DE102011112643A1 - Display device for a hybrid vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a display device (3) for a hybrid vehicle having a first drive source and at least one second drive source different in nature from the first drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle according to a load request by the driver, the display device (3) comprising at least one display means (15) for displaying a value of a predetermined by the driver at a given time load request and at a time exclusive drive of the hybrid vehicle by the at least one second drive source at least one additional display means (17) is provided for visualizing a limit such from the driver At this time, maximum callable load request (LN), beyond which also or only the first drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle is activated. According to the invention, it is proposed that at least one further display means (18) can be activated, with which the visualization of at least one operating mode (E) of the hybrid vehicle is possible in which the load request (LE) which can be called up by the driver is at a drive of the vehicle which is exclusive at that time Hybrid vehicle by the at least one second drive source over another operating mode (N) is increased. In this way, the information provided to the driver by the display device (3) can be significantly improved, in particular with regard to a restarting limit of the first drive source. The invention also provides a method for displaying values of a load request to the powertrain of a hybrid vehicle.

Description

The invention relates to a display device for a hybrid vehicle having the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

In order to meet the ever-increasing requirements for low noise and exhaust emissions as well as low fuel consumption in the future, vehicle manufacturers are increasingly working on new vehicle concepts.

The concept of so-called hybrid vehicles is increasingly being used. Hybrid vehicles are vehicles, which are driven by more than one drive source, which is thought in the language today primarily to the combination of an internal combustion engine with an electric motor operable electric machine or multiple electric machines and the associated energy storage (fuel tank and traction battery). Regardless of such an embodiment of the hybrid vehicle, of course, other combinations are conceivable, for example, the combination of a fuel cell and at least one electric machine.

In hybrid vehicles, the conventional tachometer is often replaced or supplemented as a display device by a power meter, in which the currently requested driver request (load request) is displayed in different driving ranges. The position of the power meter pointer correlates more or less linearly with the accelerator pedal position that the driver selects.

Typical power meters are often designed as a round instrument with several labeled scaling lines, where the driver can read different driving conditions:
Thus, when the ignition is off, the pointer is in an "off" position.
When the ignition is switched on and the vehicle is ready to drive (but the driver does not yet give off gas), the pointer moves to a "ready" position.

If the driver gives little or moderate throttle, the pointer moves between the "ready" position and a one-hundred percent position. Often a portion of this area is still graphed as a so-called "eco" area to discourage the driver from overpowering, fuel-intensive accelerations.

If the driver spends a lot of gas or full throttle, the electric motor in hybrid vehicles often uses the internal combustion engine as an electric motor. This is called a "boost" mode. Since the total power achieved / or the total generated torque is above the full load characteristic of the internal combustion engine, the power meter pointer is usually positioned in this "boost" range above 100% of the power meter scaling.

When braking the electric machine works in hybrid vehicles, however, as a generator and is used to charge the battery. This driving range is also optically indicated on the power meter as a "charge" area (so-called recuperation area).

Frequently, hybrid vehicles also offer a so-called "normal" and an "electric vehicle mode" (E-mode). In normal mode, the division between driving with an electric motor (E-driving) and driving with an internal combustion engine (VKM-driving) is designed for minimum consumption. Thus, only the operating points are electrically driven, where the efficiency of the internal combustion engine is worse than the efficiency of electric driving including the injection and Ausspeicherwirkungsgrads the traction battery. However, this somewhat restricts the electric driving performance.

In E-mode, on the other hand, the customer is offered the maximum electrical driving performance independent of the influence of consumption. The retrievable torque or the retrievable power, in which a so-called "restart" is triggered, are therefore significantly higher.

The term "restart" is intended to designate that driving state in which the internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle is also used again or exclusively as the drive source after the hybrid vehicle has previously been exclusively driven by the electric motor.

In the case of hybrid vehicles, the driver may wish to keep the vehicle in the pure electric driving range for a certain period of time, thus avoiding the restart of the internal combustion engine (which can be triggered, for example, by overshooting the throttle). However, this is comparatively difficult due to the rather low performance of the electric machine in hybrid vehicles compared to the performance of the internal combustion engine.

In addition, the load requirement (in particular the moment or the power) at which the restart is triggered, extremely depends on a variety of boundary conditions, so it is not always the same. Thus, at low temperature of a high-voltage (HV) battery, the performance of the traction battery is severely limited, causing the engine re-starts even at very low accelerator pedal desires of the driver. Below one certain battery temperature is usually no purely electric driving possible.

