METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MORE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF PLUG-IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20110190968A1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fleming, Matthew Eugene, Francisco, Avernethy
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• 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 10/26 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a more efficient and/or flexible operation of plug-in electric vehicles. The present invention includes an automobile having an energy conversion unit, an energy storage unit, a user selection unit, a global positioning system, and a control unit. The automobile can operate in a default charging mode, which is either the charge depletion mode or the charge sustaining mode. Upon a user input, the energy conversation unit and/or the energy storage unit can operate in an extended charging mode or a forced charging mode. In the extended charging mode, the SOC is increased or decreased over a predetermined charging range. In the forced charging mode, the SOC is increased until a predetermined charge limit is reached. The present invention can also use global positioning system signals to operate in the charge depletion mode, the charge sustaining mode, the extended charging mode, and/or the forced charging mode.

Claims

1. A method for operating an automobile comprising:

operating the automobile in a default charging mode; and

operating the automobile in an extended charging mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the default mode includes a charge depletion mode and a charge sustaining mode.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the charge depletion mode substantially depletes an energy storage unit in the automobile, and the charge sustaining mode charges the energy storage unit in the automobile in a first predetermined charging range.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the extended charge mode charges the energy storage unit in the automobile in a second predetermined charging range, the second predetermined charging range being greater than the first predetermined charging range.

5. The method of claim 1 further wherein the automobile is operated in the extended charging mode when a user selects the extended charging mode.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a global positioning system signal; and

operating the automobile in the default charging mode, or the extended charging mode based on the global positioning system signal.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the automobile in a forced charging mode.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein in the forced charging mode, an energy storage unit of the automobile is charged until it has a substantially full charge, and is thereafter maintained at the substantially full charge.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the automobile is operated in the forced charging mode when a user selects the forced charging mode.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a global positioning system signal;

determining a distance to a target location using the global positioning system signal; and

operating the automobile in the default charging mode, the extended charging mode, or the forced charging mode based on the distance to the target location.

11. A method for operating an automobile comprising:

operating the automobile in a charge depletion mode, the charge depletion mode substantially depleting an energy storage unit of the automobile;

operating the automobile in a charge sustaining mode, the charge sustaining mode charging the energy storage unit in the automobile in a first predetermined charging range; and

operating the automobile in a forced charging mode, the forced charging mode charging the energy storage unit of the automobile until the energy storage unit of the automobile has a substantially full charge, and thereafter maintaining the energy storage unit of the automobile at the substantially full charge.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the automobile is operated in the forced charging mode when a user selects the forced charging mode.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a global positioning system signal; and

operating the automobile in the charge depletion mode, the charge sustaining mode, or the forced charging mode based on the global positioning system signal.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising operating the automobile in an extended charging mode, the extended charging mode charging the energy storage unit in the automobile in a second predetermined charging range, wherein the second predetermined charging range is greater than the first predetermined charging range.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the automobile is operated in the extended charging mode when a user selects the extended charging mode.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a global positioning system signal; and

operating the automobile in the charge depletion mode, the charge sustaining mode, the extended charging mode, or the forced charging mode based on the global positioning system signal.

17. An automobile comprising:

an energy conversion unit;

an energy storage unit connected to the energy conversion unit, the energy storage unit having a state of charge level, and supplying power to the energy conversion unit, or receiving power from the energy conversion unit; and

a control unit electrically connected to the energy storage unit of the energy conversion unit, the control unit selecting the energy storage unit or the energy conversion unit to operate in a default charging mode, or an extended charging mode.

18. The automobile of claim 17 wherein the default charging mode includes a charge depletion mode and a charge sustaining mode,

wherein in the charge depletion mode, the state of charge level in the energy storage unit is substantially depleted,

in the charge sustaining mode, the state of charge level in the energy storage unit is charged in a first predetermined charging range, and

in the extended charge mode, the state of charge level is charged in a second predetermined charging range, the second predetermined charging range being greater than the first predetermined charging range.

19. The automobile of claim 17 further comprising a user selection unit connected to the control unit and receiving a user input, wherein the control unit selects the energy storage unit and the energy conversion unit to operate in the default mode or the extended charging mode based on the user input.

20. The automobile of claim 19 wherein the control unit selects the energy storage unit and the energy conversion unit to operate in a forced charging mode.