System and method for automating power generation, propulsion and use management

• US 20060208570A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Technipower Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solomon Technologies Incorporated (Technipower Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pesiridis, R. Alex, Christian, Andrew J.
• Application Number:
  US11/372,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208570A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 : Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 : Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

An automated energy generating and energy using system is provided. The system includes at least one electric energy user, at least one electric energy source, and may also include at least one electric energy storage element. These elements are instrumented so that each electric energy user has a sensor for determining an amount of energy used, each electric energy source has a sensor for determining an amount of energy provided, and electric energy storage element has a sensor for determining an amount of energy available in the storage element. A controller is operatively connected to each energy source, energy storage element and sensor. The controller is configured to control a level of operation of the at least one source of energy based upon at least the amount of energy used and the amount of energy available in the storage element, if employed. In this way, an automated electrical energy system is provided.

Claims

1. An automated energy generating and energy using system comprising:

at least one electric energy user, each electric energy user having a sensor for determining an amount of energy used;

at least one electric energy source, each electric energy source have a sensor for determining an amount of energy provided;

at least one electric energy storage element, each electric energy storage element having a sensor for determining an amount of energy available in the storage element;

a controller operatively connected to each energy source, energy storage element and sensor, the controller configured to control a level of operation of the at least one source of energy based upon at least the amount of energy used and the amount of energy available in the storage element.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electric energy user includes an electric motor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electric motor also operates as a generator and is an energy source in the system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy sources include an on-demand, consumable energy source.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the energy sources further include a renewable energy source.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a throttle configured to allow a user to control a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system, the throttle including a sensor indicating the throttle position to the controller, and the controller controlling a level of operation of at least one source of energy based upon at least the position of the throttle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system by adjusting a position of the throttle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage includes one or more batteries and a battery charging unit.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of at least one energy source based upon at least an amount of energy being used or provided by the battery and the battery charging unit and an amount of energy available in the one or more batteries.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy sources include an on-demand, consumable energy source and controlling the level of operation of at least one energy source including turning the on-demand, consumable energy source on and off.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system includes a plurality of electric energy sources and the controller is configured to control a level of operation of the battery charger and each energy source to provide a bulk charge, an acceptance charge, and a float charge based upon the amount of energy available in the energy storage element.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a memory for storing historical inputs from the sensors and is configured to provide adaptive control to the controlling the level of operation of the at least one source of energy.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system further includes a throttle configured to allow a user to control a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system, the throttle including a sensor indicating the throttle position to the controller, and the controller controlling a level of operation of at least one source of energy based upon at least the position of the throttle, the controller further being configured to control a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system by adjusting a position of the throttle, the memory storing historical positions of the throttle and applying adaptive control to control the level of operation of at least one energy source and the position of the throttle.

14. A vehicle having an automated energy generating and energy using system comprising:

at least one electric energy user, each electric energy user having a sensor for determining an amount of energy used and the at least one electric energy user including at least one electric motor used to propel the vehicle;

at least one electric energy source, each electric energy source having a sensor for determining the amount of energy provided;

at least one electric energy storage element, each electric energy storage element having a sensor for determining an amount of energy available in the storage element;

a controller operatively connected to each energy source, energy storage element and sensor, the controller configured to control a level of operation of the at least one source of energy based upon at least the amount of energy used and the amount of energy available in the storage element.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a throttle configured to allow a user to control a level of operation of the at least one electric motor, the throttle including a sensor indicating the throttle position to the controller, and the controller controlling a level of operation of at least one source of energy based upon at least the position of the throttle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of the at least one electric motor by adjusting a position of the throttle.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a speed sensor sensing a speed of the vehicle and communicating a signal representative of the speed to the controller.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the throttle so as to maintain a maximum efficient velocity of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller includes a memory for storing historical inputs from the sensors and is configured to provide adaptive control to the controlling the level of operation of the at least one source of energy and the position of the throttle.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the throttle so as to maintain a no-drag state of the electric motor of the vehicle.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the electric motor also operates as a generator and is an energy source in the system.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the energy sources include an on-demand, consumable energy source.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the energy sources further include a renewable energy source.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the energy storage includes one or more batteries and a battery charging unit.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of at least one energy source based upon at least an amount of energy being used or provided by the battery and the battery charging unit and an amount of energy available in the one or more batteries.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein controlling the level of operation of at least one energy source includes turning the on-demand, consumable energy source on and off.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the controller is configured to control a level of operation of the battery charger and each energy source to provide a bulk charge, an acceptance charge, and a float charge based upon the amount of energy available in the energy storage element.

