Evaluation system for vehicle operating conditions and evaluation method thereof

• US 7,072,762 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miyama, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Miyama, Inc.
• Inventors: Minami, Katsuaki, Kumagai, Satoshi, Hamuro, Takao, Nagahara, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISKOPF, MARIE
• Application Number:
  US10/621,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 701/123, 701/51, 701/104, 340/439, 123/406.23, 477/107, 731/13, 731/14
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/174 Economic driving
• 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: G01F 9/023 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

The evaluation system for vehicle operating conditions comprises an automatic control device (10, 27) for setting target vehicle operating conditions and controlling the vehicle so as to achieve the target operating conditions, and a display device (4) mounted on the vehicle. The system determines whether operation that worsens fuel economy has been performed or not on the basis of the operating conditions of the vehicle; determines the operating state of the automatic control device (10, 27) based on the operating conditions of the vehicle; computes the excess fuel consumption, which is the fuel amount consumed in excess by operation that worsens the fuel economy, based on operating conditions of the vehicle and the operating state of the automatic control device (10, 27); and displays the computed excess fuel consumption to the display device (4).

Claims

1. An evaluation system for vehicle operating conditions, comprising:

an automatic control device which sets target vehicle operating conditions and controls the vehicle so as to achieve the target operating conditions;

a controller that functions to;

determine whether an operation that worsens fuel economy has been performed based on the operating conditions of the vehicle;

determine the operating state of the automatic control device based on the operating conditions of the vehicle; and

compute an excess fuel consumption which is a fuel amount consumed in excess by the operation that worsens the fuel economy based on the operations conditions of the vehicle and the operating state of the automatic control device, and

a display device which displays the computed excess fuel consumption;

wherein the controller further functions to;

compute an assumed fuel consumption based on the assumption that the operation that worsens the fuel economy has not been performed; and

subtract the assumed fuel consumption from an actual fuel consumption to compute the excess fuel consumption;

wherein the automatic control device is an automatic transmission comprising a torque converter, and the controller further functions to detect the operating state of the automatic transmission based on an input/output rotational speed ratio, which is the ratio between a rotational speed of the engine and an output rotational speed of the torque converter;

wherein the controller further functions to;

calculate a torque ratio and a power transmission efficiency of the torque converter from the input/output rotational speed and characteristics of the torque converter; and

compute the fuel amount consumed in excess by the slippage of the torque converter based on the torque ratio and the power transmission efficiency of the torque converter; and

wherein the controller further functions to;

compute a fuel consumption ratio and a torque of the engine based on the rotational speed of the engine, either one of an accelerator operation amount and a value equivalent to the accelerator operation amount, and characteristics of the engine;

compute an output of the engine from the torque and the rotational speed of the engine;

compute fuel consumption from the fuel consumption ratio and the output of the engine; and

compute the fuel amount consumed in excess by the slippage of the torque converter from the fuel consumption and the fuel amount that is obtained by multiplying the fuel consumption ratio by the work ratio at which the vehicle runs against resistance.

2. An evaluation system for vehicle operating conditions, comprising:

an automatic control device which sets target vehicle operating conditions and controls the vehicle so as to achieve the target operating conditions;

a controller that functions to;

determine whether an operation that worsens fuel economy has been performed based on the operating conditions of the vehicle;

determine the operating state of the automatic control device based on the operating conditions of the vehicle; and

compute an excess fuel consumption which is a fuel amount consumed in excess by the operation that worsens the fuel economy based on the operating conditions of the vehicle and the operating state of the automatic control device, and

a display device which displays the computed excess fuel consumption;

wherein the controller further functions to;

compute an assumed fuel consumption based on the assumption that the operation that worsens the fuel economy has not been performed; and

subtract the assumed fuel consumption from an actual fuel consumption to compute the excess fuel consumption;

wherein the automatic control device is an automatic transmission comprising a torque converter, and the controller further functions to detect the operating state of the automatic transmission based on an input/output rotational speed ratio, which is the ratio between a rotational speed of the engine and an output rotational speed of the torque converter;

wherein the controller further functions to;

determine that the automatic transmission is in a lockup state when the actual rotational speed of the engine and the rotational speed of the engine calculated from the speed ratio and the rotational speed of the driving axle or driving wheel are equal to each other; and

when the automatic transmission is in a lockup state, compute the power transmission efficiency and the input/output rotational speed ratio of the torque converter to be both 1.