Apparatus and method for providing distance-to-empty information of vehicle

Abstract

To provide an apparatus and method for providing distance-to-empty information of a vehicle that can inform a driver whether travel up to the present has been efficient in terms of fuel consumption compared to an initial prediction.SOLUTION: An apparatus for providing distance-to-empty information of a vehicle includes: a display device that displays distance-to-empty information of the vehicle; and a controller that controls operation of the display device. The controller determines, based on an initial DTE, which is a distance to empty at a beginning of vehicle driving, an initial predicted DTE, which is a predicted distance to empty that changes as the vehicle is driven, determines a current DTE, which is an actual distance to empty, in real time for each set distance during vehicle driving, and controls the operation of the display device to display actual DTE history information representing a history of change in the determined current DTE as an actual driving distance increases during vehicle driving along with the initial predicted DTE information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for displaying, through a display device such as a cluster, travelable distance information in an electric vehicle and providing the information to a driver.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, in a vehicle, a function of predicting a travelable distance (Distance To Empty, DTE) and notifying the driver of the distance is provided. For example, in an internal combustion engine vehicle, the travelable distance is predicted based on the remaining amount of fuel (fuel level) in the fuel tank, and the driver is notified of the distance by a cluster or the like.

[0003] Similarly, in an electric vehicle that drives a motor with battery power and travels, the travelable distance is estimated based on the current remaining battery energy (remaining capacity), and the distance is displayed on a cluster or the like.

[0004] In the case of an electric vehicle, since the number of charging stations is smaller and the charging time is longer than in an internal combustion engine vehicle, the driver's interest in the travelable distance (DTE) in an electric vehicle is bound to increase.

[0005] Thus, in an electric vehicle, since the driver is more sensitive to the travelable distance (DTE), it is important to accurately calculate and notify in real time the travelable distance corresponding to the remaining battery energy during travel.

[0006] In order to provide information on the travelable distance in a vehicle, it is known to estimate the travelable distance using the relationship between the remaining battery energy and the energy efficiency (electricity cost). For example, in U.S. Patent No. 9,037,327 (Patent Document 1), a method of determining the travelable distance is disclosed in which, after determining the energy efficiency for electricity cost using information accumulated from the past, the current remaining battery energy is multiplied by the determined energy efficiency.

[0007] In addition, U.S. Patent No. US9,574,889 (Patent Document 2) discloses a method of determining a final drivable distance by applying and combining a weighted factor to the past drivable distance and the drivable distance on the currently given route, and then adjusting the determined drivable distance according to the occurrence of an event. The disclosed method determines and adjusts the drivable distance using information accumulated from the past and information on future events.

[0008] In Patent Document 1, in order to eliminate the uncertainty of future driving prediction information, the past energy efficiency is utilized to determine the drivable distance, but this is applicable under the assumption that the past energy consumption trend will also be maintained in the future. However, if the future traffic situation shows a different aspect from the information during past driving, a large error will occur in the energy efficiency based on past information.

[0009] In Patent Document 2, the drivable distance is updated each time an event that consumes energy occurs, but this results in the effect of the corresponding event on the remaining driving route being over-represented or under-represented.

[0010] In addition, various methods for estimating and predicting the drivable distance are known. Vehicle manufacturers predict the drivable distance using their own methods, and then the predicted drivable distance information is displayed through a cluster and provided to the driver.

[0011] However, since the prediction accuracy for the drivable distance (hereinafter referred to as "DTE") is not high, there are many quality complaints that the difference between the DTE change amount and the actual driving distance is large. As a conventional technique for resolving such complaints, a method of providing the minimum (MIN) DTE and the maximum (MAX) DTE through a cluster together with the current DTE is known.

[0012] However, in the case of such prior art, since the fluctuations in the minimum DTE and the maximum DTE learned based on recent driving conditions tend to appear drastically in a state where the driver cannot predict what kind of driving will be done in the future, there is a problem that it does not match the meaning of DTE for predicting the future drivable distance.

[0013] Also, according to the prior art, after setting a destination in the navigation device, the predicted DTE value and the actual DTE value during driving to the destination are shown in real time through the display device of the vehicle's infotainment (Audio Video Navigation Telematics, hereinafter referred to as "AVNT").

[0014] However, in the case of the prior art that shows the predicted DTE value and the actual DTE value through AVNT, there is a problem that the function operates only when a destination is set in the navigation device, and there is also a problem that only the final result regarding the difference between the actual value and the predicted value in the energy consumption for each function can be confirmed, and the history cannot be confirmed. That is, since the energy consumption history cannot be confirmed, it is impossible to know in which section and for which function more or less energy consumption was used.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0015]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0016] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and by displaying and providing in real time to the AVNT the predicted DTE predicted based on the initial DTE at the start of driving, the actual DTE history during driving, and the transition information, regardless of the setting of the destination, it is possible to inform the driver whether the driving so far has been efficient in terms of fuel consumption compared to the initial prediction. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle travelable distance information providing apparatus and method.

[0017] Further, an object of the present invention is to provide an effective travelable distance display device and method that can induce the driver to drive fuel-efficiently.

[0018] The object of the present invention is not limited to the objects mentioned above, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains (hereinafter referred to as "ordinary technicians") from the following description.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0019] To achieve the above object, a vehicle travelable distance information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a display device for displaying vehicle travelable distance information, and a controller for controlling the operation of the display device. The controller determines an initial predicted DTE, which is a predicted travelable distance that changes according to vehicle driving, based on an initial DTE (Distance to Empty), which is the travelable distance at the start of vehicle driving, determines the current DTE, which is the actual travelable distance, in real time for each set distance during vehicle driving, and controls the operation of the display device so as to display the actual DTE history information indicating the change history of the determined current DTE together with the initial predicted DTE as the actual travel distance during vehicle driving increases.

