System, method, and apparatus for controlling operation of energy modules of an energy management system

• US 10,232,722 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishigaki, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shiao, David
• Application Number:
  US15/290,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20180099568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2213/12 Machines characterised by the modularity of some components
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/108 with friction clutches
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/06 with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A system includes energy modules that output power to an energy management bus based on load demands. An energy module includes energy cells enclosed within a module housing that provide power to the energy management bus and rotation assemblies attached on opposite ends of the module housing that provide rotational movement for the energy module. The energy module includes a local controller that controls power output from the energy cells to the energy management bus, engages a self-driving mode in response to receiving a disconnection signal from a central controller, and controls movement of the energy module in the self-driving mode to a predetermined location via the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly. The central controller receives a current module status from the energy modules and controls a configuration of the energy modules providing power to the energy management bus based on the current module status.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more energy modules configured to output power to an energy management bus based on load demands wherein an energy module of the one or more energy modules includes

one or more energy cells connected in a series-parallel combination and enclosed within a module housing configured to provide the power to the energy management bus,

a first rotation assembly and a second rotation assembly attached on opposite ends of the module housing that are configured to provide rotational movement for the energy module, and

a local controller with first circuitry configured to

control an amount of power output from the one or more energy cells to the energy management bus,

engage a self-driving mode of the energy module in response to receiving a disconnection signal from a central controller, and

control movement of the energy module in the self-driving mode to a predetermined location via the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly; and

the central controller including second circuitry configured to

receive a current module status from the one or more energy modules, and

control a configuration of the one or more energy modules providing power to the energy management bus based on the current module status,

wherein the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly include;

a motor configured to receive electrical power from the one or more energy cells;

one or more devices coupled to the motor that are configured to rotate in response to rotation of the motor; and

wherein one of the one or more devices is a wheel assembly that is detachably coupled to the motor via a clutch mechanism configured to provide the rotational movement of the energy modules in response to the rotation of the motor, another one of the one or more devices being a fan to cool the one or more energy cells.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first circuitry is further configured to disconnect the wheel assembly from the motor via the clutch mechanism when the energy module is not in the self-driving mode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first circuitry is further configured to output a replacement status signal to the central controller in response to determining that current module status of the energy module meets one or more replacement criteria.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more replacement criteria include at least one of a predetermined state of charge (SOC) threshold or a predetermined state of health (SOH) threshold for the one or more energy cells.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first circuitry is further configured to engage a navigation sub-mode of the self-driving mode wherein the first circuitry is further configured to navigate the energy module to the predetermined location that corresponds to a charging station location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first circuitry is further configured to determine the charging station location based on location data received from the second circuitry of the central controller.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the first circuitry is further configured to determine the charging station location based on a beacon signal received from the charging station.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a module chassis configured to hold the one or more energy modules at one or more docking positions within the module chassis.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more docking positions include at least one electrical terminal configured to electrically connect the one or more energy modules to the energy management bus.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one electrical terminal includes a wireless power transceiver configured to wirelessly transfer power between the one or more energy modules and the energy management bus.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second circuitry of the central controller is further configured to control a position of a door of the module chassis.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second circuitry is further configured to output the disconnection signal to the one or more energy modules in response to determining that the door of the module chassis is in an open position.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the door of the module chassis is configured to provide a driving surface between the module chassis and the predetermined location for the one or more energy modules operating in the self-driving mode when the door is in an open position.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first circuitry of an energy module of the one or more energy modules in a first docking position of the one or more docking positions is further configured to engage a repositioning sub-mode of the self-driving mode wherein the first circuitry is further configured to navigate the energy module to the predetermined location that corresponds to a second docking position within the module chassis.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first circuitry is further configured to navigate the energy module to the second docking position within the module chassis based on a beacon signal received from the second docking position.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the second circuitry is further configured to determine the predetermined location to which the energy module navigates based on charging/replacement location information received from a cloud-based energy module monitoring system.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the second circuitry is further configured to output firmware updates to the one or more energy modules in response to receiving the firmware updates from a cloud-based energy module monitoring system.

18. A method comprising:

controlling, via first circuitry of a local controller, an amount of power output from one or more energy cells connected in a series-parallel combination and enclosed within a module housing of an energy module of one or more energy modules to an energy management bus of an electrical system;

engaging, via the first circuitry, a self-driving mode of the energy module in response to receiving a disconnection signal from a central controller;

controlling, via the first circuitry, movement of the energy module in the self-driving mode to a predetermined location via a first rotation assembly and a second rotation assembly attached on opposite ends of the module housing that are configured to provide rotational movement for the energy module;

receiving, at second circuitry of the central controller, a current module status from the one or more energy modules; and

controlling a configuration of the one or more energy modules providing power to the energy management bus based on the current module status received from the one or more energy modules,

wherein the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly include a motor configured to receive electrical power from the one or more energy cells, and the method further comprises rotating one or more devices coupled to the motor in response to rotation of the motor, and

wherein one of the one or more devices is a wheel assembly that is detachably coupled to the motor via a clutch mechanism configured to provide the rotational movement of the energy modules in response to the rotation of the motor, another one of the one or more devices being a fan to cool the one or more energy cells.

19. An energy module comprising:

one or more energy cells connected in a series-parallel combination and enclosed within a module housing configured to provide power to an energy management bus;

a first rotation assembly and a second rotation assembly attached on opposite ends of the module housing that are configured to provide rotational movement for the energy module; and

a local controller with first circuitry configured to

control an amount of power output from the one or more energy cells to the energy management bus,

engage a self-driving mode of the energy module in response to receiving a disconnection signal from a central controller, and

control movement of the energy module in the self-driving mode to a predetermined location via the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly,

wherein the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly include;

a motor configured to receive electrical power from the one or more energy cells;

one or more devices coupled to the motor that are configured to rotate in response to rotation of the motor; and

wherein one of the one or more devices is a wheel assembly that is detachably coupled to the motor via a clutch mechanism configured to provide the rotational movement of the energy modules in response to the rotation of the motor, another one of the one or more devices being a fan to cool the one or more energy cells.