Navigation Systems and Services

• US 20090157289A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Graessley, Joshua V.
• Application Number:
  US11/959,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157289A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Navigation systems and services are described. The navigation services can include obtaining a route or route segment based on a location of a vehicle and a destination. Based on the route, a current fuel supply of the vehicle, and a number of factors related to fuel consumption, a refueling location can be estimated. A number of locations of fuel stations in proximity to the refueling location can be determined and presented to a user, for example, on a map showing the route.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a route or route segment based on a location of a vehicle and a destination;

based on the route, a current fuel supply of the vehicle, and a number of factors related to fuel consumption, estimating a refueling location;

determining a number of locations of fuel stations in proximity to the refueling location; and

presenting the number of locations of fuel stations to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the number of locations of fuel stations comprises presenting a graphical display representing each of the locations on a map showing the route.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving traffic information relating to current traffic conditions affecting the route;

wherein estimating a refueling location includes determining additional fuel requirements due to traffic affecting the route.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the fuel stations presented according to a predefined criteria.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predefined criteria comprises user-defined criteria selecting one or more fuel providers.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the route, a current time of day and a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, determining an approximate time of day the vehicle will reach the refueling location, and if the time of the day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, then further presenting the locations of one or more restaurants within a defined distance to the one or more fuel stations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein if the time of day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, but there are less than a threshold number of restaurants within a defined distance to the refueling location, the method further comprising:

adjusting the refueling location to be closer to the current location of the vehicle and presenting the locations of one or more restaurants and fuel stations within a defined distance to the adjusted refueling location.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein if the time of day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, but there are no restaurants satisfying a user-defined criteria located within a defined distance to the refueling location, the method further comprising:

adjusting the refueling location to be closer to the current location of the vehicle and presenting the locations of one or more restaurants satisfying the user-defined criteria and fuel stations within a defined distance to the adjusted refueling location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating a refueling location further comprises, based on the route and a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, determining when the fuel amount will be less than a user-defined threshold amount.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the factors related to fuel consumption includes a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the method further comprising:

receiving the fuel efficiency from a vehicle computing system included in the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the factors related to fuel consumption includes a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the method further comprising:

calculating the fuel efficiency based on fuel amounts and odometer readings received from a vehicle computing system included in the vehicle.

12. A method comprising:

receiving at a navigation system present in a vehicle information from a vehicle computing system present in the vehicle, where the information relates to the vehicle requiring servicing;

determining a current location of the vehicle;

obtaining locations of one or more vehicle repair stations in a predefined proximity to the current location of the vehicle;

obtaining a map showing the current location of the vehicle and the locations of the one or more vehicle repair stations; and

providing a display of the map including indications of the current location of the vehicle and the locations of the one or more vehicle repair stations to a driver of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a user-input setting to filter the vehicle repair stations indicated on the map based on a user-defined criteria; and

wherein providing the display of the map includes only locations of one or more vehicle repair stations satisfying the user-defined criteria.

14. A method comprising:

obtaining a route or route segment based on a location of a vehicle and a destination;

receiving a user request for locations of restaurants;

based on a current location of the vehicle and the route being traveled, determining a number of locations of restaurants that are in proximity to the current location and along the route; and

presenting the number of locations of restaurants to a user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein presenting the number of locations of restaurants comprises presenting a graphical representation of the locations on a map showing the route.

16. A navigation system present in a vehicle for providing fuel-related navigation services comprising:

a positioning system configured to determine a current location of the vehicle;

a map application configured to provide a map including the current location and a user-defined destination;

a routing application configured to provide a route from the current location to the destination;

a fuel module configured to;

determine whether a current fuel amount in the vehicle is sufficient for the vehicle to travel the route, and if not, to determine a refueling location; and

obtain locations for one or more fuel stations within a defined proximity to the refueling location; and

a presentation engine configured to provide a display of the map including the route and locations of the one or more fuel stations indicated thereon.

17. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a route or route segment based on a location of a vehicle and a destination;

based on the route, a current fuel supply of the vehicle, and a number of factors related to fuel consumption, estimating a refueling location;

determining a number of locations of fuel stations in proximity to the refueling location; and

presenting the number of locations to a user.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein presenting the number of locations to a user comprises presenting a graphical representation of each location on a map showing the route.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving traffic information relating to current traffic conditions affecting the route;

wherein estimating a refueling location includes determining additional fuel requirements due to traffic affecting the route.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

filtering the fuel stations presented to the user according to a predefined criteria.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the predefined criteria comprises user-defined criteria selecting one or more fuel providers.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

based on the route, a current time of day and a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, determining an approximate time of day the vehicle will reach the refueling location, and if the time of the day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, then further presenting to the user locations of one or more restaurants within a defined distance to the one or more fuel stations.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein if the time of day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, but there are less than a threshold number of restaurants within a defined distance to the refueling location, further having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adjusting the refueling location to be closer to the current location of the vehicle and presenting to the user locations of one or more restaurants and fuel stations within a defined distance to the adjusted refueling location.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein if the time of day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, but there are no restaurants satisfying a user-defined criteria located within a defined distance to the refueling location, further having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adjusting the refueling location to be closer to the current location of the vehicle and presenting to the user locations of one or more restaurants satisfying the user-defined criteria and fuel stations within a defined distance to the adjusted refueling location.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein instructions to cause the processor to estimate a refueling location further comprise instructions to cause the processor to determine, based on the route and a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, when the fuel amount will be less than a user-defined threshold amount.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the factors related to fuel consumption includes a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, further having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving the fuel efficiency from a vehicle computing system included in the vehicle.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the factors related to fuel consumption includes a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, further having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

calculating the fuel efficiency based on fuel amounts and odometer readings received from a vehicle computing system included in the vehicle.

28. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor and configurable for storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

obtaining a route or route segment based on a location of a vehicle and a destination;

based on the route, a current fuel supply of the vehicle, and a number of factors related to fuel consumption, estimating a refueling location;

determining a number of locations of fuel stations in proximity to the refueling location; and

presenting the locations of fuel stations to a user.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein presenting the number of locations to a user comprises presenting a graphical representation of each location on a map showing the route.

30. The system of claim 28, the instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving traffic information relating to current traffic conditions affecting the route;

wherein estimating a refueling location includes determining additional fuel requirements due to traffic affecting the route.

31. The system of claim 28, the instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

filtering the fuel stations presented to the user according to a predefined criteria.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the predefined criteria comprises user-defined criteria selecting one or more fuel providers.

33. The system of claim 28, the instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

based on the route, a current time of day and a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, determining an approximate time of day the vehicle will reach the refueling location, and if the time of the day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, then further presenting to the user locations of one or more restaurants within a defined distance to the one or more fuel stations.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein if the time of day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time but there are less than a threshold number of restaurants within a defined distance to the refueling location, the instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adjusting the refueling location to be closer to the current location of the vehicle and presenting to the user locations of one or more restaurants and fuel stations within a defined distance to the adjusted refueling location.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein if the time of day is within a defined proximity to a meal-time, but there are no restaurants satisfying a user-defined criteria located within a defined distance to the refueling location, the instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adjusting the refueling location to be closer to the current location of the vehicle and presenting to the user locations of one or more restaurants satisfying the user-defined criteria and fuel stations within a defined distance to the adjusted refueling location.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein instructions causing the processor to perform operations comprising estimating a refueling location further comprise instructions causing the processor to determine, based on the route and a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, when the fuel amount will be less than a user-defined threshold amount.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the factors related to fuel consumption includes a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving the fuel efficiency from a vehicle computing system included in the vehicle.

38. The system of claim 28, wherein the factors related to fuel consumption includes a fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the instructions which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

calculating the fuel efficiency based on fuel amounts and odometer readings received from a vehicle computing system included in the vehicle.