Vehicle management system

• US 9,053,394 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: 5D Robotics, Inc. (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Bruemmer, David J., Hartley, R. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US13/597,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/123, 701/28, 701/533, 701/16, 705/16, 340/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1684 Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/256 of results relating to different input data, e.g. multimodal recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/10 Sensor physically contacts and follows work contour

Abstract

A system and method to identify fuel consumption optimization based on reactive and deliberative components is described. Modifiable use conditions, such as speeding, excessive idling, gear selection, acceleration and deceleration profiles, which all represent opportunities for fuel savings, are identified and optimized for minimal fuel consumption based on a reactive interaction with the vehicle on a real-time basis. Deliberative analysis of historical data linked to a specific location or route is also conducted to arrive at a historical optimal fuel consumption profile. Similar historical fuel consumption profiles for the same route in question from other nearby vehicles are collected and analyzed to determined a more robust deliberative component of optimal fuel consumption. The reactive and deliberative components are optimized fuel consumption are merged to form a recommended profile for optimal fuel consumption.

Claims

1. A vehicle management system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of vehicular sensors associated with the vehicle including sensors for collecting information with respect to speed, engine operating characteristics including fuel flow, tire pressure and gear selection;

a plurality of environmental sensors associated with the vehicle including sensors for collecting information with respect to position, inclination, air and surface temperature, and road conditions;

a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of vehicular sensors and the plurality of environmental sensors;

a storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor and tangibly embodying a plurality of executable modules of instructions including

a reactive adaptation module operable to gather information from the plurality of vehicular sensors and the plurality of environmental sensors to determine a reactive vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency based on current conditions,

a deliberative policy module operable to identify a particular location and gather historical information associated with the particular location to determine a deliberate vehicle speed for historical optimal fuel efficiency and wherein the vehicle can exchange at the location normalized performance data with one or more other vehicles including the reactive vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency and the deliberate vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency,

a vehicular control module and communicatively coupled to the reactive adaptation module and the deliberative policy module, wherein the vehicular control module combines the reactive vehicle speed and the deliberative vehicle speed to arrive at a suggested optimal vehicle speed for fuel efficiency, and

a driver behavior module communicatively coupled to the vehicular control module and operable to integrate the suggested optimal vehicle speed with individualistic user patterns and wherein the suggested optimal vehicle speed for fuel efficiency is based on a collaborative calculation among the other vehicles within a predetermined proximity of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the reactive adaptation module gathers real time data about a plurality of vehicle and environmental characteristics.

3. The vehicle management system of claim 2, where the plurality of vehicle and environmental characteristics including vehicle weight, temperature, tire pressure, road condition, and barometric pressure.

4. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the deliberative policy module analyzes and applies historical vehicular performance data of the vehicle for the particular location.

5. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the deliberative policy module uses universally applicable data.

6. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the deliberative policy module analyzes and applies historical vehicular performance data of other vehicles at the particular location.

7. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular control module is operable to suggest an optimal gear selection for fuel efficiency.

8. The vehicle management system of claim 1, policy adaptation wherein the vehicle control module is operable to determine the particular location of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle management system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver operable to communicate normalized performance data among two or more vehicles.

10. The vehicle management system of claim 9, wherein vehicles share historical vehicular performance data for a plurality of particular locations.

11. The vehicle management system of claim 9, wherein the vehicular control module is operable to modulate the reactive vehicle speed based on data received from other vehicles within the predetermined proximity of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle management system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle control module is operable to operate as a collaborative unit with other proximal vehicle control modules to provide optimal control inputs to operate as a convoy.

13. A method for managing fuel consumption of a vehicle, the method comprising:

collecting real time vehicular and environmental data from a plurality of sensors;

determining a location for the vehicle based on data collected from the plurality of sensors;

determining a reactive vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency based on collected real time vehicular and environmental data;

accessing historical vehicular performance data for the location of the vehicle including accessing when available normalized performance data from one or more other vehicles at the location;

determining a deliberate vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency based on historical vehicular performance data at the location and from other vehicles within a predetermined proximity of the vehicle; and

merging the reactive vehicular speed and the deliberate vehicle speed, individualistic user patterns to ascertain an optimal vehicle speed for fuel efficiency.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising storing the reactive vehicle speed and the location of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein historical vehicular performance data includes previously determined historical reactive vehicle speed of the vehicle at the location.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein historical vehicular performance data includes previously determined historical reactive vehicle speed of other vehicles at the location.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining an optimal gear selection for the optimal vehicle speed for fuel efficiency.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein determining a deliberate vehicle speed uses universally applicable data.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising communicating normalized performance data among two or more vehicles including the reactive vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency and the deliberate vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising sharing historical vehicular performance data for a plurality of particular locations.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising modulating the reactive vehicle speed based on data received from other vehicles.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the suggested optimal vehicle speed for fuel efficiency is based on a collaborative calculation of the data received from the other vehicles so as to operate as a collaborative unit with other vehicles.

23. A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine wherein said program of instruction comprises a plurality of program codes for managing fuel consumption of a vehicle, said program of instruction comprising:

program code for collecting real time vehicular and environmental data from a plurality of sensors mounted on the vehicle;

program code for determining a location for the vehicle;

program code for determining a reactive vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency based on collected real time vehicular and environmental data;

program code for accessing historical vehicular performance data for the location of the vehicle and, when available, normalized performance data from one or more other vehicles at the location;

program code for determining a deliberate vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency based on historical vehicular performance data; and

program code for merging the reactive vehicular speed, the deliberate vehicle speed, data from other vehicles within a predetermined proximity of the vehicle, and individualistic user patterns to ascertain an optimal vehicle speed for fuel efficiency.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the program of instructions further comprises program code for storing the reactive vehicle speed and the location of the vehicle.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the program of instructions further comprises program code for determining an optimal gear selection for the optimal vehicle speed for fuel efficiency.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein historical vehicular performance data includes previously determined historical reactive vehicle speed of the vehicle at the location.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein historical vehicular performance data includes previously determined historical reactive vehicle speed of other vehicles at the location.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the program of instructions further comprises program code for communicating data among two or more vehicles including the reactive vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency and the deliberate vehicle speed for optimal fuel efficiency.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the program of instructions further comprises program code for modulating the reactive vehicle speed based on data received from other vehicles.