Method for determining a driving range of a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle

• US 10,220,855 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schuller, Florian, Haubner, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): Arthur Jeanglaude, Gertrude
• Application Number:
  US15/780,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20180354526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 701123
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/169 Remaining operating distance or charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/20 Data confidence level
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining a driving range for a motor vehicle. Initially, extra-vehicle data are received, whereby the extra-vehicle data include at least one weather parameter value. A vehicle-dependent parameter value, which depends on the extra-vehicle data, is determined. The driving range for the motor vehicle, which depends on the vehicle-dependent parameter value, is determined. Also disclosed is a motor vehicle that is configured to receive extra-vehicle data, including at least one weather parameter value. The motor vehicle is configured to determine a vehicle-dependent parameter value from the extra-vehicle data. The motor vehicle is configured to determine a driving range from the vehicle-dependent parameter value. In the method and motor vehicle embodiments, the extra-vehicle data are obtained from at least one additional motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for determining a driving range for a motor vehicle, comprising:

receiving extra-vehicle data, wherein the extra-vehicle data comprise at least one weather parameter value;

determining a vehicle-dependent parameter value, which depends on the extra-vehicle data; and

determining the driving range for the motor vehicle, which depends on the vehicle-dependent parameter value, wherein the method further comprises;

receiving the extra-vehicle data from multiple additional motor vehicles, and wherein the determining the driving range further comprises;

verifying the received extra-vehicle data using a confidence estimation, before the vehicle-dependent parameter value is determined, wherein the confidence estimation is based on a travel time for one of the multiple additional motor vehicles or for a minimum number of the multiple additional motor vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an energy demand per route segment or per unit of time as the vehicle-dependent parameter value for the motor vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the energy demand per route segment or per unit of time is used for cooling or climate control of the motor vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one weather parameter value comprises an ambient temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the extra-vehicle data comprises at least one energy demand per unit of distance or per unit of time for the one of the multiple additional motor vehicles.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the extra-vehicle data from a server device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the determining of the driving range for the motor vehicle, sensing a current weather parameter value corresponding to one of the at least one weather parameter value in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, comprising;

determining a difference between the current weather parameter value and the one of the at least one weather parameter value;

comparing the difference to a predetermined threshold; and

adapting the one of the at least one weather parameter value to the current weather parameter value if the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sensing of the current weather parameter value is performed using a sensing device of the motor vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the current weather parameter value comprises a temperature.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the vehicle-dependent parameter value using the at least one weather parameter value received;

sensing a current weather parameter value in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, which corresponds to one of the at least one weather parameter value;

determining a difference between the current weather parameter value and the one of the at least one weather parameter value;

comparing the difference to a predetermined threshold; and

adapting the one of the at least one weather parameter value to the current weather parameter value if the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a receiving device configured to receive extra-vehicle data, wherein the extra-vehicle data comprise at least one weather parameter value; and

an evaluation device configured to;

determine a vehicle-dependent parameter value, which depends on the extra-vehicle data; and

determine a driving range for the motor vehicle, which depends on the vehicle-dependent parameter value, wherein

the receiving device is configured to receive the extra-vehicle data from multiple additional motor vehicles, and

the evaluation device is configured to verify the received extra-vehicle data using a confidence estimation before the vehicle-dependent parameter value is determined, wherein the confidence estimation takes into account a travel time for one of the multiple additional motor vehicles or for a minimum number of the multiple additional motor vehicles.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a device configured to:

determine an energy demand per route segment or per unit of time as the vehicle-dependent parameter value for the motor vehicle.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 12, wherein the evaluation device is further configured to calculate the energy demand per route segment or per unit of time for cooling or climate control of the motor vehicle.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the at least one weather parameter value comprises an ambient temperature.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the extra-vehicle data comprises at least one energy demand per unit of distance or per unit of time for the one of the multiple additional motor vehicles.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the receiving device is further configured to:

receive the extra-vehicle data from a server device.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a sensing device configured to:

after the determining of the driving range for the motor vehicle, sense a current weather parameter value corresponding to one of the at least one weather parameter value in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, wherein the sensing device is further configured to;

determine a difference between the current weather parameter value and the one of the at least one weather parameter value;

compare the difference to a predetermined threshold; and

adapt the one of the at least one weather parameter value to the current weather parameter value if the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein the sensing device comprises a temperature sensor to sense the current weather parameter value.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein the current weather parameter value comprises a temperature.