[0020] And the method for providing the travelable distance information of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: a step in which an initial predicted DTE (Distance to Empty), which is a predicted travelable distance that decreases due to vehicle travel, is determined by a controller based on an initial DTE, which is the travelable distance at the start of vehicle travel; a step in which a current DTE, which is the actual travelable distance, is determined in real time by the controller for each set distance during vehicle travel; and a step in which the operation of a display device is controlled by the controller to display actual DTE history information indicating the change history of the determined current DTE together with the initial predicted DTE as the actual travel distance during vehicle travel increases.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] According to the vehicle travelable distance information providing apparatus and method according to the present invention, regardless of the setting of the destination, by displaying and providing in real time to the AVNT the predicted DTE predicted based on the initial DTE at the start of travel, the actual DTE history and transition information during travel, it is possible to inform the driver whether the travel so far has been efficient in terms of fuel consumption compared to the initial prediction.

[0022] Also, by showing the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption (driving, air conditioning, electric field load, battery management) in real time for each distance interval defined in relation to the above DTE display, the driver can easily understand the reason why the DTE change amount is different from the actual travel distance, and by showing all the histories indicating how much energy was used in which interval, it is possible to provide guidance to the driver on what energy to save, and it becomes possible to induce more efficient travel from the perspective of fuel consumption.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The specific structural and functional descriptions presented in the embodiments of the invention are merely illustrative for explaining the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and each embodiment according to the concept of the present invention may be implemented in various forms. Also, the present invention should not be construed as being limited by each embodiment described herein, and it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives included within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0025] On the other hand, in the present invention, terms such as "first" and / or "second" are used to describe various components, but each component is not limited by each term. Each term is only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component. For example, within the scope not departing from the scope of the claims according to the concept of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0026] When one component is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when one component is referred to as being "directly coupled" or "in direct contact" with another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Other expressions for explaining the relationship between each component, namely, expressions such as "between", "immediately between", or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to", should be interpreted in the same way.

[0027] Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals indicate the same components. The terms used in this specification are for explaining each embodiment and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the text. The term "comprises" and / or "comprising" used in the specification means that the recited components, steps, operations, and / or elements do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations, and / or elements.

[0028] The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus and method for displaying and providing information on the driving range (hereinafter referred to as "DTE") of an electric vehicle to a driver.

[0029] In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for displaying the DTE and the energy consumption of an electric vehicle, and displays in real time, through a display device, an initial predicted DTE calculated based on the initial DTE at the start of driving, the actual DTE history during driving, and transition information, regardless of whether a destination is set, and provides in real time the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption (driving, air conditioning, electric field load, battery management) for each defined distance interval.

[0030] In addition, the information providing apparatus and method according to the present invention calculate a driving output using a low DTE vehicle speed and a high DTE vehicle speed set according to vehicle driving conditions such as regions and roads, and constant speed fuel consumption information reflecting the specifications of the vehicle, and use the calculated driving output to calculate and provide low DTE and high DTE information that can be traveled according to driving conditions such as regions and roads without relation to learning.

[0031] In the present invention, while providing low DTE and high DTE information that varies according to changes in battery available energy (battery remaining energy) through a display device such as a cluster of the vehicle, the current DTE reflecting the driving improvement of the driver and the current vehicle driving state is displayed and provided to the driver in real time and instantaneously through the cluster, so that the current real-time DTE (hereinafter referred to as "current DTE" or "actual DTE") can move and converge to the high DTE side, inducing the driver to drive efficiently from the perspective of electricity cost.

[0032] The low DTE and high DTE provided by the present invention are information not related to learning, and it can be said that they are values that vary according to changes in battery available energy regardless of learning, regardless of how the driver drives.

[0033] In the present invention, while displaying the current DTE value through a display device such as a cluster as described above, both the low DTE value and the high DTE value calculated based on the battery available energy are displayed. As a result, while the driver is driving the vehicle, the low DTE value and the high DTE value displayed on the display device, and the current DTE value located between the low DTE value and the high DTE value are confirmed in real time, and the vehicle is driven so that the current DTE value becomes closer to the high DTE value than the low DTE value.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus for performing a travelable distance information providing process according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a method for determining a low DTE value and a high DTE value in the present invention.

[0035] The process in FIG. 2 is performed by the controller 30 shown in FIG. 1. In the controller 30, the low DTE, high DTE, and current DTE are calculated and obtained in real time. Further, the low DTE and high DTE determined by the controller 30, and the current DTE information are displayed on the display device 40 and provided to the driver.

[0036] In the present invention, a control process for providing travelable distance information is performed by a plurality of controllers that cooperate and control while exchanging necessary information with each other, or a control process for providing travelable distance information is performed by an integrated single controller.

[0037] For example, the plurality of controllers may include a vehicle controller (VCU) which is a higher-level controller, an HVAC controller (HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning, or Dual Automatic Temperature Control, DATC), and a battery management system (BMS). In addition to this, it may further include an electric field load controller.

[0038] Here, the electric field load controller is a controller of a converter that converts battery power and outputs it to the electric field components of the vehicle, that is, a controller of an LDC (Low voltage DC-DC Converter) (LDC controller).

[0039] In the present invention, one controller having functions integrated with a plurality of controllers can be collectively referred to as a controller, and it can be said that the control process of the present invention is performed by this collectively referred controller. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the "controller" is the collectively referred controller.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1 for explanation, the controller 30 includes a vehicle speed calculation unit 31, a drive output calculation unit 32, an air conditioning output calculation unit 33, a converter output calculation unit 34, a travelable distance calculation unit 35, and a display control unit 36. The controller 30 including such components is a single controller having an integrated function.

