Patent Application
20190039512
This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-150223 filed on Aug. 2, 2017, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a vehicle display device and, more particularly, to a vehicle display device displaying information on consumption efficiency of an energy source during driving of a vehicle.
A vehicular display device is proposed that has a consumption efficiency information processing portion displaying information on consumption efficiency of an energy source during driving of a vehicle, for example, fuel consumption of an engine-driven vehicle and specific power consumption (electric consumption) of an electric vehicle, on a display unit. A device described in Patent Document 1 is an example thereof and calculates the consumption efficiency from a running distance and a consumption amount of the energy source to obtain and display a proportion of the consumption efficiency exceeding a predetermined threshold as a consumption efficiency improvement effect.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-38754
However, even though a consumption efficiency improvement effect is merely displayed, it is not known what kind of driving mode contributes to the improvement in consumption efficiency, and therefore, this is not necessarily sufficient for enhancing driver's awareness of improvement in consumption efficiency. Specifically, some of vehicles currently widely used have various efficiency improvement functions contributing to improvement in consumption efficiency such as a free-run running control in which an engine serving as a drive power source is separated from a power transmission path and stopped rotating during coasting with an accelerator turned off an idling reduction control in which an engine serving as a drive power source is stopped rotating during stop of a vehicle, or eco-driving in which an operation of an air conditioner is limited when an eco-driving mode is selected; however, since it is not known which function contributes to what extent to the improvement in consumption efficiency, the improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from the efficiency improvement functions cannot actually be felt.
The present invention was conceived in view of the situations and it is therefore an object of the present invention to enable a driver to recognize which function contributes to what extent to improvement in consumption efficiency when a plurality of efficiency improvement functions is included in terms of consumption efficiency of an energy source.
To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle display device including a consumption efficiency information processing portion displaying information on consumption efficiency of an energy source during driving of a vehicle on a display unit, wherein (a) the vehicle includes a consumption efficiency improvement portion including a plurality of types of efficiency improvement functions contributing to an improvement in the consumption efficiency, wherein (b) the consumption efficiency information processing portion includes (b-1) an actual improvement effect calculating portion individually calculating an actual improvement effect (an estimated value of an actual improvement effect) on the consumption efficiency resulting from each of the plurality of types of efficiency improvement functions, and (b-2) an improvement effect display control portion displaying the actual improvement effect obtained for each of the plurality of types of efficiency improvement functions on the display in a manner where each of the actual improvement effects are mutually compared.
A second aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in the first aspect of the invention wherein (a) the consumption efficiency information processing portion has a maximum improvement effect calculating portion calculating a maximum improvement effect in the case of an ideal driving which fulfills each of the plurality of types of efficiency improvement functions to the maximum in terms of improvement in the consumption efficiency respectively, and wherein (b) the improvement effect display control portion displays the actual improvement effect on the display device in a manner where each of the actual improvement effects is compared with the corresponding maximum improvement effect.
A third aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in the second aspect of the invention wherein when it is determined that a proportion of the actual improvement effect to the corresponding maximum improvement effect is high or low according to a predefined determination criterion for each of the efficiency improvement functions, the improvement effect display control portion performs highlighting such that the type of the efficiency improvement function related to the determined actual improvement effect is identified.
A fourth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to third aspects of the invention wherein the improvement effect display control portion displays on the display device the actual improvement effect obtained for each of the plurality of types of efficiency improvement functions such that the actual improvement effects are evaluated using lengths in a bar chart.
A fifth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to fourth aspects of the invention wherein the actual improvement effect is at least one of a saving amount of the energy source being saved due to the efficiency improvement functions, a saving consumption efficiency that is a difference between a virtual consumption efficiency obtained by dividing a running distance by an amount obtained by adding the saving amount to a consumption amount of the energy source and an actual consumption efficiency, a travelable distance calculated by multiplying the saving amount by the actual consumption efficiency, and a money amount corresponding to the saving amount.
A sixth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in the fifth aspect of the invention wherein the improvement effect display control portion displays a numerical value of the actual improvement effect on the display unit.
