Eco-drive assist apparatus and method

• US 20100030414A1
• Filed: 07/28/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Masatoshi, Matsuo, Tomohiro, Saito, Kan, Ishio, Masato, Tomiyama, Kohichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An eco-drive assist apparatus displays a quantity of eco-drive that indicates a degree of ecology and/or economy in driving in a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor. The apparatus includes a first part configured to calculate the quantity of eco-drive on the basis of a vehicle power generated in the vehicle, and a second part configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to an eco-drive judgment threshold value that indicates whether the vehicle is in an eco-drive state and as a relative quantity to an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up and configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed on a boundary of the engine startup threshold value or displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is worse than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up. The second part causes the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is better than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up and a driver'"'"'s operation needs no vehicle power.

Claims

1. An eco-drive assist apparatus that displays a quantity of eco-drive that indicates a degree of ecology and/or economy in driving in a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor, comprising:

a first part configured to calculate the quantity of eco-drive on the basis of a vehicle power generated in the vehicle; and

a second part configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to an eco-drive judgment threshold value that indicates whether the vehicle is in an eco-drive state and to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up and configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed on a boundary of the engine startup threshold value or displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is worse than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up,

the second part causing the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is better than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up and a driver'"'"'s operation needs no vehicle power.

2. The eco-drive assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second part causes the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is better than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up and a driver'"'"'s operation does not need vehicle power at all.

3. The eco-drive assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second part causes the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is better than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up and a driver'"'"'s operation on an accelerator pedal is idle.

4. The eco-drive assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second part causes the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed so that the degree of eco-drive is maximized in a state in which the quantity of eco-drive does not generate energy when a driver'"'"'s operation needs no vehicle power.

5. An eco-drive assist apparatus that displays a quantity of eco-drive that indicates a degree of eco-drive in driving in a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor, comprising:

a first part configured to calculate the quantity of eco-drive on the basis of a vehicle power generated in the vehicle; and

a second part configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up and configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed on a boundary of the engine startup threshold value or displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is worse than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up,

the second part causing the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is better than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up and a driver'"'"'s operation needs no vehicle power.

6. An eco-drive assist method for displaying a quantity of eco-drive that indicates a degree of ecology and/or economy in driving in a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor, comprising:

calculating the quantity of eco-drive on the basis of a vehicle power generated in the vehicle;

causing the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to an eco-drive judgment threshold value that indicates whether the vehicle is in an eco-drive state and causing the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up;

causing the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed on a boundary of the engine startup threshold value or displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is worse than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up; and

causing the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed at a position where the quantity of eco-drive is better than the engine startup threshold value when the engine has been started up and a driver'"'"'s operation needs no vehicle power.