VEHICLE CHARGING PATH OPTIMIZATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140129139A1
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Inventors: ELLISON, Gary F., KOKES, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,598,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for determining an optimal path and/or route to a destination for a vehicle. Embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein facilitate intelligent route planning to a desired destination by a vehicle. In certain embodiments, a path and/or route to a desired destination is determined that accounts for vehicle charging and/or refueling requirements. Disclosed systems and methods may further generate and distribute reservation information ensuring availability of vehicle charging and/or refueling stations along a selected route. Further embodiments disclosed herein may implement information targeting services in connection with intelligent route planning.

Claims

1. A method of determining a route for an electric-powered vehicle performed by a system comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving destination selection information identifying a destination;

identifying a plurality of routes to the destination based one or more routing parameters, the routing parameters comprising at least one estimated range of the vehicle based on an available battery system charge level;

calculating a cost associated with each of the plurality of routes; and

generating route information, the route information identifying the plurality of routes and the calculated costs associated with each of the routes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving route selection information identifying a selected route of the plurality of routes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises sending navigation instructions to the vehicle associated with the selected route, the navigation instructions providing directed instructions for traveling to the destination.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the route selection information comprises information generated based on a user of the vehicle selecting a route from the plurality of routes.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the route selection information comprises information automatically generated based on the selected route having a lowest associated calculated cost of the plurality of routes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing parameters further comprise at least one of a charging station location, a vehicle charge capacity, charging station pricing, charging station availability, a geographic parameter, an environmental parameter, consumer ratings associated with a charging station location, and a location of a point of interest.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the route selection information further comprises information identifying one or more charging stations along the selected route.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises determining one or more estimated arrival times of the vehicle at the one or more charging stations.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

generating one or more reservations associated with the one or more charging stations based on the one or more estimated arrival times; and

sending the one or more reservations to the respective one or more charging stations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

determining one or more updated estimated arrival times of the vehicle at the one or more charging stations;

generating one or more updated reservations associated with the one or more charging stations based on the one or more updated estimated arrival times; and

sending the one or more updated reservations to the respective one or more charging stations.