Driver coaching system

• US 10,444,029 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Boesch, Mathew Alan, Syed, Fazal Urrahman
• Primary Examiner(s): Melton, Todd M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roberson, Jason R
• Application Number:
  US15/586,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20170234696A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• 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: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A driver coaching system may have an input device generating an input signal indicative of a road condition. The system may also include an advisory device determining an output conveyed to a driver and indicative of a fuel efficiency rating based on an actual vehicle speed and an optimum fuel efficient speed. The advisory device may not decrease the fuel efficiency rating when the road condition does not warrant the optimum fuel efficient speed.

Claims

1. A driver coaching system, comprising:

an input device configured to generate an input signal indicative of a road condition; and

an advisory device configured to

convey an output indicative of a fuel efficiency rating for a vehicle based on a vehicle speed and an optimum fuel efficient speed, and

refrain from decreasing the fuel efficiency rating when the vehicle is within a minimum stopping distance from the road condition.

2. The driver coaching system of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a traffic sign recognition device configured to detect the road condition, and the road condition is a road sign indicative of at least one of a maximum speed limit, a minimum speed limit, an intersection, a stop sign, a traffic light, a school zone, a bump, a railroad crossing, a bridge, a pedestrian crossing, an animal crossing, a bicycle crossing, a bicycle lane, a steep incline, a steep decline, a merging lane, an embankment, an uneven road surface, a construction site, a sharp turn, or a reduced speed zone.

3. The driver coaching system of claim 2, wherein the advisory device is further configured to refrain from decreasing the fuel efficiency rating when the advisory device determines that the vehicle is within the minimum stopping distance of the road condition.

4. The driver coaching system of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a global position satellite unit that is communicatively coupled to a map database including a road condition lookup table for a plurality of road conditions.

5. The driver coaching system of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a global position satellite unit that is communicatively coupled to a cloud-based server having a road condition lookup table for a plurality of road conditions.

6. The driver coaching system of claim 1, further comprising:

a stopping distance database including a lookup table of a plurality of reference minimum stopping distances for the vehicle and an associated plurality of reference vehicle speeds; and

a global position satellite unit configured to determine a vehicle distance from the road condition.

7. The driver coaching system of claim 6, further comprising a controller configured to:

determine an instantaneous minimum stopping distance in response to comparing the vehicle speed to the plurality of associated reference vehicle speeds; and

generate an overriding output signal indicative of the fuel efficiency rating in response to determining that the vehicle distance is less than the minimum stopping distance.

8. A method comprising:

generating, by an input device, an input signal indicative of a road condition;

conveying, by an advisory device, an output indicative of a fuel efficiency rating for a vehicle based on a vehicle speed and an optimum fuel efficient speed; and

refraining, by the advisory device, from decreasing the fuel efficiency rating when the vehicle is within a minimum stopping distance from the road condition.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting the road condition using a traffic sign recognition device of the input device, the road condition being a road sign indicative of at least one of a maximum speed limit, a minimum speed limit, an intersection, a stop sign, a traffic light, a school zone, a bump, a railroad crossing, a bridge, a pedestrian crossing, an animal crossing, a bicycle crossing, a bicycle lane, a steep incline, a steep decline, a merging lane, an embankment, an uneven road surface, a construction site, a sharp turn, or a reduced speed zone.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising refraining from decreasing the fuel efficiency rating when the advisory device determines that the vehicle is within the minimum stopping distance of the road condition.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the input device includes a global position satellite unit that is coupled to at least one of a map database or a cloud-based input, each with a road condition lookup table for a plurality of road conditions.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

maintaining a stopping distance database including a lookup table of a plurality of reference minimum stopping distances for the vehicle and an associated plurality of reference vehicle speeds; and

determining an instantaneous minimum stopping distance in response to comparing the vehicle speed to a plurality of associated reference vehicle speeds.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a vehicle distance from the road condition using a global position satellite unit; and

generating an overriding output signal indicative of the fuel efficiency rating in response to determining that the vehicle distance is less than the minimum stopping distance.

14. A system comprising:

an input device configured to generate an input signal indicative of a road condition;

a stopping distance database including a lookup table of a plurality of reference minimum stopping distances for a vehicle and an associated plurality of reference vehicle speeds;

a global position satellite unit configured to determine a vehicle distance from the road condition;

a controller configured to determine an instantaneous minimum stopping distance in response to comparing a vehicle speed to the plurality of associated reference vehicle speeds, and generate an override output signal in response to determining that the vehicle distance is less than the minimum stopping distance; and

an advisory device configured to convey an output indicative of a fuel efficiency rating for the vehicle based on the vehicle speed and an optimum fuel efficient speed, and refrain from decreasing the fuel efficiency rating when the vehicle is within the minimum stopping distance from the road condition as indicated by the override output signal.