[0041] Alternatively, when the control process according to the present invention is performed by a plurality of controllers already provided in the vehicle, the air conditioning output calculation unit 33 is an air conditioning controller which is a separate controller, and the converter output calculation unit 34 is an electric field load controller (LDC controller) which is a separate controller.

[0042] Alternatively, the display control unit 36 is a display controller which is connected to or included in the display device so as to control the operation of the display device 40. Here, the display device is a display in the AVNT, and the display controller is an AVNT controller.

[0043] Also, the vehicle speed calculation unit 31, the drive output calculation unit 32, and the travelable distance calculation unit 35 are also components included in a separate controller, for example, a vehicle controller (VCU).

[0044] Also in this case, including the vehicle speed calculation unit 31, the drive output calculation unit 32, and the travelable distance calculation unit 35, the air conditioning controller, the converter controller, and the display device controller can be generically called controllers, and the control process for providing the travelable distance information according to the present invention is performed by these generically called controllers.

[0045] In the present invention, the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30 determines the low DTE and the high DTE respectively using the current available battery energy.

[0046] More specifically, the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30 calculates the low DTE using the low fuel consumption related information and the current available battery energy. Also, the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30 calculates the high DTE using the high fuel consumption related information and the current available battery energy.

[0047] Here, the low fuel consumption related information includes the low DTE vehicle speed under the current vehicle driving conditions and the output of the entire battery at this low DTE vehicle speed, which is the output of the entire low DTE.

[0048] Also, the high fuel consumption related information includes the high DTE vehicle speed under the current vehicle driving conditions and the output of the entire battery at this high DTE vehicle speed, which is the output of the entire high DTE.

[0049] Therefore, the travelable distance calculation unit 35 calculates the low DTE using the low DTE vehicle speed and the output of the entire low DTE, which are the low fuel consumption related information, and the current available battery energy.

[0050] Also, the travelable distance calculation unit 35 calculates the high DTE using the high DTE vehicle speed and the output of the entire high DTE, which are the high fuel consumption related information, and the current available battery energy.

[0051] Here, the output of the entire low DTE can be said to be the output of the entire battery at the low DTE vehicle speed, and the output of the entire high DTE can be said to be the output of the entire battery at the high DTE vehicle speed.

[0052] In an embodiment of the present invention, the low DTE is determined as the value obtained by multiplying the value obtained by dividing the low DTE vehicle speed by the output of the entire low DTE by the current available battery energy, and the high DTE is determined as the value obtained by multiplying the value obtained by dividing the high DTE vehicle speed by the output of the entire high DTE by the current available battery energy.

[0053] Expressing this in an equation, it is as shown in the following equations (1) and (2).

[0054] 〔Equation 1〕 Low DTE = (Low DTE vehicle speed) / (Output of the entire low DTE) × (Available battery energy)

[0055] 〔Equation 2〕 High DTE = (High DTE vehicle speed) / (Total output of High DTE) × (Battery available energy)

[0056] The low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed are determined by the vehicle speed calculation unit 31 of the controller 30 (step S12 in FIG. 2). As the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed, values preset in the vehicle speed calculation unit 31 as values according to vehicle driving conditions can be used, and these are values determined in advance according to regional conditions and road conditions. That is, in the vehicle speed calculation unit 31, the corresponding low DTE vehicle speed and high DTE vehicle speed are determined according to regional conditions and road conditions.

[0057] When the controller 30 that calculates the low DTE and the high DTE according to Formula 1 and Formula 2 is a vehicle controller, the vehicle controller receives real-time battery available energy information from the battery controller (BMS) 20 and uses this for calculating the low DTE and the high DTE.

[0058] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle driving conditions include regional conditions and road conditions under which the vehicle is driven. Also, in the present invention, the low DTE vehicle speed means a vehicle speed that can provide a short drivable distance (low DTE) according to regional conditions and road conditions, and the high DTE vehicle speed means a vehicle speed that can provide a long drivable distance (high DTE) according to regional conditions and road conditions.

[0059] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed are determined in advance as values according to regional conditions and road conditions, the corresponding low DTE vehicle speed and high DTE vehicle speed for each regional condition and road condition are pre-input and set in the vehicle speed calculation unit 31 of the controller 30 and stored.

[0060] Therefore, in the vehicle speed calculation unit 31 of the controller 30, the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed corresponding to the region and road on which the current vehicle is driving are determined respectively from the setting information in which the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed are set for each regional condition and road condition.

[0061] Here, the region and road information where the vehicle is currently traveling are obtained by the vehicle speed calculation unit 31 of the controller 30 from the navigation information output from the navigation device 10 (step S11 in FIG. 2). Here, the navigation device 10 is a telematics-based (e.g., Bluelink, UVO, etc.) navigation device.

[0062] That is, the controller 30 obtains, from the navigation information input from the navigation device 10, the regional conditions and road condition information for determining the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed from the current vehicle position information and the traveling road information.

[0063] Table 1 below shows setting examples of the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed. Since the numerical values are exemplary, the present invention is not limited thereby, and the values of the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed for different regional conditions and road conditions can be variously changed.

[0064]

Table 1

[0065] As illustrated in Table 1, highways have a higher average vehicle speed than urban roads, and North America has a higher average vehicle speed than South Korea and Europe. Generally, the higher the average vehicle speed, the longer the travelable distance. Therefore, the higher the average vehicle speed under the regional conditions and road conditions, the higher the values of the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed are set.

[0066] Also, referring to Table 1, it can be seen that the low DTE vehicle speed is set to a higher speed than the high DTE vehicle speed at which a long travelable distance (high DTE) can be obtained because the low DTE vehicle speed is the speed at which a short travelable distance (low DTE) can be obtained. When traveling at a high speed, the travelable distance becomes shorter than when traveling at a low speed. As a result, the low DTE vehicle speed at which a short travelable distance can be obtained is set to a higher speed value than the high DTE vehicle speed at which a long travelable distance can be obtained.

