Vehicle Information Display And Method

• US 20110095878A1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Watson, David L., Hartl, Derek, Bryan, Paul Stephen, Watson, Angela L., Skaff, Ryan J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,506,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• 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 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/005 Indication of measured value by colour change
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/04 using a separate indicating element for each variable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/06 in graphical form
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

An information display system for a hybrid electric vehicle configured to display one or more reasons an engine is on is provided. The information display system also indicates how close the engine is to turning on due to an engine on reason by displaying a proximity indicator representing a value associated with the engine on reason and a threshold demarcating values which cause the engine to be on.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a display including at least one indicator and a first threshold corresponding to at least one engine on reason; and

a controller that determines a value associated with each engine on reason and transmits a signal causing the display to display the at least one indicator representing the value;

wherein the first threshold demarcates values that cause an engine to turn on.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicator changes color based upon its proximity to the first threshold.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the value corresponds to one of a plurality of proximity levels indicating a relative proximity to the first threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display displays at least one of the engine on reasons when the value corresponding to that engine on reason reaches the first threshold.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein displaying at least one of the engine on reasons includes displaying an engine on reason explanation for the engine on reason.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first threshold changes color when the indicator reaches the first threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second threshold associated with the first threshold, the second threshold demarcating values that cause an engine to turn off.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second threshold is displayed when the engine is on for at least the engine on reason corresponding to the first threshold.

9. A display comprising:

at least one indicator reflecting a value associated with an engine on reason; and

at least one threshold associated with each indicator that identifies the value at which an engine transitions from off to on.

10. The display of claim 9, wherein the at least one indicator changes color based upon its proximity to the at least one threshold.

11. The display of claim 10, wherein the value corresponds to one of a plurality of proximity levels indicating a relative proximity to the at least one threshold.

12. The display of claim 9, wherein the display displays at least one of the engine on reasons when the value corresponding to that engine on reason reaches the at least one threshold.

13. The display of claim 12, wherein displaying at least one of the engine on reasons includes displaying an engine on reason explanation for the engine on reason.

14. The display of claim 9, wherein the at least one threshold changes color when the indicator reaches the at least one threshold.

15. The display of claim 14, wherein the at least one threshold comprises an engine on threshold and an engine off threshold, the engine off threshold demarcating values in which an engine will turn off.

16. The display of claim 15, wherein the engine off threshold is spaced apart from the engine on threshold, the engine off threshold only being displayed when the engine is on for at least the corresponding engine on reason, the engine on threshold only being displayed when the engine is not on for at least the corresponding engine in reason.

17. A method comprising:

acquiring data for one or more vehicle operating parameters associated with one or more engine on reasons;

determining a value corresponding to each engine on reason; and

transmitting a signal so that a display displays;

an indicator for each engine on reason representing the value, and

at least one threshold for the one or more engine on reasons that corresponds with an engine on/off transition.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the value corresponds to one of a plurality of proximity levels indicating a relative proximity to the at least one threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the indicator changes color based upon the proximity level.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting a signal so that the display displays at least one of the one or more engine on reasons when the value corresponding to the at least one engine on reason reaches the at least one threshold.