A seventh aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to sixth aspects of the invention wherein (a) the consumption efficiency improvement portion includes as one of the efficiency improvement functions a free-run running control portion separating an engine serving as a drive power source from a power transmission path to stop rotation during coasting with an accelerator turned off, and wherein (b) the actual improvement effect calculating portion calculates an energy source saving amount based on a rotation stop time of the engine due to the free-run running control portion and a fuel consumption amount during idling of the engine.
An eighth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to seventh aspects of the invention wherein (a) the consumption efficiency improvement portion includes as one of the efficiency improvement functions an idling reduction control portion stopping the rotation of the engine serving as the drive power source during stop of the vehicle, and wherein (b) the actual improvement effect calculating portion calculates an energy source saving amount based on a rotation stop time of the engine due to the idling reduction control portion and a fuel consumption amount during idling of the engine.
A ninth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to eighth aspects of the invention wherein (a) the consumption efficiency improvement portion includes as one of the efficiency improvement functions an eco-driving portion limiting an operation of an air conditioner when an eco-driving mode is selected, and wherein (b) the actual improvement effect calculating portion calculates a difference in consumption amount of the energy source due to a difference between an operation state of the air conditioner with operation limited by the eco-driving portion and an operation state of the air conditioner without operation limitation as a successive energy source saving amount so that the successive energy source saving amount is sequentially accumulated to calculate an energy source saving amount.
A tenth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to ninth aspects of the invention wherein (a) the vehicle includes a navigation device having road information from a departure place to a destination, wherein (b) the consumption efficiency information processing portion includes a predicted improvement effect calculating portion calculating a predicted improvement effect for each of the plurality types of efficiency improvement functions in the case of the ideal driving which fulfills the efficiency improvement function to the maximum in terms of improvement in the consumption efficiency based on the road information from the departure place to the destination, and wherein (c) the improvement effect display control portion displays the predicted improvement effect on the display unit.
An eleventh aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to tenth aspects of the invention wherein the actual improvement effect calculating portion resets the actual improvement effect in accordance with any predetermined reset condition out of a driver's operation of a driving switch for enabling driving of the vehicle, a driver's reset operation of an odometer, filling of the energy source, a predefined running distance, a predefined driving time, a predefined consumption amount of the energy source, a stop of the vehicle, and a driver's reset operation to the actual improvement effect and newly calculates the actual improvement effect based on a driving operation after the reset.
A twelfth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in the eleventh aspect of the invention wherein the improvement effect display control portion stores the actual improvement effect of one or more times immediately before the reset and displays the actual improvement effect in a manner where the stored actual improvement effect is compared with a current actual improvement effect.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention provides the vehicle display device recited in any one of the first to twelfth aspect of the invention wherein the energy source is at least one of a fuel of an engine, a fuel of a fuel cell, an electric energy stored in an in-vehicle battery.
The vehicle display device as described above individually calculates the actual improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from the plurality of types of the efficiency improvement functions, and displays the effects on the display unit such that a comparison can mutually be made between the efficiency improvement functions, and therefore, the driver can recognize which function contributes to what extent to improvement in consumption efficiency among the multiple types of the efficiency improvement functions. As a result, the driver can actually feel the improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from the efficiency improvement functions and is also motivated to reflect the contribution of the efficiency improvement functions to the consumption efficiency on the driving operation for further improvement in the consumption efficiency by, for example, driving the vehicle such that the efficiency improvement function with low improvement effect is consciously fulfilled.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the vehicle display device calculates the maximum improvement effects in the case of the ideal driving which achieves the maximum performance for each of the plurality of types of the efficiency improvement functions, and displays the actual improvement effects on the display unit such that a comparison of the actual improvement effects can be made with the maximum improvement effects. Therefore, a margin of the improvement effect (a difference from the maximum improvement effect) on consumption efficiency resulting from each of the efficiency improvement functions can specifically be understood. As a result, the margin of each of the efficiency improvement functions can be reflected on the driving operation for aiming further improvement in the consumption efficiency by, for example, driving the vehicle such that the efficiency improvement function having a high margin is consciously fulfilled. Particularly, in the third aspect of the invention, the efficiency improvement function having a low or high proportion of the actual improvement effect to the maximum improvement effect is highlighted such that the type of the efficiency improvement function related to the actual improvement effect becomes identifiable. Therefore, the efficiency improvement function can easily be recognized and reflected on the driving operation.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, the actual improvement effect obtained for each of the plurality of types of the efficiency improvement functions is displayed on the display unit such that a comparison can be made therebetween based on the lengths in the bar chart. Therefore, a difference in relative contribution degree of each of the plurality of types of the efficiency improvement functions can easily be recognized.