It should also be noted that conventional hybrid batteries are typically operated in a state-of-charge (SOC) window between about 35% to 65% of their maximum state of charge. If the state of charge approaches the minimum permissible SOC, then, for reasons of the operating strategy and for reasons of battery physics, the restart is already initiated at lower powers.

All these effects thus cause that the restart point within the display of the power meter is not constant and sometimes even changes gradually during an electric driving phase.

In order nevertheless to provide the driver of a hybrid vehicle with a display device in which the driver can estimate when the internal combustion engine is switched on during a purely electric drive, that is, a restart takes place, which forms the preamble of claims 1 and 5 DE 10 2007 060 646 A1 an additional display means. This additional display means is used to display the ever-changing restart point and may be provided as a drag pointer or as a circular ring segment on the display surface of the display device.

Against the background of the statements made, however, it is desirable to further improve the known display devices in terms of their informative value for the driver.

The invention is based on the object to improve a generic device for a hybrid vehicle such that the driver in addition to the restart point also information is given to the hand, as he can actively influence this restart point (at least for a certain period).

This object is achieved with the characterizing features of claim 1.

However, the invention is also based on the object to improve a known method for displaying values of a load request to the drive train of a hybrid vehicle. This object is achieved with the characterizing features of claim 5.

Advantageous embodiments or developments of the invention can be taken from the respective subclaims.

With respect to the display device, the invention is therefore based on a display device for a hybrid vehicle with a first drive source and at least one second, different from the first drive source drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle according to a load request by the driver. In this case, the display device has at least one display means for displaying a value of a predetermined by the driver at a given time load request and it is provided at a time exclusive drive of the hybrid vehicle by the at least one second drive source at least one additional display means for visualizing a limit of such The driver can call up the maximum load request from the driver at this point in time, which, if exceeded, also or only activates the first drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle.

According to the invention, at least one further display means can now be activated with which the visualization of at least one operating mode of the hybrid vehicle is possible in which the load request which can be called up by the driver at a drive of the hybrid vehicle which is exclusive at this time increases by the at least one second drive source compared with another operating mode is.

The driver is thus given on the display device according to the invention additional information about the change of the restart point to the hand and he can decide depending on this information in which operating mode he wants to operate the vehicle.

This is especially helpful if the driver places the highest priority on a purely electric drive of his hybrid vehicle for a certain time.

It is expedient to use an internal combustion engine as the first drive source and an electric machine which can be operated as an electric motor as the second drive source. These drive sources are already very mature and hardly objectionable in terms of their reliability.

In particular with regard to a clear presentation, it has proved to be advantageous if the at least one further display means differs in its graphical representation from that of the at least one additional display means. This can easily be done, for example, via appropriately graphically designed luminous areas of today's available, freely programmable displays. Also, the use of so-called RGB LEDs is conceivable, which can be controlled in different colors (red, green and blue).

It is very beneficial to understandable visualization if the at least one additional display means and the at least one further display means can be visualized in the manner of a walking bar.

However, as already mentioned, the invention also relates to a method for displaying values of a load request to the drive train of a hybrid vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 5.

According to the invention, it is provided that a visualization of at least one such operating mode of the hybrid vehicle can be activated, in which the load request which can be called up by the driver is increased by the at least one second drive source compared to another operating mode in the case of exclusive drive of the hybrid vehicle at that time.

This visualization thus leads to additional information and decision support for the driver of a hybrid vehicle with regard to an operating mode to be selected. In this case, the operating mode which increases the maximum callable load requirement can be, for example, a so-called E-mode as already described. However, it is conceivable that other such modes of operation may be alternative or additional choices that affect the restart point of the hybrid vehicle.

Although other sources of power are quite conceivable, the use of an internal combustion engine as the first drive source and at least one electric motor operable as an electric motor as the second drive source due to the expected reliability from the current point of view as most appropriate.

According to one embodiment of the invention can be provided that when activating and / or deactivation of the maximum callable load request increasing operating mode a short-term acoustic signal is output.

Alternatively or additionally, it is also advantageously conceivable for a short-term optical signal to be output upon activation and / or deactivation of the operating mode which increases the maximum callable load request.

All this helps to alert the driver to the changed operating mode.

In order to contribute to a minimization of the power consumption, it may be provided to allow the visualization of the operating mode, which can increase the maximum callable load requirement, to take place only after activation of this operating mode.

However, it provides optimal information and decision support for the driver when the visualization of the maximum callable load request increasing operating mode permanently follows.

