System and method for providing information to an operator of a vehicle

Abstract

An information system and method provides information to an operator of a motor vehicle. A destination location and a current position of the motor vehicle are established. A planned route is established as a function of the destination location and the current position, and at least one required parameter of the vehicle.

1 . An information system for a vehicle, comprising: 
 an input system for establishing a destination location of the vehicle;    a system for establishing at least one of a current position and a designated starting location of the vehicle;    a memory device for storing at least one required parameter of the vehicle, the required parameter related to a physical parameter of the vehicle; and,    a routing system coupled to the input system, the positioning system and the memory device for establishing a route as a function of the destination location, the current position or the designated starting location, and the at least one required parameter of the vehicle.    
   
   
       2 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the physical parameter of the vehicle is a dimension of the vehicle.  
   
   
       3 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the dimension of the vehicle is a height and/or width and/or weight of the vehicle.  
   
   
       4 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the routing system includes data related to at least one landmark, the routing system in establishing the route avoids any landmark which the required parameter would prevent the vehicle from navigating the landmark.  
   
   
       5 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the landmark is a bridge and/or lane and/or tunnel.  
   
   
       6 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the routing system, in establishing the route, avoids the landmark if the required parameter would not allow the vehicle to navigate the landmark safely.  
   
   
       7 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the landmark has a scheduled change of state, the routing system establishes the route as a function of the scheduled change of state.  
   
   
       8 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the landmark is a bridge and the scheduled change of state is from open to closed or closed to open.  
   
   
       9 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle, motor home, or a truck.  
   
   
       10 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the memory device contains data related to the operating performance and/or physical characteristics of the vehicle, the routing system establishes the route as a function of the operating performance and/or physical characteristics data.  
   
   
       11 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the routing system establishes the route as a function of historical and/or current environmental conditions and/or the effect of historical and/or current environmental conditions on the operating performance of the vehicle.  
   
   
       12 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the environmental conditions include weather conditions.  
   
   
       13 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the data related to operating performance of the vehicle includes one or more of the following: turning radius, grade climbing ability, other physical limitations, required fuel types, fuel capacity, fuel consumption rates at a plurality of speeds, maximum travel times without a planned stop, and a desired comfort factor.  
   
   
       14 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a marine vessel.  
   
   
       15 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the physical parameter of the vehicle is a length and/or height and/or beam and/or draft of the marine vessel.  
   
   
       16 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the routing system establishes the route as a function of historical and/or current environmental conditions and/or the effect of historical and/or current environmental conditions on the operating performance of the vehicle, the weather conditions includes one or more of the following: tides, water depths, winds, waves, currently, or visibility.  
   
   
       17 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the memory device contains data related to the operating performance of the marine vessel, the data related to operating performance of the marine vessel includes one or more of the following: turning radius, other physical limitations, required fuel types, fuel capacity, fuel consumption rates at a plurality of speeds, maximum travel times without a planned stop, preferred cruising speed, identification of stopping and refueling points that accommodate the marine vessel, and a desired comfort factor.  
   
   
       18 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a traffic control system in communication with the routing system, the routing system for sending the route over a communications network to the traffic control system.  
   
   
       19 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 18 , the traffic control system for establishing at least one factor which may negatively or positively impacts travel over the route as a function of the route and responsively communicating the at least one factor to the routing system.  
   
   
       20 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 19 , the routing system for establishing a second route as a function of the destination location, an updated current location, the at least one required parameter of the vehicle, and the at least one factor.  
   
   
       21 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 18 , the traffic control system for establishing an alternate route as a function of the route and at least one factor which may negatively or positively impact travel over the route, and communicating the alternate route over the communications link to the routing system.  
   
   
       22 . An information system, as set forth in  claim 1 , including a display coupled to the routing system, the routing system for displaying on the display, the route and/or the areas that the vehicle must avoid based on the at least one required parameter using text and/or graphics.  
   
