Systems and Methods for Determining Available Providers

• US 20130226449A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Rovik, Christopher Lee, Lota, Charan S., Restauri, Donald Anthony III
• Granted Patent: US 8,532,921 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/424
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining available providers is disclosed. One embodiment includes communicating with a plurality of third party data storage units, at least one of the plurality of third party data storage units comprising user preference data for a vehicle, retrieving the user preference data from a remote location, and facilitating storage of the user preference data. Some embodiments include utilizing the user preference data to predict a likely current destination and providing, by a vehicle computing device, data related to the likely current destination to a user.

Claims

1. A method for determining available providers to a vehicle user comprising:

communicating with a plurality of third party data storage units, at least one of the plurality of third party data storage units comprising user preference data for a vehicle;

retrieving the user preference data from a remote location, the user preference data comprising a user calendar entry for a user;

facilitating storage of the user preference data;

determining whether the calendar entry includes an event that utilizes an accessory;

determining a location of the accessory;

determining a direction of a current route;

utilizing the user preference data, the user calendar entry, the location of the accessory, and the current route to predict a likely current destination; and

providing, by a vehicle computing device, data related to the likely current destination to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a current vehicle path with the user preference data to predict the likely current destination.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

utilizing data from the plurality of third party data storage units to determine whether an alternate route to the likely current destination is available;

and

providing the alternate route to the likely current destination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein data related to the likely current destination comprises at least one of the following:

an identification of the likely current destination; and

routing data for reaching the likely current destination.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preference data further comprises a preferred way-point brand.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that the preferred way-point brand comprises a preferred fuel station brand;

predicting, from a current fuel level, a current vehicle position, and the likely current destination, a potential location for refueling the vehicle;

determining, from the plurality of third party data storage units, a fuel station that comprises the preferred fuel station brand and that is within a predetermined distance of the potential location for refueling the vehicle; and

providing a user notification regarding the fuel station.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the preferred way-point brand comprises a preferred restaurant brand;

predicting from a current time, a current position, and the likely current destination, a potential location for patronizing;

determining from the plurality of third party data storage units, a restaurant that comprises the preferred restaurant brand and that is within a predetermined distance of the potential location for patronizing; and

providing a user notification regarding the restaurant.

8. A system for determining available providers comprising:

a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform at least the following;

receive a user indication of a predetermined threshold for refueling;

determine a current route of a vehicle;

determine a destination of the vehicle, based on the current route and a user calendar entry received from a remote device;

determine a fuel level of the vehicle at a current time;

determine, from the destination and the fuel level at the current time, an approximate location that the fuel level will pass below the predetermined threshold;

determine a preferred fuel station brand for a user;

determine a fuel station that is the preferred fuel station brand and is within a predetermined distance from the approximate location;

provide the fuel station to the user and an option to route the vehicle to the fuel station; and

provide vehicle routing data to the fuel station.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the destination is determined from at least one of the following:

as a prediction based on previous destination data and a current vehicle path; and

from a user input indicating the destination of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the fuel station further comprises:

determining a likely time that the vehicle will reach the approximate location; and

determining whether the fuel station operates at the likely time.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the logic further causes the system to calculate a fuel consumption of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the logic further causes the system to perform at least the following:

generate a user interface for providing the preferred fuel station brand; and

provide a user option to edit the preferred fuel station brand.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the logic further causes the system to perform at least the following:

access a third party data, the third party data comprising at least one of the following;

weather data, traffic data, and road condition data; and

altering the approximate location based on the third party data.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the logic further causes the system to perform at least the following:

determine that a current vehicle location is in proximity of a new fuel station; and

provide a user option to add the new fuel station as the preferred fuel station brand.

15. A vehicle for determining available providers to a vehicle user comprising:

a vehicle computing device that stores logic that, when executed by the vehicle computing device, causes the vehicle computing device to perform at least the following;

receive a future desired meal time for a plurality of meals of a particular meal type;

determine a current route of the vehicle;

determine a destination of the vehicle, based on the current route;

determine a continued route to the destination for the vehicle;

determine an approximate speed of the vehicle to the destination;

predict an approximate location that the vehicle will reach the future desired meal time;

determine, from a previous vehicle stop, a preferred restaurant brand for the user;

determine a restaurant along the route that is the preferred restaurant brand and is at a distance from the vehicle such that the vehicle will arrive at the restaurant within a predetermined time of the desired meal time, as determined from the approximate speed;

provide the restaurant to the user and an option to route the vehicle to the restaurant; and

provide vehicle routing to the restaurant.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the preferred restaurant brand includes at least one of the following:

a breakfast restaurant brand, a lunch restaurant brand, and a dinner restaurant brand.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the destination is determined from at least one of the following:

as a prediction based on previous destination data and a current vehicle path; and

from a user input indicating the destination of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the logic further causes the vehicle computing device to perform at least the following:

determining a likely time that the vehicle will reach the restaurant; and

determining whether the restaurant operates at the likely time.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the logic further causes the vehicle computing device to perform at least the following:

determine that a current vehicle location is in proximity of a new restaurant; and

provide a user option to add the new restaurant as the preferred restaurant brand.

20. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the logic further causes the vehicle computing device to perform at least the following:

access a third party data, the third party data comprising at least one of the following;

weather data, traffic data, and road condition data; and

altering the approximate location based on the third party data.