceleration required operation amount; and

cause the created guidance to be communicated to a user.

2. The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire a current operation amount of the brake pedal; and

create the guidance also based on the acquired current operation amount.

3. The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire an upper limit operation amount of the brake pedal that corresponds to an amount of braking when the brake pedal is depressed to a maximum extent; and

create the guidance using the acquired upper limit operation amount of the brake pedal as a reference;

wherein the created guidance is communicated to the user by being displayed on a display.

4. The guidance device according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire a current operation amount of the brake pedal;

create;

a current operation amount display section that shows the acquired current operation amount;

a regeneration upper limit operation amount display section that shows the calculated regeneration upper limit operation amount; and

a deceleration required operation amount display section that shows the calculated deceleration required amount; and

cause the current operation amount display section, the regeneration upper limit operation amount display section, and the deceleration required operation amount display section to be displayed on the display within a display area that represents the operation amount of the brake pedal and spans from a position that corresponds to a non-operation state of the brake pedal to a position that corresponds to the upper limit operation amount.

5. The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire battery charge information output from a battery control unit in the vehicle; and

calculate the regeneration upper limit operation amount based on the acquired battery charge information.

6. The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein:

the deceleration target position is a stop point; and

the deceleration target speed is set to zero.

7. The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein:

the deceleration target position is a point at an entry to a curve; and

the deceleration target speed is set to a speed at which the curve can be safely navigated by the vehicle.

8. The guidance device according to claim 1, wherein:

the created guidance is communicated to the user by being displayed on a display; and

the controller is configured to cause the created guidance to be displayed on the display at a specified display time.

9. The guidance device according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the specified display time as a time at which the deceleration target position is reachable by inertia of the vehicle and an acceleration pedal of the vehicle is not in use.

10. A navigation device comprising the guidance device of claim 1.

11. A controller-implemented guidance method for providing guidance regarding an operation amount of a brake pedal in a vehicle having a friction brake and a regenerative brake, the guidance method comprising:

acquiring a current speed of the vehicle;

calculating a regeneration upper limit operation amount, which is an upper limit value of the operation amount of the brake pedal when only the regenerative brake is operated, based on the current speed of the vehicle;

acquiring a deceleration target speed;

acquiring a deceleration target position;

calculating a distance to the deceleration target position;

calculating a deceleration required operation amount of the brake pedal required for reducing the current speed of the vehicle to the deceleration target speed at the deceleration target position based on the acquired current speed of the vehicle, the acquired deceleration target speed, and the calculated distance to the deceleration target position;

creating guidance regarding the operation amount of the brake pedal based on the calculated regeneration upper limit operation amount and the calculated deceleration required operation amount; and

causing the created guidance to be communicated to a user.

12. The guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

acquiring a current operation amount of the brake pedal; and

creating the guidance also based on the acquired current operation amount.

13. The guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

acquiring an upper limit operation amount of the brake pedal that corresponds to an amount of braking when the brake pedal is depressed to a maximum extent;

creating the guidance using the acquired upper limit operation amount of the brake pedal as a reference; and

communicating the created guidance to a user by displaying the guidance on a display.

14. The guidance method according to claim 13, the method further comprising:

acquiring current operation amount of the brake pedal;

creating;

a current operation amount display section that shows the acquired current operation amount;

a regeneration upper limit operation amount display section that shows the calculated regeneration upper limit operation amount; and

a deceleration required operation amount display section that shows the calculated deceleration required amount; and

causing the current operation amount display section, the regeneration upper limit operation amount display section, and the deceleration required operation amount display section to be displayed on the display within a display area that represents the operation amount of the brake pedal and spans from a position that corresponds to a non-operation state of the brake pedal to a position that corresponds to the upper limit operation amount.

15. The guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

acquiring battery charge information output from a battery control unit in the vehicle; and

calculating the regeneration upper limit operation amount based on the acquired battery charge information.

16. The guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

setting the deceleration target position at a stop point; and

setting the deceleration target speed to zero.

17. The guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

setting the deceleration target position at a point at an entry to a curve; and

setting the deceleration target speed to a speed at which the curve can be safely navigated by the vehicle.

18. The guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

communicating the created guidance to a user by displaying the guidance on a display; and

causing the created guidance to be displayed on the display at a specified display time.

19. The guidance method according to claim 18, further comprising calculating the specified display time as a time at which the deceleration target position is reachable by inertia of the vehicle and an acceleration pedal of the vehicle is not in use.

20. A non-transitive computer-readable medium storing a computer executable program usable to provide guidance regarding an operation amount of a brake pedal in a vehicle having a friction brake and a regenerative brake, the program comprising:

instructions for acquiring a current speed of the vehicle;

instructions for calculating a regeneration upper limit operation amount, which is an upper limit value of the operation amount of the brake pedal when only the regenerative brake is operated, based on the current speed of the vehicle;

instructions for acquiring a deceleration target speed;

instructions for acquiring a deceleration target position;

instructions for calculating a distance to the deceleration target position;

instructions for calculating a deceleration required operation amount of the brake pedal required for reducing the current speed of the vehicle to the deceleration target speed at the deceleration target position based on the acquired current speed of the vehicle, the acquired deceleration target speed, and the calculated distance to the deceleration target position;

instructions for creating guidance regarding the operation amount of the brake pedal based on the calculated regeneration upper limit operation amount and the calculated deceleration required operation amount; and

instructions for causing the created guidance to be communicated to a user.