Display device

• US 9,457,664 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kubo, Kaoru, Ozawa, Yasushi, Amano, Takashi, Hisano, Taishi
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US14/766,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20150367731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/70, 340/461, 340/462, 340/525
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• 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: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/606 Driving style, e.g. sporty or economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A display device includes: first setting means for setting a first operation amount to be performed by an occupant so as to increase an output in a state in which a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined threshold; second setting means for setting a second operation amount to be performed by the occupant such that an operation state of the vehicle can be shifted to a desired state in which optimal instantaneous fuel consumption is realized, by decreasing the output in a state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold; and display means for displaying, on a display unit, at least one of the first operation amount and the second operation amount, and a present operation amount which is an operation amount performed at present by the occupant.

Claims

1. A display device for a vehicle, the display device comprising:

a display; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to a) a first operation amount so as to increase an output of the vehicle in a state in which a vehicle speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined threshold, the first operation amount being an operation amount to be performed by an occupant of the vehicle;

b) a second operation amount such that an operation state of the vehicle can be shifted to a desired operation state, in which optimal instantaneous fuel consumption is realized, by decreasing the output in a state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the second operation amount being an operation amount to be performed by an occupant of the vehicle; and

c) display, on the display, at least one of the first operation amount and the second operation amount, and a present operation amount which is an operation amount performed at present by the occupant.

2. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the ECU is configured to display the first operation amount and the second operation amount continuously.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the ECU is configured to display displays the first operation amount, the second operation amount, and a past operation amount together on the display, the past operation amount being an operation amount that has been performed by the occupant in the past.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the ECU is configured to a) a first operation range being, as the first operation amount, an allowed range of an operation amount to be performed by the occupant so as to increase the output in a state in which the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined threshold;

b) a second operation range being, as the second operation amount, to be performed by the occupant so as to shift the operation state of the vehicle to the desired operation state by decreasing the output in a state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold; and

c) display continuously the first operation range and the second operation range.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the ECU is configured to display the first operation range, the second operation range and a past operation amount being an operation amount that has been performed by the occupant in the past.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the ECU is configured to a) display the first operation amount and the present operation amount, but not display the second operation amount, when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined threshold, and b) display the second operation amount and the present operation amount, but not display the first operation amount, when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the ECU is configured to a) a first operation range, the first operation range being, as the first amount, an allowed range of an operation amount to be performed by the occupant so as to increase the output in a state in which the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined threshold;

b) a second operation range, the second operation range being, as the second operation amount, an allowed range of an operation amount to be performed by the occupant so as to shift the operation state of the vehicle to the desired operation state by decreasing the output in the state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold;

c) display the first operation range and the present operation amount, but not display the second operation range, when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined threshold; and

d) display the second operation range and the present operation amount, but not display the first operation range, when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the ECU is configured to set, as the first operation amount, an operation amount that can induce further acceleration of the vehicle, as compared with an operation amount when the output is increased while maintaining a state in which an instantaneous fuel consumption is optimal.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the ECU is configured to set, as the first operation amount, an operation amount to be performed by the occupant so as to increase the output according to an increase in the vehicle speed.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the ECU is configured to set, as the second operation amount, an operation amount to be performed by the occupant so as to decrease the output while maintaining the vehicle speed.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle being equipped with an electrical storage device, a rotating electrical machine, and an internal combustion engine, the rotational electrical machine being configured to be driven by using power stored in the electrical storage device, and the internal combustion engine being configured to be driven by combustion of fuel;

and the desired operation state is an operation state in which the hybrid vehicle can run in an EV running mode, the EV running mode being a mode in which running is performed by using drive power of the rotating electrical machine, without using drive power of the internal combustion engine.