Driving assistance device

• US 8,841,996 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nakamichi, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/980,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20130293370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/425.5, 340/428, 340/438, 340/441, 340/461, 345/60, 345/212, 701/1, 701/22
• 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: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/00 Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A driving assistance device includes a display unit which displays an energy consumption rate map which shows a distribution of an energy consumption rate during travel of a vehicle, an icon which indicates a current energy consumption rate of the vehicle on the energy consumption rate map, the energy consumption rate being defined by a speed of the vehicle and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and a direction defining display portion which defines a moving direction of the icon, wherein the energy consumption rate map displays an eco region, which is a region in which the energy consumption rate is lower than a predetermined value, with a color different from those of the other regions of the energy consumption rate map in the display unit.

Claims

1. A driving assistance device comprising:

a display unit which displays

an energy consumption rate map which shows a distribution of an energy consumption rate during travel of a vehicle,

an icon which indicates a current energy consumption rate of the vehicle on the energy consumption rate map, the current energy consumption rate being defined by a speed of the vehicle and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and

a direction defining display portion which defines a moving direction of the icon,

wherein the energy consumption rate map displays an eco region, which is a region in which the energy consumption rate is lower than a predetermined value, with a color different from those of the other regions of the energy consumption rate map in the display unit.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1,

wherein the direction defining display portion comprises a symbol, a figure, or a word which is displayed adjacent to the icon and defines a front-back direction of the icon.

3. The driving assistance device according to claim 2,

wherein the display unit comprises an indicator which corresponds to the energy consumption rate map and indicates that the acceleration of the vehicle is near zero.

4. The driving assistance device according to claim 2,

wherein in the energy consumption rate map, the distribution of the energy consumption rate changes during travel of the vehicle on an upward slope or on a downward slope.

5. The driving assistance device according to claim 2,

wherein the energy consumption rate map uses two axes composition representing a speed of the vehicle and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.

6. The driving assistance device according to claim 1,

wherein the display unit comprises an indicator which corresponds to the energy consumption rate map and indicates that the acceleration of the vehicle is near zero.

7. The driving assistance device according to claim 1,

wherein in the energy consumption rate map, the distribution of the energy consumption rate changes during travel of the vehicle on an upward slope or on a downward slope.

8. The driving assistance device according to claim 1,

wherein the energy consumption rate map uses two axes composition representing a speed of the vehicle and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.

9. A driving assistance device comprising:

a display unit which displays

a one-dimensional energy consumption rate map which is obtained by cutting out, at a current speed or acceleration/deceleration of a vehicle, an energy consumption rate map which indicates a distribution of an energy consumption rate which is an energy consumption during travel of the vehicle, and

an icon which indicates a current energy consumption rate of the vehicle, which is defined by a speed of the vehicle and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, on the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map,

wherein the icon is formed into a non-line-symmetric shape to indicate a moving direction of the vehicle, which is obtained based on a speed of the vehicle and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and

the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map displays an eco region, which is a region in which the energy consumption rate is lower than a predetermined value, with a color different from those of the other regions of the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map in the display unit.

10. The driving assistance device according to claim 9,

wherein a size or a position of the eco region is determined in accordance with a speed of the vehicle or an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.

11. The driving assistance device according to claim 10,

wherein the size of the eco region is maximized when the icon is positioned near a central part of the eco region.

12. The driving assistance device according to claim 10,

wherein a smaller a range in which the eco region and the icon overlap each other, a smaller the eco region is displayed.

13. The driving assistance device according to claim 10,

wherein the display unit includes an indicator which corresponds to the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map and indicates that the acceleration of the vehicle is near zero.

14. The driving assistance device according to claim 10,

wherein in the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map, the distribution of the energy consumption rate changes during travel of the vehicle on an upward slope or on a downward slope.

15. The driving assistance device according to claim 10,

wherein the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map uses one axis composition representing an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.

16. The driving assistance device according to claim 9,

wherein the size of the eco region is maximized when the icon is positioned near a central part of the eco region.

17. The driving assistance device according to claim 9,

wherein a smaller a range in which the eco region and the icon overlap each other, a smaller the eco region is displayed.

18. The driving assistance device according to claim 9,

wherein the display unit includes an indicator which corresponds to the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map and indicates that the acceleration of the vehicle is near zero.

19. The driving assistance device according to claim 9,

wherein in the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map, the distribution of the energy consumption rate changes during travel of the vehicle on an upward slope or on a downward slope.

20. The driving assistance device according to claim 9,

wherein the one-dimensional energy consumption rate map uses one axis composition representing an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.