VEHICLE FUEL COST-PER-TIME DISPLAY
First Claim
1. A system providing information to improve the efficiency of operating a vehicle, comprising:
- an interface to a vehicle bus providing vehicle speed and fuel flow rate information;
a real-time clock;
an input to receive fuel cost information;
a processor in communication with the clock, the interface and the input, the processor being operative to compute the incremental cost of fuel relative to travel time; and
a display for displaying the incremental cost as dynamic fuel cost (DFC), defined as the cost to operate the vehicle in dollars per hour or other currency as a function of time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Vehicle operating conditions are computed and the instant variable cost of operation is displayed, enabling operators to learn to operate the vehicle in ways that maximize value, minimize fuel consumption, and reduce or avoid operations that are excessively costly or wasteful. The display quantity is termed “Dynamic Fuel Cost” or DFC, usually measured and displayed in currency (such as Dollars or Euros) per hour. Once every second or so, up to six modes of vehicle operation are detected, including steady speed, acceleration, deceleration by coasting (reduced power or parasitic drag), regenerative braking (in vehicles so equipped such as hybrids), friction braking, and zero speed idling. Then DFC is computed and displayed to the operator. Operators can choose to operate the vehicle in ways that maximize the value of their time and minimize fuel consumption and resulting emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system providing information to improve the efficiency of operating a vehicle, comprising:
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an interface to a vehicle bus providing vehicle speed and fuel flow rate information; a real-time clock; an input to receive fuel cost information; a processor in communication with the clock, the interface and the input, the processor being operative to compute the incremental cost of fuel relative to travel time; and a display for displaying the incremental cost as dynamic fuel cost (DFC), defined as the cost to operate the vehicle in dollars per hour or other currency as a function of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of providing information to improve the efficiency of operating a vehicle, comprising:
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receiving vehicle speed and fuel flow rate information from a vehicle bus; receive fuel cost information from a user; computing the incremental cost of fuel relative to travel time based upon the vehicle speed, fuel cost and flow rate; and displaying the incremental cost as dynamic fuel cost (DFC), defined as the cost to operate the vehicle in dollars per hour or other currency as a function of time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification