Method for vehicle route planning
First Claim
1. A method for operating an electronic navigation system to display to a vehicle operator a plurality of alternate vehicle travel routes between an identified starting point and an identified endpoint, wherein the electronic navigation system includes a computer readable medium storing navigation information including a plurality of route segments, distances of each of the plurality of route segments, speed limits of each of the plurality of route segments, grade changes of each of the plurality of route segments, altitudes of each of the plurality of route segments, and number and type of intersections and traffic signals encountered in each of the plurality of route segments, and wherein the vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a vehicle controller adapted to supply powertrain information to the navigation system, the method comprising:
- storing the powertrain information supplied by the vehicle controller as a function of vehicle speed, the powertrain information including a transmission selected gear, a state of any lockup torque converter of the vehicle, a state of a fuel-savings engine operating mode of the vehicle, an achieved fuel economy of the vehicle, and a fuel quality of fuel being used in the vehicle;
identifying a plurality of alternate routes from the identified starting point and the identified ending point based on the navigation information, each alternate route of the plurality of alternate routes including at least one of the plurality of route segments; and
estimating an amount of fuel required to travel along each alternate route of the plurality of alternate route based on the navigation information and on the powertrain information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of planning a vehicle route includes estimating fuel requirements of identified alternative routes or route segments using navigation, vehicle, and powertrain information. The method also includes displaying for a vehicle operator a list of alternate routes that features either absolute or relative values representative of such estimated fuel requirements. The method further includes adapting values used to estimate fuel requirements based upon current powertrain operating parameters, and alerting the vehicle operator when actual vehicle fuel economy along a selected route varies significantly from the estimated fuel requirement.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for operating an electronic navigation system to display to a vehicle operator a plurality of alternate vehicle travel routes between an identified starting point and an identified endpoint, wherein the electronic navigation system includes a computer readable medium storing navigation information including a plurality of route segments, distances of each of the plurality of route segments, speed limits of each of the plurality of route segments, grade changes of each of the plurality of route segments, altitudes of each of the plurality of route segments, and number and type of intersections and traffic signals encountered in each of the plurality of route segments, and wherein the vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a vehicle controller adapted to supply powertrain information to the navigation system, the method comprising:
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storing the powertrain information supplied by the vehicle controller as a function of vehicle speed, the powertrain information including a transmission selected gear, a state of any lockup torque converter of the vehicle, a state of a fuel-savings engine operating mode of the vehicle, an achieved fuel economy of the vehicle, and a fuel quality of fuel being used in the vehicle; identifying a plurality of alternate routes from the identified starting point and the identified ending point based on the navigation information, each alternate route of the plurality of alternate routes including at least one of the plurality of route segments; and estimating an amount of fuel required to travel along each alternate route of the plurality of alternate route based on the navigation information and on the powertrain information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for operating an electronic navigation system to display to a vehicle operator a plurality of alternate vehicle travel routes between an identified starting point and an identified endpoint, wherein the electronic navigation system includes a computer readable medium storing navigation information including a plurality of route segments, distances of each of the plurality of route segments, speed limits of each of the plurality of route segments, grade changes of each of the plurality of route segments, altitudes of each of the plurality of route segments, and number and type of intersections and traffic signals encountered in each of the plurality of route segments, and wherein the vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a vehicle controller adapted to supply powertrain information to the electronic navigation system and calibrated vehicle information, the method comprising:
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storing the powertrain information supplied by the vehicle controller as a function of vehicle speed, the powertrain information including a transmission selected gear, a state of any lockup torque converter of the vehicle, a state of a fuel-savings engine operating mode of the vehicle, an achieved fuel economy of the vehicle, and a fuel quality of fuel being used in the vehicle; identifying a plurality of alternate routes from the starting point to the ending point based on the navigation information, each of the plurality of alternate routes including at least one route segment of the plurality of route segments; for each alternate route of the plurality of alternate routes, estimating an amount of fuel required to travel along the alternate route based on the navigation information and the powertrain information and associating the amount of fuel with the alternate route; displaying two or more of the alternate routes by the electronic navigation system, the two or more of the alternate routes including a most-fuel efficient alternate route, the most-fuel efficient alternate route having a least amount of fuel associated therewith; determining whether the vehicle is operating in a fuel efficiency mode; and automatically setting the most-fuel efficient alternate route as a default route when the vehicle is operating in the fuel efficiency mode.
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Specification