WO2008156422A1

WO2008156422A1 - Vehicle display function

Info

Publication number: WO2008156422A1
Application number: PCT/SE2008/050737
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mikael Håkansson
Original assignee: Metalltryckeri Bh Innovations AB
Current assignee: Metalltryckeri Bh Innovations AB
Priority date: 2007-06-20
Filing date: 2008-06-19
Publication date: 2008-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2009-12-20

Abstract

System for providing a driver of a vehicle with information, comprising means capable of obtaining information regarding the fuel consumption of the vehicle, means capable of obtaining information regarding the actual fuel cost, means capable of computing the cost of the fuel consumption, and means capable of displaying the cost of the fuel consumption to the driver during driving of the vehicle.

Description

VEHICLE DISPLAY FUNCTION

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a system for displaying information to a driver of a vehicle and in particular information relating to economical factors for using a vehicle, such as fuel consumption.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

For a number of years modern vehicles have been equipped with digital displays in the area of the speedometer. These displays are often capable of displaying different information such as actual fuel consumption, average fuel consumption, calculated distance to drive based on the actual amount of fuel, average speed, outside temperature, etc.

The display is connected to an electronic circuit with a microprocessor and memory, that via a number of sensors can obtain information regarding for example the actual fuel consumption and can calculate average fuel consumption for a certain distance and can also calculate distance to drive. Several such systems have been patented. Document US 6,975,217 discloses such a system.

Also in recent years there is a growing concern regarding the environmental aspects of the amounts of exhaust that vehicles that run on combustion engines emit, which adversely affect the environment and adds to the greenhouse effect.

There is a development towards engines that consume less fuel and thus emit less exhaust and worldwide different measures and threshold values are taken to reduce the emission.

Apart from leaner engines, there is also a growing focus on so-called eco-driving, which aims to teach drivers to drive more economically. Also here a number of patents have been filed. Document US 7,024,306 discloses an operating condition evaluation system where a lot of data is collected regarding factual driving conditions and are compared to calculated optimal conditions in order to promote the drivers to drive more economically. However the data is stored in a stationary computer where the calculation and evaluation is performed, and thus the drivers do not obtain information directly.

Even if there are systems out on the market where the drivers are being provided with information regarding for example fuel consumption and are thus able of monitoring and hopefully reducing it by economical driving, there is no actual connection to the factual costs for driving more economical. It is believed that if a driver was to be presented with the actual cost when driving, this would be a stronger incitement for trying to improve the driving habits. On the Internet, there are a few sites where one is able to calculate the actual cost based on the consumption when driving a certain distance. However, again, the driver is not informed directly during driving but afterwards, and thus there is not direct connection between driving habits and the costs involved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a driver of a vehicle with information regarding the actual costs for primarily driving a vehicle but also in addition the costs for using a vehicle.

This aim is obtained by the features of the independent patent claim. Preferable embodiments of the invention form the subject of the dependent claims.

According to a main aspect of the invention, it is characterised by system for providing a driver of a vehicle with information, comprising means capable of obtaining information regarding the fuel consumption of the vehicle, means capable of obtaining information regarding the actual fuel cost, means capable of computing the cost of the fuel consumption, and means capable of displaying the cost of the fuel consumption to the driver during driving of the vehicle.

According to another aspect of the invention, the system is capable of obtaining instantaneous fuel consumption, computing the cost of instantaneous fuel consumption and displaying the cost of instantaneous fuel consumption. The system is also capable of obtaining average fuel consumption over a certain driving distance, computing the cost of average fuel consumption and displaying the cost of the average fuel consumption.

According to further aspect of the invention, the cost of the fuel consumption is displayed as a value per certain driving distance.

According to yet an aspect of the invention, the cost of the fuel consumption is displayed as a value per time period.

The means for obtaining information regarding the actual fuel cost comprises a manual input device and/ or comprise a receiver capable of receiving digital data information from a transmitter.

According to a further aspect of the invention the system is capable of receiving additional information regarding the costs of a vehicle and to add these costs to the cost of fuel consumption.

The additional costs could comprise tyres, service, insurance, control inspection.

