# US 2014/0195088 A1 · Method for providing information relating to the operational state of a motor vehicle to a driver and motor vehicle having a control unit for carrying out the method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195088 A1 - Document ID: US20140195088A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/235,929 - Filed: 2012-04-28 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-29 - Assignees: Audit S.A. - Applicants: Audit AG - Inventors: Martin Schuessler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195088A1 ## CPC - B60Q 5/005: {automatically actuated} - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 35/26: using acoustic output - 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 - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2510/081: Speed - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A method provides information relating to the operational state of a motor vehicle to a driver. The motor vehicle has at least one electric motor operating with a fixed gear ratio for driving the motor vehicle. During operation of the electric motor a virtual speed and a virtual gear-shift stage are continuously determined from at least one first operating parameter describing the operational state of the motor vehicle and an acoustic output, in particular an output of an engine noise, takes place on the basis of the virtual speed and the virtual gear-shift stage. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-12. (canceled) ### Claim 13 A method for providing information to a driver relating to an operational state of a motor vehicle having an electric motor to drive the motor vehicle with a fixed transmission ratio, comprising: during operation of the electric motor, continuously determining a virtual rotational speed and a virtual gear-shift stage from a first operational parameter describing the operational state of the motor vehicle; limiting or expanding a predefined range of operating states of the electric motor within which the electric motor can be operated, as a function of a second operational parameter describing the operational state of the motor vehicle, the second operational parameter being different from the first operational parameter; modifying the virtual rotational speed and the virtual gear-shift stage to produce a virtual modified rotational speed and a virtual modified gear-shift stage, the virtual rotational speed and the virtual gear-shift stage being modified as a function of the second operational parameter; and producing an acoustic output as a function of the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising visually displaying at least one of the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first operational parameter is at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a current rotational speed of the electric motor, a current speed of the motor vehicle and a position of an accelerator pedal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the virtual rotational speed and the virtual gear-shift stage are determined from a plurality of first operational parameters, and the first operational parameters comprise a position of an accelerator pedal and at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a current rotational speed of the electric motor and a current speed of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one characteristic diagram and/or the time profile of at least one of the operational parameters are/is taken into account in the determination of the virtual modified rotational speed and of the virtual modified gear-shift stage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage are produced using a plurality of characteristic diagrams and a time profile, each characteristic diagram considers at least one of the operational parameters for a different gear shift stage, and the time profile determines changes in gear shift stages. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein a shift behavior of an automatic transmission is modeled by the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a vehicle system is actuated as a function of the virtual modified rotational speed and/or of the virtual modified gear-shift stage. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein when there is a change in the virtual gear-shift stage, the vehicle system is actuated to generate a longitudinal jolt of the motor vehicle, which can be perceived by the driver. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the longitudinal jolt is dependent upon a time profile of the virtual gear-shift stage to thereby consider a starting gear and an ending gear in the change in the virtual gear-shift stage. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the vehicle system is selected from the group consisting of a braking system, an electric motor system and an active chassis system. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one power limit of the electric motor is set or cancelled as a function of the virtual modified rotational speed and/or of the virtual modified gear-shift stage. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein if an accelerator pedal senses no acceleration for a predetermined period of time, the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage simulate up-shifting. ### Claim 26 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein if the accelerator pedal senses no acceleration for a predetermined period of time, the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage simulate up-shifting and a limit is placed on additional power being supplied to the electric motor. ### Claim 27 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second operational parameter is a state of charge of a battery which supplies the electric motor. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein a simulated downshifting is prevented when there is a low battery charge. ### Claim 29 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one parameter which can be set on the driver's side is taken into account during determining the virtual rotational speed and the virtual gear-shift stage and/or the acoustic output. ### Claim 30 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the acoustic output simulates a typical motor vehicle engine noise. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the acoustic output is produced based on a sound package selected by the driver. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein when a sport mode is selected by the driver, the acoustic output simulates louder engine noises and the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage simulate shifting earlier and more quickly. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein when a comfort mode is selected by the driver, the acoustic output simulates quieter engine noises and the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage simulate smoother shifting. ### Claim 34 A motor vehicle, comprising: an electric motor which operates with a fixed transmission ratio to drive the motor vehicle; an acoustic output device; and a control device to provide information to a driver relating to an operational state of a motor vehicle, to: continuously determine, during operation of the electric motor, a virtual rotational speed and a virtual gear-shift stage from a first operational parameter describing the operational state of the motor vehicle; limit or expand a predefined range of operating states of the electric motor within which the electric motor can be operated, as a function of a second operational parameter describing the operational state of the motor vehicle, the second operational parameter being different from the first operational parameter; modify the virtual rotational speed and the virtual gear-shift stage to produce a virtual modified rotational speed and a virtual modified gear-shift stage, the virtual rotational speed and the virtual gear-shift stage being modified as a function of the second operational parameter; and produce an acoustic output as a function of the virtual modified rotational speed and the virtual modified gear-shift stage.