System and method for reducing vehicle generated carbon dioxide emissions

• US 9,333,996 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• 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): Khatib, Rami
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOOMER, JEFFREY C
• Application Number:
  US14/339,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20140336845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 vehicle system comprising:

a composite vehicle including a primary vehicle having a carbon dioxide emission producing engine and a secondary vehicle producing less carbon dioxide emissions than the primary vehicle and being transportable by the primary vehicle;

a device to detect whether the secondary vehicle has been removed from the primary vehicle;

a data storage device for storing information regarding usage of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle;

a user interface for displaying information regarding usage of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle; and

including an immobilizing device to immobilize the primary vehicle when the secondary vehicle has been removed from the primary vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage device comprises at least one memory unit for storing data regarding usage of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a display showing a distance travelled by the primary vehicle and a distance travelled by the secondary vehicle, a display providing an indication of actual usage of the primary vehicle compared to a target usage, a display showing a compensated usage for the primary vehicle based upon the actual usage of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle, or some combination thereof.

4. The system claim 1, wherein the device to detect whether the secondary vehicle has been removed from the primary vehicle comprises 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.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the contactless communication 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.

6. The system of claim 1, including an electronic system for tracking a geographic position of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle and a control system with instructions to compare locations of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle and provide 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.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user prompt for displaying information regarding potential opportunities for use of the secondary vehicle and a device for transferring data regarding usage of the primary vehicle and the secondary vehicle to a third party.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data storage device, the user interface, a user prompt, or some combination thereof is included in a transportable communications device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a radio frequency reader is included in the transportable communications device or operatively connected to the transportable communications device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the transportable communications device is a smartphone, tablet, laptop computer, or other hand held electronic device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein operating the secondary vehicle produces zero carbon dioxide emissions from combustion.

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

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

8. The system of claim further comprising a navigation system configured to determine a current position of the primary vehicle and a destination for the primary vehicle based upon a user input and a user prompt including a display that can indicate when an opportunity for use of the secondary vehicle exists responsive to the destination of the primary vehicle, proximity of the primary vehicle to its destination, and location of parking garages in the vicinity of the destination.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the navigation system and the user prompt of the primary vehicle is removable from the primary vehicle for use on the secondary vehicle to enable the secondary vehicle to continue travel to the destination and to guide the secondary vehicle back to the primary vehicle.