GB2121184A - Indicating information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for indicating information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle comprises processor means (20) receiving electrical signals proportional to the speed and distance travelled by the vehicle and generated by a suitable transducer (22) mounted on the vehicle itself; at least one non- volatile member (32) in which at least the signals proportional to the distance travelled by the vehicle are memorised by means of the said processor (20); and solid state display means (10) which display selected contents of the non-volatile member (32). Indications of pre-set distances travelled or speed limits being reached. can be indicated by visible (14, 36) or audible (35) indicators. A display and control panel is described with reference to Fig. 1 (not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for indicating information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle The present invention relates to an indicator device for indicating information connected with the speed of and distance travelled by a road vehicle.

Currently, devices which indicate the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle comprise tachometers and odometers respectively; in particular, odometers comprise a plurality of odometer drums mounted rotatably on the same axis and operable to present, through a suitable window, an indication of the kilometers or miles travelled by the vehicle. Such odometers are mechanically controlled through a suitable drive mechanism and the above mentioned window is in general formed in the upper part of the dial of the tachometer.

It is now a common requirement in most road vehicles that the driver be provided with information connected with the speed and distance travelled by the vehicle itseif: for example, as well as the overall distance travelled by the vehicle there is often provided an indication of the number of kilometers travelled since a predetermined moment; for this purpose a supplementary odometer is utilised. Other information useful to the driver is that relating to the maintenance of the mechanical parts of the vehicle; as is known, such maintenance must be effected when the vehicle has travelled a predetermined total number of kilometers.

Currently there are no known devices able to provide such information.

The object of the present invention is that of providing a device for indicating information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle which will allow the use of mechanical movement transmissions for odometers to be avoided and at the same time will be able to provide a large number of items of information relating both to distance travelled and to the speed of the vehicle on which it is mounted.

The said object is achieved with the present invention in that it relates to an indicator device for indicating information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle, characterised by the fact that it includes: processor means operable to receive electrical signals proportional to the speed and distance travelled by the said vehicle and generated by a suitable transducer mounted on the said vehicle; - at least one non-volatile memory in which, by means of the said processor means, at least the signals proportional to the distance travelled by the said vehicle are memorised in sequence; and - solid state display means which display the content of the said non-volatile memory.

For a better understanding of the present invention a preferred embodiment will now be described purely by way of non limitative example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a front view of the device in question shown as it would be mounted on a dashboard of a motor vehicle; and - Figure 2 is a block schematic diagram of an electronic part of the device in question.

With reference to Figure 1 an information indicator device is generally indicated with the reference numeral 1 , this device providing an indication of information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a motor vehicle, and substantially composed of a first panel 2 which can be mounted on the dashboard of the vehicle and by a second panel 3 adapted to be mounted in a suitable region of the vehicle underneath the dashboard.

The panel 2 is of substantially rectangular form and is sub-divided into several vertical sectors in which, from left to right, there are respectively indicated a push-button unit 4, a tachometer 5, a group of symbols 6, a revolution counter 7, a keyboard 8 with two solid state displays 9 and 10, and a unit of four indicator instruments 11 at the extreme right hand end of the panel 2. The panel 3 is also of substantially rectangular form and has, enclosed in a frame 13, a plurality of point-like warning lamps 14 positioned on one vertical side of the frame 13 and a set of three rectangular warning lamps 15 superimposed one above the other in the lower part of the panel 3. Alongside each of the lamps 14 there is located a respective written indication 16 of the respective signal (engine oil level, bonnet open, air conditioner, maintenance, etc.,).The device for providing information connected to the speed and distance travelled by the vehicle according to the present invention is constituted by some of the pushbuttons of the keyboard 8, by one of the symbols 6, by one of the warning lamps 14 (maintenance) and by the above mentioned display unit 10.

Before examining in detail the operation associated with each push-button of the keyboard 8 the diagram of Figure 2 will now be described. In this diagram a processor unit of a microprocessor is indicated with the reference numeral 20, and this receives at its input 21 a signal proportional to the speed and to the distance travelled by the vehicle coming from a suitable transducer 22 via a filter 23. The unit 20 is electrically supplied by means of a control block 25 having two inputs 26, 27 respectively connected to a terminal 28 connected to the supply battery via the ignition key of the vehicle, and a terminal 29 directly connected to this supply battery.At an input 30 of the unit 20 arrives a signal from a terminal 31 which is connected, in a manner not illustrated, to a point of the electrical circuit of the vehicle to which are connected the side lights of the vehicle in question. The unit 20 further exchanges information respectively with the keyboard 8, with a memory 32 of the non-volatile type (EAROM) constituted by a plurality of cells 33, and with a block 34 which controls both the display unit 10 and a suitable acoustic indicator 35. Finally, the unit 20 is also connected to one of the lamps 14 (maintenance) of Figure 1 and with a lamp 36 which illuminates a corresponding sector 36a of the symbol unit 6 of Figure 1.With reference to the keyboard 8 of Figure 1 it can be seen that this includes six keys in a central position in two superimposed rows of three keys and respectively indicated with the numbers 41,42, 43, 45, 46, 47, and two rectangles 44 and 48 with respective central knobs 64, 68. Alongside each display unit 9, 1 0 there are further disposed three pushbuttons respectively indicated with the numerals 51, 52, 53 and 54, 55, 56; adjacent each pushbutton 41, 42, 43 there is mounted a respective indicator lamp 61,62,63.

The device 1 allows a plurality of functions to be performed. First of all, it allows the function of the total summation or partial summation of the kilometers or miles travelled to be effected. In the case of total summation the device allows the display in the display unit 10, of the number of kilometers or miles travelled by the vehicle; the unit 10 includes five display elements and, above and to the left of the first element, a point-like luminous lamp which therefore allows a display of 199, 999 km. or miles by indicating when the number 99, 999 has been exceeded by the illumination of the above mentioned iuminous lamp.

