Patents by Inventor LaLecha J. Watkins

LaLecha J. Watkins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9243929
    Abstract: A method is provided for recommending a fuel purchase plan along a route to a selected destination. The method includes obtaining a fuel tank size, amount of fuel in the tank, and a fuel efficiency for an automobile. The method further includes accepting user entry of a destination for traveling in the automobile, automatically identifying a current location and determining a route to the destination. For each of a plurality of refueling stations along the route, the method acquires a location of the refueling station and a current fuel price being offered at the refueling station. The method then provides output recommending one or more refueling stations at which to stop and a quantity of fuel to purchase at each of the one or more refueling stations in order to reach the destination without running out of fuel and minimizing the price of fuel purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Burlingham, Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Christine M. Stamm-Nettleship, LaLecha J. Watkins
  • Patent number: 9234766
    Abstract: A computer program product including computer readable program code embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer readable program code for obtaining a fuel tank size, amount of fuel in the tank, and a fuel efficiency for an automobile; accepting user entry of a destination for traveling in the automobile; and automatically identifying a current location and determining a route to the destination. Additional computer readable program code acquires, for each of a plurality of refueling stations along the route, a location and a current fuel price being offered at the refueling station. Computer readable program code also provides output recommending one or more refueling stations at which to stop and a quantity of fuel to purchase at each of the one or more refueling stations in order to reach the destination without running out of fuel and minimizing the price of fuel purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Burlingham, Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Christine M. Stamm-Nettleship, LaLecha J. Watkins
  • Publication number: 20150154638
    Abstract: A method is provided for recommending a fuel purchase plan along a route to a selected destination. The method includes obtaining a fuel tank size, amount of fuel in the tank, and a fuel efficiency for an automobile. The method further includes accepting user entry of a destination for traveling in the automobile, automatically identifying a current location and determining a route to the destination. For each of a plurality of refueling stations along the route, the method acquires a location of the refueling station and a current fuel price being offered at the refueling station. The method then provides output recommending one or more refueling stations at which to stop and a quantity of fuel to purchase at each of the one or more refueling stations in order to reach the destination without running out of fuel and minimizing the price of fuel purchased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Burlingham, Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Christine M. Stamm-Nettleship, LaLecha J. Watkins
  • Publication number: 20150153195
    Abstract: A computer program product including computer readable program code embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer readable program code for obtaining a fuel tank size, amount of fuel in the tank, and a fuel efficiency for an automobile; accepting user entry of a destination for traveling in the automobile; and automatically identifying a current location and determining a route to the destination. Additional computer readable program code acquires, for each of a plurality of refueling stations along the route, a location and a current fuel price being offered at the refueling station. Computer readable program code also provides output recommending one or more refueling stations at which to stop and a quantity of fuel to purchase at each of the one or more refueling stations in order to reach the destination without running out of fuel and minimizing the price of fuel purchased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Burlingham, Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Christine M. Stamm-Nettleship, LaLecha J. Watkins