Awarding standings to a vehicle based upon one or more fuel utilization characteristics

• US 20100280690A1
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Langer, Robert, Eckhoff, Philip A., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Lieberman, Erez, Gates, William H. III, Hagelstein, Peter L., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Schnall-Levin, Michael, Malaska, Stephen L.
• Application Number:
  US12/462,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280690A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method may include receiving at least one of a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or a status indicative of electricity utilization for a hybrid vehicle; and allocating a standing based upon the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the vehicle, wherein the standing is allocated upon receipt of the status.

Claims

1-398. -398. (canceled)

399. A computer program product, comprising:

a signal bearing medium bearing

computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle; and

computer usable code configured for allocating a standing based upon the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle, wherein the standing is allocated upon receipt of the status.

400. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for wirelessly receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle.

402. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for connecting to the vehicle for receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle.

404. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle via a physical media.

406. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle via a visual indicator on the vehicle.

408. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle represents a driving mode.

409. The computer program product of claim 408, wherein the driving mode represents utilization of combustible fuel for propelling the vehicle.

410. The computer program product of claim 408, wherein the driving mode represents utilization of electricity for propelling the vehicle.

411. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle is related to a utilization of propulsion resources.

412. The computer program product of claim 411, wherein the utilization of propulsion resources is associated with at least one of a rate of combustible fuel utilization or an amount of combustible fuel utilization.

413. The computer program product of claim 411, wherein the utilization of propulsion resources is associated with at least one of a rate of electricity utilization or an amount of electricity utilization.

417. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle represents a cumulative utilization for a geographic region.

418. The computer program product of claim 417, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle associated with a geographic region identified by a GPS receiver.

421. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle from a transmitter coupled with a determination module comprising instrumentation for determining the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle.

422. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle from a transmitter coupled with a determination module comprising a receiver for receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle.

429. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for receiving a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for a vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for receiving the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle based upon a change in driving mode for the vehicle.

431. The computer program product of claim 399, further comprising:

computer usable code configured for querying for the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle.

433. The computer program product of claim 431, wherein the computer usable code configured for querying for the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for broadcasting the query to the vehicle and at least a second vehicle.

434. The computer program product of claim 431, wherein the computer usable code configured for querying for the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle comprises:

computer usable code configured for directly querying the vehicle for the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle.

444. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for allocating a standing based upon the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle, wherein the standing is allocated upon receipt of the status comprises:

computer usable code configured for transmitting data indicative of a selectable set of standings allocated upon receipt of the status.

445. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the computer usable code configured for allocating a standing based upon the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization in comparison to electricity utilization for the vehicle, wherein the standing is allocated upon receipt of the status comprises:

computer usable code configured for transmitting data indicative of the standing allocated upon receipt of the status.

452. The computer program product of claim 445, wherein the computer usable code configured for transmitting data indicative of the standing allocated upon receipt of the status comprises:

computer usable code configured for transmitting data indicative of a standing comprising a qualification for at least one of a tax benefit, an insurance benefit, a reduction in fees, a reduction in recharging costs, or a reduction in refueling costs.

454. The computer program product of claim 445, wherein the computer usable code configured for transmitting data indicative of the standing allocated upon receipt of the status comprises:

computer usable code configured for transmitting data indicative of a standing that is at least one of reduced or eliminated when an alternate route including public transportation is available for at least one passenger of the vehicle.

458. The computer program product of claim 445, further comprising:

computer usable code configured for transmitting information associated with the standing allocated upon receipt of the status to an off-site entity.

469. The computer program product of claim 399, further comprising:

computer usable code configured for receiving at least one of a vehicle identification, an operator identification, a time, a location, a direction, or a speed associated with the vehicle.

470. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the standing comprises at least one of a privilege or a penalty.

471. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the standing is accumulated with at least a second standing.

472. The method of claim 471, wherein the accumulated first and second standings are exchanged for a set of standings comprising at least a third standing.

473. The computer program product of claim 399, further comprising:

computer usable code configured for canceling a penalty utilizing the standing allocated upon receipt of the status.

474. The computer program product of claim 399, further comprising:

computer usable code configured for reducing a penalty utilizing the standing allocated upon receipt of the status.

475. The computer program product of claim 399, further comprising:

computer usable code configured for selling the standing to a second entity.

476. The computer program product of claim 399, further comprising:

computer usable code configured for transferring the standing to a second entity.

477. The computer program product of claim 399, wherein the standing is dependent upon at least one of a driver of the vehicle, an occupant of the vehicle, an identification for the vehicle, a time of day, a driving history for the vehicle, a history of standings for the vehicle, a number of standings accumulated for the vehicle, a user selection from a list of acceptable standings, an expiration of a standing, a time period during which a standing is valid, or a geographical region in which a standing is valid.

401. (canceled)

403. (canceled)

405. (canceled)

407. (canceled)

414-416. -416. (canceled)

419-420. -420. (canceled)

423-428. -428. (canceled)

430. (canceled)

432. (canceled)

435-443. -443. (canceled)

446-451. -451. (canceled)

453. (canceled)

455-457. -457. (canceled)

459-468. -468. (canceled)

478-480. -480. (canceled)