Granted Patent B2

US 12,623,653 · App. 17/840,101 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventor: Russell William King (Evans, GA)

Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.

B60W20/13B60L58/14B60W10/26B60W20/12F02N11/06G01C21/26B60L2200/22B60L2240/622B60W2510/244

Abstract

Claims (48)

1 . A method for controlling the operation of a gas powered golf car, said method comprising:

receiving human golf car operator inputs;

communicatively connecting a global positioning system enhanced fleet management system (GPSEFMS) of a golf car with an internal combustion engine control unit (ECU) of the golf car via a golf car data network of the golf car, the ECU structured and operable to control operation of an internal combustion engine of the golf car in response to the human golf car operator inputs, wherein the GPSEFMS, the ECU and the golf car data network are disposed on the golf car, and the GPSEFMS comprises at least one processor structured and operable to execute one or more fleet management control program and a plurality of predetermined geofenced area operation profiles stored within the GPSEFMS;

operating the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs in accordance with predetermined non-geofenced area operation parameters that are specific to a non-geofenced area of a golf course on which the golf car is operating;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, monitoring a location of the golf car as the golf car is moving in response to the human golf car operator inputs utilizing geospatial position data communicated from a global position sensor disposed on the golf carto the GPSEFMS via the golf car data network;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, using the geospatial position data to determine that the golf car is entering a geofenced area;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, sending control commands to the ECU via the golf car data network limiting operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs;

limiting operation of the golf car in response to the human golf car operator inputs, via the limited operation of the internal combustion engine, in accordance with one of the plurality of predetermined geofenced area operation profiles stored within the GPSEFMS disposed on the golf car that is specific to the geofenced area;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, continuing to monitor a subsequent location of the golf car utilizing the geospatial position data communicated from the global position sensor after the GPSEFMS has sent the control commands to the ECU limiting operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs in accordance with the predetermined geofenced area operation profile;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, utilizing the subsequent location of the golf car to evaluate golf car operation restore criteria of the predetermined geofenced area operation profile to determine that the restore criteria has been satisfied based on the subsequent location of the golf car;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, when the restore criteria has been satisfied, initiating and sending a restore command to the ECU via the golf car data network to restore operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs to the non-geofenced area operation parameters;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, restoring operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs to the non-geofenced area operation parameters in response to the restore command;

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, verifying that operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs has been restored to the non-geofenced area operation parameters in response to the restore command.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sending control commands to the ECU via the golf car data network controlling operation of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the predetermined geofenced area operation profile specific to the geofenced area comprises:

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, evaluating the predetermined geofenced area operation profile specific to the geofenced area to determine when a reduction in speed of the internal combustion engine is required by the operation profile; and

via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, sending one or more internal combustion engine speed reduction command to the ECU via the golf car data network altering one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the speed of the internal combustion engine; and

altering the one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the speed of the internal combustion engine.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sending one or more internal combustion engine speed reduction command to the ECU via the golf car data network altering one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the speed of the internal combustion engine comprises;

sending a speed reduction command to the ECU via the golf car data network retarding the ignition timing of the internal combustion engine; and

retarding the ignition timing of the internal combustion engine.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sending one or more internal combustion engine speed reduction command to the ECU via the golf car data network altering one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the speed of the internal combustion engine comprises;

sending a speed reduction command to the ECU via the golf car data network reducing the amount of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine; and

reducing the amount of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sending control commands to the ECU via the golf car vehicle data network controlling operation of the internal combustion engine in accordance with predetermined geofenced area operation profile specific to the geofenced area comprises:

via the GPSEFMS, evaluating the predetermined geofenced area operation profile specific to the geofenced area to determine if a reduction of a ground speed of the golf car is required by the operation profile;

via the GPSEFMS, sending one or more internal combustion engine speed reduction command to the ECU via the golf car data network altering one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the ground speed of the golf car; and

altering the one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the ground speed of the golf car.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the ground speed of the golf car can be monitored via the GPSEFMS using the geospatial position data communicated from a global position sensor.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sending control commands to the ECU via the golf car data network controlling operation of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the predetermined geofenced area operation profile specific to the geofenced area comprises sending control commands to a driver display of the golf car via the golf car data network to provide information to a driver of the golf car.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein utilizing the subsequent location of the golf car to evaluate golf car operation restore criteria of the predetermined geofenced area operation profile to determine that the restore criteria has been satisfied based on the subsequent location of the golf car comprises evaluating the golf car operation restore criteria of the predetermined geofenced area operation profile to determine that the restore criteria has been satisfied while the golf car is within a geofenced area and the GPSEFMS is controlling operation of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the predetermined geofenced area operation profile.

9 . A gas powered golf car, said golf car comprising:

an internal combustion engine structured and operable to generate motive power to the golf car;

an engine control unit (ECU) structured and operable to control operation of the internal combustion engine;

a global position sensor structured and operable to communicate with a GPS satellite to receive geospatial position data identifying the geospatial location of golf car; and

a GPS enhanced fleet management system (GPSEFMS) communicatively connected to the global position sensor and to the ECU, the GPSEFMS comprising at least one processor structured and operable to execute one or more fleet management control program and a plurality of predetermined geofenced area operation profiles stored within the GPSEFMS, wherein via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, the GPSEFMS is structured and operable to:

operate the internal combustion engine in response to a human golf car operator inputs in accordance with predetermined non-geofenced area operation parameters that are specific to a non-geofenced area of a golf course on which the golf car is operating;

monitor a location of the golf car as the golf car is moving in response to the human golf car operator inputs utilizing geospatial position data communicated from the global position sensor;

determine when the golf car is entering a geofenced area using the geospatial position data to determine; and

send control commands to the ECU via the golf car data network limiting operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs, and limit operation of the golf car in response to the human golf car operator inputs, in accordance with one of the predetermined geofenced area operation profiles that is specific to the geofenced area, when it is determined that the golf car is entering the geofenced area;

continue to monitor a subsequent location of the golf car utilizing the geospatial position data communicated from the global position sensor after the GPSEFMS has sent the control commands to the ECU limiting operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs in accordance with the predetermined geofenced area operation profile;

utilize the subsequent location of the golf car to evaluate golf car operation restore criteria of the predetermined geofenced area operation profile to determine when the restore criteria has been satisfied, based on the subsequent location of the golf car;

initiate and send a restore command to the ECU via the golf car data network to restore operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs to the non-geofenced area operation parameters when the restore criteria has been satisfied, and restore the operation of the internal combination engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs to the non-geofenced area operation parameters in response to the restore command; and

verify that operation of the internal combustion engine in response to the human golf car operator inputs has been restored to the non-geofenced area operation parameters in response to the restore command.

10 . The golf car of claim 9 , wherein, via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, the GPSEFMS is further structured and operable to:

evaluate the predetermined geofenced area operation profile specific to the geofenced area to determine when a reduction in speed of the internal combustion engine is required by the operation profile;

send one or more internal combustion engine speed reduction command to the ECU via the golf car data network altering one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the speed of the internal combustion engine; and

alter the one or more operational parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce the speed of the internal combustion engine.

11 . The golf car of claim 9 , wherein via execution of the one or more fleet management control program by the GPSEFMS, the GPSEFMS is further structured and operable to evaluate golf car operation restore criteria of the predetermined geofenced area operation profile to determine when the restore criteria has been satisfied, based on the subsequent location of the golf car while the golf car is within a geofenced area and the GPSEFMS is controlling operation of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the predetermined geofenced area operation profile.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (43)