Gauging driving efficiency
AssigneeDetroit Diesel Corporation
InventorS. Miller Weisman, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An efficiency gauge may be used for controlling an automotive vehicle. At least one vehicle parameter is sampled during vehicle operation and at least one measure of driving efficiency is determined from the sampled vehicle parameters. Efficiency measurement may include determining an estimate of kinetic energy lost. One such estimate is the sampled braking velocity cost found based on the difference of the squares of the last two vehicle velocities if the vehicle has decelerated and braking has occurred.
Claims45
A method of controlling an automotive vehicle comprising:
- sampling at least one vehicle parameter;
- determining at least one measure of driving efficiency based on the at least one sampled vehicle parameter;
- and
- determining an estimate of operating cost based on the at least one measure of driving efficiency.
A method of gauging driving efficiency for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- repetitively sampling vehicle velocity;
- for at least one vehicle velocity sample, determining if the sampled vehicle velocity is less than a previously sampled vehicle velocity and determining if braking is applied;
- if the sampled vehicle velocity is less than the previously sampled vehicle velocity and if braking is applied, determining the sampled braking velocity cost based on the difference between the square of the sampled vehicle velocity and the square of the previously sampled vehicle velocity;
- and
- determining a measure of driving efficiency based on the determined sampled braking velocity cost.
A method of gauging driving efficiency for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- determining an engine revolutions idle cost;
- repetitively sampling engine speed;
- determining at least one sampled shifting and idling cost as the product of a sampled engine speed and the engine revolution idle cost;
- and
- determining a measure of driving efficiency based on the determined sampled shifting and idling cost.
A driving efficiency gauge in communication with an engine control module for controlling an internal combustion engine in an automotive vehicle, the driving efficiency gauge comprising:
- a display for displaying at least one measure of driving efficiency;
- a memory for holding a sequence of at least one measure of driving efficiency;
- and
- control logic in communication with the electronic control module, the display, and the memory, the control logic operative to
- (a) receive a plurality of samples of at least one vehicle operating parameter from the electronic control module;
- (b) determine the sequence of at least one measure of driving efficiency based on the plurality of samples of at least one vehicle operating parameter;
- (c) display at least one of the determined sequence;
- and
- (d) store the determined sequence in the memory.
A vehicle driving efficiency gauge comprising:
- a display for displaying at least one measure of driving efficiency;
- a memory for holding at least one measure of driving efficiency;
- and
- control logic in communication with the electronic control module, the display, and the memory, the control logic operative to
- (a) receive a plurality of samples of vehicle velocity;
- (b) determine a measure of change in vehicle kinetic energy based on at least two samples of vehicle velocity;
- (c) determine a measure of driving efficiency based on the change in vehicle kinetic energy;
- (d) display the measure of driving efficiency;
- and
- (e) store the measure of driving efficiency in the memory.
A vehicle driving efficiency gauge comprising:
- a display for displaying at least one measure of driving efficiency;
- a memory for holding at least one measure of driving efficiency;
- and
- control logic in communication with the display and the memory, the control logic operative to
- (a) receive a plurality of samples of engine speed;
- (b) determine as a measure of driving efficiency a measure of shifting and idling cost based on at least one sample of engine speed;
- (c) display the measure of driving efficiency;
- and
- (d) store the measure of driving efficiency in the memory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.