Evaluation indication system, evaluation indication method and computer-readable storage medium

• US 9,146,131 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Miura, Naoki, Nonomura, Junichi, Yamakawa, Junki, Mizuno, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASTRO, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US13/523,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

Evaluation indication systems, methods, and programs are provided for a hybrid vehicle that is configured to travel in an HV mode with an internal combustion engine or in an EV mode without the internal combustion engine. The systems, methods, and programs display a current position of the hybrid vehicle on a map, acquire current evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in current travel by unit sections, acquire previous evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in previous travel by unit sections, and indicate current evaluation icons on the map, each of the icons being an EV icon or an HV icon. Each EV icon indicates that the hybrid vehicle has travelled within the corresponding unit section in the EV mode and each HV icon indicates that the hybrid vehicle has travelled within the corresponding unit section in the HV mode.

Claims

1. An evaluation indication system for a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine and a motor and that is configured to travel in an HV mode in which the internal combustion engine is allowed to be driven or in an EV mode in which the internal combustion engine is stopped, the evaluation indication system comprising:

a memory storing an evaluation indication program; and

a processor that, when executing the stored program;

displays a current position of the hybrid vehicle and a map around the current position on a display;

acquires current evaluations that indicate evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in a current travel along a route, the route being divided into unit sections an each acquired current evaluation being an evaluation for a unit section of the route;

acquires previous evaluations that indicate evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in a past travel of the vehicle along the route that occurred prior to the current travel, each acquired previous evaluation being an evaluation for a unit section of the route;

indicates current evaluation icons that indicate the current evaluations of the respective unit sections behind the current position of the vehicle with respect to a travel direction along the route on the map; and

indicates previous evaluation icons that indicate the previous evaluations of the respective unit sections ahead of the current position of the vehicle with respect to the travel direction along the route of the vehicle on the map, each of the current evaluation icons and the previous evaluation icons being set to any one of an EV icon and an HV icon, the EV icon indicating that the hybrid vehicle has travelled a corresponding unit section in the EV mode, and the HV icon indicating an evaluation of fuel consumption when the hybrid vehicle has travelled a corresponding unit section in the HV mode.

2. The evaluation indication system according to claim 1, wherein the processor, when executing the stored program:

acquires a state of charge of a battery equipped for the hybrid vehicle with respect to the current travel and the previous travel; and

indicates;

position at which the battery has been fully charged in the current travel on the map; and

a position at which the battery has been fully charged in the previous travel on the map.

3. The evaluation indication system according to claim 1, wherein the processor, when executing the stored program displays the current evaluation icons and the previous evaluation icons on the map in different modes.

4. The evaluation indication system according to claim 1, wherein the processor, when executing the stored program displays the EV icon and the HV icon on the map in different modes.

5. An evaluation indication method for a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine and a motor and that is configured to travel in an HV mode in which the internal combustion engine is allowed to be driven or in an EV mode in which the internal combustion engine is stopped, the evaluation indication method comprising:

displaying, with a processor, a current position of the hybrid vehicle and a map around the current position on a display;

acquiring, with the processor, current evaluations that indicate evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in a current travel along a route, the route being divided into unit sections an each acquired current evaluation being an evaluation for a unit section of the route;

acquiring, with the processor, previous evaluations that indicate evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in a past travel of the vehicle along the route that occurred prior to the current travel, each acquired previous evaluation being an evaluation for a unit section of the route;

indicating, with the processor, current evaluation icons that indicate the current evaluations of the respective unit sections behind the current position of the vehicle with respect to a travel direction along the route on the map; and

indicating, with the processor, previous evaluation icons that indicate the previous evaluations of the respective unit sections ahead of the current position of the vehicle with respect to the travel direction along the route of the vehicle on the map,

each of the current evaluation icons and the previous evaluation icons being set to any one of an EV icon that indicates that the hybrid vehicle has travelled a corresponding unit section in the EV mode and an HV icon that indicates an evaluation of fuel consumption when the hybrid vehicle has travelled a corresponding unit section in the HV mode.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-executable instructions for performing an evaluation indication function for a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine and a motor and that is configured to travel in an HV mode in which the internal combustion engine is allowed to be driven or in an EV mode in which the internal combustion engine is stopped, the evaluation indication function comprising:

displaying a current position of the hybrid vehicle and a map around the current position on a display;

acquiring current evaluations that indicate evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in a current travel along a route, the route being divided into unit sections an each acquired current evaluation being an evaluation for a unit section of the route;

acquiring previous evaluations that indicate evaluations of fuel consumption of the hybrid vehicle in a past travel of the vehicle along the route that occurred prior to the current travel, each acquired previous evaluation being an evaluation for a unit section of the route;

indicating current evaluation icons that indicate the current evaluations of the respective unit sections behind the current position of the vehicle with respect to a travel direction along the route on the map; and

indicating previous evaluation icons that indicate the previous evaluations of the respective unit sections ahead of the current position of the vehicle with respect to the travel direction along the route of the vehicle on the map, each of the current evaluation icons and the previous evaluation icons being set to any one of an EV icon that indicates that the hybrid vehicle has travelled a corresponding unit section in the EV mode and an HV icon that indicates an evaluation of fuel consumption when the hybrid vehicle has travelled a corresponding unit section in the HV mode.