In the sixth aspect of the invention, at least one of an energy source saving amount, a saving consumption efficiency, a travelable distance, and a saved money amount is calculated as an actual improvement effect, the specific numerical values are displayed. Therefore, the driver can easily specifically image the improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from each of the efficiency improvement functions.
In the seventh aspect of the invention, the consumption efficiency improvement portion includes the free-nm running control portion and the energy source saving amount is calculated based on the rotation stop time of the engine attributable to the free-run running control portion and the fuel consumption amount during idling of the engine. Therefore, the energy source saving amount, for example, can highly accurately be obtained as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the free-run running. The saving consumption efficiency, the travelable distance, or the saved money amount can also be calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the energy source saving amount.
In the eighth aspect of the invention, the consumption efficiency improvement portion includes the idling reduction control portion and the energy source saving amount is calculated based on the rotation stop time of the engine attributable to the idling reduction control portion and the fuel consumption amount during idling. Therefore, the energy source saving amount, for example, can highly accurately be obtained as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the idling reduction. The saving consumption efficiency, the travelable distance, or the saved money amount can also highly accurately be calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the energy source saving amount.
In the ninth aspect of the invention, the consumption efficiency improvement portion includes the eco-driving portion, and a difference in the consumption amount of the energy source due to a difference between the operation state of the air conditioner with operation limited by the eco-driving portion and the operation state of the air conditioner without operation limitation is calculated as the successive energy source saving amount so that the successive energy source saving amount is sequentially accumulated to calculate the cumulative energy source saving amount. Therefore, the energy source saving amount, for example, can highly accurately be obtained as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the eco-driving mode. The saving consumption efficiency, the travelable distance, or the saved money amount can also be calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the energy source saving amount.
In the tenth aspect of the invention, the vehicle incudes the navigation device having road information from a departure place to a destination, the consumption efficiency information processing portion calculates the predicted improvement effect for each of the plurality types of efficiency improvement functions in the case of the ideal driving which fulfills the efficiency improvement function to the maximum based on the road information, and displays the predicted improvement effect on the display unit. This gives motivation for performing a driving operation with a sense of purpose in terms of the consumption efficiency, for example, for driving the vehicle such that the actual improvement effects approach the predicted improvement effects.
In the eleventh aspect of the invention, when the actual improvement effect is reset according to the predetermined reset condition, the actual improvement effects resulting from each of the plurality of types of the efficiency improvement functions are newly calculated based on the driving operation after the reset, and therefore, changes in the relative proportion etc. of the actual improvement effects can easily be recognized. Particularly, in the twelfth aspect of the invention, the actual improvement effects of the one or more times immediately before the reset are displayed on the display unit such that a comparison of the actual improvement effects of the one or more times immediately before the reset can be made with the current actual improvement effects, and therefore, changes in relative proportion etc. of the actual improvement effects resulting from the plurality of types of the efficiency improvement functions are easily understood, and a comparison of the actual improvement effects with an actual driving operation can be performed to easily actually feel a relationship between the improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from the plurality of types of the efficiency improvement functions and the driving operation.
