Fuel efficient navigation system

• US 7,512,486 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dishongh, Terrance J., Needham, Bradford H., Rhodes, Kevin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/171,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/104, 701/123, 701/209, 701/204, 701/213, 701/219, 701/300, 340/902, 340/989, 340/991
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

A method, device, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises acquiring vehicle fuel consumption information from a plurality of geographic locations, compiling the information to a map, and creating a low fuel consumption path between two locations on the map using the information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

acquiring vehicle fuel consumption information dynamically from a plurality of vehicles between a plurality of pairs of adjacent intersections;

supplementing the vehicle fuel consumption information with additional environment data to approximate fuel consumption of one or more other vehicles;

dynamically compiling the information to a map;

creating a low fuel consumption path between a beginning intersection and an ending intersection on the map using the information, upon a request from at least one of the plurality of vehicles for the low fuel consumption path between the beginning intersection and the ending intersection; and

sending the created low fuel consumption path dynamically to the requesting vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring current date and time information with each acquired piece of vehicle fuel consumption information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein creating a low fuel-consumption path between the beginning intersection and the ending intersection further comprises creating the path of substantially the lowest fuel consumption between the beginning intersection and the ending intersection among a finite set of available paths.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional environment data comprises topographic map.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional environment data comprises known traffic flow information.

6. A device, comprising:

an acquisition unit to acquire vehicle fuel consumption information dynamically from a plurality of vehicles between a plurality of pairs of adjacent intersections;

a map compilation unit to dynamically compile the information to a map; and

a path creation unit to

supplement the vehicle fuel consumption information with additional environment data to approximate fuel consumption of one or more other vehicles;

create a low fuel consumption path between a beginning intersection and an ending intersection on the map using the information, upon a request from at least one of the plurality of vehicles for the low fuel consumption path between the beginning intersection and the ending intersection; and

send the created low fuel consumption path dynamically to the requesting vehicle.

7. The device of claim 6, further operable to acquire current date and time information with each acquired piece of vehicle fuel consumption information.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the path creation unit is further operable to create the path of lowest fuel consumption between the beginning intersection and the ending intersection among a finite set of available paths.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the additional environment data comprises topographic map information.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the additional environment data comprises known traffic flow information.

11. A system, comprising:

a wireless network;

a plurality of acquisition devices, each acquisition device located within one of a plurality of vehicles, the plurality of acquisition devices coupled to the wireless network, to acquire vehicle fuel consumption information between a plurality of pairs of adjacent intersections;

a map compilation device, coupled to the wireless network, to dynamically compile the information to a map; and

a path creation device, coupled to the wireless network, to

supplement the vehicle fuel consumption information with additional environment data to approximate fuel consumption of one or more vehicles; and

create a low fuel consumption path between a beginning intersection and an ending intersection on the map using the information, upon a request from at least one of the plurality of vehicles for the low fuel consumption path between the beginning intersection and the ending intersection; and

send the created low fuel consumption path dynamically to the requesting vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each acquisition device is located in a separate vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising each acquisition device sending the acquired information over the wireless network to the map compilation device.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of path management devices, coupled to the wireless network, operable to receive the created low fuel consumption path and to assist one or more vehicles navigate the created path.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each acquisition device is further operable to acquire current date and time information with each acquired piece of vehicle fuel consumption information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the path creation device is further operable to create the path of lowest fuel consumption between the beginning intersection and the ending intersection among a finite set of available paths.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the additional environment data comprises topographic map information.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the additional environment data comprises known traffic flow information.