Method and system for displaying a representation of a driving pattern of a vehicle

• US 9,528,853 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polestar Performance AB (Polestar Automotive Holding UK Plc)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Edgren, Claes
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US14/885,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20160116300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 701/123, 701/110, 701/86, 340/439, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• 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 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• 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

A method is disclosed for displaying a representation of a driving pattern of a vehicle. The method may include determining the driving pattern in the form of a condition involving excess fuel consumption of the vehicle, and displaying a representation of the excess fuel consumption on a display unit in the vehicle. The method may further include providing first input data related to an actual speed of the vehicle travelling along a route, providing second input data related to a reference speed for the route, calculating, based on the first and second input data, a measure of the excess fuel consumption as a result of the actual speed exceeding the reference speed, and presenting, on the display unit, the representation of the excess fuel consumption. A system is also disclosed for displaying a representation of a driving pattern of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a representation of a driving pattern of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining the driving pattern in the form of a condition involving excess fuel consumption of the vehicle;

displaying a representation of the excess fuel consumption on a display unit in the vehicle;

providing first input data related to an actual speed of the vehicle travelling along a route;

providing second input data related to a reference speed for the route;

calculating, based on the first and second input data, a measure of the excess fuel consumption as a result of the actual speed exceeding the reference speed; and

presenting, on the display unit, the representation of the excess fuel consumption.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

calculating, based on the first and second input data, a reduction in time for travelling on the route at the actual speed as compared with the time for travelling on the route at the reference speed; and

presenting, on the display unit, a representation of the reduction in time.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing information related to the reference speed in the form of a value which corresponds to optimum fuel economy for the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising calculating the measure of excess fuel consumption at least partly based on fuel consumed during acceleration of the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising calculating the measure of excess fuel consumption (EFC) as the sum of a constant speed excess consumption (CSEC) and an acceleration excess consumption (AEC), as integrated during a given time period, wherein

CSEC=FCLT(v1)−

FCLT(v2),

where FCLT(v1)=the nominal fuel consumption at actual speed (v1), and FCLT(v2)=the nominal consumption at reference speed (v2), and wherein

AEC=FC−

FCLT(v1),

where FC=the momentary fuel consumption during acceleration.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising presenting, on the display unit, the representation of the excess fuel consumption in the form of a corresponding monetary value.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising presenting, on the display unit, the representation of the excess fuel consumption in the form of a corresponding amount of carbon dioxide.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising presenting, on the display unit, the representation of the excess fuel consumption in the form of a corresponding volume of fuel.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining the reference speed as the maximum allowed speed on the route.

10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining the reference speed as a predetermined speed profile determined so as to correspond to an optimum fuel consumption on the route.

11. A system for displaying a representation of a driving pattern of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a central processing unit configured for determining the driving pattern in the form of a condition involving excess fuel consumption of the vehicle;

a display unit for displaying a representation of the excess fuel consumption;

an engine management unit for providing first input data related to an actual speed of the vehicle travelling along a route; and

a further unit for providing second input data related to a reference speed for the route;

wherein the central processing unit is configured for calculating, based on the first and second input data, a measure of the excess fuel consumption as a result of the actual speed exceeding the reference speed, and the display unit is configured for receiving data from the control unit which represents the excess fuel consumption.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the central processing unit is configured for calculating, based on the first and second input data, a measure of a reduction in time for travelling on the route at the actual speed as compared with the time for travelling on the route at the reference speed, and wherein the display unit is configured for indicating a representation of the reduction in time.

13. A vehicle comprising the system according to claim 11.

14. A central processing unit for use in displaying a representation of a driving pattern of a vehicle, the central processing unit configured to:

determine the driving pattern in the form of a condition involving excess fuel consumption of the vehicle;

receive first input data related to an actual speed of the vehicle travelling along a route;

receive second input data related to a reference speed for the route;

calculate, based on the first and second input data, a measure of the excess fuel consumption as a result of the actual speed exceeding the reference speed; and

provide data to present, on a display unit, a representation of the excess fuel consumption.