   
       23 . A method for providing information related to a vehicle, comprising: 
 establishing a destination location of the vehicle;    establishing at least one of a current position or a designated starting location of the vehicle;    storing at least one required parameter of the vehicle in a memory device, the required parameter related to a physical parameter of the vehicle; and,    establishing a route as a function of the destination location, the current position or the designated starting location, and the at least one required parameter of the vehicle.    
   
   
       24 . A method, as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the physical parameter of the vehicle is a dimension of the vehicle.  
   
   
       25 . A method, as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the dimension of the vehicle is a height and/or width and/or weight of the vehicle.  
   
   
       26 . A method, as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the step of establishing the route includes the step of avoiding any landmark which the required parameter would prevent the vehicle from navigating the landmark.  
   
   
       27 . A method, as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein the landmark is a bridge and/or lane and/or tunnel.  
   
   
       28 . A method, as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein the step of establishing the route includes the step of avoiding the landmark if the required parameter would not allow the vehicle to navigate the landmark safely.  
   
   
       29 . A method, as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the landmark has a scheduled change of state, the step of establishing the route includes the step of establishing the route as a function of the scheduled change of state.  
   
   
       30 . A method, as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein the landmark is a bridge and the scheduled change of state is from open to closed or closed to open.  
   
   
       31 . A method, as set forth in  claim 23  wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle, motor home, or a truck.  
   
   
       32 . A method, as set forth in  claim 23 , including the step of establishing data related to the operating performance of the vehicle, the step of establishing the route includes the step of establishing the route as a function of the operating performance and/or characteristics data.  
   
   
       33 . A method, as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the step of establishing the route includes the step of establishing the route as a function of historical and/or current environmental conditions and/or the effect of historical and/or current environmental conditions on the operating performance of the vehicle.  
   
   
       34 . A method, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the environmental conditions include weather conditions.  
   
   
       35 . A method as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the data related to operating performance of the vehicle includes one or more of the following: turning radius, grade climbing ability, other physical limitations, required fuel types, fuel capacity, fuel consumption rates at a plurality of speeds, maximum travel times without a planned stop, and a desired comfort factor  
   
   
       36 . A method, as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the vehicle is a marine vessel.  
   
   
       37 . A method, as set forth in  claim 36 , wherein the physical parameter of the vehicle is a length and/or height and/or draft and/or beam of the marine vessel.  
   
   
       38 . A method, as set forth in  claim 36 , wherein the step of establishing the route includes the step of establishing the route as a function of historical and/or current environmental conditions and/or the effect of historical and/or current environmental conditions on the operating performance of the vehicle, the weather conditions includes one or more of the following: tides, water depths, winds, waves, currently, or visibility.  
   
   
       39 . A method, as set forth in  claim 36 , wherein the memory device contains data related to the operating performance of the marine vessel, the data related to operating performance of the marine vessel includes one or more of the following: turning radius, other physical limitations, required fuel types, fuel capacity, fuel consumption rates at a plurality of speeds, maximum travel times without a planned stop, preferred cruising speed, identification of stopping and refueling points that accommodate the marine vessel, and a desired comfort factor.  
   
   
       40 . A method, as set forth in  claim 23 , including the step of sending the route over a communications network to a traffic control system.  
   
   
       41 . A method, as set forth in  claim 40 , including the step of establishing, at the traffic control system, at least one factor which may negatively or positively impacts travel over the route as a function of the route.  
   
   
       42 . A method, as set forth in  claim 41 , including the step of establishing a second route as a function of the destination location, an updated current location, the at least one required parameter of the vehicle, and the at least one factor.  
   
   
       43 . A method, as set forth in  claim 40 , including the step of establishing, at the traffic control system, an alternate route as a function of the route and at least one factor which may negatively or positively impact travel over the route.  
   
   
       44 . A method, as set forth in  claim 23 , including the step of displaying, on a display, the route and/or the areas that the vehicle must avoid based on the at least one required parameter using text and/or graphics.