System And Method For Controlling Electric Power In A Plug-In Vehicle From An External Power Source

• US 20110046828A1
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gale, Allan Roy, Chander, Bala S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,776,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/667 Precipitation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A system and method is provided for controlling electric power in a plug-in vehicle, such as a pure electric vehicle or hybrid electric vehicle. The electric power is controlled from an external power source to one or more predetermined components in the plug-in vehicle. The power source is external to the vehicle and has a maximum power level. Electric power at a charging level from the external power source is received. Based on the charging level and the maximum power level, an available power level is determined. Based on the available power level, the electric power is controlled from the external power source to the predetermined components in the plug-in vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for controlling electric power in a plug-in vehicle from an external power source to one or more predetermined components in the vehicle, the external power source being external to the vehicle and having a maximum power level, the system comprising:

a battery in the vehicle to receive electric power at a charging level from the external power source; and

a controller in the vehicle configured to determine an available power level based on the charging level and the maximum power level and to distribute the electric power from the external power source to the predetermined components in the vehicle based on the available power level.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery is a high-voltage battery adapted to provide electric power to propel the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to schedule the predetermined components to receive the electric power from the external power source and to distribute the electric power from the external power source to at least one of the predetermined components.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to prioritize the predetermined components and to distribute the electric power from the external power source to at least one of the predetermined components.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal having operation information indicating operation parameters of the vehicle, to process the signal to obtain the operation information, and to prioritize the predetermined components based on the operation information.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal having battery information indicating a state of charge of the battery, to process the signal to obtain the battery information, and to prioritize the predetermined components based on the battery information.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal having operator usage and vehicle drive cycle information, to process the signal to obtain the operator usage and vehicle drive cycle information, and to prioritize the predetermined components based on the operator usage and vehicle drive cycle information.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal having driver preference information indicating a programmed user preference for the vehicle, to process the signal to obtain the driver preference information, and to prioritize the predetermined components based on the driver preference information.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the driver preference information includes departure time information.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal having environmental information indicating where the vehicle is located, to process the signal to obtain the environmental information, and to prioritize the predetermined components based on the environmental information.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the environmental information includes at least one of position information, local time information, and weather information.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery is an auxiliary battery adapted to provide low-voltage electric power.

13. A system for controlling electric power from an external power source to one or more predetermined components in a plug-in vehicle, the external power source being external to the vehicle and having a maximum power level, the system comprising:

a high-voltage storage battery in the plug-in vehicle to receive electric power at a charging level from the external power source; and

a controller in the vehicle configured to determine an available power level based on the charging level and the maximum power level, to prioritize the predetermined components based on a programmed user preference, and to distribute the electric power from the external power source to at least one of the predetermined components based on the available power level and the prioritization.

14. A method of controlling power from an external power source to one or more predetermined components in a plug-in vehicle, the external power source being external to the vehicle and having a maximum power level, the method comprising:

receiving electric power at a battery charging level from the external power source;

determining an available power level based on the battery charging level and the maximum power level of the external power source; and

controlling the electric power from the external power source to the predetermined components in the plug-in vehicle based on the available power level.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining the battery charging level based on a battery in the vehicle receiving the electric power from the external power source.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising prioritizing the predetermined components to receive the electric power from the external power source and controlling the electric power from the external power source to the predetermined components based on the prioritizing.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the available power level is calculated as a difference between the maximum power level of the external power source and the battery charging level.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising scheduling the predetermined components to receive the electric power from the external power source wherein the controlling includes distributing the electric power from the external power source to at least one of the predetermined components based on the scheduling.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the scheduling is determined in real-time.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the scheduling is predetermined based on a predetermined schedule.