Vehicle system for varied compliance benefits

• US 20110077808A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC A Limited Liability Corporation of The State of Delaware
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Nugent, Thomas J. JR., Tegreene, Clarence T., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Application Number:
  US12/592,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077808A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Exemplary methods, systems and components enable selective control of an operational mode for a vehicle that is subject to an administrative standard. In some instances a qualified person or entity may attain a possible consequential result related to a user-selected vehicle operation mode that may involve a vehicle operation paradigm and/or a vehicle travel route and/or a vehicle travel destination. In some embodiments, implementation of the selected vehicle operation mode may modify a conformity status of the vehicle relative to the administrative standard. Various accessible records may be maintained regarding administrative compliance states and their respective benefits, as well as regarding certification of preferable consequential results available to qualified recipients based on a correlated vehicle operational mode.

Claims

1. A method for managing vehicle operational mode data, comprising:

determining a compliance state and its corresponding benefit that accrues for a vehicle traveling via a particular route or area and/or traveling during a temporal travel period which are subject to a given administrative standard;

providing user-access to information regarding a preferred consequential result that includes a preferable vehicle paradigm correlated with implementation of one or more optional vehicle operational modes; and

accepting and implementing a user-selection of at least one optional vehicle operational mode that includes one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters sufficient to attain the preferable vehicle paradiwit wherein the selected optional vehicle operational mode causes a deviation of a conformity status regarding the given administrative standard.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing user-accessible information indicating a cost or penalty or other detriment arising from the deviated conformity status regarding the given administrative standard.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

providing user-access to comparative information indicating that the deviated conformity status does not prevent attainment of the preferred consequential result.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting user-access to a further accrued benefit based on an exemption from the compliance state applicable to the vehicle, which exemption requires additional payment or other consideration to qualify for the exemption.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing conformity status information to a user regarding one or more applicable compliance states and/or their respective corresponding benefit, wherein the conformity status information is indicated on a communication device accessible to an operator or driver or passenger or owner or lessor or lessee or fleet manager of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing conformity status information to a user regarding one or more applicable compliance states and/or their respective corresponding benefit, wherein the conformity status information is accessible prior to said accepting and implementing the user-selection of the at least one optional vehicle operation mode, and/or prior to a users choice of a type of vehicle, and/or prior to the vehicle proceeding via the particular route or area subject to the given administrative standard.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing conformity status information to a user regarding a compliance state that includes one or more of the following types of qualification requirements;

number of passengers, HOV lane account status, toll road account status, public road standard, public area standard, private road standard, private area standard, electric power mode, combustion/electric hybrid mode, combustion fuel content, bio-fuel content, natural gas fuel, engine efficiency, miles/per/gallon calibration, combustion emission, zero-emissions, exhaust content, maximum speed limitation, safety metric, environmental guideline.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing access to information regarding the preferred consequential result includes:

providing user-accessible information that confirms the availability of another preferred consequential result provided by a third party person or entity at one or more of the following types of specified destinations;

battery recharge station, battery renewal facility, high-voltage recharge station, low-voltage recharge station, battery replacement station, priority battery service, fuel supply station, diesel combustion fuel station, gasoline combustion fuel station, natural gas fuel station, bio-fuel station, priority fuel service.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing access to information regarding the preferred consequential result includes:

providing user-accessible information that confirms the availability of another preferred consequential result provided by a third party person or entity at one or more of the following types of specified destinations;

parking facility, overnight accommodation, residence, office facility, vehicle repair station, vehicle accessory store. Internet access location, public transit station, private transit site, rented-vehicle return site, vehicle inspection location, jurisdictional border, licensing authority, tax assessment site, monitoring unit, detection lane.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein said accepting and implementing the selected optional vehicle operational mode includes:

implementing the one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters to maintain the preferable vehicle paradigm during all or a portion of travel via the particular route or area and/or during all or portion of the temporal travel period, which are subject to the given administrative standard.

40. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

providing user-accessible information that confirms forfeiture of all or part of the corresponding benefit due to the deviated conformity status that occurs in connection with maintaining the preferable vehicle paradigm, wherein the deviated conformity status caused by the preferable vehicle paradigm does not prevent attainment of the preferred consequential result.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

confirming that the implemented configurable vehicle operating parameter also enables conformity with a compliant state of the given administrative standard.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable battery charging/discharging paradigm sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

44. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable exhaust paradigm for fuel emissions sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

45. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining for a combustion engine a preferable fuel composition paradigm sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

46. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining for a hybrid engine an electrical power paradigm or a combustion power paradigm sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

47. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining for a vehicle component a calibrated temperature paradigm sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

48. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a controlled velocity paradigm based on a maximum speed or minimum speed or speed range sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

49. The method of claim 48 further comprising:

maintaining a preferable vehicle velocity paradigm sufficient to achieve a proposed targeted arrival time at a chosen destination.

50. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable vehicle power paradigm in an electric/combustion hybrid vehicle sufficient to achieve an appropriate vehicle acceleration or vehicle speed range based on current travel conditions on a particular route or in a particular area or during the temporal travel period subject to the given administrative standard.

52. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable engine efficiency paradigm based on a miles-per-gallon calibration sufficient to obtain the correlated consequential result.

53. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable vehicle safety factor paradigm or environmental benchmark paradigm or multiple-passenger threshold paradigm sufficient to obtain the correlated consequential result.

56. The method of claim 37 wherein said implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining one or more of the following types of configurable vehicle operation parameters sufficient to attain one or more preferred consequential results;

number of passengers, battery-powered mode, combustion-powered mode, bio-fuel mode, bio-fuel blend mode, natural gas mode, electric power mode, low emission mode, calibrated miles/per/gallon mode, battery-charge mode, battery-discharge mode, low-temperature engine mode, electric/combustion hybrid mode, solely electric power mode, primarily electric power mode, solely fuel combustion mode, primarily fuel combustion mode, safety certification mode, environmental certification mode, emission content, zero emissions, approved catalytic converter, speed-limiter activated, turned-on headlights.

57. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing user-accessible information that confirms one or more of the following types of actual vehicle battery benefits available to a qualified recipient as part of the correlated consequential result;

priority access to battery recharge station, priority battery servicing, reduced cost for battery recharge, free battery renewal service, customized battery recharge, discounted cost for battery replacement, special warranty on new battery purchase, higher quality battery purchase at standard price.

58. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing user-accessible information that confirms one or more of the following types of actual award or value or advantage available to a qualified recipient as part of the correlated consequential result;

reduced vehicle registration fees, reduced fuel price, priority fuel purchase, preferred parking location, reduced parking fee, tax credit, traffic lane usage, bridge usage, reduced toll rate, financial rebate, store discount, product discount, membership offer.

59. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting user-access to confirmation of an actual award or value or advantage included as part of the correlated consequential result available to a qualified recipient upon arrival at one or more of the following types of destination;

parking lot, road exit, traffic lane entry, traffic lane exit, bridge entry, bridge exit, retail store, service store, event location, event ticket office, transit station.

64. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating to a user a certification of the correlated consequential result that includes an actual award or value or advantage provided by or on behalf of one or more of the following;

vehicle manufacturer, vehicle sales entity, governmental entity, environmental entity, insurance company, insurance sales agent, fuel manufacturer, fuel sales entity, vehicle engine/component manufacturer, vehicle engine/component sales entity, “

green”

product company, “

green”

services company, “

green”

rebate entity.

72. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining status documentation indicating achievement of one or more preferable vehicle paradigms.

76. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

confirming that the implemented vehicle operation mode also enables conformity with a compliance state of the given administrative standard.

77. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

confirming that the implemented vehicle operation mode is sufficient to achieve the preferable vehicle paradigm and also to qualify for another correlated consequential result provided by a third party person or entity.

79. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing user-accessible comparative information regarding the deviated conformity status as compared with an award or value or advantage included as part of the consequential result.

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80. A computer program product comprising computer-readable media having encoded instructions for executing a method for managing vehicle operational mode data, wherein the method includes:

determining a compliance state and its corresponding benefit that accrues relative to a given administrative standard applicable to a vehicle traveling via a particular route or area and/or traveling during a temporal travel period;

providing user-accessible information regarding a possible consequential result that includes a preferable vehicle paradigm correlated with implementation of one or more optional vehicle operation modes; and

accepting and implementing a user-selection of at least one optional vehicle operational mode that includes one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters sufficient to attain the preferable vehicle paradigm, wherein the selected optional vehicle operational mode causes a deviated conformity status regarding the administrative standard.

82. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

providing user-accessible information indicating a cost or penalty or other detriment arising from the deviated conformity status regarding the given administrative standard.

83. The computer program product of claim 82 wherein said method further includes:

providing user-access to comparative information indicating that the deviated conformity status does not prevent attainment of the possible consequential result.

86. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

presenting user-access to a further accrued benefit based on an exemption from the compliance state applicable to the vehicle, which exemption requires additional payment or other consideration to qualify for the exemption.

90. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

providing conformity status information regarding one or more applicable compliance states and/or their respective accrued benefit, wherein the conformity status information is indicated on a communication device accessible to an operator or driver or passenger or owner or lessor or lessee or fleet manager of the vehicle.

91. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

providing conformity status information to a user regarding one or more applicable compliance states and/or their respective accrued benefit, wherein the conformity status information is accessible prior to said accepting and implementing the user-selection of the at least one optional vehicle operation mode, and/or prior to a user'"'"'s choice of a type of vehicle, and/or prior to the vehicle proceeding via the particular route or area subject to the given administrative standard.

94. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

providing conformity status information to a user regarding a compliance state that includes one or more of the following types of qualification requirements;

number of passengers, HOV lane account status, toll road account status, public road standard, public area standard, private road standard, private area standard, electric power mode, combustion/electric hybrid mode, combustion fuel content, bio-fuel content, natural gas fuel, engine efficiency, miles/per/gallon calibration, combustion emission, zero-emissions, exhaust content, maximum speed limitation, safety metric, environmental euideline.

107. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method feature providing user-accessible information regarding the possible consequential result includes:

providing user-accessible information that confirms the availability of another possible consequential result provided by a third party person or entity at one or more of the following types of specified destination;

battery recharge station, battery renewal facility, high-voltage recharge station, low-voltage recharge station. battery replacement station, priority battery service, fuel supply station, diesel combustion fuel station, gasoline combustion fuel station, natural gas fuel station, bio-fuel station, priority fuel service.

108. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method feature providing user-accessible information regarding the possible consequential result includes:

providing user-accessible information that confirms the availability of another possible consequential result provided by a third party person or entity at one or more of the following types of specified destinations;

parking facility, overnight accommodation, residence, office facility, vehicle repair station, vehicle accessory store. Internet access location, public transit station, private transit site, rented-vehicle return site, vehicle inspection location, jurisdictional border, licensing authority, tax assessment site. monitoring unit, detection lane.

116. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method feature accepting and implementing the selected optional vehicle operational mode includes:

implementing the one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters to maintain a preferable vehicle paradigm during all or a portion of travel via the particular route or area and/or during all or portion of the temporal travel period, which are subject to the given administrative standard.

119. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method further includes:

providing user-accessible information that confirms forfeiture of all or part of the accrued benefit due to the deviated conformity status that occurs in connection with maintaining the preferable vehicle paradigm, wherein the deviated conformity status caused by the preferable vehicle paradigm does not prevent attainment of the possible consequential result.

120. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method further includes:

confirming that the implemented configurable vehicle operating parameter also enables conformity with a compliant state of the given administrative standard.

122. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable battery charging/discharging paradigm sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

123. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable exhaust paradigm for fuel emissions sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

124. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable fuel composition paradigm for a combustion engine sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

125. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining for a hybrid engine an electrical power paradigm or a combustion power paradigm sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

126. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining for a vehicle component a calibrated temperature paradigm sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

127. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a controlled velocity paradigm based on a maximum speed or minimum speed or speed range sufficient to attain the correlated consequential result.

128. The computer program product of claim 126 wherein said method further includes:

maintaining a preferable vehicle velocity paradigm sufficient to achieve a proposed targeted arrival time at a chosen destination.

129. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable vehicle power paradigm for an electric/combustion hybrid vehicle sufficient to achieve an appropriate vehicle acceleration or vehicle speed range based on current travel conditions on a particular route or in a particular area or during the temporal travel period subject to the given administrative standard.

131. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable engine efficiency paradigm based on a miles-per-gallon calibration sufficient to obtain the correlated consequential result.

132. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining a preferable vehicle safety factor paradigm or environmental benchmark paradigm or multiple-passenger threshold paradigm sufficient to obtain the correlated consequential result.

135. The computer program product of claim 116 wherein said method feature implementing one or more configurable vehicle operating parameters includes:

maintaining one or more of the following types of configurable vehicle operation parameters sufficient to attain one or more possible consequential results;

number of passengers, battery-powered mode, combustion-powered mode, bio-fuel mode, bio-fuel blend mode, natural gas mode, electric power mode, low emission mode, calibrated miles/per/gallon mode, battery-charge mode, battery-discharge mode, low-temperature engine mode, electric/combustion hybrid mode, solely electric power mode, primarily electric power mode, solely fuel combustion mode, primarily fuel combustion mode, safety certification mode, environmental certification mode, emission content, zero emissions, approved catalytic converter, speed-limiter activated, turned-on headlights.

136. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

providing user-accessible information that confirms one or more of the following types of actual vehicle battery benefits available to a qualified recipient as part of the possible consequential result;

priority access to battery recharge station, priority battery servicing, reduced cost for battery recharge, free battery renewal service, customized battery recharge, discounted cost for battery replacement, special warranty on new battery purchase, higher quality battery purchase at standard price.

137. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

providing user-accessible information that confirms one or more of the following types of actual award or value or advantage available to a qualified recipient as part of the possible consequential result;

reduced vehicle registration fees, reduced fuel price, priority fuel purchase, preferred parking location, reduced parking fee, tax credit, traffic lane usage, bridge usage, reduced toll rate, financial rebate, store discount, product discount, membership offer.

138. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

presenting user-access to confirmation of an actual award or value or advantage included as part of the possible consequential result available to a qualified recipient upon arrival at one or more of the following types of destination;

parking lot, road exit, traffic lane entry, traffic lane exit, bridge entry, bridge exit, retail store, service store, event location, event ticket office, transit station.

143. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

communicating to a user a certification of the possible consequential result that includes an actual award or value or advantage provided by or on behalf of one or more of the following;

vehicle manufacturer, vehicle sales entity, governmental entity, environmental entity, insurance company, insurance sales agent, fuel manufacturer, fuel sales entity, vehicle engine/component manufacturer, vehicle engine/component sales entity, “

green”

product company, “

green”

services company, “

green”

rebate entity.

151. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

obtaining status documentation indicating achievement of one or more preferable vehicle paradigms.

155. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

confirming that the implemented vehicle operation mode also enables conformity with a compliance state of the given administrative standard.

156. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

confirming that the implemented vehicle operation mode is sufficient to achieve the preferable vehicle paradigm and also to qualify for another correlated consequential result provided by a third party person or entity.

158. The computer program product of claim 80 wherein said method further includes:

providing user-accessible comparative information regarding the deviated conformity status as compared with an award or value or advantage included as part of the consequential result.

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