[0067] In an embodiment of the present invention, the output of the low DTE as a whole and the output of the high DTE as a whole mean the overall battery output, and are determined as the value obtained by adding together the drive output and the air conditioning output respectively in the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30, or are determined as the value obtained by adding together all of the drive output, the air conditioning output, and the converter output.

[0068] Here, the drive output means the battery output used by the motor for vehicle driving, which is determined as a value corresponding to the high DTE vehicle speed or the low DTE vehicle speed, which is an appropriate vehicle speed according to regional conditions and road conditions, by the drive output calculation unit 32 of the controller 30 (at step S13 in FIG. 2), and then input to the travelable distance calculation unit 35.

[0069] Also, the air conditioning output is determined by the air conditioning output calculation unit 33 and then input to the travelable distance calculation unit 35, and the converter output is determined by the converter output calculation unit 34 and then input to the travelable distance calculation unit 35.

[0070] The air conditioning output means the battery output used for air conditioning, and the converter output means the battery output for electric field components. The converter output is the output of the LDC that converts the battery power and then outputs it to the electric field components of the vehicle.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning output and the LDC output do not distinguish between low DTE and high DTE, but in the case of the drive output, low DTE and high DTE are distinguished. That is, the drive output includes the low DTE drive output and the high DTE drive output. The low DTE drive output is used by the travelable distance calculation unit 35 to calculate the output of the low DTE as a whole, and the high DTE drive output is used by the travelable distance calculation unit 35 to calculate the output of the high DTE as a whole (at step S14 in FIG. 2).

[0072] In the drive output calculation unit 32 of the controller 30, the low DTE drive output and the high DTE drive output are determined by mathematical formulas that take the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed input from the vehicle speed calculation unit 31 as input variables. This mathematical formula is a relational expression of "vehicle speed - drive output" that defines the correlation between the vehicle speed and the drive output, and is a cubic equation.

[0073] The following Mathematical Formula 3 shows a cubic equation for calculating the drive output, that is, the low DTE drive output and the high DTE drive output, from the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed.

[0074] [Mathematical Formula 3] Drive output = a1 × vehicle speed + a2 × (vehicle speed) 2 + a3 × (vehicle speed) 3

[0075] Mathematical Formula 3 is a cubic equation showing a constant-speed fuel consumption curve. By performing a constant-speed fuel consumption test and evaluation in advance for the corresponding vehicle type during the vehicle development stage, a cubic equation of "vehicle speed - drive output" is determined, and the values of the coefficients a1, a2, and a3 in the cubic equation are obtained.

[0076] In Mathematical Formula 3, the coefficients a1, a2, and a3, which are setting information regarding the mathematical formula of the constant-speed fuel consumption curve, are values specific to the vehicle and indicate the specifications characteristics of the vehicle, and are obtained through the process of the constant-speed fuel consumption test and evaluation for the corresponding vehicle type.

[0077] In the present invention, since each coefficient of the constant-speed fuel consumption curve is pre-input and stored in the drive output calculation unit 32 of the controller 30, it is used to calculate the drive output through the mathematical formula of the constant-speed fuel consumption curve from an appropriate vehicle speed corresponding to the current regional conditions and road conditions.

[0078] That is, each coefficient is used to calculate the low DTE drive output and the high DTE drive output from the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed, respectively, through the mathematical formula of the constant-speed fuel consumption curve.

[0079] The following Equation 4 and Equation 5 show a cubic equation of a constant-speed fuel consumption curve for calculating the low DTE driving output and the high DTE driving output from the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed.

[0080] [Equation 4] Low DTE driving output = a1×(low DTE vehicle speed) + a2×(low DTE vehicle speed) 2 + a3×(low DTE vehicle speed) 3

[0081] [Equation 5] High DTE driving output = a1×(high DTE vehicle speed) + a2×(high DTE vehicle speed) 2 + a3×(high DTE vehicle speed) 3

[0082] On the other hand, as described above, the output of the entire low DTE and the output of the entire high DTE, which mean the output of the entire battery, are determined as the sum of the driving output input from the driving output calculation unit 32 and the air-conditioning output input from the air-conditioning output calculation unit 33 by the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30. However, the calculation of the air-conditioning output from the air-conditioning output calculation unit 33 is performed through a known process of calculating the air-conditioning output using an air-conditioning heat model.

[0083] Accordingly, the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30 can determine the output of the entire low DTE as the sum of the low DTE driving output and the air-conditioning output, and determine the output of the entire high DTE as the sum of the high DTE driving output and the air-conditioning output (step S14 in FIG. 2).

[0084] Alternatively, the output of the converter, which means the battery output for the electric field components (electric field load) of the vehicle, can be further used to determine the overall output. Here, the converter output input from the converter output calculation unit 34 is the LDC output as described above.

[0085] Accordingly, in the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30, the output of the entire low DTE is determined as the value obtained by summing the low DTE drive output, the air conditioning output, and the LDC output, and the output of the entire high DTE is determined as the value obtained by summing the high DTE drive output, the air conditioning output, and the LDC output (step S14 in FIG. 2).

[0086] In an embodiment of the present invention, a learned value can be used for the LDC output, and for driver preference learning, a new LDC output value is stored in the converter output calculation unit 34 of the controller 30 every 1 km of travel as predetermined.

[0087] That is, the converter output calculation unit 34 of the controller 30 has n buffers, and the LDC output value is stored in one of the n (e.g., 25) buffers every 1 km of travel. At this time, one of the values stored in the n buffers is updated with a new LDC output value every 1 km of travel.