An energy source of a vehicle is appropriately determined depending on a drive power source for running, and when the drive power source is an engine (internal combustion engine) such as a gasoline engine and a diesel engine generating power by combustion of fuel, the energy source is the fuel such as gasoline, light oil, and gas. When the drive power source is an electric motor such as a motor generator, the energy source is electric energy stored in an in-vehicle battery or fuel of a fuel cell (such as hydrogen) generating electricity. In the case of a hybrid vehicle including an engine and an electric motor as a drive power source, both the fuel and the electrical energy of the in-vehicle battery serve as the energy source. The consumption efficiency of the energy source is fuel consumption (fuel consumption rate; km/liter etc.) that is a running distance per unit volume, etc. in the case of the fuel, and is electric consumption (electric consumption rate; km/J etc.) that is a running distance per unit electric power amount etc. in the case of the electric energy. Based on the power generation efficiency resulting from the engine, the electric consumption can be converted into the fuel consumption for unification into the fuel consumption, or conversely, unification into electric consumption can also be performed. A vehicle display device according to the present invention does not necessarily need to display the consumption efficiency itself and may be able to display a specific numerical value or a relative proportion for each of multiple efficiency improvement functions in terms of an energy source saving amount, a saving consumption efficiency, a travelable distance derived from the energy source saving amount, a saved money amount derived from the energy source saving amount, and the like, related to the improvement effect on consumption efficiency.
A consumption efficiency improvement portion is configured to have at least two efficiency improvement functions. Specifically, for example, the portion is configured to include a free-run running control portion separating the engine serving as the drive power source from a power transmission path to stop rotation of the engine during coasting with an accelerator turned off an idling reduction control portion stopping the rotation of the engine serving as the drive power source during stop of the vehicle, and an eco-driving portion limiting an operation of an air conditioner when an eco-driving mode is selected. Additionally, in a vehicle having a mechanically or electrically controlled continuously variable transmission, if stepped shifting can be performed in a simulated manner in addition to stepless shifting, the stepless shifting relatively advantageous in consumption efficiency can also be regarded as an efficiency improvement function. When automatic shifting and manual shifting are possible, an automatic shifting function can also be regarded as an efficiency improvement function. In the case of a vehicle capable of automatic driving such as auto-cruise running that is automatic constant speed running at a constant vehicle speed, this automatic driving function can also be regarded as an efficiency improvement function in some cases. The free-run running control portion may retain the engine in an idling state without stopping the rotation. Even in this case, the fuel consumption efficiency is improved because of an increase in a coasting distance etc. due to separation of the engine from a power transmission path. In the eco-driving mode, the consumption efficiency can also be improved by changing a shift line in a shift map of an automatic transmission, changing characteristics of an accelerator operation amount and a drive power source output (throttle valve opening degree etc.), and reducing an idling rotation speed of an engine serving as the drive power source. In any case, an actual improvement effect of consumption efficiency (such as an energy source saving amount) can be calculated from a map or an arithmetic expression predefined according to the contents of the efficiency improvement function.
For example, an actual improvement effect calculating portion is desirably capable of resetting a calculation value of the actual improvement effect according to reset conditions such as a driver's ON/OFF operation of a driving switch such as an IG (ignition) switch enabling driving of the vehicle, a driver's reset operation of an odometer such as a trip meter, filling of the energy source, a predefined running distance, a predefined driving time, a predefined consumption amount of the energy source, a stop of the vehicle, a driver's reset operation to the actual improvement effect, etc. The driver may be allowed to select which reset condition is used for the reset. Although it is desirable to display on the display unit the actual improvement effect of one or more times immediately before the reset, only the current actual improvement effect may be displayed. A moving average of the actual improvement effect may be calculated and displayed according to a predefined running distance or driving time or a consumption amount of the energy source, or a change in the moving average may be displayed as a line graph etc. For example, an instantaneous value of about several seconds may successively be displayed on the display unit, and various other forms are available.
An improvement effect display control portion performs display on the display unit such that, for example, the actual improvement effects by multiple types of efficiency improvement functions can be compared by lengths of bars in a bar chart or may be displayed on a pie chart or as numerical values. A difference in the actual improvement effect can also be expressed by a difference in color or brightness, and various other forms are available. Although the actual improvement effect can be represented by, for example, the energy source saving amount, the saving consumption efficiency, the travelable distance, the saved money amount, etc., multiple items among them may be displayed or the driver may be allowed to select the display contents.