In this case, it can be very advantageous that by activating and / or deactivating the operating mode which increases the maximum callable load requirement, a reversal (inversion) takes place in the graphical representation of the display means.

For example, when the normal mode is activated, the ("inactive") restart limit, which can be increased by the possible activation of the E-mode, is represented by blue LEDs and the ("active") restart limit by the normal mode is represented by green LEDs Differentiation between "active" (normal) and "inactive" (increased) restart limit is displayed.

If the driver decides to activate the E-mode on the basis of this information, the reversal (inversion) takes place in the graphical representation. The blue LEDs indicating the increased restart limit are now displayed in green (active) and the LEDs indicating the "normal" restart limit are blue (inactive). Thus, the driver is always informed about which restart limit is currently relevant, which restart limit would apply by switching the drive mode and whether an increased restart limit (E-mode) is activated. If e-driving is currently not possible (eg due to low HV battery temperature, a heating requirement or required "ON-board" diagnostics), the LEDs are off.

For the graphical representation of the display means and the associated possibility of an inversion in the representation, however, other possibilities are conceivable. For example, in a freely programmable display, the "active" restart boundary can be visualized by areas surrounded by solid lines and the "inactive" restart boundary by areas bordered by broken lines.

Alternatively, the following expedient solution is conceivable:
If e-driving is generally possible in normal mode, the green LEDs will light up to the possible restart limit. If e-driving is currently not possible (eg due to low HV battery temperature, a heating requirement or required "ON-board" diagnostics), the LEDs are off. If driving beyond the normal mode is possible with the increased restart limit (E-mode), then the additional blue LEDs light up with lower brightness. If the driver activates the mode with the increased restart limit (E mode), the luminosity of the blue LEDs will be similar to the brightness of the green LEDs. The driver thus also receives the following information in a visually understandable manner through this variant: a) is e-driving generally possible, b) is extended e-driving (e-mode) possible and c) is the extended e-driving (e-mode ) is activated.

Finally, a hybrid vehicle is proposed, which is equipped according to the invention with at least one display device according to the invention.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. The same reference numerals refer to the same, comparable or functionally identical components.

It show, each schematically

1 the interior of a motor vehicle with a display device according to the invention as part of a combination instrument,

2 a display device according to the invention (preferred embodiment) in a first operating mode (normal mode) of the hybrid vehicle in pure e-driving,

3 the display device according to the invention according to 2 in a second operating mode (E mode) of the hybrid vehicle, also in pure e-driving and

4 a display device according to the invention (second embodiment) in a first operating mode (normal mode) of the hybrid vehicle in pure e-driving.

First, on the 1 Referenced. Inside is the interior of a hybrid vehicle 1 in the area of a combination instrument 2 shown. As part of the instrument cluster 2 is a display device according to the invention 3 intended.

The display device 3 should now be based on the 2 and 3 be explained in more detail.

It can be seen that the display device 3 in the form of a round instrument is formed with a circular display surface 4 , The display area 4 can be designed as a so-called freely programmable display. At the edge of the display area 4 are scaling strokes 5 to 12 provided, between which there is a display means 15 in the form of a pointer around a rotation axis 16 turning, moving.

In the embodiment, the pointer 15 however, it can also be virtual on the display surface 4 be shown. The pointer 15 serves to display a load request specified by the driver. When the ignition is off, the pointer is located 15 in an off position on the scale bar 5 ( "Off" position).

When the ignition is switched on, the pointer moves 15 into a ready position on the scale bar 7 ( "Ready" position). This indicates that the vehicle is ready to travel, regardless of whether propulsion is via the internal combustion engine or the electric machine (s).

Between the scaling strokes 6 and 7 are display means 13 arranged to display the charging operation (recuperation). The display means may for example in the form of LEDs or on the display 4 be formed in other ways graphically highlighted surfaces.

If the customer gives little or moderate gas, the pointer moves 15 between the scale line 7 and the scale bar 11 (100% display). In the 2 and 3 is the pointer 15 below the scaling bar 8th , which should indicate an instantaneous load request by the driver of less than 25% of the maximum load request.

If the driver spends a lot of throttle or full throttle, the electric motor temporarily supports the combustion engine as an electric motor and enters a so-called "boost mode", which passes through the area between the scaling lines 11 and 12 (Display means 14 ) is identified. This area is deliberately above the scale bar 11 positioned, since the achieved total power in the boost range is above the full load line of the internal combustion engine.

