Method and system for informing fuel efficient driving

• US 9,098,952 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Jung, Woochul, Choi, Young Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kirkland, III, Freddie
• Application Number:
  US14/142,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 583 Days
• Field of Search: 731/145.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/174 Economic driving
• 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 10/00 Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function for propulsion of purely electrically-propelled vehicles with power supplied within the vehicle B60L50/00 - B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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 and system for informing fuel efficient driving are provided. The method includes collecting, by a controller, vehicle context data that includes fuel consumption per second and calculating a fuel efficiency influencing factor that includes a driving time after starting an engine based on the vehicle context data. The fuel efficiency influencing factor is stored in a database and a driving propensity of a driver is analyzed based on the data stored in the database. Further, fuel efficiency analysis data that includes a fuel efficient driving index is produced a fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data is displayed.

Claims

1. A method for informing fuel efficient driving comprising:

collecting, by a controller, vehicle context data that includes fuel consumption per second;

calculating, by the controller, a fuel efficiency influencing factor that includes a driving time after starting an engine based on the vehicle context data;

storing, by the controller, the fuel efficiency influencing factor in a database;

analyzing, by the controller, a driving propensity based on the data stored in the database and producing fuel efficiency analysis data that includes a fuel efficient driving index; and

displaying, by the controller, a fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data, wherein

the fuel efficiency influencing factor further includes at least one of an idling time, a preheating time, a rapid acceleration time, a rapid deceleration time, and a driving distance after starting the engine,

the driving time after starting the engine is divided into n pieces based on the fuel consumption per second,

when the driving time after starting the engine is divided into a first time, a second time, and a third time based on the fuel consumption per second, the fuel efficiency analysis data further includes a first time ratio, a second time ratio, and a third time ratio, and

the fuel efficient driving index is calculated based on the first time, the second time, the third time, the idling time, and indexation reference coefficients which are set differently based on the first time, the second time, and the third time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing, by the controller, first comparison data by comparing the fuel efficiency analysis data of a driver and the fuel efficiency analysis data of a plurality of drivers having a same vehicle type; and

displaying, by the controller, the fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data and the first comparison data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing, by the controller, second comparison data by comparing the fuel efficiency analysis data of a driver and the fuel efficiency analysis data of a plurality of drivers; and

displaying, by the controller, the fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data and the second comparison data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the controller, a warning based on the fuel efficiency analysis data and a predetermined reference value, wherein the predetermined reference value is a reference for determining the fuel efficient driving, when a driving state of the driver is not a fuel efficient driving state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel efficiency analysis data further includes at least one of an idling time ratio, a preheating time ratio, a rapid acceleration time ratio, and a rapid deceleration time ratio.

6. A system for informing fuel efficient driving comprising:

a terminal controller configured to;

calculate a fuel efficiency influencing factor that includes a driving time after starting an engine; and

transmit the fuel efficiency influencing factor to an exterior; and

a management controller configured to;

receive the fuel efficiency influencing factor;

analyze a driving propensity based on data stored in a database;

produce fuel efficiency analysis data that includes a fuel efficient driving index; and

provide the fuel efficiency analysis data via at least one of a driver controller and a web page, wherein

the fuel efficiency influencing factor further includes at least one of an idling time, a preheating time, a rapid acceleration time, a rapid deceleration time, and a driving distance after starting the engine,

the driving time after starting the engine is divided into n pieces based on the fuel consumption per second,

when the driving time after starting the engine is divided into a first time, a second time, and a third time based on the fuel consumption per second, the fuel efficiency analysis data further includes a first time ratio, a second time ratio, and a third time ratio, and

the management controller is further configured to calculate the fuel efficient driving index based on the first time, the second time, the third time, the idling time, and indexation reference coefficients which are set differently based on the first time, the second time, and the third time.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the driver controller is further configured to;

collect vehicle context data that includes fuel consumption per second;

selectively collect data by which the driving propensity is determined among the vehicle context data, and calculate the fuel efficiency influencing factor;

transmit the fuel efficiency influencing factor to the management controller;

display a fuel efficiency analysis result; and

operate the output display to display the fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the terminal controller is configured to display a warning based on the fuel efficiency analysis data and a predetermined reference value, wherein the predetermined reference value is a reference for determining the fuel efficient driving, when a driving state of the driver is not a fuel efficient driving state.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the management controller is configured to:

perform communication with the driver controller;

perform driver authentication in response to an authentication request from the driver controller;

store the fuel efficiency influencing factor received from the driver controller;

analyze the driving propensity based on the data stored in the database and produce the fuel efficiency analysis data; and

transmit the fuel efficiency analysis data to the driver controller.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the management controller is further configured to:

produce first comparison data by comparing the fuel efficiency analysis data of a driver and the fuel efficiency analysis data of a plurality of drivers having a same vehicle type; and

produce second comparison data by comparing the fuel efficiency analysis data of the driver and the fuel efficiency analysis data of a plurality of drivers.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that collect vehicle context data that includes fuel consumption per second;

program instructions that calculate a fuel efficiency influencing factor that includes a driving time after starting an engine based on the vehicle context data;

program instructions that store the fuel efficiency influencing factor in a database;

program instructions that analyze a driving propensity based on the data stored in the database and producing fuel efficiency analysis data that includes a fuel efficient driving index; and

program instructions that display a fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data, wherein

the fuel efficiency influencing factor further includes at least one of an idling time, a preheating time, a rapid acceleration time, a rapid deceleration time, and a driving distance after starting the engine,

the driving time after starting the engine is divided into n pieces based on the fuel consumption per second,

when the driving time after starting the engine is divided into a first time, a second time, and a third time based on the fuel consumption per second, the fuel efficiency analysis data further includes a first time ratio, a second time ratio, and a third time ratio, and

the fuel efficient driving index is calculated based on the first time, second time, the third time, the idling time, and indexation reference coefficients which are set differently based on the first time, the second time, and the third time.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions that produce first comparison data by comparing the fuel efficiency analysis data of a driver and the fuel efficiency analysis data of a plurality of drivers having a same vehicle type; and

program instructions that display the fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data and the first comparison data.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions that produce second comparison data by comparing the fuel efficiency analysis data of a driver and the fuel efficiency analysis data of a plurality of drivers; and

program instructions that display the fuel efficiency analysis result based on the fuel efficiency analysis data and the second comparison data.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions that display a warning based on the fuel efficiency analysis data and a predetermined reference value, wherein the predetermined reference value is a reference for determining the fuel efficient driving, when a driving state of the driver is not a fuel efficient driving state.