Calculation of energy optimized route

1. A method for determining an energy optimized route for a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a computer-implemented energy optimized route determining system having a processor configured for:

storing a plurality of cost factors, each cost factor of the plurality of cost factors influencing the energy consumption of the vehicle;

selecting at least one cost factor of the plurality of cost factors for each road segment of road map data, the at least one cost factor including at least one map cost factor among the plurality of cost factors, the at least one map cost factor including a road class, wherein selecting the at least one cost factor comprises:

classifying the plurality of cost factors by the extent to which the plurality of cost factors contribute to a composite cost factor for each road segment of the road map data by more than a predetermined threshold;

excluding cost factors of the plurality of cost factors not contributing by more than the predetermined threshold; and

selecting cost factors of the plurality of cost factors that contribute by more than the predetermined threshold and the at least one map cost factor as the selected at least one cost factor for each road segment of the road map data;

determining the composite cost factor using the selected at least one cost factor for each road segment of the road map data;

storing respective composite cost factors in connection with each road segment of the road map data; and

calculating the energy optimized route based on combining the respective composite cost factors determined for each road segment of the road map data between a current location of the vehicle to a selected destination.

2. The method of claim 1 where the at least one cost factor is further selected from a group consisting of a user cost factor, a vehicle cost factor, a traffic cost factor, and a vehicle environment cost factor.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an actual energy consumption for the calculated energy optimized route;

comparing the actual energy consumption to an energy consumption determined for the calculated energy optimized route; and

adapting the composite cost factor for each road segment in the energy optimized route according to the comparison.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating a different composite cost factor for different parts of the energy optimized route.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each cost factor is described by a mathematical model.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a driving behaviour of a driver; and

adapting the composite cost factor according to the driving behaviour of the driver.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting at least one of the following parameters: energy consumption, used gear, accelerator activation, break activation, clutch activation, vehicle velocity, engine temperature, outside temperature, electric power consumption of the vehicle, vehicle payload, atmospheric pressure, and tire pressure.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a traffic situation; and

calculating the energy optimized route taking into account the traffic situation.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a driving behaviour of a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is driving on the calculated energy optimized route; and

adapting the calculation of the energy optimized route to the driving behaviour.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an inclination of a part of the energy optimized route; and

including at least an inclination cost factor in the composite cost factor of the part of the energy optimized route when the inclination is larger than a predetermined inclination threshold.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a road characteristic of the energy optimized route;

selecting the cost factors in accordance with the road characteristic; and

including the selected cost factors in the composite cost factor in accordance with the road characteristic.

12. A system for determining an energy optimized route for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a database storing a set of cost factors, each cost factor influencing the energy consumption of the vehicle;

a classification unit contained in a processor connected to the database for selecting cost factors of the set of cost factors including at least one map cost factor for each road segment of road map data and including the selected cost factors in a composite cost factor for each road segment of the road map data, the at least one map cost factor including a road class for each road segment of the road map data, the classification unit is configured to determine the composite cost factors using the at least one map cost factor and the selected cost factors selected by:

classifying the set of cost factors by the extent to which the set of cost factors contribute to the composite cost factor for each road segment of the road map data by more than a predetermined threshold;

excluding cost factors of the set of cost factors not contributing by more than the predetermined threshold; and

selecting cost factors of the set of cost factors that contribute by more than the predetermined threshold and the at least one map cost factor as the selected cost factors for each road segment of the road map data; and

a calculator for calculating the energy optimized route based on combining the composite cost factor for each road segment of the road map data between a current location of the vehicle to a selected destination.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

the database storing the set of cost factors as data representing mathematical models of aspects of energy consumption.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a sensor for receiving information related to energy consumption, the sensor coupled to the classification unit.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the sensor detects information that includes:

actual energy consumption,

engine speed,

vehicle speed,

activation of accelerator,

activation of clutch,

activation of brake,

vehicle weight,

driving behaviour of user,

user identity, and

any combination of the information.