APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE ECONOMY IMPROVEMENT

• US 20170316686A1
• Filed: 11/26/2015
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Mobility Solutions BV (Bridgestone Corporation), TomTom Telematics BV (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TomTom Telematics BV (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Verheijen, Paul Roeland, Pauwelussen, Jasper Johannes Anthonius, Ebert, Christoph, Orlowsky, Steffen, Leupold, Marco, Kreim, Stefan, Schmidt, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,408,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• 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: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/18081 With torque flow from driveshaft to engine, i.e. engine being driven by vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0623 Fuel flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0642 Idle condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0647 Coasting condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/213 Fuel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0655 : Coasting condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 : Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 : Braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 : Engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 : Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/52 : Engine fuel consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/366 : Engine or motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0218 : Calculation or estimation of the available ratio range, i.e. possible gear ratios, e.g. for prompting a driver with a display
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2063/426 : with means for advising the driver for proper shift action, e.g. prompting the driver with allowable selection range of ratios
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/44 : dependent on machine speed of the machine, e.g. the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/46 : dependent on a comparison between speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/70 : dependent on the ratio established
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 : characterised by the method for generating shift signals
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0246 : characterised by initiating reverse gearshift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/42 : Ratio indicator devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 : Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 : Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• 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: G01P 1/06 : Indicating or recording devices, e.g. for remote indication indicating or recording in general G01D; registering or indicating working conditions of vehicles G07C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/004 : Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/06 : in graphical form
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 : Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 : using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 : Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 : using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 : from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 : for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0137 : for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 : for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 : with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 : where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 : Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 : where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 : where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 : where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 : where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09685 : where the complete route is computed only once and not updated
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 : where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 : Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network, comprising determining at least one constant speed zone of the road network, a constant speed zone being a portion of the road network at which the vehicle can travel at a constant speed, said determination being based upon expected speeds of travel along the road network determined from positional data relating to the movements of a plurality of vehicles over time along the road network. A speed of the vehicle traversing the road network is determined at a plurality of times during the journey, and a value indicative of a consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the at least one constant speed zone is further determined.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network, comprising:

determining at least one constant speed zone of the road network, a constant speed zone being a portion of the road network at which the vehicle can travel at a constant speed, said determination being based upon expected speeds of travel along the road network determined from positional data relating to the movements of a plurality of vehicles over time along the road network;

determining a speed of the vehicle traversing the road network at a plurality of times during the journey; and

determining a value indicative of a consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the at least one constant speed zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected speeds of travel comprise historic speed profiles associated with respective segments in map data representing the road network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each historic speed profile is indicative of an average speed of travel of one or more vehicles along the respective segment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein constant speed zone is associated with validity information defining a validity period for the constant speed zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the constant speed zone is associated with at least a portion of a road in the road network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the constant speed zone is determined based upon the positional data being indicative of at least one vehicle having a substantially constant speed of travel at first and second locations along the at least a portion of the road network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the constant speed zone is further determined based upon a speed limit associated with one or more roads in the road network.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising determining whether the speed of the vehicle is at least a predetermined threshold speed.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising determining whether the speed of the vehicle is influenced by one or more of road and traffic conditions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the value indicative of the consistency of the speed of the vehicle is based upon a threshold speed change.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising determining the speed of the vehicle at first and second locations and determining whether a difference in speed at the first and second locations exceeds the threshold speed change.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the value indicative of the consistency of the speed of the vehicle is a duration for which the speed of the vehicle is substantially constant within the constant speed zone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the value indicative of the consistency of the speed of the vehicle comprises a plurality of durations each associated with a respective category of road for which the speed of the vehicle is substantially constant within the constant speed zone.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a value indicative of the consistency of the speed of the vehicle is a duration for which the speed of the vehicle is not substantially constant within the constant speed zone.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the speed of the vehicle is not substantially constant within the constant speed zone when a difference in speed at first and second locations exceeds a threshold speed change.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising determining whether a location of the vehicle corresponds to a location of the constant speed zone.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the value indicative of the consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the constant speed zone is weighted according to a category of road associated with the constant speed zone.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of an apparatus, causes the apparatus to perform the method of claim 1.

18. An apparatus for evaluating the driving of a vehicle performing a journey on a road network comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to;

determine at least one constant speed zone of the road network, a constant speed zone being a portion of the road network at which the vehicle can travel at a constant speed, said determination being based upon expected speeds of travel along the road network determined from positional data relating to the movements of a plurality of vehicles over time along the road network;

determine a speed of the vehicle traversing the road network at a plurality of times during the journey; and

determine a value indicative of a consistency of the speed of the vehicle within the at least one constant speed zone.

20. (canceled)