Optimal energy source determination system

• US 9,909,890 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Bulpitt, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US15/206,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20180010918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968

Abstract

A system for providing a recommended route for a vehicle, from a current location to an intermediate destination, to a final destination. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to determine a vehicle range exceeding a distance between the current location of the vehicle and the intermediate destination. The ECU is configured to determine a baseline route having a first section and a second section. The ECU is configured to determine a first energy source of the first section and a second energy source of the second section. The ECU is configured to determine a first cost associated with incorporating the first energy source and a second cost associated with incorporating the second energy source. The ECU is also configured to determine the recommended route based on the first cost and the second cost. The system also includes an output unit configured to output the recommended route.

Claims

1. A system for providing a recommended route for a vehicle, from a current location to an intermediate destination, and from the intermediate destination to a final destination, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store vehicle location history data, energy source location data, and energy source cost data associated with a plurality of energy sources;

a vehicle energy sensor configured to detect vehicle energy data and vehicle energy efficiency data;

an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to;

determine the intermediate destination by predicting the intermediate destination based on the vehicle location history data or by receiving the intermediate destination from an input unit, the intermediate destination being a stop between the current location and the final destination,

determine a vehicle range based on the vehicle energy data and the vehicle energy efficiency data, the vehicle range exceeding a distance between the current location of the vehicle and the intermediate destination,

determine a baseline route having a first section between the current location and the intermediate destination, and a second section between the intermediate destination and the final destination,

determine a first energy source from the plurality of energy sources within a predetermined range along the first section and a second energy source from the plurality of energy sources within the predetermined range along the second section based on the energy source location data and energy source cost data, the first energy source and the second energy source being within the vehicle range,

determine a first cost associated with incorporating the first energy source into the baseline route and a second cost associated with incorporating the second energy source into the baseline route, the first cost and the second cost based on the energy source location data and the energy source cost data,

determine the recommended route based on the first cost and the second cost, the recommended route including the first energy source when the first cost is lower than the second cost or the recommended route including the second energy source when the first cost exceeds the second cost; and

an output unit configured to output the recommended route.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to receive user preferences, and

wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine a first weighted cost value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted cost value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences,

determine a first weighted time value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted time value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences and the energy source location data, and

determine the recommended route based on the first weighted cost value, the first weighted time value, the second weighted cost value, and the second weighted time value.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver configured to receive traffic data,

wherein the input unit is further configured to receive a user priority identification, and

wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine a first weighted cost value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted cost value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences,

determine a first weighted traffic value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted traffic value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences and the traffic data, and

determine the recommended route based on the first weighted cost value, the first weighted traffic value, the second weighted cost value, and the second weighted traffic value.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and wherein the plurality of energy sources includes gas stations.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a motor and wherein the plurality of energy sources includes charging stations.

6. A vehicle providing a recommended route, from a current location to an intermediate destination, and from the intermediate destination to a final destination, the vehicle comprising:

a memory configured to store vehicle location history data, energy source location data, and energy source cost data associated with a plurality of energy sources;

a vehicle energy sensor configured to detect vehicle energy data and vehicle energy efficiency data;

an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to;

determine the intermediate destination by predicting the intermediate destination based on the vehicle location history data or by receiving the intermediate destination from an input unit, the intermediate destination being a stop between the current location and the final destination,

determine a vehicle range based on the vehicle energy data and the vehicle energy efficiency data, the vehicle range exceeding a distance between the current location of the vehicle and the intermediate destination,

determine a baseline route having a first section between the current location and the intermediate destination, and a second section between the intermediate destination and the final destination,

determine a first energy source from the plurality of energy sources within a predetermined range along the first section and a second energy source from the plurality of energy sources within the predetermined range along the second section based on the energy source location data and the energy source cost data, the first energy source and the second energy source being within the vehicle range,

determine a first cost associated with incorporating the first energy source into the baseline route and a second cost associated with incorporating the second energy source into the baseline route, the first cost and the second cost based on the energy source location data and the energy source cost data,

determine the recommended route based on the first cost and the second cost, the recommended route including the first energy source when the first cost is lower than the second cost or the recommended route including the second energy source when the first cost exceeds the second cost; and

an output unit configured to output the recommended route.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising an input unit configured to receive user preferences, and

wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine a first weighted cost value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted cost value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences,

determine a first weighted time value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted time value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences and the energy source location data, and

determine the recommended route based on the first weighted cost value, the first weighted time value, the second weighted cost value, and the second weighted time value.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a transceiver configured to receive traffic data,

wherein the input unit is further configured to receive a user priority identification, and

wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine a first weighted cost value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted cost value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences,

determine a first weighted traffic value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted traffic value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences and the traffic data, and

determine the recommended route based on the first weighted cost value, the first weighted traffic value, the second weighted cost value, and the second weighted traffic value.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and wherein the plurality of energy sources includes gas stations.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle includes a motor and wherein the plurality of energy sources includes charging stations.

11. A method of providing a recommended route for a vehicle, from a current location to an intermediate destination, and from the intermediate destination to a final destination, the method comprising:

storing, by a memory, vehicle location history data, energy source location data and energy source cost data associated with a plurality of energy sources;

detecting, by a vehicle energy sensor, vehicle energy data and vehicle energy efficiency data;

determining, by an electronic control unit (ECU), the intermediate destination by predicting the intermediate destination based on the vehicle location history data or by receiving the intermediate destination from an input unit, the intermediate destination being a stop between the current location and the final destination,

determining, by the ECU, a vehicle range based on the vehicle energy data and the vehicle energy efficiency data, the vehicle range exceeding a distance between the current location of the vehicle and the intermediate destination;

determining, by the ECU, a baseline route having a first section between the current location and the intermediate destination, and a second section between the intermediate destination and the final destination;

determining, by the ECU, a first energy source from the plurality of energy sources within a predetermined range along the first section and a second energy source from the plurality of energy sources within the predetermined range along the second section based on the energy source location data and the energy source cost data, the first energy source and the second energy source being within the vehicle range;

determining, by the ECU, a first cost associated with incorporating the first energy source into the baseline route and a second cost associated with incorporating the second energy source into the baseline route, the first cost and the second cost based on the energy source location data and the energy source cost data;

determining, by the ECU, the recommended route based on the first cost and the second cost, the recommended route including the first energy source when the first cost is lower than the second cost or the recommended route including the second energy source when the first cost exceeds the second cost; and

outputting, by an output unit, the recommended route.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by an input unit, user preferences;

determining, by the ECU, a first weighted cost value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted cost value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences;

determining, by the ECU, a first weighted time value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted time value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences and the energy source location data; and

determining, by the ECU, the recommended route based on the first weighted cost value, the first weighted time value, the second weighted cost value, and the second weighted time value.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by a transceiver, traffic data;

receiving, by the input unit, a user priority identification;

determining, by the ECU, a first weighted cost value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted cost value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences;

determining, by the ECU, a first weighted traffic value associated with the first energy source and a second weighted traffic value associated with the second energy source based on the user preferences and the traffic data; and

determining, by the ECU, the recommended route based on the first weighted cost value, the first weighted traffic value, the second weighted cost value, and the second weighted traffic value.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of energy sources includes gas stations or charging stations.