| CPC G01C 21/3476 (2013.01) [G06Q 50/06 (2013.01); G07C 5/004 (2013.01); B60K 15/03 (2013.01); B60K 2015/03217 (2013.01); B60K 2015/03315 (2013.01)] | 17 Claims |
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1. A system for in real time, estimating the time required for a vehicle to visit a fueling station, the system comprising:
a fueling station server associated with the fueling station and configured to transmit, over a network, a plurality of fueling station parameters associated with the fueling station;
a plurality of sensors disposed within the vehicle and configured to detect sensor data associated with the vehicle;
a digital navigation system configured to compute, in real time, digital navigation data related to the vehicle and the fueling station, wherein the digital navigation data comprises a location of the vehicle, a location of the fueling station, and a route from the location of the vehicle to the fueling station;
a non-transitory computer readable medium storing fuel tank parameters associated with a fuel tank of the vehicle; and
a control unit disposed within the vehicle and configured to, in real time:
based on the digital navigation data, automatically determine and store a travel time required for the vehicle to reach the fueling station;
electronically receive, over the network, the fueling station parameters;
based on the electronically received fueling station parameters, the sensor data, and the fuel tank parameters, automatically compute and store a fueling time required for the fueling station to fill the fuel tank; and
automatically compute and store a total time requirement, comprising the stored travel time and the stored fueling time;
electronically receive, over the network, a respective plurality of waiting vehicle parameters from each of at least one processor disposed on at least one respective waiting vehicle associated with the fueling station;
based on the electronically received fueling station parameters and the electronically received respective waiting vehicle parameters of the at least one waiting vehicle,
automatically compute and store a wait time associated with the at least one waiting vehicle;
automatically compute the total time requirement, further comprising the stored wait time;
a second fueling station server associated with a second fueling station and configured to transmit, over the network, a plurality of second fueling station parameters associated with the second fueling station,
wherein the digital navigation system is further configured to provide second digital navigation data related to the vehicle and the second fueling station,
wherein the control unit is further configured to, in real time:
electronically receive, over the network, the second fueling station parameters;
based on the second digital navigation data, automatically compute and store a second travel time required for the vehicle to reach the second fueling station;
based on the electronically received second fueling station parameters, the sensor data, and the fuel tank parameters, automatically compute and store a second fueling time required for the second fueling station to fill the fuel tank;
electronically receive, over the network, from each of at least one processor disposed on at least one respective waiting second vehicle associated with the second fueling station, a respective plurality of waiting second vehicle parameters;
based on the electronically received fueling station parameters and the electronically received respective waiting second vehicle parameters of the at least one waiting second vehicle, automatically compute and store a second wait time associated with the at least one waiting second vehicle; and
automatically compute and store a second total time requirement, comprising the stored second travel time, the stored second fueling time, and the stored second wait time;
automatically compare the stored total time requirement to the stored second total time requirement;
in a split-screen format, via a graphical user interface disposed within the vehicle, display to a driver of the vehicle:
the stored total time requirement in a first portion of the split screen;
the stored second total time requirement in a second portion of the split screen, wherein the stored total time requirement and the stored second total time requirement are ranked from smallest to largest; and
a dynamically generated map showing a current location of the vehicle in a third portion of the split screen;
in response to a current position of the vehicle, automatically updating the travel time requirement, the second travel time requirement, and the dynamically generated map;
in response to a number of vehicles detected at the fueling station or the second fueling station, automatically updating the wait time or the second wait time; and
in response to the updated travel time requirement, the updated second travel time requirement, the updated wait time, or the updated second wait time, automatically updating the displayed total time requirement or the displayed second total time requirement.
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