When braking, the electric machine works as a generator and is used to charge the traction battery. In such cases the pointer moves 15 in between the scale bars 6 and 7 by the display means 13 designated recuperation area ("charge"), and more so the more the driver brakes.

Furthermore, display means 17 provided in the form of rimmed with solid lines areas. The display means 17 serve to display a load request LN which can be called up by the driver in the normal mode at a specific time and can change in number during operation. If a load request is called up by the driver at a certain time, which goes beyond the callable load request LN, then in the case of a preceding Driving a restart of the internal combustion engine in support of the electric motor triggered.

A remaining distance .DELTA.LN from the load request retrieved at a certain point in time to the load request LN which can be called up for pure e-driving at this time is readily apparent to the driver by the position of the pointer 15 relative to the limit of the top indicator 17 seen.

It should be noted that in normal mode (in 2 active) whenever a reboot occurs when a sweep of the pointer 15 over the upper border of a display means 17 takes place. Such a sweep may result if the pointer 15 due to an increasing load demand by the driver from below to such a display means 17 approaches or even when the number of display means 17 (due to a decrease in the electrical performance of the system) from above (ie higher load or power values) to the pointer 15 approaches.

Particularly noteworthy is now that more display means 18 are provided in the form of rimmed with broken lines areas, wherein the display means 18 serve to display such a callable by the driver at a certain time in the E-mode, increased load request LE, in the still pure e-driving is possible, so there is no re-start. Also the number of display means 18 is analogous to that of the display means 17 variable and depends on the respective driving condition.

To emphasize that the load request LE is currently not retrievable (inactive) by the driver, since he is in normal mode, the display means 18 in the form of areas framed by broken lines.

Analogous to the already mentioned distance ΔLN a distance ΔLE for the driver is easily readable, which represents the remaining distance from the requested load request to the (for pure e-driving) maximum retrievable load request in E-mode.

Equally, of course, a possible by activation of the E-mode increase .DELTA.L to be recalled in e-driving load request for the driver readily apparent.

Now decides the driver from these by the display device 3 supplied information for activation of the E-mode, so he can operate a non-illustrated control device. In this case, an acoustic signal is briefly output. At the same time, a short-time optical signal is output. The optical signal can, for example, by a brief increase in brightness of the display area 4 or the display means 18 Likewise, a short-term enlargement of the display means 18 conceivable.

In this way, the driver is very clearly pointed to the activated change in the driving mode.

It should also be noted that the activation of the E-mode is a reversal (inversion) in the graphical representation of the display means 17 and 18 entails (compare 3 ). So now are the display means 18 represented by solid lines bordered areas, while the display means 17 are represented by areas bordered by broken lines. This visualizes that the hybrid vehicle is in the activated E-mode with a correspondingly increased restart limit.

Analogous to the previously described procedure, a short visual and / or acoustic signal was again output when deactivating the E-mode and the display of the display means 17 and 18 again reversed.

Alternatively, the following expedient solution is conceivable for the visualization of the respective driving states:
If e-driving in normal mode is generally possible, the display means light up 17 (For example, designed as green LEDs) up to the possible restart limit (load request LN). If e-driving is currently not possible at all (eg due to low HV battery temperature, a heating requirement or required "ON-board" diagnostics), the display means 17 out. If driving beyond the normal mode is possible with the increased restart limit (E-mode), the additional display means will light up 18 (For example, designed as blue LEDs) with lower brightness. If the driver activates the mode with the increased restart limit (E-mode), the luminosity of the blue LEDs is similar 18 the brightness of the green LEDs 17 at. The driver thus receives also by this variant in a visually understandable way the following information. a) Is e-driving generally possible, b) is extended e-driving possible (e-mode) and c) is advanced e-driving (e-mode) activated?

Although the visualization of the maximum retrievable load request increasing operating mode (E-mode) is permanent in the embodiment, it is also conceivable to perform this visualization only after activation of this mode of operation.

Referring to 4 will now be described a second embodiment of a display device according to the invention:
Notwithstanding the first embodiment, no display means 17 and 18 intended. Rather, it is below the pointer 15 a display means 19 for visualizing normal and E-mode limits at which a restart occurs. The display means 19 could be z. B. also be integrated into a conventional tachometer (not shown).

