Vehicle driving assistance device

• US 8,878,662 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Makiyama, Akihiro, Sakaguchi, Shigeyuki, Kawamoto, Yutaka, Fuke, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/812,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20130120126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/441, 340/438, 701/70, 701/93, 701/110, 701/123, 123/349, 123/350, 123/399, 123/492, 123/493
• US Class Current: 340/439
• 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: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/106 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/106 Detection of demand or actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A vehicle operation support apparatus includes an indicator section for indicating an actual value of a parameter and a target value of the parameter for an operator to manipulate the parameter with reference to the target value, wherein the parameter is manipulated by the operator for changing an engine output of a vehicle. In the vehicle operation support apparatus, a change amount of an indication in the indicator section with respect to a unit change amount of the actual value of the parameter is relatively small in a region close to the target value.

Claims

1. A vehicle operation support apparatus comprising:

an indicator section for indicating an actual value of a parameter and a target value of the parameter for an operator to manipulate the parameter with reference to the target value, wherein the parameter is manipulated by the operator for changing an engine output of a vehicle;

wherein a change amount of an indication in the indicator section with respect to a unit change amount of the actual value of the parameter is relatively small in a region close to the target value.

2. The vehicle operation support apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the target value is indicated in a fixed position in the indicator section irrespective of variation of the target value; and

the actual value is indicated as a ratio to the target value.

3. The vehicle operation support apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the change amount of the indication is reduced through a change point of the parameter by a ratio of reduction, wherein the change point is set between zero and the target value, and wherein the ratio of reduction increases as the target value decreases.

4. The vehicle operation support apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the change amount of the indication in a segment between the change point and the target value is constant with respect to variation of the target value.

5. The vehicle operation support apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein reduction of the change amount of the indication is inhibited when the target value is greater than a predetermined value.

6. The vehicle operation support apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameter is an accelerator pedal opening of the vehicle.