SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A VEHICLE ROUTE

• US 20130261966A1
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Qing, Phillips, Anthony Mark, McGee, Ryan Abraham, Wang, Xiaoyong
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

A method for determining a route for a vehicle includes receiving input indicative of a driver'"'"'s dynamic control of the vehicle, determining the driver'"'"'s driving style based on the input, and selecting values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle based on the driving style. The method also includes identifying a plurality of candidate routes between an origin and destination, partitioning each of the candidate routes into a set of predefined route patterns, and determining an energy usage associated with each of the candidate routes based on the selected values and the set of predefined route patterns defining the candidate route. The method further includes identifying the candidate route having the minimum energy usage and providing output describing the route having the minimum energy usage.

Claims

1. A method for determining a route for a vehicle comprising:

by at least one controller,

receiving steering wheel, brake pedal or accelerator pedal input indicative of a driver'"'"'s dynamic control of the vehicle,

determining the driver'"'"'s driving style based on the input,

selecting values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle based on the driving style,

identifying a plurality of candidate routes between an origin and destination,

partitioning each of the candidate routes into a set of predefined route patterns,

determining an energy usage associated with each of the candidate routes based on the selected values and the set of predefined route patterns defining the candidate route,

identifying the candidate route having the minimum energy usage, and

providing output describing the route having the minimum energy usage.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the driver'"'"'s driving style based on the input includes determining a similarity between the input and sets of predetermined values each representing a different driving style.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing output describing the route having the minimum energy usage includes displaying the route on a map rendered on a display screen.

4. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one controller configured to (i) receive steering wheel, brake pedal or accelerator pedal input indicative of a driver'"'"'s dynamic control of the vehicle, (ii) determine the driver'"'"'s driving style based on the input, (iii) select values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle based on the driving style, and (iv) identify a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein identifying a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values includes partitioning each of a plurality of candidate routes into a set of predefined route patterns.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein identifying a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values includes determining an energy usage associated with each of the candidate routes based on the selected values and the set of predefined route patterns defining the candidate route.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein identifying a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values includes selecting the candidate route having the minimum energy usage.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein selecting values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle based on the driving style includes matching previous values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle with a set of energy usage patterns associated with current values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s expected dynamic control of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to provide output describing the route.

10. A method for determining a route for a vehicle comprising:

by at least one controller,

detecting driver steering wheel, brake pedal or accelerator pedal inputs indicative of a driver'"'"'s dynamic control of the vehicle,

determining the driver'"'"'s driving style based on the inputs,

selecting values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle based on the driving style,

identifying a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values, and

providing output describing the route.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein identifying a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values includes partitioning each of a plurality of candidate routes into a set of predefined route patterns.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein identifying a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values includes determining an energy usage associated with each of the candidate routes based on the selected values and the set of predefined route patterns defining the candidate route.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein identifying a route between an origin and destination that minimizes energy consumption of the vehicle based on the selected values includes selecting the candidate route having the minimum energy usage.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein selecting values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle based on the driving style includes matching previous values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s anticipated dynamic control of the vehicle with a set of energy usage patterns associated with current values of parameters representing the driver'"'"'s expected dynamic control of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein providing output describing the route includes displaying the route on a map rendered on a display screen.