The partial summation can be displayed by pressing the push-button 54: in this case the kilometers or miles travelled since the last zeroing, up to a maximum count value of 9999.9 kilometers on the display unit 10 can be displayed. The cancellation (reset) is effected by simultaneously pressing the push-buttons 54 and 55.

The device 1 also provides indications relating to the times at which the driver must see to maintenance of the vehicle. In particular, when the vehicle has travelled a certain number of kilometers equal to the distance between one maintenance and the next, the lamp 14 of Figure 2 is illuminated by the processor unit 10 and the count relating to the maintenance is stopped.

Once the maintenance has been performed the driver presses the push-button 56 which, as well as quenching the lamp 14, zeroes the count relating to the maintenance and pre-arranges a new value of kilometers or miles at the end of which a new maintenance operation must be performed.

The processor unit 10 controls the illumination of the lamp 36 by illuminating the associated sector 36a of Figure 1 when the vehicle has travelled a number of kilometers or miles equal to 30,000 or multiples of this number; this indication is used to change the lambda probe of the exhaust gas system and once maintenance has been completed it is possible to extinguish the lamp 36 by acting on a push-button, not illustrated, located within the keyboard 8.

A further function performed by the device 1 is that of acoustically indicating if three different speed limits are exceeded. In more detail, it is possible to select three speed limits by means of the push-buttons 41, 42 and 43 by pressing one of which the associated warning lamp 61, 62, 63 is contemporaneousiy lit up. The memorisation of the desired speed limits is effected by taking the vehicle to the desired speed and at that time pressing the push-button 45 so that this limit is transferred into the processor unit 20 of Figure 2.

By acting on the push-button 46 the acoustic indicator is disactivated and consequently all the warning lamps 61, 62, 63 are extinguished. Once the three limits are set the activation of one of the said limits is activated by pressing one of the push-buttons 41, 42, 43 and, upon exceeding the set speed, the unit 20 activates, through the control block 34, the acoustic indicator 35 which in Figure 1 is located in a position where it cannot be seen.

The acoustic indicator 35 enters into operation if, when the motor vehicle engine is switched off the side lights are not simultaneously extinguished so that the signal at the input 30 of the processor unit 20 remains positive. In this case, the processor unit enables the acoustic indicator 35 for a period of time of the order of ten seconds.

The two rectangles 44 and 48 conceal two respective rheostats controlled by the knobs 64 and 68, by acting on which it is possible, respectively, to adjust the intensity of the lights on the display panel of Figure 1 and the loudness of the acoustic indicator 35.

Finally, the three push-buttons 51, 52, 53 relate to the programming of the display unit 9 which is provided with four display elements and which performs the functions of a digital clock.

With reference to Figure 2, the non-volatile memory 32 is constituted, as mentioned above, by a plurality of cells 33 which are occupied sequentially by the information which, in the specific case, relate to the numbers of the total distance display, the numbers of the partial distance display, the maintenance count, the values relating to the speed limits, the values relating to the memory cells occupied and possibly other information connected with the speed and/or distance travelled. Such data is written in the memory when the following conditions occur: - a) after 10 kilometers since starting off; - b) extinguishing of the engine of the vehicle after having travelled more than 10 metres; - c) zeroing of the programmed maintenance count; - d) zeroing of the count relating to the partial distance travelled (trip); - e) zeroing of the lambda probe maintenance count.

From what has been said, the operations for predisposing and/or selecting the speed limits do not enable writing into the memory so that if one sets or if one selects a speed limit and the above indicator conditions do not occur this new limit and/or selection is not memorised.

From an examination of the characteristics of the device 1 formed according to the principles of the present invention it will be observed how it allows the above specified objects to be achieved.

In particular, the significant simplification of the distance indicating device (odometer) is apparent in that the information relating to the kilometers or to the miles travelled are now contained stably in the non-volatile memory 32 and consequently this avoids all mechanical parts of odometers used until now.

With the present device it is now possible to provide the driver with a plurality of items of information connected both with the speed (acoustic indication of the exceeding of a predetermined speed limit) and with the distance travelled (partial or total summation of distance travelled, indication of maintenance required, etc.,).

Finally, it is clear that the device 1 in question can be modified and varied without by this departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (7)

1. A device (1) for indicating information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle, characterised by the fact that it comprises: - processor means (20) operable to receive electrical signals proportional to the speed and to the distance travelled by the vehicle and generated by a suitable transducer (22) mounted on the said vehicle; - at least one memory (32) of the non-volatile type inwhich,by means of the said processor means (20) at least the signals proportional to the distance travelled by the said vehicle are memorised in sequence; and -solid state display means (10) which display the content of the said non-volatile memory.

2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that in the said memory (32) both the signals proportional to the total distance travelled by the said vehicle and signals proportional to the distance travelled by the vehicle since a predetermined time are memorised.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised by the fact that data relating to predetermined distance values, in coincidence with which predetermined operations on the said vehicle must be performed are memorised in the said memory (32).

4. A device according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that upon achievement of the said predetermined distance values by the said vehicle, the said processor means (10) controls enabling of predetermined indicators of the optical (14,36) and/or acoustic (35) type.

5. A device according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the fact that predetermined speed values of the said vehicle are memorised in the said memory, and in that corresponding to such values the said processor means (10) causes actuation of the said acoustic indicator means (35).

6. A device according to any preceding Claim from 2 to 5, characterised by the fact that it includes selector means (8) operable to allow display on the said display means (10) of data contained in the said non-volatile memory (32).

7. An indicator device for indicating information connected with the speed and distance travelled by a road vehicle, substantially as described and with reference to the attached drawings.