Method and Apparatus for Scheduling Vehicle Startup

• US 20150330318A1
• Filed: 05/14/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Petersen, Brian, Rork, Joseph Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,328,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00778 the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/20 characterised by the control method
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A computer implemented method includes logging vehicle startup information. The method also includes determining, via a computer, if timing commonalities exist between logged vehicle startup information instances. Further, the method includes recommending automatic vehicle startup, based on a threshold number of timing commonalities. The method also includes formulating recommended start times based on logged vehicle startup information instances having timing commonalities. The method additionally includes presenting a schedule including recommended start times to a vehicle user and scheduling automatic vehicle startups upon vehicle user acceptance of the presented schedule.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

log vehicle start times;

determine if timing commonalities exist between logged vehicle start time instances;

based on a threshold number of timing commonalities, recommend automatic vehicle startup;

formulate recommended start times based on logged vehicle startup time instances having timing commonalities;

present a schedule including recommended start times to a vehicle user; and

schedule automatic vehicle startups upon vehicle user acceptance of the presented schedule.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the commonalities are defined by parameters including at least a parameter defining maximum differences between logged vehicle start times.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the parameters include at least the threshold number of timing commonalities.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the parameters are defined by an original equipment manufacturer.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the parameters are user-defined.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct presentation of the schedule via a vehicle interface.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the startup time includes remote start time.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct presentation of the new schedule via a vehicle interface.

8. A computer implemented method comprising:

logging vehicle startup information;

determining, via a computer, if timing commonalities exist between logged vehicle startup information instances;

based on a threshold number of timing commonalities, recommending automatic vehicle startup;

formulating recommended start times based on logged vehicle startup information instances having timing commonalities;

presenting a schedule including recommended start times to a vehicle user; and

scheduling automatic vehicle startups upon vehicle user acceptance of the presented schedule.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the commonalities are defined by parameters including at least a parameter defining maximum differences between logged vehicle startup times.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parameters include at least the threshold number of timing commonalities.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the parameters are defined by an original equipment manufacturer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the parameters are user-defined.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to instruct presentation of the schedule via a vehicle interface.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the startup information includes remote start information.

15. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

log vehicle start times;

determine if timing variances over a timing threshold exist between logged vehicle startup times and scheduled start times;

based on a threshold number of timing variances over the timing threshold, recommend a change to the scheduled start times;

formulate new recommended start times based on logged vehicle startup information instances having timing commonalities;

present a new schedule including new recommended start times to a vehicle user; and

reschedule automatic vehicle startups upon vehicle user acceptance of the new schedule.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the timing threshold is included in a set of evaluation parameters.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the parameters include at least the threshold number of timing variances.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the parameters are defined by an original equipment manufacturer.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the parameters are user-defined.