System and method for reducing vehicle generated carbon dioxide emissions

• US 8,855,895 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gerhardt, Torsten, Hurst, Marcus, Spahl, Robert, Burrage, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOOMER, JEFFREY C
• Application Number:
  US13/857,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/112
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/16 Type of output information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/06 for carrying vehicles B60P3/12 takes precedence; caravans, camping, or like vehicles with vehicle-carrying means B60P3/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/07 for carrying road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/112 City movers, small sized city motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 47/006 Vehicles which can be divided in sub-vehicles; nestable vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• 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

A system is disclosed having a primary vehicle and a secondary vehicle that is carried by the primary vehicle when not in use. The system further includes at least one of an immobilizing device to immobilize the primary vehicle if the secondary vehicle is removed from the primary vehicle, a data storage device for storing information regarding usage of the primary and secondary vehicles, a user interface device for displaying information regarding usage of the primary and secondary vehicles, and a user prompt for providing information regarding potential opportunities for use of the secondary vehicle to encourage usage of the secondary vehicle and lower CO2 emissions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transporting a secondary vehicle using a carbon dioxide emission producing primary vehicle that produces more carbon dioxide emissions than the secondary vehicle;

operating the primary vehicle while the secondary vehicle is nested with the primary vehicle; and

immobilizing the primary vehicle by preventing the operation of an engine of the primary vehicle if the secondary vehicle is removed from the primary vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring usage, storing information, and displaying information regarding usage of the primary vehicle;

monitoring usage, storing information, and displaying information regarding usage of the secondary vehicle;

determining a current position of the primary vehicle; and

displaying information regarding potential opportunities for use of the secondary vehicle based on the position of the primary vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary vehicle has four wheels and the secondary vehicle has two additional wheels.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the displayed information is a distance travelled by the primary vehicle and a distance travelled by the secondary vehicle, an indication of actual usage of the primary vehicle compared to a target usage, a compensated usage for the primary vehicle based upon the actual usage of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle, or some combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting whether the secondary vehicle has been removed from the primary vehicle with a physical sensor or a contactless communication link between the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle operable to determine when the secondary vehicle is located remotely from the primary vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the contactless communications link uses Radio Frequency Identification or Near Field Communication and includes an active radio frequency or a passive radio frequency tag on each vehicle and a radio frequency reader to read output from the radio frequency tags.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising tracking a geographic position of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle, comparing locations of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle, and providing an output indicative of a removal of the secondary vehicle if respective geographic locations of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle differ by more than a predefined amount.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a current position of the primary vehicle and a destination for the primary vehicle based upon a user input and indicating when an opportunity for use of the secondary vehicle exists responsive to the destination of the primary vehicle, a proximity of the primary vehicle to its destination, and locations of parking garages in a vicinity of the destination.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the secondary vehicle produces zero CO2 emissions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary vehicle is a bicycle, scooter, moped, motorcycle, or hybrid vehicle, or another vehicle propelled in some part by a combustion engine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary vehicle is a commercial vehicle, car, van, truck, or a hybrid version thereof.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein a smartphone, tablet, laptop computer, or other hand held electronic device monitors usage, stores information, and displays information regarding usage of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle and displays information regarding potential opportunities for use of the secondary vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary vehicles share a battery located within the secondary vehicle such that the battery propels the secondary vehicle when the secondary vehicle is in use.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the primary vehicle has an alternator that provides electrical power to the primary vehicle and to the secondary vehicle to charge the battery.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary vehicle has a CO2 emission sensor and one or more of a distance measuring sensor, and a energy usage sensor.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary vehicle has a combustion engine.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary vehicle is immobilized by an electronic controller operable to prevent operation of the engine.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary vehicle has a navigation system removable from the primary vehicle for use in the secondary vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data regarding usage of the primary and secondary vehicles, the data comprising carbon dioxide produced by use of the primary and secondary vehicles and one or more of distances travelled by the primary and secondary vehicles, time stamps of movement of the primary and secondary vehicles, time stamps of engine-on events of the primary and secondary vehicles, and energy consumed by the primary and secondary vehicles.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transferring the stored data regarding usage of the primary and secondary vehicles to a third party.