Vehicle information system

• US 8,296,048 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Henderson, Chris, Smith, Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEIN, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US12/723,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20110224894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 340438-439, 180/69.4, 701/123, 731/145.2, 731/145.3
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/174 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: F02B 77/084 indicating economy
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/004 Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A vehicle information system operating method performs operations comprising determining an operational period, determining a movement period, determining a modification factor, determining a fuel economy value and determining an adjusted fuel economy value. The determining of the operational period determines the operational period during which a vehicle is running. The determining of the movement period determines the movement period during which the vehicle is in motion. The determining of the modification factor determines the modification factor based on respective durations of the operational period and the movement period. The determining of the fuel economy value determines the fuel economy value associated with the operational period. The determining of the adjusted fuel economy value determines the adjusted fuel economy value based on the fuel economy value and the modification factor.

Claims

1. A vehicle information system operating method comprising:

determining an operational period during which a vehicle is running;

determining a movement period reflective of movement of the vehicle within a duration of the operational period; and

operating a controller to determine determining a modification factor based on a ratio of the movement period to the operational period, determine a fuel economy value associated with fuel consumption and distance traveled throughout the duration of the operational period, determine an adjustment value based on the fuel economy value, a previous adjusted fuel economy value and the modification factor, and determine a current adjusted fuel economy value based on the previous adjusted fuel economy value and the adjustment value,

wherein the difference between the current adjusted economy value and the previous adjusted economy value is limited to a product of the modification factor and a difference between the fuel economy value and the previous adjusted fuel economy value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the fuel economy value represents a distance-to-empty value of the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the determining of the fuel economy value is based on a signal output from a fuel injection controller.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

displaying information representing the adjusted fuel economy value.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the determining of the movement period includes starting a timer at a beginning of the operational period and stopping the timer whenever the vehicle is stationary.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the movement period is a fraction of the operational period.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the determining of the adjustment value includes determining a difference between the fuel economy value and the previous fuel economy value.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the determining of the operational period is based on an operational status of an ignition of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the determining of the operational period includes limiting the operational period to a duration of a predetermined monitoring period.

10. A vehicle information system controller comprising:

a control unit including an operation period determining section, a movement period determining section, a modification factor determining section, a fuel economy determining section, an adjustment value determining section, and an adjusted fuel economy value determining section;

the operational period determining section determines an operational period during which a vehicle is running;

the movement period determining section determines a movement period reflective of movement of the vehicle within a duration of the operational period;

the modification factor determining section determines a modification factor based on a ratio of the movement period to the operational period;

the fuel economy determining section determines a fuel economy value associated with fuel consumption and distance traveled throughout the duration of the operational period;

the adjustment value determining section determines an adjustment value based on the fuel economy value, a previous adjusted fuel economy value and the modification factor; and

the adjusted fuel economy value determining section determines a current adjusted fuel economy value based on the previous adjusted fuel economy value and the adjustment value,

wherein the difference between the current adjusted economy value and the previous adjusted economy value is limited to a product of the modification factor and a difference between the fuel economy value and the previous adjusted fuel economy value.

11. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, wherein

the fuel economy value represents a distance-to-empty value of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, wherein

the fuel economy determining section determines the fuel economy value based on a signal output from a fuel injection controller.

13. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, further comprising

a display section which controls displaying of information representing the adjusted fuel economy value.

14. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, wherein

the movement period determining section further determines the movement period by starting a timer at a beginning of the operational period and stopping the timer whenever the vehicle is stationary.

15. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, wherein

the movement period is a fraction of the operational period.

16. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, wherein

the adjustment value determining section determines the adjustment value as a difference between the fuel economy value and the previous fuel economy value.

17. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, wherein

the operational period determining section determines the operational period based on an operational status of an ignition of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle information system controller according to claim 10, wherein

the operational period determining section limits the operational period to a duration of a predetermined monitoring period.