An example of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle control ECU (electronic control unit) 30 as a controller providing various controls including an output control of the drive power source 12 by the drive power source control equipment 20 and a shift control of the automatic transmission 14. The vehicle control ECU 30 is configured to include a microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I/O interface, etc., and executes a predetermined signal process according to a program stored in advance in the ROM while utilizing a temporary storage function of the RAM. The vehicle control ECU 30 is supplied with a signal indicative of a lever operation position Psh from a lever position sensor 48 detecting the operation position Psh of a shift lever 46 and is also supplied with various pieces of information necessary for the various controls, from a driving switch 31 such as an ignition (IG) switch, an engine rotation speed sensor 32, an accelerator operation amount sensor 34, a brake operation force sensor 36, a vehicle speed sensor 38, an outside air temperature sensor 40, an eco-driving mode selection switch 42, an energy source remaining amount meter 44, etc., such as an IG signal enabling driving of the vehicle 10, a rotation speed (engine rotation speed) Ne of the engine (the drive power source 12), the operation amount (accelerator operation amount) Acc of an accelerator pedal, an operation force (brake operation force) Br of a brake pedal, a vehicle speed V, an outside air temperature To, an eco-driving mode selection signal Eco, and an energy source remaining amount Fu.
The shift lever 46 is disposed near a driver's seat, for example, and can manually be operated to at least a D position, an R position, a P position, and an N position, can be operated and moved to the D position to select a D (drive) range for forward running in which the automatic transmission 14 is in a drive state, and can be operated and moved to the R position to select an R (reverse) range for backward running in which the automatic transmission 14 is in a reverse state. The shift lever 46 can be operated and moved to the N position to select an N (neutral) range in which the automatic transmission 14 is in a neutral state and can be operated and moved to the P position to select a P (parking) range for parking in which the automatic transmission 14 is in the neutral state with a parking lock gear meshed. The vehicle speed V can be detected from a rotation speed of an output shaft of the automatic transmission 14, a wheel speed of the drive wheels 18 and driven wheels, etc., and a running distance of the vehicle 10 can be calculated based on the vehicle speed V.
A navigation device 50, an air conditioner 54, and a display unit 60 are also connected to the vehicle control ECU 30. The navigation device 50 has map data including road information, can capture current position information, current road information, etc. by GPS (Global Positioning System) etc., and has functions of obtaining a running route from a departure place to a destination set by a setting device 52 and guiding for running along the running route. The air conditioner 54 is capable of adjusting temperature and humidity in the vehicle interior and has an automatic air-conditioning function of automatically adjusting the temperature in the vehicle interior to a target temperature T* set by a setting device 56. The display unit 60 is, for example, a VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) panel or a liquid crystal display panel, is disposed on an instrument panel etc. near the driver's seat to display the vehicle speed V, the energy source remaining amount Fu, the lever operation position Psh, etc., and includes a trip meter display portion 66 displaying a running distance Ltr of the vehicle 10 measured by the trip meter. The running distance Ltr displayed on the trip meter display portion 66 can be reset by a reset switch 68.
The display unit 60 also has an improvement effect display portion 62 displaying information on an improvement effect on consumption efficiency (such as fuel consumption) of the energy source, i.e., an actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from multiple types of efficiency improvement functions. The improvement effect display portion 62 can switch the display contents, reset the improvement effect, or set the timing of the reset (reset condition) by a setting device 64. In addition to the reset operation by the setting device 64, the reset condition may be selected from, for example, the time of input of the IG signal according to a driver's ON operation of the driving switch 31, the time of a driver's reset operation of the running distance Ltr of the trip meter, the time of a filling operation of the fuel serving as the energy source 22, a predefined running distance, a predefined driving time, a predefined consumption amount of the energy source 22, i.e., a change amount of the energy source remaining amount Fu, the time of stop of the vehicle when the vehicle speed V becomes substantially zero, etc. The setting device 64 can also set a unit cost C of the fuel such as gasoline serving as the energy source 22. The unit cost C may be set through wireless communication at the time of refueling etc.
