Awarding privileges to a vehicle based upon one or more fuel utilization characteristics

• US 20100280885A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Langer, Robert, Eckhoff, Philip A., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Lieberman, Erez, Gates, William H. III, Hagelstein, Peter L., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Schnall-Levin, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/387,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280885A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A device may include a determination module for determining at least one of a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or a status indicative of electricity utilization for propelling a hybrid vehicle; and a transmitter coupled with the determination module for transmitting the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle to an off-site entity.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a determination module for determining at least one of a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or a status indicative of electricity utilization for propelling a hybrid vehicle; and

a transmitter coupled with the determination module for transmitting the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle to an off-site entity.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle via at least one of a radio signal, a microwave signal, a terahertz signal, an infrared signal, an optical signal, an ultraviolet signal, a subsonic signal, an audible signal, an ultrasonic signal, or a magnetic signal.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector coupled with the transmitter for connecting to the off-site entity to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle to the off-site entity.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the connector comprises at least one of a serial port, a serial cable, a parallel port, a parallel cable, a network port, a network cable, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a USB cable, a fiber optic port, or a fiber optic cable.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle via a physical media.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle via at least one of a removable media, an optical disc, a Compact Disc (CD), a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a CD-RW, a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a DVD-ROM, a DVD−

R, a DVD+R, a DVD-RAM, a DVD−

RW, a DVD+RW, a Blu-ray Disc (BD), a High-Definition DVD (HD DVD), a removable Hard Disk Drive (HDD), an external HDD, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, a memory card, or a smart key.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle via a visual indicator on the hybrid vehicle.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at Least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle via a light positioned on at least one of a dashboard, a rear window Ledge, or an exterior of the hybrid vehicle.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle represents a driving mode.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the driving mode represents utilization of combustible fuel for propelling the hybrid vehicle.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the driving mode represents utilization of electricity for propelling the hybrid vehicle.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle is related to a utilization of propulsion resources.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the utilization of propulsion resources is associated with at least one of a rate of combustible fuel utilization or an amount of combustible fuel utilization.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the utilization of propulsion resources is associated with at least one of a rate of electricity utilization or an amount of electricity utilization.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the at Least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle represents an instantaneous status.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle represents an average over a time period.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle represents a cumulative utilization for a time period.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle represents a cumulative utilization for a geographic region.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver coupled with the determination module;

the device configured to associate the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle with a geographic region identified by the GPS receiver.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the determination module comprises instrumentation coupled with the transmitter for determining the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the determination module comprises a receiver coupled with the transmitter for receiving the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle based upon a schedule.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle based upon a location.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle based upon a change in driving mode.

29. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a selection module for allowing the hybrid vehicle to selectively utilize one or more privileges based upon the transmitted status.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the at Least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle in response to a query received from the off-site entity.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the query received from the off-site entity is for verifying the hybrid vehicle'"'"'s compliance with utilization restrictions.

35. The device of claim 30, wherein the query received from the off-site entity is transmitted based upon a schedule.

36. The device of claim 30, wherein the query received from the off-site entity is transmitted based upon a location.

37. The device of claim 30, wherein the query received from the off-site entity is transmitted based upon a change in driving mode.

38. The device of claim 30, wherein the query received from the off-site entity is transmitted before the hybrid vehicle enters at least one of a pre-designated roadway, a region, a pre-designated bridge, a pre-designated parking lot, a pre-designated parking spot, or a queue for at least one of refueling the combustible fuel or recharging one or more batteries.

39. The device of claim 30, wherein the query received from the off-site entity is transmitted based upon a past behavior of the hybrid vehicle.

40. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving data indicative of a privilege allocated upon receipt of the transmitted status.

46. The device of claim 40, wherein the privilege comprises an advanced position in a queue for at least one of refueling the combustible fuel or recharging one or more batteries.

47. The device of claim 40, wherein the privilege comprises a qualification for at least one of a tax benefit, an insurance benefit, a reduction in fees, or a reduction in refueling costs.

48. The device of claim 40, wherein the privilege is at least one of reduced or eliminated when an alternate route including public transportation is available.

49. The device of claim 40, wherein the privilege is at least one of increased, reduced, or eliminated based upon a number of passengers in the hybrid vehicle.

52. The device of claim 40, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting information associated with the privilege allocated upon receipt of the transmitted status to an off-site entity.

54. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory for storing data regarding the at Least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle.

56. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory for storing data regarding the transmission of the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle.

59. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured for transmitting at least one of a hybrid vehicle identification, an operator identification, a time, a location, a direction, or a speed.

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