Eco-drive assist apparatus and method

• US 8,249,767 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishio, Masato, Matsuo, Tomohiro, Saito, Kan, Watanabe, Masatoshi, Tomiyama, Kohichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US12/458,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/123, 701/113, 340/461, 340/439, 340/425.5, 340/425, 180/65.265
• 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 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 display an eco-drive judgment threshold value that indicates whether the vehicle is in an eco-drive state and an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up, configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to the eco-drive judgment threshold and the engine startup threshold value, 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 engine startup threshold value not to be displayed 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 ahs 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 display an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up, configured to cause the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to the engine startup threshold value, 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 engine startup threshold value not to be displayed 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 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;

displaying an eco-drive judgment threshold value that indicates whether the vehicle is in an eco-drive state and an engine startup threshold value that indicates whether the engine has been started up;

causing the quantity of eco-drive to be displayed in a graphic manner as a relative quantity to the eco-drive judgment threshold and the engine startup threshold value;

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 engine startup threshold value not to be displayed when the engine has been started up and a driver'"'"'s operation needs no vehicle power.