The vehicle control ECU 30 controls the output of the drive power source 12 via the drive power source control equipment 20 according to the accelerator operation amount Acc etc., causes the automatic transmission 14 to shift gears according to a predefined shift map (shift line), and also functionally includes a consumption efficiency improvement portion 70 and a consumption efficiency information processing portion 80. The consumption efficiency improvement portion 70 is a portion having the multiple types of efficiency improvement functions contributing to the improvement in the consumption efficiency of the energy source and, in this example, has three types of efficiency improvement functions from a free-run running control portion 72, an idling reduction control portion 74, and an eco-driving portion 76.
The free-run running control portion 72 puts the automatic transmission 14 into the neutral state during coasting with the accelerator turned off at the accelerator operation amount Acc of substantially zero and separates the engine serving as the drive power source 12 from the power transmission path to stop rotation of the engine, thereby suppressing the consumption of the energy source 22 through idling etc. of the engine. For example, when a depressing operation of the brake pedal is performed, the operation of the free-run running control portion 72 is canceled to return the automatic transmission 14 to the drive state so that the drive power source 12 is rotationally driven and that the engine brake can be applied.
The idling reduction control portion 74 stops the rotation of the engine serving as the drive power source 12 at the time of stop of the vehicle 10, thereby suppressing the consumption of the energy source 22 by idling etc. of the engine. The operation of the idling reduction control portion 74 is executed, for example, when the brake operation force Br of the brake pedal is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination value, and is canceled to restart the engine when the brake operation force Br falls below the determination value. The operation of the idling reduction control portion 74 may be executed, for example, when the shift lever 46 is retained at the D position, and the engine may be restarted when the shift lever 46 is operated and moved to the N position or the P position, so that the idling reduction control may be performed and canceled depending on the lever operation position Psh.
When the eco-driving mode selection switch 42 is operated to select an eco-driving mode, the eco-driving portion 76 performs the eco-driving mode for limiting the automatic air-conditioning function of the air conditioner 54 to reduce the engine load to suppress the consumption of the energy source 22. For example, a range of temperature adjustment by the air conditioner 54 is limited depending on the outside air temperature To etc. Alternatively, for example, the shift line of the automatic transmission 14 can be changed, or an idling rotation speed of the engine serving as the drive power source 12 can be reduced, to suppress the consumption of the energy source 22.
The consumption efficiency information processing portion 80 displays information on the consumption efficiency of the energy source 22 during driving of the vehicle 10 on the display unit 60 and functionally includes an actual improvement effect calculating portion 82, a maximum improvement effect calculating portion 84, a predicted improvement effect calculating portion 86, and an improvement effect display control portion 88. In this example, the vehicle display device is configured to include the consumption efficiency information processing portion 80 and the display unit 60. The actual improvement effect calculating portion 82 individually calculates the actual improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from the three types of efficiency improvement functions included in the consumption efficiency improvement portion 70 and, specifically, for example, as shown in flowcharts shown in
Ee=Er−Ei=(Lv/ΔFu)−[Lv/(ΔFu+Efu1)] (1)
At S1-5, a travelable distance Ed1 is calculated by multiplying the energy source saving amount Efu1 by the actual consumption efficiency Er. For the energy source consumption amount ΔFu when calculating the actual consumption efficiency Er in this case, the consumption amount only during running of the vehicle may be used. At S1-6, the energy source saving amount Efu1 is multiplied by the fuel unit cost C to calculate a saved money amount Em1. The energy source saving amount Efu1, the travelable distance Ed1, and the saved money amount Em1 are in a proportional relationship, and when a proportional relationship of the energy source saving amounts Efu1 for efficiency improvement functions is displayed as shown in
At S3-3, the successive energy source saving amount Efut is sequentially accumulated to calculate a cumulative energy source saving amount Efu3 after the reset. At S3-4 to S3-6, as in S1-4 to S1-6 in
Returning to
When the navigation device 50 sets the running route from a departure place to a destination, the predicted improvement effect calculating portion 86 functionally included in the consumption efficiency information processing portion 80 calculates a predicted improvement effect in the case of the ideal driving which achieves the maximum performance for improvement in consumption efficiency of the energy source 22 for each of the three types of the efficiency improvement functions, based on road information including a speed limit, road height information, traffic congestion information, etc. of the running route. For example, specific driving conditions of the vehicle 10 such as running speed, acceleration/deceleration, and vehicle stop time are set based on the road information to calculate the predicted improvement effect in the case of the ideal driving performed under the conditions in the same way as the maximum improvement effect. An update can sequentially be made even during running based on new road information. As a result, a predicted energy source saving amount Efu1ide etc. are calculated as the predicted improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the free-run running control portion 72; a predicted energy source saving amount Efu2ide etc. are calculated as the predicted improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the idling reduction control portion 74; and a predicted energy source saving amount Efu3ide etc. are calculated as the predicted improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the eco-driving portion 76.
