Patent ID: 8296030

Claim:
A system for controlling an engine of a vehicle, the system comprising: at least one monitoring device mounted on the vehicle that monitors an environment surrounding at least a portion of the vehicle; a controller in electronic communication with the at least one monitoring device; and a computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to: determine a current driving path of the vehicle based on data received from the at least one monitoring device, detect traffic congestion ahead of the vehicle in the current driving path based on data received from the at least one monitoring device, determine whether an alternative driving path of the vehicle exists based on data received from the at least one monitoring device, determine, when there is traffic congestion and no alternative driving path exists, that the vehicle will come to a complete stop behind the traffic congestion, determine whether brakes of the vehicle should be applied throughout a deceleration until the vehicle reaches the complete stop behind the traffic congestion, determine a moving pattern of the traffic congestion based at least in part on information regarding traffic signals and traffic signs, calculate, using a first statistical model, a first probability that the traffic congestion will not move within a defined time period, and stop the engine before the vehicle comes to the complete stop when the first probability is greater than a first threshold and when no alternative driving path exists.