Shared vehicle management

• US 9,384,515 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schondorf, Kristin Marie, Wingfield, Eric H., Farrelly, Will, Ristivojevich, Nikola, Blackmore, Kathleen, Mueller, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US14/669,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20150321672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing

Abstract

A location of a shared vehicle is identified. Shared vehicle usage data is obtained for the location. An instruction is provided to adjust an operating mode of the shared vehicle based at least on the shared vehicle usage data and the location.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions such that the computer is programmed to:

identify a location of a shared vehicle;

obtain shared vehicle usage data for the location; and

provide an instruction to adjust an operating mode of the shared vehicle based at least on the shared vehicle usage data and the location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the usage data includes at least one of a user history, historical traffic data, and historical air quality data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating mode adjustment is to one of an electric vehicle mode, an internal combustion mode, and an opportunistic electric vehicle mode that includes operations in each of the internal combustion mode and the electric vehicle mode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to receive the location of the vehicle from a computer in the vehicle via a network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to use the location to determine a zone in which the shared vehicle is operating.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer is further programmed to provide the instruction to adjust the operating mode according to whether the zone in which the shared vehicle is operating is associated with at least one of air quality below a predetermined threshold and traffic congestion above a predetermined threshold.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer is further programmed to provide the instruction to adjust the operating mode according to a speed of travel of vehicles in the zone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to determine that the shared vehicle has reached a drop-off point, and to determine whether the shared vehicle is to be re-located after reaching the drop-off point.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer is further programmed to recommend an operating mode for the vehicle for a relocation of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second computer, the second computer being included in the shared vehicle and programmed to receive the instruction and adjust the operating mode according to the instruction.

11. A method, comprising:

identifying a location of a shared vehicle;

obtaining shared vehicle usage data for the location; and

providing an instruction to adjust an operating mode of the shared vehicle based at least on the shared vehicle usage data and the location.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the usage data includes at least one of a user history, historical traffic data, and historical air quality data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the operating mode adjustment is to one of an electric vehicle mode, an internal combustion mode, and an opportunistic electric vehicle mode that includes operations in each of the internal combustion mode and the electric vehicle mode.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the location of the vehicle from a computer in the vehicle via a network.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising using the location to determine a zone in which the shared vehicle is operating.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the instruction to adjust the operating mode according to whether the zone in which the shared vehicle is operating is associated with at least one of air quality below a predetermined threshold and traffic congestion above a predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the instruction to adjust the operating mode according to a speed of travel of vehicles in the zone.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining that the shared vehicle has reached a drop-off point, and whether the shared vehicle is to be re-located after reaching the drop-off point.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising recommending an operating mode for the vehicle for a relocation of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the instruction via a network and adjusting the operating mode according to the instruction.