Methods and Systems for Monitoring a Vehicle's Energy Source

Abstract

One or more embodiments may include a method for remotely obtaining information about an energy source of a vehicle. Information identifying one or more vehicles and one or more drivers of the vehicles may be received at one or more computing devices remote from a vehicle. Instructions from the one or more remote computing devices may be transmitted requesting information from the identified vehicle(s) about a status of an energy source for the identified vehicle(s). The status information may be received at the remote computing device(s). Based on the energy source status information and the driver identifying information, a vehicle energy source status with respect to one or more attributes of the vehicle drivers may be calculated. Additionally, the vehicle energy source status may be displayed at the one or more devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a processor configured to:   receive a charge status of a vehicle;   determine if a charging is needed based on the charge status;   determine when the charging is needed;   command vehicle charging based on when charging is needed; and   transmit one or more charging instructions to the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the charge status includes a distance to empty charge status. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the processor is configured to command immediate vehicle charging if the vehicle charge status is empty or near empty. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processor is configured to compare charge status against a charge status threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the processor is configured to command immediate vehicle charging when the charge status is below the threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein processor is further configured to present a maximum distance range based on the charge status. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a charge status of a vehicle;
 determining, at a computer remote from the vehicle, if a charging is needed based on the charge status; 
 determining when the charging is needed; 
 commanding vehicle charging based on when charging is needed; and 
 transmitting one or more charging instructions to the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the charge status includes a distance to empty charge status. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the method further includes commanding immediate vehicle charging if the vehicle charge status is empty or near empty. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein method further includes comparing charge status against a charge status threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the method further includes commanding immediate vehicle charging when the charge status is below the threshold. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein method further includes presenting a maximum distance range based on the charge status. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a charge status of a vehicle;
 determining, at a computer remote from the vehicle, if a charging is needed based on the charge status; 
 determining when the charging is needed; 
 commanding vehicle charging based on when charging is needed; and 
 transmitting one or more charging instructions to the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         14 . The storage medium of  claim 13  wherein the charge status includes a distance to empty charge status. 
     
     
         15 . The storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the method further includes commanding immediate vehicle charging if the vehicle charge status is empty or near empty. 
     
     
         16 . The storage medium of  claim 13  wherein method further includes comparing charge status against a charge status threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The storage medium of  claim 16  wherein the method further includes commanding immediate vehicle charging when the charge status is below the threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The storage medium of  claim 13  wherein method further includes presenting a maximum distance range based on the charge status.