The display means 19 is designed as a horizontally oriented, rectangular area in which running bar 20 and 23 Move horizontally (see arrows). In the figure, the normal mode is activated and graphically dominant by the bar 20 shown. The walking beam 23 is graphically placed in the background. Both walking beams 20 . 23 each have a right border 21 respectively. 24 , When the normal mode is activated, the right boundary moves 21 on or over a left border 22 the display means 19 , then a restart is triggered. The same applies for activated E-mode for the right limit 24 , Again, a short-term acoustic and / or optical signal can be output when switching between normal and E-mode. Further, there is also a reversal (inversion) in the graph of the walking bars 20 . 23 conceivable.

In addition, letters or symbols may be provided which define the limits for the normal mode ( 25 ), the E-mode ( 26 ) and additionally visualize the restart.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

hybrid vehicle

2

instrument cluster

3

display device

4

display area

5-12

scale marks

13

Display means for displaying the loading operation (recuperation)

14

Display means for indicating the assisting addition of the electric motor (Boost)

15

Display means for displaying a load request predetermined by the driver

16

axis of rotation

17

Display means for displaying a callable by the driver in the normal mode load request

18

Display means for displaying a load request retrievable by the driver in E-mode

19

Display means for visualization of normal and E-mode limits at which a restart occurs

20

Running bar for visualization of a driver-activated driving mode (normal mode)

21

right border of the bar in normal mode

22

left limit at which a restart occurs

23

Running bar for visualization of driver activated driving mode (E-mode)

24

right border of the bar in E-mode

25

Icon or letter for normal mode

26

Icon or letter for E-mode

27

Symbol or letter for restart

LE

load request retrievable by the driver in E-mode

LN

load request retrievable by the driver in normal mode

.DELTA.L

activation of the E-mode possible increase in callable load request

ΔLE

Distance from retrieved load request to maximum retrievable load request in E-mode

ΔLN

Distance from retrieved load request to maximum retrievable load request in normal mode

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102007060646 A1 [0016]

Claims (12)

Display device ( 3 . 3 ' ) for a hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) with a first drive source and at least one second drive source different in nature from the first drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) according to a load request by the driver, the display device ( 3 ) at least one display means ( 15 ) for displaying a value of a load request predefined by the driver at a specific point in time and for a drive of the hybrid vehicle which is exclusive at that time ( 1 ) by the at least one second drive source at least one additional display means ( 17 . 20 ) is provided for the visualization of a limit of such a load request (LN) which can be called up by the driver at this time, at the crossing of which also or exclusively the first drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) is activated, characterized in that at least one further display means ( 18 . 23 ) is provided, with which the visualization of at least one such operating mode (E) of the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) is possible, in which the maximum callable by the driver load request (LE) at a time at this exclusive drive of the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) is increased by the at least one second drive source over another operating mode (N). Display device ( 3 . 3 ' ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first drive source is an internal combustion engine and the second drive source is an electric motor operable as an electric motor. Display device ( 3 . 3 ' ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one further display means ( 18 . 23 ) in its graphic representation of that of at least one additional display means ( 17 respectively. 20 ) is different. Display device ( 3 ' ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one additional display means ( 20 ) and the at least one further display means ( 23 ) can be visualized in the manner of a walking bar. Method for displaying values (LN, LE) of a load request to the drive train of a hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) with a first drive source and at least one second drive source different in nature from the first drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ), wherein a value of a load request predefined by the driver at a specific point in time is displayed, and in the case of an exclusively exclusive drive of the hybrid vehicle at that time ( 1 ) can be visualized by the at least one second drive source at least one limit of such a maximum loadable by the driver at this time load request (LN), when exceeded or only the first drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) is activated, characterized in that a visualization of at least one such operating mode (E) of the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) can be activated, in which the maximum callable by the driver load request (LE) at a time at this exclusive drive of the hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) is increased by the at least one second drive source over another operating mode (N). A method according to claim 5, characterized in that as the first drive source, an internal combustion engine and a second drive source used as an electric motor electric machine is used. A method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that upon activation and / or deactivation of the maximum callable load request increasing operating mode (E) a short-term acoustic signal is output. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that upon activation and / or deactivation of the maximum callable load request increasing operating mode (E) a short-term optical signal is output. Method according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the visualization of the maximum callable load request increasing operating mode (E) only after activation of this operating mode (E). Method according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the visualization of the maximum callable load request increasing operating mode (E) takes place permanently. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that upon activation and / or deactivation of the maximum callable load request increasing operating mode (E), a reversal in the graphical representation of the display means ( 17 and 18 ; 20 and 23 ) he follows. Hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) with at least one display device ( 3 . 3 ' ) according to one of claims 1 to 4.

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