Patent ID: 9440655
Filing Date: 2016-09-13
CPC Classification: B60W,Y02T

Claim Text:
1. A method for use with a hybrid vehicle, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving route information from a user; (b) using the route information to develop a route having a plurality of individual segments, each of the plurality of individual segments represents a distinct section of the route; (c) performing a preliminary evaluation on the route by comparing the overall distance of the route to the electric mode range of the hybrid vehicle and by determining the expected energy consumption for each of the plurality of individual segments, presenting feedback to the user before the user makes an operating mode selection where the feedback includes results from the preliminary evaluation comparison and the preliminary evaluation determination, and receiving an operating mode selection from the user; and (d) when the overall distance of the route does not exceed the electric mode range of the hybrid vehicle then selecting the electric mode for the entire route and when the overall distance of the route does exceed the electric mode range of the hybrid vehicle then using the operating mode selection from the user to assign a certain operating mode of the hybrid vehicle to a certain individual segment of the route, wherein at least one of the individual segments is assigned an operating mode that was specifically selected by the user.