Conservational Vehicle Routing

• US 20120053825A1
• Filed: 10/25/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schunder, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

A route-determination method includes gathering road-related data in a vehicle navigation system (VNS) for a plurality of routes between two locations. This may include weighting two or more of the possible routes in the VNS based at least on the road-related data. Also, this may include adjusting the weighting in the VNS for each weighted route based on projected fuel consumption and determining an optimal fuel usage route in the VNS based on the adjusted weighting. Further, this may include outputting at least one optimal fuel usage route.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

determining a low fuel condition;

calculating a projected remaining travelable distance;

locating one or more refueling stations within the remaining travelable distance; and

presenting, via the VCS, a remaining travelable distance along a current route before a point-of-no-return is reached, the point-of-no-return correlating to a point past which no known refueling points can be reached with a current amount of fuel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via a vehicle computing system (VCS), an option to re-route a current route to include a stop at one of the one or more refueling stations.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the option is touch-selectable.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the option is voice-selectable.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, via the VCS, that only one refueling station is within the remaining travelable distance; and

warning the driver, via the VCS, that only one refueling station is within the remaining travelable distance.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

warning the driver that passing a point-of-no-return may result in an out-of-fuel condition, wherein the warning includes a visual or verbal warning prior to reaching the point-of-no-return.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that no refueling stations exist within the remaining travelable distance;

finding the closest refueling station outside the remaining travelable distance;

notifying the driver of a likely out-of-fuel condition;

notifying the driver of the closest refueling station; and

suggesting one or more measures the driver may wish to undertake to preserve fuel.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically modifying the current route to include the closest refueling station.

9. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a processor executing the instructions to perform the method comprising:

determining a low fuel condition;

calculating a projected remaining travelable distance;

locating one or more refueling stations within the remaining travelable distance; and

presenting, via the VCS, a remaining travelable distance along a current route before a point-of-no-return is reached, the point-of-no-return correlating to a point past which no known refueling points can be reached with a current amount of fuel.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing, via a vehicle computing system (VCS), an option to re-route a current route to include a stop at one of the one or more refueling stations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the option is touch-selectable.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the option is voice-selectable.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, via the VCS, that only one refueling station is within the remaining travelable distance; and

warning the driver, via the VCS, that only one refueling station is within the remaining travelable distance.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

warning the driver that passing a point-of-no-return may result in an out-of-fuel condition, wherein the warning includes a visual or verbal warning prior to reaching the point-of-no-return.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that no refueling stations exist within the remaining travelable distance;

finding the closest refueling station outside the remaining travelable distance;

notifying the driver of a likely out-of-fuel condition;

notifying the driver of the closest refueling station; and

suggesting one or more measures the driver may wish to undertake to preserve fuel.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically modifying the current route to include the closest refueling station.

17. A vehicle system comprising:

a processor; and

a display in communication with the processor and operable to be controlled by the processor, wherein the processor is configured to present, via the display, a remaining travelable distance along a current route before a point-of-no-return is reached, the point-of-no-return correlating to a point past which no known refueling points can be reached with a current amount of fuel.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to present the remaining travelable distance responsive to a recognition of a low-fuel condition by the processor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to present one or more options to re-route the current route to a known refueling point.

20. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically re-route the current route to a known refueling point prior to a vehicle reaching the point of no return.