The improvement effect display control portion 88 functionally included in the consumption efficiency information processing portion 80 displays on the improvement effect display portion 62 of the display unit 60 an actual improvement effect selected by the setting device 64 out of the actual improvement effects such as the energy source saving amounts Efu1, Efu2, Efu3 obtained respectively for the three types of efficiency improvement functions. i.e., the free-run running, the idling reduction, and the eco-driving mode, such that a comparison can mutually be made between the efficiency improvement functions.
As a result, among the three types of the efficiency improvement functions, i.e., the free-run running, the idling reduction, and the eco-driving mode, which function largely contributes to the improvement in fuel consumption can be identified at a glance. Additionally, a comparison of the saved fuel consumption with the maximum saved fuel consumption i.e., the ideal driving in the second row of
As described above, the vehicle display device of the vehicle 10 of this example individually calculates the actual improvement effects on consumption efficiency (the energy source saving amounts Efu1 to Efu3, the saving consumption efficiencies Ee1 to Ee3, the travelable distances Ed1 to Ed3, the saved money amounts Em1 to Em3) resulting from the three types of the efficiency improvement functions, i.e., the free-run running, the idling reduction, and the eco-driving mode, and displays the effects on the display unit 60 such that a comparison can mutually be made between the efficiency improvement functions, and therefore, the driver can easily recognize which function contributes to what extent to improvement in consumption efficiency among the multiple types of the efficiency improvement functions. As a result, the driver can actually feel the improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from the efficiency improvement functions and is also motivated to reflect the contribution of the efficiency improvement functions to the consumption efficiency on the driving operation for further improvement in the consumption efficiency by, for example, driving the vehicle 10 such that the efficiency improvement function with low improvement effect is consciously fulfilled.
Since the vehicle display device calculates the maximum improvement effects (the maximum energy source saving amounts Efu1max to Efu3max, saving consumption efficiencies Ee1max to Ee3max, travelable distances Ed1max to Ed3max, saved money amounts Em1max to Em3max) in the case of the ideal driving which achieves the maximum performance for each of the three types of the efficiency improvement functions, and displays the actual improvement effects on the display unit 60 according to the display setting by the setting device 64 such that a comparison of the actual improvement effects can be made with the maximum improvement effects, a margin of the improvement effect (a difference of the actual improvement effect from the maximum improvement effect) on consumption efficiency resulting from each of the efficiency improvement functions can specifically be understood. As a result, the margin of the improvement effect of each of the efficiency improvement functions can be reflected on the driving operation for aiming further improvement in the consumption efficiency by, for example, driving the vehicle 10 such that the efficiency improvement function having a high margin is consciously fulfilled. Particularly, in this example, since the display portion of the efficiency improvement function having a low proportion of the actual improvement effect to the maximum improvement effect is highlighted, the efficiency improvement function can easily be recognized and reflected on the driving operation.
Since the actual improvement effect obtained for each of the three types of the efficiency improvement functions is displayed on the display unit 60 such that a comparison can be made therebetween based on the lengths of bars in the bar chart, a difference in relative contribution degree of each of the three types of the efficiency improvement functions can easily be recognized.