[0088] Also, the LDC output values of the most recently stored m (e.g., 10) buffers among the n values stored in the n buffers are averaged, and the average value is used as the final LDC output value.

[0089] Table 2 below shows an example in which the LDC output value is calculated.

[0090]

Table 2

[0091] In the example of Table 2, one LDC output value updated every time of travel of a preset distance (e.g., 1 km) is stored in each of the total 25 buffers, and the LDC output values of the most recently stored total 10 buffers among the total 25 sequentially stored LDC output values are averaged, and the average value is used as the final LDC output value.

[0092] In the example of Table 2, 0.70 kW, which is the average of the LDC output values stored in buffers numbered 16 to 25, is determined as the final LDC output value.

[0093] Although the LDC output is learned in this way, the LDC output is a relatively small value compared to the drive output and the air-conditioning output, and the variation range of the LDC output is also small. Therefore, as the LDC output value, a fixed value that is not learned, that is, a constant LDC output value preset for the corresponding vehicle, may be used.

[0094] Ultimately, when the output of the entire low DTE and the output of the entire high DTE are obtained by the travelable distance calculation unit 35 of the controller 30 through the above process, together with these overall outputs, the low DTE vehicle speed and the high DTE vehicle speed input from the vehicle speed calculation unit 31, and the battery available energy input from the battery controller 20, the low DTE value and the high DTE value are obtained as shown in Formula 1 and Formula 2 (step S15 in FIG. 2).

[0095] Table 3 below shows an example in which the low DTE and the high DTE are obtained for an arbitrary vehicle according to regional conditions and road conditions.

[0096]

Table 3

[0097] When the low DTE and high DTE values are determined in this way, the display control unit 36 of the controller 30 controls the operation of the display device 40 to display the low DTE value, the high DTE value, and the current DTE value on the display device 40 in a predetermined method (step S16 in FIG. 2).

[0098] The current DTE (actual DTE) is calculated reflecting the driving tendency of the driver and the current vehicle driving state, and this is calculated by a known method.

[0099] There are various known methods for calculating the current DTE (current driving range) in real time using real-time driving state information such as the driving road conditions like the boarding and alighting platform and the current vehicle speed, along with the driver's driving propensity related to acceleration and deceleration during vehicle driving, and one of the known methods is adopted and utilized.

[0100] Persons with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains are well aware of various methods for calculating the current DTE (current driving range) in real time. Therefore, in this specification, a detailed description of the method for calculating the current DTE is omitted.

[0101] The display control unit 36 of the controller 30 controls the operation of the display device 40 so as to display the currently determined DTE value together with the low DTE value and the high DTE value. As a result, the current DTE, the low DTE, and the high DTE values are provided to the driver through the display device 40.

[0102] Ultimately, as described above, by displaying and providing the current DTE, which reflects the driver's driving propensity and the current vehicle driving state, together with the low DTE and the high DTE, to the driver in real time and instantaneously through a display device such as a cluster, the driver is induced to drive efficiently from the perspective of electricity cost so that the current DTE can move and converge to the high DTE side.

[0103] On the other hand, separately from displaying the low DTE, the high DTE, and the current DTE as described above, regardless of whether a destination is set, the initial predicted DTE calculated based on the initial DTE at the start of driving, the actual DTE history and transition information during driving are displayed in real time through the display device, and the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption (driving, air conditioning, electric field load, battery management) are displayed and provided in real time for each defined distance interval.

[0104] Among the configurations of FIG. 1, the navigation device is used to obtain regional conditions and road condition information for determining low DTE vehicle speed and high DTE vehicle speed as described above. However, this only uses the current driving position, and even when the destination is not set, it is possible to obtain regional conditions and road condition information corresponding to the current driving position from the navigation information.

[0105] In the present invention, the low DTE and high DTE obtained as described above can be displayed as real-time information together with the current DTE on the display device, or when the operation of the vehicle ends during the real-time calculation and display of the low DTE and high DTE, after storing the final low DTE value and high DTE value, as will be described later, it is used as the initial low DTE and initial high DTE values at the time of vehicle key-on (KEY ON).

[0106] In the present invention, in a coordinate system with the actual driving distance and DTE as coordinate values, the initial predicted DTE is controlled to be displayed as a graph showing a value that decreases as the actual driving distance increases while taking the initial DTE value as the starting point. In the graph showing the initial predicted DTE, the initial predicted DTE corresponding to each actual driving distance is a value obtained by subtracting each actual driving distance from the initial DTE value.

[0107] Also, in the present invention, the actual DTE history showing the change history of the current DTE during vehicle driving is controlled to be displayed in the coordinate system as a graph showing continuous current DTE values as the actual driving distance increases, together with the graph showing the initial predicted DTE, enabling comparison between the initial predicted DTE value and the actual DTE history for each actual driving distance.

[0108] In the present invention, a predicted low DTE graph, which is a diagram showing a value that decreases as the actual driving distance increases starting from an initial low DTE value smaller than the initial DTE value at the start of vehicle driving, and a high DTE graph, which is a diagram showing a value that decreases as the actual driving distance increases starting from an initial high DTE value larger than the initial DTE value at the start of vehicle driving, are each generated and displayed together with a graph showing the initial predicted DTE.

[0109] Also, on the display screen of the display device, the initial predicted DTE and the actual DTE history are displayed as values based on the actual driving distance, and the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption during vehicle driving are displayed as values based on the actual driving distance.

[0110] Explaining the present invention in more detail, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display state of the remaining driving distance according to the present invention. The horizontal axis (x-axis) indicates the distance traveled by the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "actual driving distance") (km), and the vertical axis (y-axis) indicates the DTE value in distance units (km). As the actual driving distance on the horizontal axis, the value of the odometer is used.

