Driving aid indicator for economical operation of automatic transmission equipped motor vehicle

• US 4,542,460 A
• Filed: 02/16/1982
• Issued: 09/17/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold J. Weber
• Original Assignee: Harold J. Weber
• Inventors: Weber, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gruber, Felix D.
• Application Number:
  US06/348,775
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424, 364/424.1, 364/442, 74/866, 73/862.32, 73/862.33, 73/862.34, 73/118
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/467 of torque converter
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/42 Ratio indicator devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

Driving aid apparatus for determining the best, most economical operating conditions for a motor vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. The input member rotational rate of a torque converter coupled with the automatic transmission is measured. The rotational rate of the output member of the torque converter is also measured. A distinct difference may normally exist between these two rates, when a load is applied to the torque converter output, due to "slip" through the torque converter. The extent of this slip is in part proportional to the torque transmitted through the torque converter and, therefore, by a determination made from the difference between the two rates in combination with other key parameters affecting torque converter performance, the relative engine output torque can be found. Through utilizing this relative torque factor, in combination with other engine parameter signals such as manifold vacuum, operating temperature, and throttle position, the relative operating steadiness and net efficiency of the instant operating conditions of the overall vehicle is derived and displayed for the driver. This display enables the driver to operate the vehicle in a manner leading to uniform performance and maximum fuel economy. Through a control available for driver adjustment, the computed indicator responses are further modified to best suit the driving habits of the driver. A unique vehicle performance profile memory adds the dimension of tailoring the computed responses to the exact performance characteristics of the attendant vehicle.

Claims

1. Driving aid method for use with a motor vehicle having a torque converter and at least providing operator guidance for more efficient operation thereof, comprising the steps therefor:

a. producing a first signal proportional to the torque converter input member rotational speed;

b. producing a second signal proportional to the torque converter output member rotational speed;

c. obtaining the effective difference between the first signal and the second signal to produce a slip signal;

d. coupling the instant value of the slip signal with address inputs of a vehicle performance profile memory to obtain an effective relative torque signal value weighted by values stored in the memory which relate to at least the torque converter coupling efficiency relative with absolute torque coupled therethrough; and

,

e. producing tell tale guidance to an operator of said vehicle which relates instantaneous values of the relative torque signal with most efficient operation of said vehicle.

2. Driving aid apparatus, adapted for use with a motor vehicle and comprising.

a. torque converter means;

b. engine means coupled with an input member of said converter means;

c. load means coupled with an output member of said converter means;

d. first sensor means coupled with the input member of said torque converter means, effective to produce a first speed signal proportional to the rotational speed of said input member;

e. second sensor means coupled with the output member of said torque converter means, effective to produce a second speed signal proportional to the rotational speed of said output member;

f. combining means coupled with said first sensor means and said second sensor means effective to produce a slip signal proportional to the effective difference between the first speed signal and the second speed signal;

g. memory means coupled with said slip signal effective to produce at an output therefrom a relative torque signal value effectively weighted by a value stored in the memory means; and

,

h. telltale guidance means effectively coupled with said relative torque signal produced from said memory means output.

3. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first sensor means produces a first speed signal proportional to the engine output shaft revolutions per minute (r.p.m.).

4. Driving aid apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first sensor means produces a first speed signal derived from the ignition firing pulse rate of the engine means, whereby said pulse rate is effectively proportional to engine output member means r.p.m.

5. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said load means further comprises a gearbox means which couples with the torque converter output means and said gearbox means includes an output shaft coupled with said second speed sensor means, whereby the sensor means effectively produces a second speed signal proportional to the torque converter output speed.

6. Driving aid apparatus of claim 5 wherein said torque converter output means couples with a gearbox means including an output shaft, wherein said second sensor means is responsive to the gearbox output shaft speed;

wherein said gearbox provides more than one gear ratio combination therethrough and further includes a gearing sensor means producing a shift status signal effectively coupled with said signal combining means, thereby compensating the variable, torque converter produced, difference between the first speed signal and the second speed signal by the constant difference wrought by the fixed gearbox ratio.

7. Driving aid apparatus of claim 5 wherein said combining means includes input means responsive to instantaneous gearbox gear ratio combination selection.

8. Driving aid apparatus of claim 7 wherein said combining means provides an output effective to indicate the instantaneous gearbox selection.

9. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein secondsensor means comprises a magnetic pickup coupled effectively with said gearbox output shaft.

10. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said second speed sensor produces a signal effectively proportional to the torque converter output speed.

11. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said signal combining means includes an input responsive to instantaneous vehicle travel speed, coupled with said vehicle performance profile memory means thereby enabling the compensation of the tell tale guidance signal for normal speed related mobilization resistance of the said vehicle.

12. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said tell tale guidance means comprises a visual display indicator for operator viewing, wherein said indicator provides performance indications relatable to the vehicle'"'"'s economy of operation.

13. Driving aid apparatus of claim 12 wherein said tell tale guidance means comprises an array of light emitting diodes arranged to produce a bar graph display.

14. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said tell tale guidance signal comprises at least one visual indicating device.

15. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said combining means includes an input coupled with a vacuum data sensor, effective to produce a signal proportional to the vacuum in the manifold of the engine and signaling engine load status to the signal combining means, thereby giving some compensation to the tell tale guidance signal.

16. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said combining means includes an input coupled with a temperature sensor means producing a signal indicative of the mechanical temperature of the engine, thereby compensating the tell tale guidance means signal.

17. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one of said combining means and memory means includes an input coupled with a temperature sensor means producing a signal indicative of the mechanical temperature of the transmission, thereby compensating the tell tale guidance means signal.

18. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said combining means includes an input responsive to vehicle load, serving to modify the tell tale guidance means indication value.

19. Driving aid apparatus of claim 18 wherein said vehicle load is predetermined by at least one seat occupancy sensor, responsive to vehicle passenger loading.

20. Driving aid apparatus of claim 18 wherein said vehicle load is predetermined by at least a sensor means effectively coupled with said vehicle'"'"'s usual suspension means, responsive to displacement of said suspension means effected by various load combinations.

21. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one of said combining means and said memory means further includes an input coupled with an operator adjustable means for providing variable "selected performance" compensation of the signal produced by the tell tale guidance means.

22. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said signal combining means includes variability in the responsiveness of the difference between the first sensor means produced first speed signal and the second sensor means produced second speed signal;

wherein said responsiveness is obtained by adjustable means under the control of the operator.

23. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said combining means couples with semiconductor memory means effective to adapt the tell tale guidance means signal value to the predetermined performance profile of the attendant vehicle.

24. Driving aid apparatus of claim 2 wherein said vehicle performance profile memory means includes read-only memory means programmed to give compensation at the output therefrom for any combination of several inputs thereto as derived from at least one of the first and second combining means, and at least one of the several other inputs comprising vacuum data, temperature, stop light status, operator selected performance, instantaneous engine speed, and instantaneous vehicle speed.