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US 9,366,216 B2Granted
User interface for automatic start-stop system and method of controlling the same
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsTuan Anh Be, Kirk Pebley, Hank L. Kwong, George Edmund Walley, Filip Tomik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Vehicles equipped with an automatic start-stop system may include an interface for conveying inhibitors preventing an engine from auto-stopping in addition to the status of the automatic start-stop system. The system may identify one or more inhibitors actively preventing an auto-stop event from occurring and select at least one of the active inhibitors based on a priority scheme. The interface may communicate the at least one selected inhibitor to a driver using a display or a speaker, or both.
Claims10
A system comprising:
- a controller configured to receive input indicative of vehicle propulsion conditions and a presence of one or more auto-stop inhibitors;
- and
- an interface, in communication with the controller, configured to output a message identifying at least one of the inhibitors, when vehicle propulsion conditions for an auto-stop event are satisfied, according to a priority scheme at least partially based on whether a driver has at least partial control over an inhibitor, the interface including a display having a selectable automatic start-stop display screen that displays the message identifying the at least one inhibitor;
- wherein the controller is further configured to receive input indicating a restart action is required to restart an engine and the display is configured to display a pop-up alert conveying the required restart action, wherein the pop-up alert is displayed on any one of a number of selectable information display screens.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- receiving input indicating an engine is currently auto-stopped and an engine restart is being requested;
- identifying a restart action required by a driver to restart the engine;
- and
- outputting a message corresponding to the restart action.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.