Vehicle charging path optimization systems and methods

• US 10,598,503 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Inventors: Ellison, Gary F., Kokes, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga X
• Application Number:
  US14/074,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,329 Days
• Field of Search: 701400, 701468, 701532-533
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for determining an optimal path and/or route to a destination for a vehicle. Embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein facilitate intelligent route planning to a desired destination by a vehicle. In certain embodiments, a path and/or route to a desired destination is determined that accounts for vehicle charging and/or refueling requirements. Disclosed systems and methods may further generate and distribute reservation information ensuring availability of vehicle charging and/or refueling stations along a selected route. Further embodiments disclosed herein may implement information targeting services in connection with intelligent route planning.

Claims

1. A method of determining a route for an electric-powered vehicle performed by a system comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving destination selection information identifying a destination;

receiving, from a sensor associated with a battery system of the vehicle, an indication of an available battery system charge level of the battery system;

identifying a plurality of routes to the destination based on one or more routing parameters, the one or more routing parameters comprising at least one estimated range of the vehicle generated based on the available battery system charge level;

identifying one or more charging stations along the plurality of routes;

determining one or more estimated arrival times of the vehicle at the one or more charging stations along the plurality of routes;

determining temporal pricing information for each of the one or more charging stations at an associated estimated arrival time of the vehicle of the vehicle at an associated charging station; and

retrieving personal interest information relating to a user of the vehicle;

calculating a cost associated with each route of the plurality of routes, wherein the calculated cost associated with each route is based, at least in part, on the personal interest information and the determined temporal pricing information;

generating route information, the route information identifying the plurality of routes and the calculated cost associated with each route; and

displaying the route information to the user of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises sending navigation instructions to the vehicle associated with the selected route, the navigation instructions providing directed instructions for traveling to the destination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the route selection information comprises information generated based on the user of the vehicle selecting the route from the plurality of routes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the route selection information comprises information automatically generated based on the selected route having a lowest associated calculated cost of the plurality of routes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more routing parameters further comprise at least one of a charging station location, a vehicle charge capacity, charging station availability, a geographic parameter, an environmental parameter, charging station consumer ratings, and a point of interest location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal interest information further comprises interest information volunteered by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal interest information comprises user attribute information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user attribute information comprises one or more of a user gender, age, content preferences, geographic location, and information relating to network contacts of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises identifying one or more points of interest for each route of the plurality of routes based, at least in part, on the personal interest information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the calculated costs associated with each route is further based on the identified one or more points of interest.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the personal interest information further comprises an indication of prior advertisement viewing patterns associated with the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal interest information is generated based, at least in part, on prior monitored user activities.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the prior monitored user activities comprise an indication of one or more content items previously consumed by the user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the calculated cost associated with each route is based, at least in part, on the prior monitored user activities.