[0111] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method for displaying the remaining driving distance according to the present invention, and will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 for the method for displaying the remaining driving distance according to the present invention.

[0112] FIG. 3 illustrates the remaining driving distance information displayed on the display device (ANVT), and shows an example in which the DTE at the time of vehicle key-on (KEY ON) and the start of driving (departure time) (hereinafter referred to as "initial DTE"), the DTE predicted based on the initial DTE during vehicle driving (hereinafter referred to as "initial predicted DTE"), and the actual DTE history (current real-time DTE change history) during vehicle driving are displayed together in a graph for comparison.

[0113] As the actual driving distance increases during vehicle operation, the initial predicted DTE is obtained by subtracting the actual driving distance from the initial DTE. Also, this is displayed as a straight line with a constant gradient.

[0114] At this time, as an example of a method for generating and displaying the initial predicted DTE value, when the vehicle is keyed on (KEY ON), after determining the initial DTE value as the intercept on the y-axis which is the vertical axis, a straight line can be generated and displayed with the same value as the intercept on the x-axis which is the horizontal axis (refer to step S21 in Figure 4).

[0115] Also, in Figure 3, the actual DTE history graphically shows the changes and history of the current DTE, that is, the current DTE calculated reflecting the driver's driving tendency and the current vehicle driving state as described above. Based on the value of the odometer which is the actual driving distance, the actual DTE (current DTE) value is received by AVNT every 1 km cycle which is the set distance, and the actual DTE history graph is displayed (refer to steps S22 and S23 in Figure 4).

[0116] In the present invention, the initial DTE value is the current DTE value at the time when the vehicle is keyed on, that is, at the start of driving and departure. Thus, at the time of keying on and departure of the vehicle, the initial DTE and the actual DTE (current DTE) start from the same value (refer to Figure 3).

[0117] In this way, in the present invention, in the coordinate system of the DTE display screen during vehicle driving, the initial predicted DTE is displayed as a straight line graph, and the continuous changes of the current DTE calculated every 1 km cycle which is the set distance during driving, that is, the actual DTE history data, are displayed as a graph such as a line graph. At this time, the last point of the actual DTE history graph indicates the current DTE.

[0118] In the present invention, the initial predicted DTE, the actual DTE history, and the current DTE are displayed as diagrams and graphs as shown in FIG. 3, enabling the driver to compare and recognize them in real time, so that the driver can compare not only the current DTE of his own, but also the previous actual DTE changes (changes in the current DTE value) and the history with the initial predicted DTE.

[0119] Such information provision and DTE data comparison are performed regardless of setting a destination in the navigation device. Also, real-time DTE information not related to the destination can be provided to the driver.

[0120] Also, FIG. 3 shows that, as another one of the display information displayed on the display device in the present invention, the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption based on the actual driving distance (based on the odometer value) are both displayed below the DTE information.

[0121] In the energy consumption display information, the horizontal axis indicates the actual driving distance (km), and the vertical axis indicates the energy (kWh). Also, after calculating the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption (such as driving, air conditioning, electric field load, battery management, etc.) values for each section of a defined distance (for example, 2 km), the actual driving distance and the energy consumption are displayed in the form of a bar graph or the like in a coordinate system with the coordinate values, and this is provided to the driver (see steps S21, S24, and S25 in FIG. 4).

[0122] That is, when the driving energy consumption, the electric field load energy consumption, the air conditioning energy consumption, and the battery management energy consumption are calculated for each section by the driving output calculation unit 32, the converter output calculation unit 34, the air conditioning output calculation unit 33, and the battery controller 20, the section cumulative energy consumption obtained by summing up the respective energy consumptions calculated for each section (for example, a 2 km section based on the odometer) is displayed on the display device 40 in the form of a bar graph or the like.

[0123] Here, the driving energy consumption is the battery energy consumed by the vehicle drive system such as the motor during vehicle driving, the electric field load energy consumption is the battery energy consumed by the low-voltage electric field components of the vehicle, the air conditioning energy consumption is the battery energy consumed for vehicle air conditioning, and the battery management energy consumption is the battery energy consumed by the electrical devices of the vehicle such as the battery heater for battery management such as battery conditioning.

[0124] Separately from this, at the start time of driving which is the time when the vehicle is keyed on (KEY ON), the predicted energy consumption is calculated using the available battery energy and the initial DTE, and this is displayed as the predicted energy consumption for each section of a defined distance.

[0125] Referring to FIG. 3, it is shown that the predicted energy consumption maintains the initial value obtained at the time when the vehicle is keyed on. That is, the initial value obtained at the time when the vehicle is keyed on is displayed as the intercept of the vertical axis (y-axis), and the predicted energy consumption values for each section are displayed as a straight line showing the same value as the initial value.

[0126] In this way, while displaying the predicted energy consumption on the energy consumption display screen, the actual energy consumption (section cumulative energy consumption) for each section during vehicle driving is displayed so as to be superimposed on the predicted energy consumption.

[0127] FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams showing other examples for explaining the method for providing the travelable distance information according to the present invention, and show an example in which the initial DTE, the initial predicted DTE, the actual DTE history, the real-time current DTE, and the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption history for each section are displayed on a display device (e.g., the display of AVNT).

[0128] Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that during vehicle travel, the driving energy consumption increases significantly in each middle section, and the actual DTE (the current DTE at that time) decreases significantly compared to the initial predicted DTE. Through this, it can be seen that the vehicle has traveled at high speed and uphill in the corresponding sections.

[0129] Referring to FIG. 6, since the air-conditioning energy consumption is large in the initial stage, it is confirmed that the actual DTE decreases compared to the initial predicted DTE. Also, although the driving energy consumption shows a negative value in the middle section, it can be seen through this that the vehicle has traveled downhill. Also, since a lot of regenerative braking is performed during such a downhill section, it can be seen that the actual DTE increases compared to the initial predicted DTE.

