VEHICLE MANAGEMENT DEVICES

• US 20130096895A1
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dasan Invest Co., Ltd. (Min-Woo Nam)
• Original Assignee: Tantalum Innovations Limited (Tantalum Corp. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Willard, Alexandra, Hatiris, Emmanouil, Tunstall, Glen Alan, Dixon, Ruth
• Granted Patent: US 9,836,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/8
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A vehicle monitoring device (VMD) in accordance with the invention comprises a microprocessor programmed to simulate a vehicle'"'"'s powertrain, that is arranged to receive signals from a vehicle'"'"'s engine management system in order to produce a real-time simulated model of the vehicle'"'"'s powertrain operation whence the vehicle'"'"'s actual instantaneous fuel consumption and/or emissions can be accurately predicted during operation of the vehicle and compared with predetermined or calculated optimum performance characteristics for the powertrain under the pertaining conditions in order to display the instantaneous operating conditions in relation to the optimum under any driving condition. The VMD is advantageously arranged to receive the signals from the on-board diagnostics (OBD or OBD-II or equivalent) port. The VMD is preferably programmed so that the said performance coefficient is used to calculate the instantaneous and/or cumulative quantity or percentage of fuel wasted as a result of non-optimum operation of the vehicle. The invention extends to the display.

Claims

1. A vehicle monitoring device (VMD) comprising a microprocessor programmed to simulate a vehicle'"'"'s powertrain and arranged to receive signals from a vehicle'"'"'s engine management system in order to produce a real-time simulated model of the vehicle'"'"'s powertrain operation whence the vehicle'"'"'s actual instantaneous fuel consumption and/or emissions can be accurately predicted during operation of the vehicle and compared with predetermined optimum performance characteristics for the powertrain under the pertaining conditions in order to display the instantaneous operating conditions in relation to the optimum under any driving condition.

2. A VMD as claimed in claim 1 in which the device is arranged to receive the signals from the on-board diagnostics (OBD) port and such signals include the mass air-flow, engine speed and the road speed of the vehicle or are such to permit such values to be calculated.

4. A VMD as claimed in claim 1 in which the relation between the engine speed and the road speed is used to calculate the gear engaged, and the VMD is programmed to compare the fuel efficiency of the engaged gear with that which could be obtained in other gears in order to produce an indication to the driver as to when to change gear in order to operate the powertrain more efficiently under the prevailing load conditions.

5. A VMD as claimed in claim 1 having a display including an engine speed indicator which is arranged to display actual instantaneous engine speed together with indications as to at which engine speed the driver should change up in gear or change down under the prevailing conditions.

6. A VMD as claimed in claim 5 in which the display is an analogue display and the change-up and change-down indicators are displayed as markers outside or above the analogue scale, or alternatively the optimum range is displayed as an arcuate band extending over the acceptable range.

7. A VMD as claimed in claim 6 in which an additional indicator to change gear is provided on a display, which is arranged to indicate to the driver when to change gear up or down.

8. A VMD as claimed in claim 6 in which the relevant indicator(s) grow(s) in size or intensity as the engine speed approaches a change-gear point.

9. A VMD as claimed in claim 6 in which the colour of the indicators is arranged to change to a warning colour when the engine is being operated outside a pre-determined acceptable engine speed range and/or an audible warning signal is sounded.

10. A VMD as claimed in claim 6 programmed to calculate an acceleration indicator from the energy demand (Δ

E) in order to produce an indication of the vehicle'"'"'s acceleration or throttle position.

11. A VMD as claimed in claim 10 which is provided with or is arranged to drive an acceleration display indicating the energy demand (Δ

E) on the engine.

12. A VMD as claimed in claim 11 in which the acceleration display is an analogue display which is arranged to change colour when the vehicle is operated outside a predetermined operating range.

13. A VMD as claimed in claim 11 in which the acceleration display includes a symbol which is arranged to appear when a predetermined energy demand (Δ

E) has been exceeded to indicate to the driver to reduce the throttle opening.

17. A VMD as claimed in claim 2 in which a performance coefficient relating actual performance to the optimum is used to calculate the instantaneous and/or cumulative the quantity or percentage of fuel wasted as a result of non-optimum driving by an operator.

18. A VMD as claimed in claim 2 in which the relation between the engine speed and the road speed is used to calculate the gear engaged, and the VMD is programmed to compare the fuel efficiency of the engaged gear with that which could be obtained in other gears in order to produce an indication to the driver as to when to change gear in order to operate the powertrain more efficiently under the prevailing load conditions.

19. A VMD as claimed in claim 2 having a display including an engine speed indicator which is arranged to display actual instantaneous engine speed together with indications as to at which engine speed the driver should change up in gear or change down under the prevailing conditions.

14. A VMD as claimed in claim 3 which is provided with or is arranged to drive a fuel display indicating fuel wasted.

15. A VMD as claimed in claim 14 in which the fuel display comprises a bar showing total fuel used and the proportion of fuel wasted.

16. A VMD as claimed in claim 14 in which the fuel display is arranged to comprise two bars, a first bar to show the driver'"'"'s best previous performance, and a second bar to show the driver'"'"'s current trip performance.

20. A VMD as claimed in claim 15 in which the fuel display is arranged to comprise two bars, a first bar to show the driver'"'"'s best previous performance, and a second bar to show the driver'"'"'s current trip performance.