Method and apparatus for providing a navigation route with recommended charging

• US 9,448,083 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Loftus, Michael Edward, Liu, Yimin, MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US14/188,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20150241233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/400, 701/410, 320/109, 320/134, 296/210, 307/9.1, 700/291, 340/995.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to discover charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete. The processor is also configured to determine a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage resulting from a charge. The processor is further configured to present a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station. Also, the processor is configured to receive a station selection and present a route including a stop at the selected station.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

discover charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete;

determine a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage cost resulting from a charge;

present a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station;

and

present a route including a stop at a station selected by a user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to expand the predefined proximity until at least two charging stations have been discovered.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cost includes a stochastic charging cost.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cost includes a stochastic time cost.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the time cost includes a stochastic travel time cost.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the time cost includes a stochastic wait-time cost.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the time cost includes a stochastic charging-time cost.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

weight the charging costs and total route time based on user-defined preferences;

determine a total score for each station based on the weighted charging costs and total route time; and

present a station having a lowest total score.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user-defined preferences include a cost-value assigned to time.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

discovering charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete;

determining, via a vehicle-associated computer, a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage cost resulting from a charge;

presenting a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station;

and

presenting a route including a stop at a station selected by a user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising expanding the predefined proximity until at least two charging stations have been discovered.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the cost includes a charging cost.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the cost includes a time cost.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the time cost includes a travel time cost.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the time cost includes a wait-time cost.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the time cost includes a charging-time cost.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

weighting the charging costs and total route time based on user-defined preferences;

determining a total score for each station based on the weighted charging costs and total route time; and

presenting a station having a lowest total score.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user-defined preferences include a cost-value assigned to time.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

discovering charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete;

determining a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage cost resulting from a charge;

presenting a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station;

and

presenting a route including a stop at a station selected by a user.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

weighting the charging costs and total route time based on user-defined preferences;

determining a total score for each station based on the weighted charging costs and total route time; and

presenting a station having a lowest total score.