Instantaneous status to target gauge for vehicle application

• US 9,378,595 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Esler, Craig Edward, Gilman, Dale, Sosonkina, Yevgeniya, Skaff, Ryan J., Meyer, Jason, Aldighieri, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US14/473,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20160063772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/123
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 35/22 Display screens
• 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: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/004 Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle includes a display and a controller that operates the display. A first icon representing a reference energy consumption value based on a predetermined target energy consumption rate is displayed. A second icon representing a present energy consumption value is displayed. The icons are positioned relative to one another based on a difference between the reference energy consumption value and the present energy consumption value. A numerical scale may be displayed having values associated with the first and second icons. A vehicle having a hybrid powertrain including a traction battery may display an effective electric distance traveled that is based on a ratio of power supplied by the traction battery to total power supplied by the powertrain.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a display; and

at least one controller programmed to operate the display such that a position of a first icon, representing vehicle performance at a reference energy consumption value based on a predetermined target energy consumption rate, relative to a position of a second icon, representing vehicle performance at a present energy consumption value, is based on a difference between the reference energy consumption value and the present energy consumption value.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to display a first numerical value associated with the first icon and a second numerical value associated with the second icon, wherein the first numerical value corresponds to the reference energy consumption value and the second numerical value corresponds to the present energy consumption value.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the present energy consumption value is based on a time averaged energy consumption rate.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the present energy consumption value is based on a distance averaged energy consumption rate.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the present energy consumption value is based on a distance traveled during an ignition cycle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the present energy consumption value is based on a present amount of energy remaining in a traction battery.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the present energy consumption is based on an amount of energy that a traction battery is capable of storing at full charge.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the present energy consumption value is a distance remaining to fully discharge a traction battery.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the present energy consumption value is a predicted distance traveled if a traction battery is fully charged and energy is used at a present actual energy consumption rate.

10. A method for displaying vehicle energy consumption on a display comprising:

displaying a first icon associated with a reference energy consumption value that is based on a predetermined target energy consumption rate; and

displaying, at a position relative to the first icon by a distance that is based on a difference between a present energy consumption value and the reference energy consumption value, a second icon associated with the present energy consumption value.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying a first numerical value associated with the first icon and a second numerical value associated with the second icon, wherein the first numerical value corresponds to the reference energy consumption value and the second numerical value corresponds to the present energy consumption value.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying a scale corresponding to a range of values for energy consumption, wherein the first icon is positioned adjacent the scale at a position corresponding to the reference energy consumption value and the second icon is positioned adjacent the scale at a position corresponding to the present energy consumption value.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the present energy consumption value is based on a ratio of power supplied by a traction battery to total power supplied by a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the present energy consumption value is based on a distance averaged energy consumption rate.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the present energy consumption value is a distance remaining to fully discharge a traction battery.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the present energy consumption value is a predicted distance traveled if a traction battery is fully charged and energy is used at a present energy consumption rate.

17. A vehicle comprising:

a powertrain including a traction battery;

a display including an indicator representing an effective electric distance traveled; and

at least one controller programmed to operate the display such that a value indicated by the indicator changes at a rate that is defined by a product of vehicle speed and a ratio of power supplied by the traction battery to total power supplied by the powertrain.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 wherein the powertrain includes an internal combustion engine, and wherein total power supplied by the powertrain includes power supplied by the internal combustion engine.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to operate the display to indicate a reference electric distance traveled that is based on a predetermined target energy consumption rate.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to operate the display such that a position of a first icon, representing the effective electric distance traveled, relative to a position of a second icon, representing the reference electric distance traveled, is based on a difference between the reference electric distance traveled and the effective electric distance traveled.