System and method for route identification using a low cost GPS system

• US 9,194,309 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Industries Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated), Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.), PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Industries Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated), Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.), PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Sujan, Vivek A., Wu, An, Vajapeyazula, Phani, Follen, Kenneth, Frost, Howard R., Moon, Suk-Min, Khatri, Jaidev
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US14/185,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 701/54, 701/58, 701/33.4, 701/468, 701/540, 705/7.38, 705/7.11, 340/439, 340/936
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system

Abstract

A system and method for identifying and analyzing a route using an inexpensive GPS system is provided. The system and method provides a location for storing GPS and vehicle operating data for at least one route, requiring a plurality of runs over the at least one route. Once a predetermined minimum number of runs have been reached, the system and method define a route segment, interpolate additional data points using the GPS and vehicle operating data, synchronize the data over the plurality of runs, and analyze the data. The analyzed data is then provided to a module capable of controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine. The analyzed data is forward-looking in that it permits anticipation of vehicle operation, and more particularly, engine and transmission operation.

Claims

1. A route identification system, comprising:

a GPS unit adapted to collect GPS data during an instance of a vehicle traveling a route;

a processor configured to collect vehicle operating data during the instance of the vehicle traveling the route; and

a storage unit adapted to receive the GPS and vehicle operating data in a non-transitory, computer-readable medium;

wherein the processor is configured to control operation of a vehicle device during a subsequent instance of the vehicle traveling the route based on the GPS and vehicle operating data collected for a plurality of positions of the route during the prior instance of the vehicle traveling the route,

wherein the processor interpolates the GPS and vehicle operating data after a predefined number of runs over the route before controlling operation of the vehicle device, and

wherein the processor decreases the amount of interpolation as the number of runs over the route increases due to the aggregation of the GPS and vehicle operating data for the route.

2. The route identification system of claim 1, wherein the storage unit receives the GPS data at predetermined time intervals along the route.

3. The route identification system of claim 1, wherein a new route is identified by an operator input, and the new route is stored by the storage unit.

4. The route identification system of claim 3, wherein after a route is inputted into the storage unit, a route in a plurality of stored routes is identified by the processor determining that a received portion of the GPS and vehicle operating data substantially matches any stored route specific GPS and vehicle operating data.

6. The route identification system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle device includes at least one of a powertrain component of the vehicle and an operator unit, the powertrain component including at least one of an internal combustion engine, a transmission, and a final drive of the vehicle.

7. The route identification system of claim 1, wherein the processor includes a cycle efficiency management (CEM) module.

8. The route identification system of claim 1, wherein the GPS data includes, for the plurality of positions along the route, an indication of a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude measurement.

9. The route identification system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to categorize and store the GPS and vehicle operating data for each route in a plurality of routes.

10. The route identification system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to identify a route, in a plurality of routes, based on determining that a received portion of the GPS and vehicle operating data substantially matches any stored route specific GPS and vehicle operating data.

11. The route identification system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operating data includes, for the plurality of positions along the route, when an up shifting and a down shifting occurs, a torque and an engine speed, an engine temperature, an environmental temperature, a stop-and-go location, and a start-and-stop location.

5. The route identification system 1, wherein the processor determines for each route in a plurality of routes, an average elevation of each route, an average vehicle speed, and an average acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle based on the received GPS and vehicle operating data.

12. A route identification system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

collect GPS data during an instance of a vehicle traveling a route;

collect vehicle operating data during the instance of the vehicle traveling the route;

interpolate the GPS and vehicle operating data between adjacent received GPS and vehicle operating data points for the route;

analyze the GPS and vehicle operating data to control operation of a vehicle device during a subsequent instance of the vehicle traveling the route based on the GPS and vehicle operating data collected for a plurality of positions of the route during the prior instance of the vehicle traveling the route,

interpolate the GPS and vehicle operating data after a predefined number of runs over the route before controlling operation of the vehicle device, and

decrease the amount of interpolation as the number of runs over the route increases due to the aggregation of the GPS and vehicle operating data for the route.

13. A computer-readable storage medium having machine instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving GPS and vehicle operating data during an instance of a vehicle traveling a route in a plurality of routes;

interpolating the GPS and vehicle operating data between adjacent received GPS and vehicle operating data points for each route in the plurality of routes;

synchronizing the interpolated GPS and vehicle operating data to correspond with a specific route in the plurality of routes;

analyzing the interpolated and synchronized GPS and vehicle operating data over a plurality of runs of each route in the plurality of routes; and

providing the interpolated, synchronized, and analyzed GPS and vehicle operating data to a controller to control operation of a vehicle device during a subsequent instance of the vehicle traveling the route, wherein the control is based on the GPS and vehicle operating data collected for a plurality of positions during the prior instance of the vehicle traveling the route,

wherein interpolation of the GPS and vehicle operating data occurs after a predefined number of runs over the route before controlling operation of the vehicle device during the subsequent instance of the vehicle traveling the route, and

wherein the amount of interpolation decreases as the number of runs over the route increases due to the aggregation of the GPS and vehicle operating data for the route.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising receiving an operator input to identify a route in the plurality of routes.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising determining an identity of a route in the plurality of routes based the received GPS and vehicle operating data substantially matching stored route specific GPS and vehicle operating data.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the analyzing includes determining an average elevation of each route, an average vehicle speed, and an average acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.