There are a number of advantages with the present invention. It takes the concept of informing a driver of its driving habits and the desire for reduced fuel consumption to a new level because the driver is not only informed of the fuel consumption during driving but also the actual costs for the fuel consumption which will affect the driver much stronger, i.e. it has a stronger psychological effect than merely displaying the fuel quantity consumed per driving distance.

Preferably the system is capable of displaying both instantaneous and average cost of fuel consumption, which could be displayed in relation to a certain driving distance, where it is common to use / 100 kilometres, which has become standard for car manufacturers when indicating fuel consumption. But according to the present invention, the cost of fuel consumption could be displayed in relation to a certain time period, such as day/ week/ month/year.

In this way the driver could obtain information how much the cost was during a time period, which could be compared with another time period, for evaluating if the change in driving behaviour has given positive or negative effects.

The actual cost of the fuel per quantity, e.g. price/litre, could according to one embodiment be entered manually by the driver via a touchpad, keyboard or the like connected to the system. It is of course feasible to use modern communication means for wireless data communication between a receiver connected to the system an transmitters capable of transmitting the actual fuel costs, whereby the driver does note have to remember to enter the cost after filling up the vehicle with fuel.

The system could either be integrated in the electric and electronic system of a modern vehicle or be designed as a stand-alone unit adapted and capable of obtaining information from the fuel consumption systems that modern vehicles often are equipped with.

In addition to the cost of the fuel consumption being computed and displayed, further costs for owning and driving a vehicle may be entered into the system. These could be tyre costs, regular service costs, spare parts, insurance and the like, which may be added to the costs of the fuel consumption, providing the driver with a total overview of the costs.

These and other aspects of and advantages with the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention shown in the figure relates to displaying for a driver of a vehicle the actual costs for at least the fuel consumption. The system comprises a central electronic unit comprising micro controller, memory means and I/O units for performing the below described functions.

With reference to the figure, reference numeral 10 is a fuel flow meter capable of measuring the flow of fuel to the engine and to transmit a signal FI corresponding to the instantaneous fuel flow. 12 is a speed sensor capable of detecting the rotational speed of a wheel of a vehicle and capable of transmitting a signal V corresponding to the actual velocity of the vehicle.

The system comprises a circuit 14 for computing instantaneous fuel consumption which is obtained by using the velocity signal V and the instantaneous fuel flow signal FI such that a time unit driving distance DDtu, for example the distance driven during 5 seconds, is calculated in circuit 16 from the velocity signal and the flow FI tu during this time unit is calculated in circuit 18 from the instantaneous fuel flow signal and calculating FI tu/ DDtu, which is the instantaneous fuel consumption, IFC. The system is further capable of computing an added value of the fuel flow ΣFItu in circuit 20 with storage means for storing the added value. The system further comprises a circuit 22 for computing the driving distance is obtained by computing an added value of the time unit driving distances ΣDDtu at all times. This added driving distance is also stored.

The added value of the time unit driving distance is used in a circuit 24 for computing the average fuel consumption. This is done by a divider in the circuit computing an average value of fuel consumption AFC which is done by dividing ΣFItu/ΣDDtu.

Thus the system is capable of obtaining information regarding both instantaneous and average fuel consumption, as is the case with many modern car systems, and can be displayed on a display 26 on e.g. the dashboard. Preferably a switch 28 is provided to change between different information.

However, according to the present invention, the system is arranged with a further circuit 30, hereafter called cost calculation circuit. The cost calculation circuit is capable of obtaining the information regarding both instantaneous and average fuel consumption and is further provided with memory means. This memory means is capable of containing data regarding the actual fuel cost FC, i.e. the actual price per litre fuel. With this information the cost calculation circuit computes the instantaneous cost such as IC = FC * IFC and also the average cost as AC = FC * AFC.

