System and method for indicating delay in implementation of an energy-expending action in a powered vehicle system

• US 8,838,315 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Malone, Mark Douglas, Be, Tuan Anh, Mansur, William Najib
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US13/622,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/67, 701/120, 701/102, 701/1, 701/98, 180/165, 180/65.29, 180/167, 180/65.31, 180/65.265, 180/65.22, 180/65.285, 320/108, 930/930, 477/3, 477/5, 477/4
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/084 State of vehicle accessories, e.g. air condition or power steering
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/08 said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/2011 Control involving a delay; Control involving a waiting period before engine stop or engine start
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method for operation of a vehicle by a control system is provided. The method comprises indicating to a vehicle operator a delay in implementation of an energy-expending action in a powered vehicle system in response to receiving an implementation request from an input device based on vehicle energy usage via a delay indicator.

Claims

1. A method for operation of a vehicle by a controller electronically coupled to an input device and comprising instructions stored in memory executable by a processor operatively positioned proximate the controller comprising:

receiving a request from the controller to implement an energy-expending action;

delaying implementation of the energy-expending action based on vehicle energy usage; and

communicating to a vehicle operator a delay in implementation of the energy-expending action in response to receiving an implementation request via a delay indicator via a delay indicator that is operatively positioned in the vehicle cabin.

2. The method of claim 1, where the vehicle energy usage includes engine fuel consumption in the vehicle and energy input and output of an energy storage device included in the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, where the delay is indicated if the energy-expending action will increase vehicle energy usage above a predetermined threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing the energy-expending action in the powered vehicle system after the delay ends.

5. The method of claim 1, where the powered vehicle system is one of a powered lift gate system, a powered window system, a powered door system, a powered sun-roof or convertible top system, and a powered steering system.

6. The method of claim 1, where indicating a delay includes providing a visual delay cue, proportional to the delay, to a vehicle operator via a visual cue apparatus included in the delay indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, where indicating a delay includes providing an auditory delay cue to a vehicle operator via an audio cue apparatus included in the delay indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, where indicating a delay includes providing a tactile delay cue to a vehicle operator via a tactile cue apparatus included in the delay indicator.

9. The method of claim 8, where the tactile cue apparatus is positioned in a steering wheel of the vehicle and the tactile delay cue comprising a vibration.

10. The method of claim 1, where the input device is a touch interface positioned within a vehicle cabin and included in the control system.

11. A vehicle comprising:

an energy storage device;

a powered vehicle system, electrically coupled to the energy storage device;

an input device operatively positioned in the vehicle receiving input from a vehicle operator controlling an energy-expending action of the powered vehicle system; and

a controller, electronically coupled to the energy storage device and the input device, the controller comprising instructions stored in memory executable by a processor to;

receive a request to implement the energy-expending action in the powered vehicle system from the input device;

delay implementation of the energy-expending action based on vehicle power usage; and

communicating a delay in implementation of the energy-expending action to an operator of the vehicle via a delay indicator that is operatively positioned in the vehicle cabin.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, where the energy storage device is a battery.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, where the battery provides power to a motor providing motive power to wheels during at least some vehicle operating conditions.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, where the vehicle includes an engine and the delay is implemented based on the engine being temporarily shut-down when the request to implement the energy-expending action is received by the controller.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, where indicating a delay in implementation of the energy-expending action includes providing a visual cue to a vehicle operator via a visual cue indicator, the visual cue indicator integrated into the input device.

16. The vehicle of claim 11, where indicating a delay including indicating a duration of the delay.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, where the duration of a delay is indicated by illuminated sections included in the delay indicator.

18. A method for operation of a vehicle via a controller electronically coupled to an input device and comprising instructions stored in memory executable by a processor comprising:

receiving an electronic control signal from the input device requesting implementation of an energy-expending action in a powered vehicle system;

communicating to a vehicle operator a delay in the implementation of the energy-expending action in the powered vehicle system via a delay indicator that is operatively positioned in the vehicle cabin; and

implementing the requested energy-expending action in the powered vehicle system after the delay period has ended.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the delay indication is responsive to a powertrain operating mode and electrical energy storage level in the vehicle, the method further comprising prior to implementing the requested energy-expending action, implementing a second energy-expending action in a second powered vehicle system, the first and second energy-expending actions implemented at non-overlapping intervals.

20. The method of claim 18, where indicating to a vehicle operator a delay in implementation of the energy-expending action includes visually indicating a duration of the delay.