28. A method of controlling an automated energy generating and energy using system having at least one electric energy user having a sensor determining an amount of energy used, at least one electric energy source having a sensor for determining the amount of energy provide, at least one electric energy storage element having a sensor for determining an amount of energy available from the storage element, and a controller operatively connected to each energy source, energy storage element and sensor, comprising:

querying by the controller of each energy user sensor to determine the amount of energy being used in the system;

querying by the controller of each energy source sensor to determine the amount of energy being provided in the system;

querying by the controller of the storage element sensor to determine the amount of energy available in the storage element; and

adjusting by the controller of a level of operation of at least one energy source.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the system includes a throttle configured to allow a user to control a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system, the throttle including a sensor indicating the throttle position to the controller, and the controller controls a level of operation of at least one source of energy based upon at least the position of the throttle.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system by adjusting a position of the throttle.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the energy storage includes one or more batteries and a battery charging unit.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of at least one energy source based upon at least an amount of energy being used or provided by the battery and the battery charging unit and an amount of energy available in the one or more batteries.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the energy sources include an on-demand, consumable energy source and controlling the level of operation of at least one energy source includes turning the on-demand, consumable energy source on and off.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the system includes a plurality of electric energy sources and the method further comprises adjusting by the controller of a level of operation of the battery charger and each energy source to provide a bulk charge, an acceptance charge, and a float charge based upon the amount of energy available in the energy storage element.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the controller includes a memory for storing historical inputs from the sensors and is configured to provide adaptive control to the controlling the level of operation of the at least one source of energy.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the system further includes a throttle configured to allow a user to control a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system, the throttle including a sensor indicating the throttle position to the controller, and the controller controlling a level of operation of at least one source of energy based upon at least the position of the throttle, the method further comprising adjusting by the controller of a level of operation of at least one energy user in the system by adjusting a position of the throttle, the memory storing historical positions of the throttle and applying adaptive control to control the level of operation of at least one energy source and the position of the throttle.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one electric energy user includes an electric motor.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the electric motor also operates as a generator and is an energy source in the system.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of the at least one electric motor by adjusting a position of the throttle.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the system is a vehicle and the at least one electric motor provides propulsion for the vehicle.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the vehicle further includes a speed sensor sensing a speed of the vehicle and communicating a signal representative of the speed to the controller.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising adjusting by the controller of the throttle so as to maintain a maximum efficient velocity of the vehicle.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising adjusting by the controller of the throttle so as to maintain a no-drag state of the electric motor of the vehicle.

44. An automated energy generating and energy using system for use in a vehicle comprising:

at least one electric energy user, each electric energy user having a sensor for determining an amount of energy used, the at least one energy user including an electric motor providing propulsion;

at least one electric energy source, each electric energy source have a sensor for determining an amount of energy provided;

a controller operatively connected to each energy source, and sensor, the controller configured to control a level of operation of the at least one source of energy based upon at least the amount of energy used.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising a throttle configured to allow a user to control a level of operation of the at least one electric motor, the throttle including a sensor indicating the throttle position to the controller, and the controller controlling a level of operation of at least one source of energy based upon at least the position of the throttle.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the controller controls a level of operation of the at least one electric motor by adjusting a position of the throttle.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising a speed sensor sensing a speed of the vehicle and communicating a signal representative of the speed to the controller.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the throttle so as to maintain a maximum efficient velocity of the vehicle.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the throttle so as to maintain a headway of the vehicle.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the controller is configured to maintain a zero rotation state of the electric motor.

51. The system of claim 46, wherein the controller includes a memory for storing historical inputs from the sensors and is configured to provide adaptive control to the controlling the level of operation of the at least one source of energy and the position of the throttle.

52. The system of claim 47, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the throttle so as to maintain a no-drag state of the electric motor of the vehicle.

53. The system of claim 44, wherein the electric motor also operates as a generator and is an energy source in the system.

54. The system of claim 44, wherein the energy sources include an on-demand, consumable energy source.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the energy sources further include a renewable energy source.