System for assisting fuel-efficient driving

• US 8,112,203 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Shin, Dong Jin, Ko, Sung Suk, Kim, Kyo Ho, Shim, Myung Sup
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe
• Application Number:
  US12/276,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 701/123, 701/103, 701/29, 701/54, 701/51, 701/70, 701/79, 477/37, 477/35, 477/151, 477/168, 731/13, 731/14, 180/65.2
• US Class Current: 701/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 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: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A system for assisting fuel-efficient driving includes a storage unit for storing a shift pattern map, a collection unit for collecting the driving state information of a vehicle, a driving state calculation unit for calculating a current driving state and a target driving region on the basis of the information from the collection unit and the shift pattern map, and a display control unit for displaying the current driving state and the target driving region on a display to make it possible to compare the current driving state and the target driving region on the basis of at least acceleration or speed.

Claims

1. A system for assisting fuel-efficient driving, comprising:

a storage unit for storing a shift pattern map;

a collection unit for collecting driving state information of a vehicle;

a driving state calculation unit for calculating a current driving state and a target driving region based on the information from the collection unit and the shift pattern map, the target driving region including at least one of a fast upshift region, an upshift region, and a damper clutch ON region; and

a display control unit for displaying the current driving state and the target driving region on a display in order for a driver to compare the current driving state and the target driving region based on at least acceleration or speed,

wherein a red region in which a shift to a lower gear occurs because a current Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) value of the vehicle is higher than a current vehicle speed is displayed on the display in a color distinguishable from that of the target driving region.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving state information collected by the collection unit comprises a vehicle speed, a Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) value, a gear position and information whether a damper clutch is in an ON or OFF state.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fast upshift region is a region that has TPS values and vehicle speeds below a first inflection point of an upshift curve on the shift pattern map, so that a shift to a higher gear is rapidly achieved through the upshift curve when a vehicle speed increases.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upshift region is a region below an upshift curve in which a shift to a higher gear is achieved when a current TPS value of the vehicle decreases.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the damper clutch ON region is a region below a damper clutch ON curve at a current gear position in which a damper clutch ON state can be maintained or a damper clutch OFF state can be changed to a damper clutch ON state when a vehicle speed increases or a TPS value decreases.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the current driving state is displayed on the display by an indicator.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein a TPS value is indicated on the indicator when the vehicle is accelerated, and a deceleration value is indicated on the indicator when the vehicle is decelerated.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein a red region in which a shift to a lower gear occurs because a current TPS value of the vehicle is higher than a current vehicle speed is displayed on the display in a color distinguishable from that of the target driving region.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein a damper clutch OFF region in which a damper clutch is turned off and a shift to a lower gear does not occur is displayed on the display in a color distinguishable from that of the target driving region.

10. A system for assisting fuel-efficient driving, comprising:

a storage unit for storing a shift pattern map;

a collection unit for collecting driving state information of a vehicle;

a driving state calculation unit for calculating a current driving state and a target driving region based on the information from the collection unit and the shift pattern map, the target driving region including at least one of a fast upshift region, an upshift region, and a damper clutch ON region; and

a display control unit for displaying the current driving state and the target driving region on a display in order for a driver to compare the current driving state and the target driving region based on at least acceleration or speed,

wherein the fast upshift region is a region that has Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) values and vehicle speeds below a first inflection point of an upshift curve on the shift pattern map, so that a shift to a higher gear is rapidly achieved through the upshift curve when a vehicle speed increases.

11. A system for assisting fuel-efficient driving, comprising:

a storage unit for storing a shift pattern map;

a collection unit for collecting driving state information of a vehicle;

a driving state calculation unit for calculating a current driving state and a target driving region based on the information from the collection unit and the shift pattern map, the target driving region including at least one of a fast upshift region, an upshift region, and a damper clutch ON region; and

a display control unit for displaying the current driving state and the target driving region on a display in order for a driver to compare the current driving state and the target driving region based on at least acceleration or speed,

wherein the current driving state is displayed on the display by an indicator, and

a Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) value is indicated on the indicator when the vehicle is accelerated, and a deceleration value is indicated on the indicator when the vehicle is decelerated.