INFORMATION PROVIDING METHOD FOR VEHICLE AND INFORMATION PROVIDING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

• US 20180298866A1
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Published: 10/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: OKITSU, Yuta, SHIMIZU, Hiromoto, SATOU, Haruki, NOJI, Tadafumi, SHINOHARA, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 10,451,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 45/00 Electrical control not provided for in groups F02D41/00 - F02D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0833 Vehicle conditions F02N11/0822, F02N11/0825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0844 with means for restarting the engine directly after an engine stop request, e.g. caused by change of driver mind
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0801 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/102 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

In an information providing method and device for a vehicle, an engine of the vehicle is stopped automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver. The driver is notified of support information for satisfying the permission condition when the permission condition is not satisfied in the state in which the vehicle is stopped by the brake operation. A vehicle stop keeping control generates a braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stopped state even when the brake operation decreases. The notification of the support information is stopped when it is determined that the driver does not wish to automatically stop the engine in a state in which the support information is being notified and the vehicle stop keeping control is in operation.

Claims

1. An information providing method for a vehicle, the information providing method comprising:

stopping an engine of the vehicle automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver;

notifying the driver of support information for satisfying the permission condition when the permission condition is not satisfied in the state in which the vehicle is stopped by the brake operation;

starting a vehicle stop keeping control that generates a braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stopped state even when the brake operation decreases; and

stopping the notification of the support information when determined from a decrease of a brake operation amount of the brake operation of a brake that the driver does not wish to automatically stop the engine while in a state in which the support information is being notified and the vehicle stop keeping control is in operation.

3. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein

the decrease of the brake operation amount of the brake operation of the brake is determined based on when a brake hydraulic pressure according to the brake operation amount is less than a predetermined determination hydraulic pressure.

4. The information providing method according to claim 3, wherein

the decrease of the brake operation amount of the brake operation of the brake is further determined based on when an amount of time over which the brake hydraulic pressure is less than the predetermined determination hydraulic pressure continues for a determination time period set in advance.

5. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein

the decrease of the brake operation amount of the brake operation of the brake is determined when the brake operation is released.

6. The information providing method according to claim 1, further comprising

setting a time interval as a predetermined notification continuation time between a determination that the driver does not wish to stop the engine automatically and the stopping of the notification of the support information.

7. The information providing method according to claim 1, further comprising

setting a time interval from a determination that the driver does not wish to stop the engine automatically until the notification of the support information is stopped as a notification continuation time that is set to be shorter as an elapsed time becomes longer from starting a determination of whether the driver wishes to stop the engine automatically until the determination that the driver does not wish to stop the engine automatically.

8. The information providing method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

even when determined that the driver does not wish to stop the engine automatically, the stopping of the notification of the support information is delayed until a notification reserved time has elapsed since starting the notification of the support information.

2. (canceled)

9. An information providing device for a vehicle, the information providing device comprising:

an automatic stop control unit configured to stop an engine of the vehicle automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver;

a vehicle stop keeping control unit configured to start a vehicle stop keeping control that generates a braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stopped state even when the brake operation decreases;

an information notification unit configured to notify the driver of support information for satisfying the permission condition;

an intention determination unit configured to determine whether or not the driver wishes to stop the engine automatically based on a decrease of a brake operation amount; and

a notification information control unit configured to control the information notification unit to notify the support information when the permission condition is not satisfied in the state in which the vehicle is stopped by the brake operation, the notification information control unit being further configured to stop the notification of the support information when determined from a decrease of a brake operation amount of the brake operation of a brake that the driver does not wish to stop the engine automatically in a state in which the support information is being notified and the vehicle stop keeping control is in operation.