Method and Apparatus for Charging Station Guidance

• US 20120179323A1
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Profitt-Brown, Elizabeth, Zechel, Kelly Lee, Rork, Joseph Paul, Petersen, Brian, Pleet, Edward Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/985,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179323A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, executable by a vehicle associated computing system, includes receiving a request for display of local refueling points. The method also includes determining current coordinates of vehicle and determining one or more fuel point locations within a defined map range. The method additionally includes displaying a map display containing the current vehicle location and the location of the one or more fuel point locations.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, executable by a vehicle associated computing system, comprising:

receiving a request for display of local refueling points;

determining current coordinates of vehicle;

determining one or more fuel point locations within a defined map range; and

displaying a map display containing the current vehicle location and the location of the one or more fuel point locations.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if no fuel point locations are present within the defined map range, expanding the defined map range to a larger range and repeating the determining one or more fuel point locations step.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a fuel point type with each of the determined fuel point locations; and

augmenting the displayed characteristics of each of the determined fuel point locations based on the associated fuel point type.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the fuel point type is a station.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the fuel point type is a non-commercial location.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the augmenting comprises assigning a color based on an associated fuel point type.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a distance with each of the determined fuel point locations; and

augmenting the displayed characteristics of each of the determined fuel point locations based on the associated distance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the augmenting comprises assigning a color based on an associated fuel point type.

9. A computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a vehicle associated computing system, cause the system to execute a method comprising:

receiving a request for display of local refueling points;

determining current coordinates of vehicle;

determining one or more fuel point locations within a defined map range; and

displaying a map display containing the current vehicle location and the location of the one or more fuel point locations.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

if no fuel point locations are present within the defined map range, expanding the defined map range to a larger range and repeating the determining one or more fuel point locations step.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

associating a fuel point type with each of the determined fuel point locations; and

augmenting the displayed characteristics of each of the determined fuel point locations based on the associated fuel point type.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the fuel point type is a station.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the fuel point type is a non-commercial location.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the augmenting comprises assigning a color based on an associated fuel point type.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

associating a distance with each of the determined fuel point locations; and

augmenting the displayed characteristics of each of the determined fuel point locations based on the associated distance.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the augmenting comprises assigning a color based on an associated fuel point type.

17. A computer-implemented method, executable by a vehicle associated computing system, comprising:

detecting a vehicle charging condition;

determining if a charging point having a location similar to a vehicle present location exists in a charging point database; and

conditional on the non-existence of the charging point, adding a charging point to the database, and associating the vehicle present location as a charging point location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

asking a user to identify a charging point type; and

associating the identified charging point type with the charging point.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the charging point type is a commercial identification.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the charging point type is a non-commercial identification.