[0130] Next, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing still another example of the method for providing travelable distance information according to the present invention, in which a straight line with the initial DTE value at the time of vehicle key-on as the intercepts of the vertical axis (y-axis) and the horizontal axis (x-axis) is generated, and the initial predicted DTE value is displayed.

[0131] At the same time, the change in the current DTE value obtained in real time for each set distance (e.g., 1 km) during vehicle travel, that is, the actual DTE history data, is displayed as a line graph, and the starting point of the actual DTE history graph shows the same initial DTE value as the starting point of the initial predicted DTE. The final value of the actual DTE history graph shows the current DTE value.

[0132] In addition, the energy consumption information is displayed by section below the DTE information. The predicted energy consumption by section is displayed as points using coordinate information, and the actual cumulative energy consumption used for driving, air conditioning, electric field load, and battery management in each section is displayed in the form of a bar graph as the actual energy consumption by section.

[0133] Here, battery management includes battery conditioning for optimal charging of the battery. The energy consumed for battery management includes energy consumed for battery temperature control during the battery conditioning process, such as, for example, battery heating energy (battery heater consumed energy) consumed to raise the battery temperature.

[0134] In the example of FIG. 7, the actual vehicle speed and the gradient information of the actual driving road, which are information obtained in real time by the vehicle, can be displayed on the display device together with the DTE information and the energy consumption information. Based on the information displayed through this, the driver can understand whether the reason for the increase or decrease in the driving energy is due to the vehicle speed or the gradient. In FIG. 7, examples of the actual notations of the vehicle speed and gradient information shown in a graph or the like are omitted.

[0135] Next, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing still another example of the method for providing the driving range information according to the present invention, and shows an example in which both the low DTE range and the high DTE range are displayed on the DTE information display screen.

[0136] As shown in the figure, a straight line having the low DTE (referred to as "initial low DTE") value at the time of turning on the vehicle key as the intercepts of the horizontal axis (x-axis) and the vertical axis (y-axis) is generated and displayed as a graph showing the predicted low DTE value.

[0137] Similarly, a straight line having the high DTE (referred to as "initial high DTE") value at the time of turning on the vehicle key, which is the drivable time, as the intercepts of the horizontal axis (x-axis) and the vertical axis (y-axis) is generated and displayed as a graph showing the predicted high DTE value.

[0138] Also, in a coordinate system having the actual driving distance and the DTE in distance units as the values of the horizontal axis and the vertical axis respectively, a first region between the initial predicted DTE graph and the predicted high DTE graph is defined as the high DTE range, and a region between the initial predicted DTE graph and the predicted low DTE graph is defined as the low DTE range.

[0139] At this time, in the display information, the low DTE range is the lower region based on the initial predicted DTE graph, and is the range between the initial predicted DTE and the predicted low DTE based on the same driving distance.

[0140] Also, in the display information, the high DTE range is the upper region based on the initial predicted DTE graph, and is the range between the initial predicted DTE and the predicted high DTE based on the same driving distance. At this time, the graph showing the actual DTE history is displayed in one of the first region and the second region.

[0141] In addition, the controller of the present invention controls the operation of the display device so as to display, on the display screen, the first region between the initial predicted DTE graph and the predicted high DTE graph and the second region between the initial predicted DTE graph and the predicted low DTE graph in different colors from each other.

[0142] That is, the low DTE range and the high DTE range are displayed in their respective predetermined colors. On the display screen, the corresponding regions of the two DTE ranges are displayed in a colored form with different colors specified for each range so that the driver can easily distinguish and identify the two DTE ranges divided based on the initial predicted DTE diagram.

[0143] In this way, by displaying both the low DTE range and the high DTE range, it is possible to show how the actual DTE history of the driver behaves within the low DTE range and the high DTE range, and through this, guide and direct the driver to drive in a fuel-efficient manner.

[0144] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the rights of the present invention is not limited thereto, and many variations and improvements by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims are also included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Explanation of Signs

[0145] 10 Navigation device 20 Battery controller 30 Controller 31 Vehicle speed calculation unit 32 Drive output calculation unit 33 Air conditioning output calculation unit 34 Converter output calculation unit 35 Travelable distance calculation unit 36 Display control unit 40 Display device

Claims

1. A display device for displaying vehicle mileage information; and a controller for controlling operation of the display device; The controller includes: Based on an initial DTE (Distance to Empty) which is a travelable distance at the start of vehicle travel, an initial predicted DTE which is a predicted travelable distance that changes as the vehicle travels is determined; determining in real time a current DTE, which is an actual distance traveled, for each set distance during a vehicle trip; A vehicle driving range information providing device, characterized in that the device controls the operation of the display device to display actual DTE history information indicating a change history of the determined current DTE as the actual driving distance increases during vehicle driving, together with the determined initial predicted DTE information.

2. The controller includes:

2. The vehicle driving range information providing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the initial predicted DTE is displayed as a graph showing a value that decreases as the actual driving distance increases, starting from the initial DTE value, in a coordinate system in which the actual driving distance and the DTE are coordinate values.

3. 3. The device for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein in the graph showing the initial predicted DTE, an initial predicted DTE value corresponding to each actual driving distance is determined by subtracting the respective actual driving distance from the initial DTE value.

4. The controller includes: In a coordinate system in which the horizontal axis indicates the actual travel distance and the vertical axis indicates the DTE, a straight line is generated with the initial DTE value as an intercept of the horizontal axis and an intercept of the vertical axis; 3. The device for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising control for displaying said straight line in said coordinate system as a graph showing said initial predicted DTE at the start of vehicle travel.

