Route-based vehicle selection

• US 9,922,469 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XL Hybrids, Inc. (The Shyft Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: XL Hybrids
• Inventors: Ashton, Justin, Brenner, Neal Ennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Ziaeianmehdizadeh, Navid
• Application Number:
  US14/074,272
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations that include receiving data representative of one or more travel parameters for one or more vehicles. The data for each of the one or more travel parameters being represented with distribution ranges. For each of the one or more vehicles, operations include calculating one or more metric values based on the one or more travel parameter data distributions. Operations also include assigning a score to each of the one or more vehicles based on the calculated one or more metric values, and, presenting a ranking of the one or more vehicles based on the assigned scores.

Claims

1. A computing device-implemented method comprising:

causing one or more sensors to transmit data representative of one or more travel parameters for one or more vehicles traveling along a route to an information management device configured to wirelessly transmit the data to a remote data server;

cataloging the data at the remote data server, the data comprising a data distribution, into a plurality of distribution ranges for each of the one or more travel parameters, wherein a quantity of the distribution ranges in the plurality of distribution ranges is determined from the data representative of the one or more travel parameters being represented;

calculating one or more performance metric values for each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles including a plurality of vehicle types based on the one or more travel parameters, wherein each performance metric is assigned a weighted value based on the plurality of distribution ranges;

assigning a score to each vehicle in the plurality of vehicles based on the calculated one or more performance metric values;

ranking the vehicles in the plurality of vehicles for traveling along the route based on the assigned scores, a first group of vehicles and a second group of vehicles being identified by applying a threshold to the ranking of the plurality of vehicles;

transmitting a control command generated based on the ranking from the remote data server to the information management device; and

controlling an operation of a propulsion system of a respective one of the one or more vehicles using the control command.

2. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data representative of one or more travel parameters for one or more vehicles is calculated from data collected from the one or more vehicles.

3. The computing device-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the data collected from the one or more vehicles represents at least one of vehicle position, vehicle speed and time and wherein vehicle speed is greater than or equal to zero.

4. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the travel parameters represents distance traveled by the vehicle.

5. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one of the performance metrics represents a percentage of distance traveled by the vehicle below a particular speed.

6. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one of the performance metrics is based on correlating one of the travel parameter distributions and distribution data representing a standard.

7. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one of the performance metrics is based on distance traveled by the vehicle for a period of time.

8. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the distribution ranges represent vehicle speeds greater than or equal to zero.

9. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the distribution ranges represent vehicle acceleration.

10. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the assigned score represents vehicle performance for a drive cycle.

11. The computing device-implemented method of claim 10, wherein vehicle performance represents the fuel efficiency.

12. The computing device-implemented method of claim 10, wherein vehicle performance represents operating cost.

13. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the presented ranking represents potential conversion candidate vehicles.

14. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data representative of one or more travel parameters is received from a data service provider.

15. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first group represents vehicles eligible for conversion.

16. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the data distributions is produced onboard the vehicle.

17. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received data includes collection timing information.

18. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more vehicle control strategies from the data distributions.

19. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation of a propulsion system comprises selecting at least one propulsion system selected from the group consisting of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine for activation.

20. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation of a propulsion system comprises selecting an energy source for the propulsion system.

21. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the control command includes an assignment to operate the respective one of the one or more vehicles along a particular route.

22. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ranking is based on emissions associated with operating each vehicle in the plurality of vehicles along the route.

23. A system comprising:

a computing device comprising;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising;

causing one or more sensors to transmit data representative of one or more travel parameters for one or more vehicles traveling along a route to an information management device configured to wirelessly transmit the data to a remote data server;

cataloging the data at the remote data server, the data comprising a data distribution, into a plurality of distribution ranges for each of the one or more travel parameters, wherein a quantity of the distribution ranges in the plurality of distribution ranges is determined from the data representative of the one or more travel parameters being represented;

calculating one or more performance metric values for each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles including a plurality of vehicle types based on the one or more travel parameters, wherein each performance metric is assigned a weighted value based on the plurality of distribution ranges;

assigning a score to each vehicle in the plurality of vehicles based on the calculated one or more performance metric values;

ranking the vehicles in the plurality of vehicles for traveling along the route based on the assigned scores;

transmitting a control command generated based on the ranking from the remote data server to the information management device; and

controlling an operation of a propulsion system of a respective one of the one or more vehicles using the control command.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the data representative of one or more travel parameters for one or more vehicles is calculated from data collected from the one or more vehicles.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the data collected from the one or more vehicles represents at least one of vehicle position, vehicle speed and time and wherein vehicle speed is greater than or equal to zero.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the travel parameters represents distance traveled by the vehicle.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein one of the performance metrics represents a percentage of distance traveled by the vehicle below a particular speed.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein one of the performance metrics is based on correlating one of the travel parameter distributions and a distribution data representing a standard.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein one of the performance metrics is based on distance traveled by the vehicle for a period of time.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the distribution ranges represent vehicle speeds greater than or equal to zero.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the distribution ranges represent vehicle acceleration.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the assigned score represents vehicle performance for a drive cycle.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the presented ranking represents potential conversion candidate vehicles.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein the data representative of one or more travel parameters is received from a data service provider.

35. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

causing one or more sensors to transmit data representative of one or more travel parameters for one or more vehicles traveling along a route to an information management device configured to wirelessly transmit the data to a remote data server;

cataloging the data at the remote data server, the data comprising a data distribution, into a plurality of distribution ranges for each of the one or more travel parameters, wherein a quantity of the distribution ranges is determined by the data representative of the one or more travel parameter being represented;

calculating one or more performance metric values for each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles including a plurality of vehicle types based on the one or more travel parameters, wherein each performance metric is assigned a weighted value based on the plurality of distribution ranges;

assigning a score to each vehicle in the plurality of vehicles based on the calculated one or more performance metric values;

ranking the one or more vehicles based on the assigned scores;

transmitting a control command generated based on the ranking from the remote data server to the information management device; and

controlling an operation of a propulsion system of a respective one of the one or more vehicles using the control command.

36. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein the data representative of one or more travel parameters for one or more vehicles is calculated from data collected from the one or more vehicles.

37. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 36, wherein the data collected from the one or more vehicles represents at least one of vehicle position, vehicle speed and time and wherein vehicle speed is greater than or equal to zero.

38. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein at least one of the travel parameters represents distance traveled by the vehicle.

39. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein one of the performance metrics represents a percentage of distance traveled by the vehicle below a particular speed.

40. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein one of the performance metrics is based on correlating one of the travel parameter distributions and distribution data representing a standard.

41. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein one of the performance metrics is based on distance traveled by the vehicle for a period of time.

42. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein the distribution ranges represent vehicle speeds greater than or equal to zero.

43. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein the distribution ranges represent vehicle acceleration.

44. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein the assigned score represents vehicle performance for a drive cycle.

45. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein the presented ranking represents potential conversion candidate vehicles.

46. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein the data representative of one or more travel parameters is received from a data service provider.