Real-time driver reward display system and method

• US 9,393,868 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Slaton, Zachary, Jahns, Steven Karl, Lotz, Josef, Kim, Jennifer, Morrow, Jason, Doll, John William Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Bee, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/020,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/04 and means for comparing one electrical quantity, e.g. voltage, pulse, waveform, flux, or the like, with another quantity of a like kind, which comparison means is involved in the development of an electrical signal which is fed into the controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/042 where at least one electrical quantity is set by the vehicle operator
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/065 Idle condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• 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 improved driver reward display functionality. A driver reward is calculated based on inputs, such as freight fuel, fuel economy, and % idle. The driver reward system configures and displays a primary driver reward image for various menu selections. The primary driver reward image is configured to indicate whether the driver reward is at full penalty, partial penalty, neutral, partial bonus, or full bonus. The image is displayed in one color if above an expected value and another color if below the expected level. Images that indicate to the operator of the vehicle the impact of each input on the overall driver reward or whether each input is improving or worsening may be displayed. A secondary driver reward image may also be displayed to indicate a specific bonus or penalty in miles per hour and speed limit.

Claims

1. A driver reward system, wherein data associated with a driver'"'"'s operation of a vehicle is collected and analyzed, the driver reward system including a computer processing system that includes a processor, memory, and a display device, the memory storing data that defines an expected operation of the vehicle and program instructions, the driver reward system being programmed to:

cause the processor to analyze collected driver data by comparing the collected driver data to the stored data that defines the expected operation of the vehicle; and

cause results of the comparison to be displayed on the display device in a manner that provides feedback to a driver in real time in a way that minimizes driver distraction by displaying, along with a vehicle speed limit, a bonus image including an indicator of a positive vehicle speed offset value that increases the vehicle speed limit or a penalty image including an indicator of a negative vehicle speed offset value that decreases the vehicle speed limit, depending on the driver'"'"'s operation of the vehicle.

2. The driver reward system claimed in claim 1, wherein the images are color coded such that a bonus image is one color and a penalty image is another color.

3. The driver reward system claimed in claim 1, wherein the feedback is provided in a drive mode of operation or a park mode of operation.

4. The driver reward system claimed in claim 1, further programmed to determine a trend in the driver'"'"'s operation of the vehicle and display an associated trend image.

5. The driver reward system claimed in claim 4, wherein the trend image is color-coded.

6. The driver reward system claimed in claim 4, wherein the trend image includes an arrow that points in a direction based on the trend.

7. The driver reward system claimed in claim 1, wherein the collected driver data includes one or more of:

(i) units traveled by the vehicle per amount of fuel consumed, such as miles per gallon or kilometers per liter;

(ii) amount or percentage of time the vehicle is idling; and

(iii) fuel consumption per freight weight consumed by the vehicle.

8. The driver reward system claimed in claim 1, further programmed to cause the display device to display a plurality of pages including a driver reward page that includes the bonus or penalty images, and wherein a summary driver reward image is displayed on at least some of the plurality of pages other than the driver reward page.

9. The driver reward system of claim 1, wherein the feedback is provided in a drive mode of operation in a single page.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

(a) collecting data related to how a vehicle is being operated by a driver;

(b) comparing the collected data to stored data that defines an expected operation of the vehicle;

(c) displaying a vehicle speed limit; and

(d) displaying results of the comparison in a way that minimizes driver distraction, the displayed results including;

(i) a bonus image including an indicator of a positive vehicle speed offset value that increases the vehicle speed limit or (ii) a penalty image including an indicator of a negative vehicle speed offset value that decreases the vehicle speed limit, depending on the driver'"'"'s operation of the vehicle.

11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the displayed results are color-coded, such that a bonus image is displayed in one color and a penalty image is displayed in another color.

12. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein overall configuration of the displayed results is determined by whether the vehicle is in a drive mode of operation or a park mode of operation.

13. The method claimed in claim 12, including determining a trend in the driver'"'"'s operation of the vehicle and displaying an associated trend image.

14. The method claimed in claim 13, wherein the trend image is color-coded.

15. The method claimed in claim 13, wherein the trend image includes an arrow that points in a direction based on the trend.

16. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the results of the comparison are displayed on a driver rewards display page, and wherein display pages other than the reward page include an image that summarizes the result of the comparison.

17. A driver reward system, wherein data associated with a driver'"'"'s operation of a vehicle is collected and analyzed, the driver reward system including a computer processing system that includes a processor, memory, and a display device, the memory storing data that defines an expected operation of the vehicle and program instructions, the driver reward system being programmed to:

cause the processor to analyze collected driver data by comparing the collected driver data to the stored data that defines the expected operation of the vehicle; and

cause results of the comparison to be displayed on the display device in a manner that provides feedback to a driver in real time by displaying an input image representing at least some of the collected driver data used in the comparison, and a bonus image including a status indicator to indicate a full reward or a partial reward, or a penalty image including a status indicator to indicate a full penalty or a partial penalty, depending on the driver'"'"'s operation of the vehicle.

18. The driver reward system of claim 17, wherein the bonus image further includes an indicator of a vehicle speed offset increase that is greater for the full reward than for the partial reward, and wherein the penalty image further includes an indicator of a vehicle speed offset decrease that is greater for the full penalty than for the partial penalty.

19. The driver reward system of claim 17, wherein the input image represents one or more of freight fuel economy, fuel economy, and idle time.