This information can be displayed on the display whereby the driver obtains direct information regarding the actual cost for driving the vehicle. This is believed to have a stronger influence on the drivers awareness regarding fuel saving driving measures than the information regarding the consumption because he/she becomes aware of the actual costs. The data regarding the fuel prize or cost can for example be inputted by the driver via a small touch-pad or keyboard 32 comprised in the system and placed on the dashboard. This information may be inputted when the driver is filling up the vehicle at the gas station. Instead of displaying the fuel cost per driven distance, the system could additionally be provided with a timer or clock function, whereby it is possible for the system to combine the consumption with the time that the car has been used, whereby it could display the fuel cost per day/ week/ month/year. This information could be stored in memory means in the system and be used to compare the fuel costs for e.g. a number of consecutive weeks in order to have an indication that the style of driving has brought reduced or increased costs.

With the communication technologies that are available today it is of course possible that the system is arranged with data receiving means 34 capable of receiving information regarding fuel price that could be transmitted from e.g. a transmitting means arranged at the gas station. The technology used could be wireless data communication, telecommunication network, GPS, Bluetooth or any other suitable communication system.

The system described above and shown in Fig. 1 contains all necessary components and functions for obtaining the present invention. It is however to be understood that for vehicles already equipped with a system for obtaining information regarding instantaneous and average fuel consumption, and a display for this information, the present invention could obtain this information and in a separate unit calculate, store and display the fuel costs as described above.

The present invention could further handle additional costs that are related to driving and owning a vehicle in order to provide the driver with a more total overview. They could for example include: - tyre costs - insurance costs,

- service costs including spare parts,

- yearly control inspections.

The costs may be entered by the driver via the touchpad at the time he/she pays for service, spare parts etc. The system could of course also be adapted such that for example the costs of a service is entered by the garage that has performed the service via the plug-in service tools that many modern cars are equipped with. It is also feasible to use the above mentioned wireless communication systems for entering data into the system.

Of the above mentioned additional costs, the tyre costs are something that will be affected by the driving habits, i.e. the wear of the tyres can be reduced if the driver has a more careful and moderate driving technique. As an example, four new tyres cost € 500. The expected life of the tyres is 40,000 kilometres € 1.25 per 100 kilometres. The system then is capable of adding 1.25 to the fuel consumption displayed as the cost of either the instantaneous fuel consumption or the average fuel consumption per 10 kilometres, i.e, the fuel price is € 1, 10 and the car consumes 9 litres/ 100 km giving a fuel cost per 100 km of € 9.9/ 100 km and in total € 11.15/ 100 km.

Otherwise the system is able of calculating the total costs for the above costs, and could base it on for example the total cost per week/ month/year or based on the driving distance as described above.

It is to be understood that the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings are to be regarded only as non-limiting examples of the present invention and that it may be modified in many ways within the scope of protection.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. System for providing a driver of a vehicle with information, comprising

- means capable of obtaining information regarding the fuel consumption of the vehicle,

- means capable of obtaining information regarding the actual fuel cost,

- means capable of computing the cost of the fuel consumption, and - means capable of displaying the cost of the fuel consumption to the driver during driving of the vehicle.

2. System according to claim 1 , wherein it is capable of obtaining instantaneous fuel consumption, computing the cost of instantaneous fuel consumption and displaying the cost of instantaneous fuel consumption.

3. System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein it is capable of obtaining average fuel consumption over a certain driving distance, computing the cost of average fuel consumption and displaying the cost of the average fuel consumption.

4. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cost of the fuel consumption is displayed as a value per certain driving distance.

5. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cost of the fuel consumption is displayed as a value per time period.

6. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for obtaining information regarding the actual fuel cost comprises a manual input device.

7. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for obtaining information regarding the actual fuel cost comprises a receiver capable of receiving digital data information from a transmitter.

8. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein it is capable of receiving additional information regarding the costs of a vehicle and to add these costs to the cost of fuel consumption.

9. System according to claim 8, wherein the additional costs comprise tyres, service, insurance, control inspection.

10. Method for providing a driver of a vehicle with information, comprising the steps of - obtaining information regarding the fuel consumption of the vehicle,

- obtaining information regarding the actual fuel cost,

- computing the cost of the fuel consumption, and

- displaying the cost of the fuel consumption to the driver during driving of the vehicle.

11. Computer program product having computer code means and/ or software code portions for making a processor perform the steps of claim 10.