Electronic Assistance System and Method

• US 20110046832A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vehicules Nemo Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vehicules Nemo Inc.
• Inventors: Francoeur, Nicolas
• Application Number:
  US12/706,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20110046832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

An electronic assistance system and method for an electrical vehicle is provided that integrates the following functions: display of relevant information on the vehicle on a dashboard using visual or audio cues, as well as dials and/or graphical or alphanumeric displays; communication with people outside the vehicle through a loudspeaker; management of vehicle start-up; management of air conditioning, heating and defrosting; storage in memory of information on problematic states having occurred during operation of the vehicle; storage in memory of daily operating parameters of the vehicle; real time acquisition, ease of reconfiguration; and transmittal of stored operating data in order to generate vehicle operating behavior reports.

Claims

1. An electronic assistance system for management of events related to the operation of an electrical vehicle, comprising:

a circuit for acquiring vehicle data for a plurality of parameters associated with operation of said vehicle;

a processor coupled to the circuit for processing said vehicle data in order to determine whether operation of the vehicle meets at least one pre-determined condition and for generating event data for at least one operating event if said vehicle data meets said pre-determined conditions;

control ports connected to the processor for control of vehicle subsystems in response to the vehicle and event data;

a user interface coupled to the processor for displaying, to an operator, the vehicle and event data;

a data recorder for recording said vehicle and event data;

a data output port, for connection to an external computer and for transmittal of the vehicle and event data to said computer, said processor and external computer generating at least one report characterizing the operating behavior of the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle data includes at least one parameter selected from the group comprising battery pack state of charge, battery pack voltage, power transitions, battery pack temperature, and motor speed and the event data includes minimum main voltage, minimum accessory voltage, maximum motor speed, minimum and maximum temperatures of main batteries, minimum and maximum state of charge of the main batteries, a total daily charge obtained by generation from a motor, a daily total charge obtained from a charging system, a total electrical discharge during the day, battery equalization time, vehicle operating time, and distance travelled, average vehicle speed, maximum speed, average current, power consumption per kilometer and charging time.

2. An electronic assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle subsystems controlled through the control ports include at least one subsystem selected from the group comprising a motor, a heating system and a defroster.

3. An electronic assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a dashboard and an external loudspeaker.

4. An electronic assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the data output port is connected to a transmitter for transmitting to a receiver the vehicle and event data, the receiver being remotely located from the vehicle.

5. An electronic assistance system according to claim 4, wherein the receiver is connected to an application server, the application server generating and comparing one or more reports characterizing an operational behavior of a fleet of electrical vehicles.

6. An electronic assistance system according to claim 2, wherein the user interface includes a dashboard and an external loudspeaker.

7. An electronic assistance system according to claim 6, wherein the data output port is connected to a transmitter for transmitting to a receiver the vehicle and event data, the receiver being remotely located from the vehicle.

8. An electronic assistance system according to claim 7, wherein the receiver is connected to an application server, the application server generating and comparing one or more reports characterizing an operational behavior of a fleet of electrical vehicles.

9. A method for characterizing behavior related to the operation of an electrical vehicle, comprising:

acquiring vehicle data for a plurality of parameters associated with operation of said vehicle;

transmitting the vehicle data for the plurality of parameters associated with operation of said vehicle to a computer for real time analysis;

processing said vehicle data in order to determine whether operation of the vehicle meets at least one pre-determined condition;

generating event data for at least one operating event if said vehicle data meets said pre-determined conditions;

controlling vehicle subsystems in response to the vehicle and event data;

displaying, to an operator, the vehicle and event data;

recording said vehicle and event data;

transmitting to a computer the vehicle and event data, the computer generating at least one report characterizing an operating behavior of the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle data includes at least one parameter selected from the group comprising battery pack state of charge, battery pack voltage, power transitions, battery pack temperature, and motor speed and the event data includes minimum main voltage, minimum accessory voltage, maximum motor speed, minimum and maximum temperatures of main batteries, minimum and maximum state of charge of the main batteries, a total daily charge obtained by generation from a motor, a daily total charge obtained from a charging system, a total electrical discharge during the day, battery equalization time, vehicle operating time, and distance travelled, average vehicle speed, maximum speed, average current, power consumption per kilometer and charging time.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the subsystems controlled in response to the vehicle and event data include at least one system selected from the group comprising a motor, a heating system and a defroster.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of displaying to an operator the vehicle and event data is accomplished with a dashboard and an external loudspeaker.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting to a receiver the vehicle and event data, the receiver being remotely located from the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the receiver is connected to an application server, the application server generating and comparing one or more reports characterizing an operational behavior of a fleet of electrical vehicles.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said displaying the vehicle and event data is accomplished with a dashboard and an external loudspeaker.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising transmitting to a receiver the vehicle and event data, the receiver being remotely located from the vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the receiver is connected to an application server, the application server generating and comparing one or more reports characterizing an operational behavior of a fleet of electrical vehicles.