Since the consumption efficiency improvement portion 70 includes the free-nm running control portion 72 and the energy source saving amount Efu1 is calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the rotation stop time of the engine (the drive power source 12) attributable to the free-run running control portion 72 and the fuel consumption amount during idling of the engine, the energy source saving amount Efu1 can highly accurately be obtained as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the free-run running. The saving consumption efficiency Ee1, the travelable distance Ed1, or the saved money amount Em1 can also highly accurately be calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the energy source saving amount Efu1.
Since the consumption efficiency improvement portion 70 includes the idling reduction control portion 74 and the energy source saving amount Efu2 is calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the rotation stop time of the engine (the drive power source 12) attributable to the idling reduction control portion 74 and the fuel consumption amount during idling, the energy source saving amount Efu2 can highly accurately be obtained as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the idling reduction. The saving consumption efficiency Ee2, the travelable distance Ed2, or the saved money amount Em2 can also highly accurately be calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the energy source saving amount Efu2.
Since the consumption efficiency improvement portion 70 includes the eco-driving portion 76, and a difference in the consumption amount of the energy source 22 due to a difference between the operation state of the air conditioner 54 with operation limited by the eco-driving portion 76 and the operation state of the air conditioner 54 without operation limitation is calculated as the successive energy source saving amount Efut so that the successive energy source saving amount Efut is sequentially accumulated to calculate the cumulative energy source saving amount Efu3, the energy source saving amount Efu3 can highly accurately be obtained as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency resulting from the eco-driving mode. The saving consumption efficiency Ee3, the travelable distance Ed3, or the saved money amount Em3 can also highly accurately be calculated as the actual improvement effect on consumption efficiency based on the energy source saving amount Efu3.
Since a selection by the setting device 64 from the energy source saving amounts Efu1 to Efu3, the saving consumption efficiencies Ee1 to Ee3, the travelable distances Ed1 to Ed3, and the saved money amounts Em1 to Em3 is displayed on the display unit 60, the driver can easily specifically image the improvement effects on consumption efficiency resulting from the three types of the efficiency improvement functions. Particularly, in the case of
When the actual improvement effect is reset according to the reset condition including the reset operation by the setting device 64, the actual improvement effects resulting from the efficiency improvement functions are newly calculated based on the driving operation after the reset, and therefore, changes in the relative proportion etc. of the actual improvement effects can easily be recognized. Particularly, when the actual improvement effects of the two most recent times before the reset are displayed according to the display setting by the setting device 64 such that a comparison of the actual improvement effects of the two most recent times before the reset can be made with the current actual improvement effects as shown in
When the running route is set by the navigation device 50, the predicted improvement effects (e.g., the predicted saving consumption efficiencies Ee1ide to Ee3ide) in the case of the ideal driving which achieves the maximum performance for each of the three types of the efficiency improvement functions are displayed in the second row while the actual improvement effects (e.g., the saving consumption efficiencies Ee1 to Ee3) are displayed in the first row as shown in
Other examples of the present invention will be described. In the following examples, portions substantially common to the example are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described in detail.
Although the examples of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, these are merely an embodiment, and the present invention can be implemented in variously modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
10: Vehicle 12: Drive power source 22: Energy source 50: Navigation device 54: Air conditioner 60: Display unit 70: Consumption efficiency improvement portion 72: Free-run running control portion 74: Idling reduction control portion 76: Eco-driving portion 80: Consumption efficiency information processing portion 82: Actual improvement effect calculating portion 84: Maximum improvement effect calculating portion 86: Predicted improvement effect calculating portion 88: Improvement effect display control portion Efu1 to Efu3: Energy source saving amount (Actual improvement effect) Efut: Successive energy source saving amount Ee1 to Ee3: Saving consumption efficiency (Actual improvement effect) Ed1 to Ed3: Travelable distance (Actual improvement effect) Em1 to Em3: Saved money amount (Actual improvement effect)
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-150223 | Aug 2017 | JP | national |
