Efficiency score tracker for vehicle operations

• US 8,498,792 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Abboud, Eugenie, Huntzicker, Fred W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, GARRETT F
• Application Number:
  US13/270,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/70
• 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

Abstract

Implementing efficiency score tracking for vehicle operations includes identifying an operator of a vehicle. At each time increment of a driving event, the efficiency score tracking includes determining mileage accrual and energy consumed, calculating an efficiency value as a function of the mileage accrual and the amount of energy consumed, assigning a point value to the efficiency value, adding the point value to previous point values assigned during the driving event, and displaying a sum of the point value and the previous point values to the operator. The sum reflects a cumulative number of points assigned for a corresponding time increment and any previous time increments of the driving event. The efficiency score tracking also includes presenting a total point value reflecting a sum of all of the point values assigned to the operator of the vehicle for all of the time increments associated with the driving event.

Claims

1. A system for implementing efficiency score tracking for vehicle operations, comprising:

a computer processor; and

logic executable by the computer processor, the logic configured to implement a method, the method comprising;

identifying an operator of a vehicle;

at each time increment for a duration of a driving event with respect to the vehicle;

determining mileage accrual and an amount of energy consumed, wherein a value representing the amount of energy consumed is calculated based on variations in climate, the climate determined, in part, from a global positioning system location acquired from the vehicle;

calculating an efficiency value as a function of the mileage accrual and the amount of energy consumed;

assigning a point value to the efficiency value;

adding the point value to previous point values, if any, assigned during the driving event; and

displaying a sum of the point value and the previous point values, if any, to the operator in the vehicle, the sum reflecting a cumulative number of points assigned for a corresponding time increment and any previous time increments of the driving event; and

presenting a total point value reflecting a sum of all of the point values assigned to the operator of the vehicle for all of the time increments associated with the driving event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

calculating total point values for operators of a plurality of other vehicles with respect to corresponding driving events associated with the operators;

determining which of the operators including the operator of the vehicle has a highest total point value;

creating a list of a number of the operators having the highest total point value; and

presenting the list to the operators of the plurality of vehicles and the operator of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

providing an award to an operator on the list having a highest total point value.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

storing the total point value in a storage device; and

displaying a history of total point values assigned to the operator over time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

monitoring a status of vehicle maintenance activities for the vehicle;

assigning a point value for executed vehicle maintenance activities;

detracting a point value for unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities;

calculating a total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities based on the executed vehicle maintenance activities and the unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities, the executed vehicle maintenance activities resulting in an increase in the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities and the unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities resulting in a decrease in the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities; and

presenting the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities to the operator of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle maintenance activities include at least one of:

oil change;

tire rotation;

brake inspection;

air filter replacement;

recommended mileage service; and

vehicle recall.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

calculating total point values for operators of a plurality of other vehicles with respect to the vehicle maintenance activities;

determining which of the operators including the operator of the vehicle has a highest total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities;

creating a list of a number of the operators having the highest total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities; and

presenting the list to the operators of the plurality of vehicles and the operator of the vehicle.

8. A method for implementing efficiency score tracking for vehicle operations, comprising:

identifying, via computer processor, an operator of a vehicle;

at each time increment for a duration of a driving event with respect to the vehicle;

determining, via the computer processor, mileage accrual and an amount of energy consumed, wherein a value representing the amount of energy consumed is calculated based on variations in climate, the climate determined, in part, from a global positioning system location acquired from the vehicle;

calculating, via the computer processor, an efficiency value as a function of the mileage accrual and the amount of energy consumed;

assigning a point value to the efficiency value;

adding the point value to previous point values, if any, assigned during the driving event; and

displaying a sum of the point value and the previous point values, if any, to the operator in the vehicle, the sum reflecting a cumulative number of points assigned for a corresponding time increment and any previous time increments of the driving event; and

presenting a total point value reflecting a sum of all of the point values assigned to the operator of the vehicle for all of the time increments associated with the driving event.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

calculating total point values for operators of a plurality of other vehicles with respect to corresponding driving events associated with the operators;

determining which of the operators including the operator of the vehicle has a highest total point value;

creating a list of a number of the operators having the highest total point value; and

presenting the list to the operators of the plurality of vehicles and the operator of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing an award to an operator on the list having a highest total point value.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing the total point value in a storage device; and

displaying a history of total point values assigned to the operator over time.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

monitoring a status of vehicle maintenance activities for the vehicle;

assigning a point value for executed vehicle maintenance activities;

detracting a point value for unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities;

calculating a total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities based on the executed vehicle maintenance activities and the unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities, the executed vehicle maintenance activities resulting in an increase in the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities and the unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities resulting in a decrease in the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities; and

presenting the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities to the operator of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle maintenance activities include at least one of:

oil change;

tire rotation;

brake inspection;

air filter replacement;

recommended mileage service; and

vehicle recall.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

calculating total point values for operators of a plurality of other vehicles with respect to the vehicle maintenance activities;

determining which of the operators including the operator of the vehicle has a highest total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities;

creating a list of a number of the operators having the highest total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities; and

presenting the list to the operators of the plurality of vehicles and the operator of the vehicle.

15. A computer program product for implementing efficiency score tracking for vehicle operations, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium embodied with computer-readable program instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to implement a method, the method comprising:

identifying an operator of a vehicle;

at each time increment for a duration of a driving event with respect to the vehicle;

determining mileage accrual and an amount of energy consumed, wherein a value representing the amount of energy consumed is calculated based on variations in climate, the climate determined, in part, from a global positioning system location acquired from the vehicle;

calculating an efficiency value as a function of the mileage accrual and the amount of energy consumed;

assigning a point value to the efficiency value;

adding the point value to previous point values, if any, assigned during the driving event; and

displaying a sum of the point value and the previous point values, if any, to the operator in the vehicle, the sum reflecting a cumulative number of points assigned for a corresponding time increment and any previous time increments of the driving event; and

presenting a total point value reflecting a sum of all of the point values assigned to the operator of the vehicle for all of the time increments associated with the driving event.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program instructions further implement:

calculating total point values for operators of a plurality of other vehicles with respect to corresponding driving events associated with the operators;

determining which of the operators including the operator of the vehicle has a highest total point value;

creating a list of a number of the operators having the highest total point value; and

presenting the list to the operators of the plurality of vehicles and the operator of the vehicle.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the program instructions further implement:

providing an award to an operator on the list having a highest total point value.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program instructions further implement:

storing the total point value in a storage device; and

displaying a history of total point values assigned to the operator over time.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program instructions further implement:

monitoring a status of vehicle maintenance activities for the vehicle;

assigning a point value for executed vehicle maintenance activities;

detracting a point value for unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities;

calculating a total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities based on the executed vehicle maintenance activities and the unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities, the executed vehicle maintenance activities resulting in an increase in the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities and the unexecuted vehicle maintenance activities resulting in a decrease in the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities; and

presenting the total point value for the vehicle maintenance activities to the operator of the vehicle.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the vehicle maintenance activities include at least one of:

oil change;

tire rotation;

brake inspection;

air filter replacement;

recommended mileage service; and

vehicle recall.