Vehicle fuel efficiency display

• US 8,228,180 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Levy, Michael Joseph, Riegelman, Alexander Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam, Mirza
• Application Number:
  US12/753,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20110241861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/425.5, 340/459, 340/461, 340/450.2, 340/426.1, 340/462, 340/436, 340/870.13, 340/870.16, 362/23, 362/27, 362/487, 362/488, 362/489, 362/26, 362/551, 362/615, 345/1.1, 345/646, 345/662, 701/123, 701/99, 701/103, 701/104
• US Class Current: 340/439
• 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 35/28 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: G01D 7/08 using a common indicating element for two or more variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/008 where the other variable is the flight or running time
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A fuel efficiency display for a vehicle includes a scale extending vertically on a screen with a bar superimposed over the scale to represent the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle. A numerical representation of the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle is displayed above the scale and the bar. A first marker indicating and a numerical representation of the average fuel efficiency of the vehicle over a pre-selected range is displayed on a left side of the scale and the bar. A second marker indicating a numerical representation of the greatest fuel efficiency achieved by the vehicle over the pre-selected range is displayed on a right side of the scale and the bar.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a fuel efficiency of a vehicle on a display, the method comprising:

displaying a bar along a scale to indicate an instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle;

displaying a first marker simultaneously with the bar along the scale and laterally offset to a first side of the bar to indicate an average fuel efficiency of the vehicle over a pre-selected range of the vehicle, and

displaying a second marker simultaneously with the bar along the scale and laterally offset to a second side of the bar, opposite the first side of the bar, to indicate a greatest fuel efficiency achieved by the vehicle over the pre-selected range.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising continuously updating the bar, the first marker and the second marker over time relative to the scale.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising selecting a pre-selected range of the vehicle over which to measure the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein selecting a pre-selected range of the vehicle is further defined as selecting a pre-selected range of the vehicle from a group of ranges including 25 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles and 400 miles.

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising displaying the pre-selected range.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising displaying a numerical representation of the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the scale and the bar are arranged vertically on the display, and wherein displaying a numerical representation of the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle is further defined as displaying a numerical representation of the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle adjacent an upper end of the scale.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising displaying a numerical representation of the average fuel efficiency of the vehicle adjacent the first marker.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising displaying a numerical representation of the greatest fuel efficiency achieved by the vehicle over the pre-selected range adjacent the second marker.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the display includes a liquid crystal display.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the display includes a monochrome display.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the display includes a quarter video graphic display.

13. A fuel efficiency display for a vehicle, the display comprising:

a screen presenting a scale displayed in a vertical orientation;

a bar superimposed over said scale and configured for displaying an instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle relative to said scale;

a first marker disposed adjacent said scale and laterally offset from a first side of said bar and configured for displaying an average fuel efficiency of the vehicle over a pre-selected range of the vehicle relative to said scale; and

a second marker disposed adjacent said scale and laterally offset from a second side of said bar, opposite said first side of said bar, and configured for displaying a greatest fuel efficiency of the vehicle achieved over the pre-selected range relative to said scale.

14. A fuel efficiency display as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a first section disposed adjacent an upper end of said scale and configured for displaying a numerical representation of the instantaneous fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

15. A fuel efficiency display as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a second section disposed adjacent said first marker and configured for displaying a numerical representation of the average fuel efficiency of the vehicle over the pre-selected range.

16. A fuel efficiency display as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a third section disposed adjacent said second marker and configured for displaying a numerical representation of the greatest fuel efficiency of the vehicle over the pre-selected range.

17. A fuel efficiency display as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a fourth section configured for displaying a numerical representation of the pre-selected range over which the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is measured.

18. A fuel efficiency display as set forth in claim 13 wherein said screen includes a liquid crystal display.

19. A fuel efficiency display as set forth in claim 18 wherein said liquid crystal display includes a monochrome liquid crystal display.

20. A fuel efficiency display as set forth in claim 19 wherein said monochrome liquid crystal display includes a quarter video graphic display.