IP Library Granted Patent US 9,630,627
Granted Patent B2
US 9,630,627 · App. 14/850,584 · Granted Apr 25, 2017

Method and apparatus for adaptive drive control including fuel-economic mode engagement

Inventors: Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante (Commerce Township, MI); Steven Joseph Szwabowski (Northville, MI); Fling Tseng (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60W30/182B60W10/06B60W10/10B60W10/20B60W10/22B60W40/09B60W2400/00B60W2540/30B60W2550/30B60W2900/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,630,627
App. No.
14/850,584
Granted
Apr 25, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive environmental context data upon which automatic engagement of a fuel economic driving mode (eco-mode) is conditioned. The processor is also configured to evaluate the context data to determine if the eco-mode should be automatically engaged based on a data correspondence to an engagement factor and engage the eco-mode upon correspondence of the data to an engagement factor.

Claims (14)

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive environmental context data, including vehicle location data, upon which automatic engagement of a fuel economic driving mode (eco-mode) is conditioned;

evaluate the context data to determine if the eco-mode should be automatically engaged based on the vehicle location data indicating a predefined proximity to a predefined residential area; and

engage the eco-mode upon the vehicle being within the predefined proximity to the predefined residential area.

2. A system comprising:

a processor configured to:

engage a fuel-economic driving mode (eco-mode) based on evaluation of received vehicle-location data to determine if the vehicle-location data indicates that a vehicle is within a predefined proximity to a predefined residential area or predefined school zone;

register eco-mode disengagement; and

as the vehicle travels, until the eco-mode is reengaged, decay any variables defining likelihoods of eco-mode engagement previously stored with respect to any vehicle locations.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to increment the variables defining likelihood of eco-mode engagement previously stored with respect to the vehicle locations until the processor registers eco-mode disengagement.

4. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, via a vehicle computer, if a vehicle location is within a predefined proximity to a predefined residential area or school zone; and

automatically engaging the eco-mode if the vehicle location is within the predefined proximity to the predefined residential area or school zone.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2015
From: PRAKAH-ASANTE, KWAKU O.; SZWABOWSKI, STEVEN JOSEPH; TSENG, FLING
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 036597/0561 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170072958A1 · Mar 16, 2017