Electric engine accessory control

• US 10,124,785 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Books, Martin T., Kumar, Mahesh Madurai, Dziuba, Robert, Muralidhar, Praveen Chitradurga, Rauch, Jeffrey S., Paquette, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gurari, Erez
• Application Number:
  US15/506,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/448 Electrical distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method of controlling electrically-powered vehicle accessories includes receiving energy data, the energy data providing an indication of an availability of free energy; receiving an electrically-powered vehicle accessory classification for an electrically-powered vehicle accessory, the classification including one of a critical and a discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessory; receiving a prioritization for the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the classification and whether the electrically-powered vehicle accessory has an energy storage component; and providing a command to control energy consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on its prioritization and the availability of free energy.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving energy data, the energy data providing an indication of an availability of free energy;

receiving an electrically-powered vehicle accessory classification for an electrically-powered vehicle accessory, the classification including a spectrum position from discretionary to critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories;

receiving a prioritization for the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the classification and whether the electrically-powered vehicle accessory has an energy storage component; and

providing a command to control energy consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the prioritization of the electrically-powered vehicle accessory and the availability of free energy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is further based on a reaction time for the electrically-powered vehicle accessory, wherein electrically-powered vehicle accessories with relatively slower reaction times are only operated at a lower operating state and electrically-powered vehicle accessories with relatively faster reaction times are at least one of operated at a lower operating state and deactivated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the prioritization includes positioning relatively more critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories before electrically-powered vehicle accessories with an energy storage component, wherein electrically-powered vehicle accessories with the energy storage component are positioned before relatively more discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessories.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the command limits energy consumption by the relatively more discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessories relatively more than the consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessories with an energy storage component, wherein consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessories with an energy storage component is limited relatively more than the relatively more critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that free energy is available and providing the command to only power electrically-powered vehicle accessories with energy storage components.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the command to control energy consumption of relatively more discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessories is based on at least one of their primary function, their impact on engine loading, and the availability of free energy.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining that free energy is available and providing the command to power the relatively more discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessories using the free energy.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining that an engine load is in either one or both of an idle state or at or below a preset threshold and providing a command to limit power to the relatively more discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessories.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the command to power the relatively more critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories includes operating one or more of them at a relatively lower operating state when demand of their primary function is at or below a preset threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the relatively more critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories include at least one of a power steering pump and an engine coolant pump.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the relatively more discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessories include at least one of an air conditioner compressor, an air compressor, and a cooling fan.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the free energy is provided by a regenerative braking system.

13. A system, comprising:

a regenerative braking system; and

a controller communicably coupled to the regenerative braking system, the controller structured to;

determine that free energy is available based on operation of the regenerative braking system;

receive an electrically-powered vehicle accessory classification for an electrically-powered vehicle accessory, the classification including a spectrum position from discretionary to critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories;

receive a prioritization of the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the classification and whether the electrically-powered vehicle accessory has an energy storage component; and

provide a command to control energy consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the prioritization and the availability of free energy.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the prioritization is further based on an energy consumption amount to activate the electrically-powered vehicle accessory, wherein electrically-powered vehicle accessories that consume relatively more energy to activate are operated at a lower operating state and electrically-powered vehicle accessories that consume relatively less energy to activate are at least one of operated at a lower operating state and deactivated.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the prioritization is further based on a reaction time for the electrically-powered vehicle accessory, wherein electrically-powered vehicle accessories with relatively slower reaction times are only operated at a lower operating state and electrically-powered vehicle accessories with relative faster reaction times are at least one of operated at a lower operating state and deactivated.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the prioritization includes placing relatively more critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories before electrically-powered vehicle accessories with an energy storage component which are placed before relatively more discretionary electrically-powered vehicle accessories.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a free energy module structured to determine that free energy is available;

a classification module structured to receive a classification of an electrically-powered vehicle accessory, the classification including a spectrum position from discretionary to critical electrically-powered vehicle accessories;

an accessory load management module structured to provide a command to manage the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on its classification and the availability of free energy; and

a prioritization module structured to prioritize management of the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the classification and whether the electrically-powered vehicle accessory has an energy storage component.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the accessory load management module is further structured to a provide the command to control energy consumption by the electrically-powered vehicle accessory based on the prioritization of the electrically-powered vehicle accessory.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the prioritization is further based on an energy consumption amount to activate the electrically-powered vehicle accessory, wherein electrically-powered vehicle accessories that consume relatively more energy to activate are operated at a lower operating state and electrically-powered vehicle accessories that consume relatively less energy to activate are at least one of operated at a lower operating state and deactivated.