5. The controller includes: and controlling the display of the actual DTE history information as a graph showing a succession of changes in the current DTE with increasing actual mileage in the coordinate system, together with a graph showing the initial predicted DTE during vehicle travel; 3. The device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for comparing the initial predicted DTE value with an actual DTE history for each actual driving distance.

6. The controller includes: A predicted low DTE graph is a graph showing a value that decreases with an increase in actual travel distance, starting from an initial low DTE value that is a value smaller than the initial DTE value at the start of vehicle travel, and a high DTE graph is a graph showing a value that decreases with an increase in actual travel distance, starting from an initial high DTE value that is a value larger than the initial DTE value at the start of vehicle travel, 3. The device for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle as claimed in claim 2, further comprising controlling the operation of the display device so as to display the generated low DTE graph and high DTE graph together with a graph showing the initial predicted DTE.

7. The controller includes:

2. The device for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: controlling an operation of the display device so as to display the initial predicted DTE and the actual DTE history as values ​​based on the actual driving distance on a display screen of the display device, and to display the predicted energy consumption and the actual energy consumption during vehicle driving as values ​​based on the actual driving distance.

8. The controller includes:

8. The device for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that in a coordinate system in which the actual driving distance and the consumed energy are used as coordinate values, the actual consumed energy for each section of a predetermined distance during vehicle driving is displayed as a bar graph, and the predicted consumed energy for each section is displayed superimposed on the actual consumed energy.

9. The controller includes:

2. The device for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device calculates an expected energy consumption using a battery available energy and an initial DTE at the start of vehicle driving, and then displays the calculated expected energy consumption as an expected energy consumption per section for each section of a predetermined distance during the vehicle driving.

10. The actual energy consumption for each section is: The battery energy consumed in real time for each section, 9. The device for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the remaining driving distance is determined as the sum of driving energy consumed by a drive system including a motor for driving the vehicle, electric field load energy consumed by electric field components, air conditioning energy consumed for vehicle air conditioning, and battery management energy consumed for battery management.

11. The controller includes: The device for providing information on remaining driving distance for a vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that the operation of the display device is controlled so that the initial predicted DTE and the actual DTE history are displayed on the display screen of the display device as values ​​based on the actual driving distance, and the vehicle speed and the gradient of the road during vehicle driving are displayed as values ​​based on the actual driving distance.

12. The controller includes: determining low fuel consumption related information and high fuel consumption related information according to the current vehicle driving conditions; determining low and high DTE values ​​based on the determined low and high fuel consumption related information and a current battery available energy; 2. The device for providing vehicle range information as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display device that controls the operation of the display device to display the determined low DTE and high DTE values ​​and the current DTE value.

13. determining an initial predicted distance to empty (DTE), which is a predicted distance to empty that changes as the vehicle travels, based on an initial distance to empty (DTE) at the start of vehicle travel by the controller; determining in real time by the controller a current DTE, which is an actual distance traveled during a vehicle trip for each set distance; and and controlling operation of a display device by the controller to display actual DTE history information indicating a change history of the determined current DTE together with the initial predicted DTE as the actual mileage increases during vehicle travel.

14. In the step of controlling the operation of the display device, The controller includes: The method for providing vehicle driving range information as described in claim 13, characterized in that the initial predicted DTE is controlled to be displayed as a graph showing a value that decreases as the actual driving distance increases, starting from the initial DTE value, in a coordinate system in which the actual driving distance and the DTE are coordinate values.

15. The controller includes: In a coordinate system in which the horizontal axis indicates the actual travel distance and the vertical axis indicates the DTE, a straight line is generated with the initial DTE value as an intercept of the horizontal axis and an intercept of the vertical axis; 15. The method for providing remaining distance information for a vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising controlling to display the straight line in the coordinate system as a graph showing the initial predicted DTE at the start of vehicle travel.

16. The controller includes: and controlling the display of the actual DTE history information as a graph showing a succession of changes in the current DTE with increasing actual mileage in the coordinate system, together with a graph showing the initial predicted DTE during vehicle travel; 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: comparing the initial predicted DTE value with an actual DTE history for each actual driving distance.

17. The controller includes: A predicted low DTE graph is a graph showing a value that decreases with an increase in actual travel distance, starting from an initial low DTE value that is a value smaller than the initial DTE value at the start of vehicle travel, and a high DTE graph is a graph showing a value that decreases with an increase in actual travel distance, starting from an initial high DTE value that is a value larger than the initial DTE value at the start of vehicle travel, The method for providing vehicle driving range information as claimed in claim 14, further comprising controlling the operation of the display device to display the generated low DTE graph and high DTE graph together with a graph showing the initial predicted DTE.

18. In the step of controlling the operation of the display device, The controller includes: The method for providing vehicle mileage information according to claim 13, further comprising controlling the operation of the display device so as to display the initial predicted DTE and the actual DTE history as values ​​based on the actual mileage on a display screen of the display device, and to display the predicted energy consumption during vehicle traveling and the actual energy consumption as values ​​based on the actual mileage.

19. The controller includes: The method for providing information on remaining driving distance of a vehicle as described in claim 18, characterized in that in a coordinate system in which the actual driving distance and the consumed energy are used as coordinate values, the actual consumed energy for each section calculated for each section of a predetermined distance during vehicle driving is displayed as a bar graph, and the predicted consumed energy for each section is displayed superimposed on the actual consumed energy.

20. In the step of controlling the operation of the display device, The controller includes: The method for providing vehicle driving range information as described in claim 13, characterized in that the operation of the display device is controlled so that the initial predicted DTE and the actual DTE history are displayed on the display screen of the display device as values ​​based on the actual driving distance, and the vehicle speed and the gradient of the road during vehicle driving are displayed as values ​​based on the actual driving distance.

Images