Operation amount display apparatus

• US 9,744,854 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sato, Yoshikazu, Suzaki, Go
• Primary Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US15/105,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20160318396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/151 Instrument output devices for configurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/021 with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• 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: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/02 for personal initiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/06 Disposition of pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/04 using a separate indicating element for each variable
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot

Abstract

A pedal operation amount display apparatus includes: a display device that is configured to display an accelerator operation amount of an accelerator pedal by an operating person by means of light emission of segments; and an assist reaction force calculation part that is configured to set a threshold operation amount as a target value of the accelerator operation amount; and a display control part that is configured to control the display device in a manner such that the accelerator operation amount corresponding to the threshold operation amount is constantly displayed by means of light emission of the segments. Even when the threshold operation amount is changed, the display control part keeps the light emission of the segments unchanged until the accelerator operation amount varies.

Claims

1. An operation amount display apparatus, comprising:

an information display part that is configured to display an accelerator operation amount of an accelerator pedal by an operating person; and

a setting part that is configured to set a target value of the accelerator operation amount,

wherein the information display part sets a prescribed target display position which indicates the target value, converts the accelerator operation amount into an operation amount display position, and variably displays the operation amount display position, using the target display position as a reference, and

wherein, when the target value is changed, the information display part keeps the operation amount display position unchanged until the accelerator operation amount is changed.

2. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, when the target value is changed and the accelerator operation amount is then also changed, the information display part converts the accelerator operation amount into the operation amount display position such that a ratio of the operation amount display position to the target display position becomes closer to a ratio of the accelerator operation amount to the target value.

3. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, when the target value is changed and the accelerator operation amount is then also changed, and also when the accelerator operation amount varies in a direction in which the ratio of the operation amount display position to the target display position becomes closer to the ratio of the accelerator operation amount to the target value, the information display part changes the operation amount display position, with a variation in the accelerator operation amount smaller than that when the accelerator operation amount varies in a direction opposite to the direction.

4. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the accelerator pedal is an accelerator pedal to which an applied reaction force generated by a reaction force applicator is applied, to thereby increase a pedal reaction force,

wherein the setting part sets an accelerator operation amount when the pedal reaction force is increased by the applied reaction force generated by the reaction force applicator, as the target value, and

wherein, when the accelerator operation amount exceeds the target value, the information display part displays force application information which is information including that the accelerator operation amount has exceeded the target value.

5. The operation amount display apparatus according claim 3,

wherein, the information display part

displays the accelerator operation amount in a form of a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the accelerator operation amount,

shifts a peak segment in accordance with a variation in the accelerator operation amount, the peak segment being one of a plurality of the segments and indicating the operation amount display position, and

changes a variation in the accelerator operation amount based on which the peak segment is shifted, in response to at least one of a change in the target value and a variation in the accelerator operation amount.

6. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the accelerator pedal is an accelerator pedal to which an applied reaction force generated by a reaction force applicator is applied, to thereby increase a pedal reaction force,

wherein the setting part sets an accelerator operation amount when the pedal reaction force is increased by the applied reaction force generated by the reaction force applicator, as the target value, and

wherein, when the accelerator operation amount exceeds the target value, the information display part displays force application information which is information including that the accelerator operation amount has exceeded the target value.

7. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, the information display part

displays the accelerator operation amount in a form of a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the accelerator operation amount,

shifts a peak segment in accordance with a variation in the accelerator operation amount, the peak segment being one of a plurality of the segments and indicating the operation amount display position, and

changes a variation in the accelerator operation amount based on which the peak segment is shifted, in response to at least one of a change in the target value and a variation in the accelerator operation amount.

8. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, the information display part

displays the accelerator operation amount in a form of a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the accelerator operation amount,

shifts a peak segment in accordance with a variation in the accelerator operation amount, the peak segment being one of a plurality of the segments and indicating the operation amount display position, and

changes a variation in the accelerator operation amount based on which the peak segment is shifted, in response to at least one of a change in the target value and a variation in the accelerator operation amount.

9. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when the target value is changed, and also when the accelerator operation amount varies in a direction in which the ratio of the operation amount display position to the target display position becomes closer to the ratio of the accelerator operation amount to the target value, the information display part shifts the peak segment, with a variation in the accelerator operation amount smaller than that when the accelerator operation amount varies in a direction opposite to the direction.

10. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the information display part

divides a total accelerator operation amount in a range in which the accelerator operation amount of the accelerator pedal varies from an operation starting point to an operation end point, into small divisions in the number as many as that of a plurality of the segments, and assigns display areas of a plurality of the segments to the respective small divisions,

sets the segment corresponding to the small division which is assigned on a side closest to the operation end point, from among one or more of the small divisions constituting the accelerator operation amount, as the peak segment, and,

when the target value is changed, and also when the accelerator operation amount varies in the direction in which the ratio of the operation amount display position to the target display position becomes closer to the ratio of the accelerator operation amount to the target value, assigns the display area of the peak segment such that the accelerator operation amount is not included within the display area of the peak segment, with a variation in the accelerator operation amount smaller than that when the accelerator operation amount varies in the opposite direction.

11. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the accelerator pedal is an accelerator pedal to which an applied reaction force generated by a reaction force applicator is applied, to thereby increase a pedal reaction force,

wherein the setting part sets an accelerator operation amount when the pedal reaction force is increased by the applied reaction force generated by the reaction force applicator, as the target value, and

wherein, when the accelerator operation amount exceeds the target value, the information display part displays force application information which is information including that the accelerator operation amount has exceeded the target value.

12. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the accelerator pedal is an accelerator pedal to which an applied reaction force generated by a reaction force applicator is applied, to thereby increase a pedal reaction force,

wherein the setting part sets an accelerator operation amount when the pedal reaction force is increased by the applied reaction force generated by the reaction force applicator, as the target value, and

wherein, when the accelerator operation amount exceeds the target value, the information display part displays force application information which is information including that the accelerator operation amount has exceeded the target value.

13. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the accelerator pedal is an accelerator pedal to which an applied reaction force generated by a reaction force applicator is applied, to thereby increase a pedal reaction force,

wherein the setting part sets an accelerator operation amount when the pedal reaction force is increased by the applied reaction force generated by the reaction force applicator, as the target value, and

wherein, when the accelerator operation amount exceeds the target value, the information display part displays force application information which is information including that the accelerator operation amount has exceeded the target value.

14. The operation amount display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the accelerator pedal is an accelerator pedal to which an applied reaction force generated by a reaction force applicator is applied, to thereby increase a pedal reaction force,

wherein the setting part sets an accelerator operation amount when the pedal reaction force is increased by the applied reaction force generated by the reaction force applicator, as the target value, and

wherein, when the accelerator operation amount exceeds the target value, the information display part displays force application information which is information including that the accelerator operation amount has exceeded the target value.