Fuel efficiency display device for fuel cell vehicle, and fuel efficiency displaying method for fuel cell vehicle

• US 7,966,121 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kimura, Kenichiro, Aoyagi, Satoshi, Fujimoto, Sachito
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafi; Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US11/699,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 701/123, 701/70, 701/22, 701/51, 701/36, 701/99, 701/1, 701/86, 701/103, 701/104, 701/112, 701/200, 701/201, 701207-211, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180 6522- 6531, 180/225, 180/284, 180/69.4, 180/69.5, 305/152, 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/321, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324, 713/330, 713/340, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 4553431-345, 455/574, 348/333.01, 348/333.13, 903/944
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/70 using power supplied by fuel cells in combination with batteries B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/023 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04313 characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04559 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04567 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04582 of the individual fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04589 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04626 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04761 of fuel cell exhausts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04888 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/944 : Characterized by control of fuel cell

Abstract

This fuel efficiency display device for a fuel cell vehicle includes: a first interval vehicle efficiency obtaining device which obtains a first interval vehicle efficiency being a fraction of a generated traveling energy with respect to a consumed fuel amount in a predetermined first time-interval; a second interval traveling energy obtaining device which obtains a second interval traveling energy being a traveling energy generated in a predetermined second time-interval which is shorter than the first time-interval; and a second interval fuel efficiency obtaining device which obtains a second interval fuel efficiency being a fuel efficiency in the second time-interval, based on at least the first interval vehicle efficiency and the second interval traveling energy.

Claims

1. A fuel efficiency displaying method for a fuel cell vehicle including a motor that is a driving source of the fuel cell vehicle, a motor controller that controls an operation status of the motor, a fuel cell system that is a power source for the motor, and a controller that calculates and displays fuel efficiency,

said fuel cell system including a fuel cell which receives reaction gasses and performs electrochemical reactions to generate an electrical power, and a power storage device which is charged with the generated electrical power from the fuel cell and a regeneration power from the motor, and discharges an assisting power to assist the electrical power of the fuel cell,

said fuel efficiency displaying method for a fuel cell vehicle comprising:

a first interval vehicle efficiency obtaining step for obtaining a first interval vehicle efficiency that is an average energy efficiency at a predetermined first time-interval that ascends from the present time to the past and is a relatively long time interval, based on (i) a reaction gas amount that was consumed for power generation in the fuel cell in the first time-interval, and (ii) a traveling energy generated in the first time-interval, wherein an increase of the reaction gas amount consumed in the fuel cell is suppressed in accordance with increasing an amount of the assisting power from the power storage device;

a second interval traveling energy obtaining step for obtaining a second interval traveling energy that is a traveling energy generated in a predetermined second time-interval which is shorter than the first time-interval and is also an instant time-interval with respect to the present time;

a second interval fuel efficiency obtaining step for obtaining a second interval fuel efficiency that is an average fuel efficiency of the fuel cell vehicle in the second time-interval, based on at least the first interval vehicle efficiency and the second interval traveling energy;

an ideal fuel efficiency obtaining step for obtaining an ideal fuel efficiency that is a predetermined ideal fuel efficiency which corresponds to a state of the fuel cell vehicle in the second time-interval;

a second interval fuel efficiency difference calculating step for calculating a second interval fuel efficiency difference that is a fraction of the second interval fuel efficiency corresponding to a driving operation of a driver with respect to the ideal fuel efficiency in the second time-interval, based on the second interval fuel efficiency and the ideal fuel efficiency; and

a displaying step for displaying the second interval fuel efficiency difference, wherein in said displaying step, an image having a circular-shape and size corresponding to said second interval fuel efficiency difference is displayed, and a diameter of the circular-shape is changed in response to said second interval fuel efficiency difference.

2. The fuel efficiency display method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first interval fuel efficiency obtaining step for obtaining a first interval fuel efficiency that is a fuel efficiency in the first time-interval, based on at least the reaction gas amount and an interval mileage that is a mileage at the first time-interval;

a standard fuel efficiency obtaining step for storing a standard fuel efficiency that is a standard fuel efficiency based on a plurality of actual traveling statuses of the fuel cell vehicle so as to correspond to each of predetermined interval regions through which the fuel cell vehicle travels in the first time-interval;

a first interval fuel efficiency difference calculating step for calculating a first interval fuel efficiency difference that is a fraction of (i) the first interval fuel efficiency and (ii) the first interval fuel efficiency which corresponds to a driving operation of a driver with respect to the ideal fuel efficiency, and which corresponds to an interval through which the fuel cell vehicle travels in the first time-interval; and

a fuel efficiency fraction selecting step for determining whether the fuel cell vehicle is in a traveling state or in a traveling-stopped state, which selects the second interval fuel efficiency difference if it is determined that the fuel cell vehicle is in the traveling state, and which selects the first interval fuel efficiency difference if it is determined that the fuel cell vehicle is in the traveling-stopped state, wherein

in the displaying step, one selected from the first interval fuel efficiency difference and the second interval fuel efficiency difference is displayed.

3. The fuel efficiency display method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2, wherein in said displaying step, an image having a size corresponding to said first interval fuel efficiency difference is displayed.

4. The fuel efficiency display method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

in said displaying step, the image having a circular-shape is displayed, and a diameter of the circular-shape is changed in response to said first interval fuel efficiency difference.