FUEL EFFICIENT ROUTING

• US 20100049397A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Susan S., Liu, Kungwel, Smith, Merlin J.
• Application Number:
  US12/256,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096833 where different aspects are considered when computing the route

Abstract

Techniques are described to determine a fuel-efficient route for a vehicle. In an implementation, a determination is made, based on the one or more characteristics of the vehicle, as to a route between an identified location and a designated location that would cause the vehicle to consume a lesser amount of fuel when traveling between the identified and designated locations. Accordingly, the route may be represented, such as for use in navigating to the designated location.

Claims

1. A position-determining device operable for use with a vehicle, the device comprising:

a navigation signal receiver operable to receive signals from a navigation source to determine a current geographic location of the device;

a display;

a memory including data corresponding to a characteristic of the vehicle; and

a processor coupled with the navigation signal receiver, the display, and the memory, the processor operable to—

identify a fuel-efficient route to a desired destination using the vehicle characteristic data, and

present a representation of the fuel-efficient route on the display.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to identify the fuel-efficient route based on a routing factor.

3. The device of claim 1, further including an interface for receiving the vehicle characteristic data from an onboard computer associated with the vehicle.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the device is a portable navigation device and the interface includes a wireless interface for wirelessly receiving the vehicle characteristic data from a transmitter associated with an on-board diagnostics (OBD) system disposed in the vehicle'"'"'s engine compartment.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the processor is further operable to calculate a real-time fuel consumption rate for the vehicle using the received vehicle characteristic data and present a representation of the real-time fuel consumption rate on the display.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory includes a vehicle profile associated with the vehicle characteristic data and the processor is operable to modify the vehicle profile based on the calculated real-time fuel consumption rate.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the representation includes an indication of a fuel consumption rate for a segment of the identified fuel-efficient route.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the processor is further operable to—

periodically calculate real-time fuel consumption rates for the vehicle using the received vehicle characteristic data,

associate a geographic location with at least some of the calculated real-time fuel consumption rates,

store the calculated real-time fuel consumption rates and associated geographic locations in the memory, and

present a representation of the previously-calculated real-time fuel consumption rates and associated geographic locations on the display.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to—

determine that the identified fuel-efficient route no longer would cause the vehicle to consume a lesser amount of fuel than other routes,

identify a second fuel-efficient route to the desired destination, and

present a representation of the second fuel-efficient route on the display.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory includes a driver profile associated with a driver of the vehicle and the processor is operable to identify the fuel-efficient route using the vehicle configuration data and the driver profile.

11. A position-determining device operable for use with a vehicle, the device comprising:

a navigation signal receiver operable to receive signals from a navigation source to determine a current geographic location of the device;

a display;

an interface for receiving a characteristic of the vehicle from an onboard computer associated with the vehicle;

a memory including data corresponding to the received vehicle characteristic; and

a processor coupled with the navigation signal receiver, the display, the interface, and the memory, the processor operable to—

identify a fuel-efficient route to a desired destination, the fuel-efficient route being identified based on a routing factor and the vehicle characteristic data,

present a representation of the fuel-efficient route on the display, and

calculate a real-time fuel consumption rate for the vehicle using the vehicle characteristic data and present a representation of the real-time fuel consumption rate on the display.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the device is a portable navigation device and the interface includes a wireless interface for wirelessly receiving the vehicle characteristic data from a transmitter associated with an on-board diagnostics (OBD) system disposed in the vehicle'"'"'s engine compartment.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the memory includes a vehicle profile associated with the vehicle characteristic data and the processor is operable to modify the vehicle profile based on the calculated real-time fuel consumption rate.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to—

periodically calculate real-time fuel consumption rates for the vehicle using the received vehicle characteristic data,

associate a geographic location with at least some of the calculated real-time fuel consumption rates,

store the calculated real-time fuel consumption rates and associated geographic locations in the memory, and

present a representation of the previously-calculated real-time fuel consumption rates and associated geographic locations on the display.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to—

periodically calculate real-time fuel consumption rates for the vehicle using the received vehicle characteristic data, and

identify at least one optimum speed for the vehicle using the calculated real-time fuel consumption rates.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to—

determine that the identified fuel-efficient route no longer would cause the vehicle to consume a lesser amount of fuel than other routes,

identify a second fuel-efficient route to the desired destination, and

present a representation of the second fuel-efficient route on the display.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the memory includes a driver profile associated with a driver of the vehicle and the processor is operable to identify the fuel-efficient route using the vehicle configuration data and the driver profile.

18. A method comprising:

(a) receiving signals from a navigation source to determine a current geographic location;

(b) accessing a characteristic of a vehicle;

(c) identifying a fuel-efficient route to a desired destination using the vehicle characteristic data, and

(c) presenting a visual representation of the fuel-efficient route.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein (a) includes identifying the fuel-efficient route based on a routing factor.

20. The method of claim 18, further including receiving the vehicle characteristic from an onboard computer associated with the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 18, further including calculating a real-time fuel consumption rate for the vehicle using the vehicle characteristic and presenting a visual representation of the real-time fuel consumption rate.

22. The method of claim 21, further including—

periodically calculating real-time fuel consumption rates for the vehicle using the vehicle characteristic data,

associating a geographic location with at least some of the calculated real-time fuel consumption rates,

storing the calculated real-time fuel consumption rates and associated geographic locations, and

presenting a visual representation of the previously-calculated real-time fuel consumption rates and associated geographic locations.

23. The method of claim 18, further including—

determining that the identified fuel-efficient route no longer would cause the vehicle to consume a lesser amount of fuel than other routes,

identifying a second fuel-efficient route to the desired destination, and

presenting a visual representation of the second fuel-efficient route.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein (c) includes using a vehicle profile and a driver profile to identify the fuel-efficient route.