Hybrid Vehicle Display Threshold Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing vehicle status display apparatuses for hybrid vehicles cause confusion and inconvenience when the engine start threshold changes due to factors unrelated to the driver's operations, such as battery temperature, leading to unclear displays and potential disturbances in driving.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle status display apparatus that includes a display device and a processing unit, which differentiate the display change manner when the engine start threshold changes due to the driver's operations from changes caused by other factors, implementing a delayed change in the display threshold for non-driver-related changes to reduce confusion and maintain smooth driving operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the display changes immediately when the engine start threshold changes due to battery temperature or other non-driver factors, then the display reflects the current threshold accurately, but the driver becomes confused and may be disturbed in their operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay accuracyVSAvoiddriver operation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by detecting changes in the engine start threshold before they are reflected in the display. When a threshold change is detected (particularly due to battery temperature), the system preemptively adjusts the display threshold to match, preventing sudden unexpected changes that would confuse the driver. This is achieved through the processing device comparing the current threshold with the display threshold and making gradual adjustments before the driver would notice a discrepancy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies dynamics by making the display threshold adaptive rather than static. The processing device continuously monitors the engine start threshold and dynamically adjusts the display threshold based on the cause of change. When changes are due to driver operations, the display updates immediately; when changes are due to battery temperature or other factors, the display threshold is adjusted gradually over time. This dynamic adjustment strategy resolves the contradiction by making the display responsive when appropriate but stable when unnecessary changes occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If the display threshold follows the engine start threshold closely, then the display provides real-time feedback, but unwanted engine activation may occur due to rapid threshold changes from non-driver factors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay response speedVSAvoidengine start control stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring both the engine start threshold and the display threshold, and comparing them to detect discrepancies. The processing device uses this feedback information to determine whether threshold changes are due to driver operations or other factors like battery temperature. Based on this feedback, the system adjusts the display threshold appropriately - immediately for driver-induced changes and gradually for other changes - thereby maintaining both responsiveness and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies parameter changes by modifying the display threshold parameter based on the detected cause of engine start threshold changes. When battery temperature or other non-driver factors cause threshold changes, the system changes the display threshold parameter gradually over time rather than immediately. This parameter adjustment strategy ensures that the display remains responsive to genuine driver intentions while filtering out noise from environmental factors, thus maintaining control stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If the display updates immediately for all threshold changes, then information is provided in real-time, but driver confusion increases when changes are not due to driver operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation timelinessVSAvoiddriver understanding
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by detecting and analyzing the cause of threshold changes before updating the display. The processing device identifies whether changes are due to driver operations or other factors (battery temperature, etc.), and only then determines the appropriate update strategy. This preliminary analysis prevents unnecessary display updates that would confuse the driver while maintaining timely information provision for genuine operational changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies parameter changes by selectively adjusting the display threshold parameter based on the detected cause. When changes are due to driver operations, the display threshold parameter is updated immediately to provide timely information. When changes are due to battery temperature or other non-driver factors, the parameter is adjusted gradually or not at all, preventing driver confusion. This selective parameter update strategy resolves the contradiction between information timeliness and driver understanding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2743148B1Vehicle status display apparatus of hybrid vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.06.27 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP2743148B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2743148B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2743148B1 patent drawingFigure 4(A)~4(B)

AI summary

A vehicle status display apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes a display device configured to output a display related to a threshold indicating an engine start criterion under a traveling status using an electric motor; and a processing device. When the threshold changes, the processing device changes the display due to the change of the threshold such that a change manner of the display in a case where the threshold changes due to an operation of a vehicle's occupant is different from a change manner of the display in a case where the threshold changes due to a factor other than the operation of the vehicle's occupant.