ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20120029744A1
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Yun, Han-Seok, Segawa, Susumu, Hwang, Eui-Jeong, Sim, Se-Sub, Yang, Jong-Woon, Kim, Beom-Gyu, Kim, Jin-Wan
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electric vehicle and a method of controlling the electric vehicle are disclosed. In one embodiment, the electric vehicle includes i) a battery configured to provide electric energy to the motor, ii) a remaining energy-amount detector configured to detect a remaining energy-amount of the battery and iii) a manipulation unit configured to receive target information from a user. The vehicle also includes a guide information generator configured to generate driving guide information based at least in part on the remaining energy-amount of the battery and the target information and a display unit configured to display the driving guide information.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle using a motor, the electric vehicle comprising:

a battery configured to provide electric energy to the motor;

a remaining energy-amount detector configured to detect a remaining energy-amount of the battery;

a manipulation unit configured to receive target information from a user;

a guide information generator configured to generate driving guide information based at least in part on the remaining energy-amount of the battery and the target information; and

a display unit configured to display the driving guide information.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is configured to operate in an operation mode, and wherein the operation mode is a first mode operated based on the electric energy of the battery or a second mode operated based on the electric energy of the battery and a torque applied by the user.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein the target information comprises at least one of i) a target driving distance defined as a distance in which a user of the electric vehicle wants to drive the electric vehicle and ii) a destination information which is used to calculate a destination distance between the current location of the user or electric vehicle and the destination.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a distance calculator configured to calculate a first driving distance in which the electric vehicle operates in the first mode and a second driving distance in which the electric vehicle operates in the second mode, based on the remaining energy-amount of the battery.

5. The electric vehicle of claim 4, wherein, when the first driving distance is greater than the destination distance or the target driving distance, the guide information generator is configured to generate the first driving distance as the driving guide information, and

wherein, when the second driving distance is less than the destination distance or the target driving distance, the guide information generator is configured to generate the second driving distance as the driving guide information.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 4, wherein, when the destination distance or the target driving distance is greater than or equal to the first driving distance and is less than or equal to the second driving distance, the guide information generator is configured to generate driving distances in which the electric vehicle travels the destination distance or the target driving distance in the first mode and the second mode, as the driving guide information.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a navigation unit configured to transmit path information based on the destination information to the distance calculator.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein the path information comprises land information, and

wherein the distance calculator is configured to calculate the first driving distance and the second driving distance based on the land information.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein the target information comprises a target driving time.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a time calculator configured to calculate a first driving time during which the electric vehicle operates in the first mode and a second driving time during which the electric vehicle operates in the second mode based on the remaining energy-amount of the battery.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein, when the first driving time is greater than the target driving time, the guide information generator is configured to generate the first driving time as the driving guide information, and

wherein, when the second driving time is less than the target driving time, the guide information generator is configured to generate the second driving time as the driving guide information.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 10, wherein, when the target driving time is greater than or equal to the first driving time and is less than or equal to the second driving time, the guide information generator is configured to generate driving times during which the electric vehicle completes the target driving time in the first mode and the second mode, as the driving guide information.

13. A method of controlling an electric vehicle:

providing an electric vehicle having a first mode operated based on electric energy of a battery and a second mode operated based on i) the electric energy of the battery and ii) a torque applied by a user, wherein the electric vehicle is configured to operate using a motor driven by the electric energy of the battery;

detecting a remaining energy-amount of the battery;

generating driving guide information based at least in part on the remaining energy-amount of the battery and target information received from the user; and

displaying the driving guide information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when destination information or a target driving distance is input as target information, calculating a first driving distance in which the electric vehicle operates in the first mode and a second driving distance in which the electric vehicle operates in the second mode, based on the remaining energy-amount of the battery, and wherein the target driving distance is defined as a distance in which a user of the electric vehicle wants to drive the electric vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the generating comprises:

when the first driving distance is greater than a destination distance or the target driving distance, generating the first driving distance as the driving guide information, wherein the destination distance is defined as a distance between the current location of the user or electric vehicle and the destination; and

when the second driving distance is less than the destination distance or the target driving distance, generating the second driving distance as the driving guide information.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the generating comprises:

when a destination distance or the target driving distance is greater than or equal to the first driving distance and is less than or equal to the second driving distance, generating driving distances in which the electric vehicle travels the destination distance or the target driving distance in the first mode and the second mode, as the driving guide information, and wherein the destination distance is defined as a distance between the current location of the user or electric vehicle and the destination.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when a target driving time is input as target information, calculating a first driving time during which the electric vehicle operates in the first mode and a second driving time during which the electric vehicle operates in the second mode, based on the remaining energy-amount of the battery.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating comprises:

when the first driving time is greater than the target driving time, generating the first driving time as the driving guide information; and

when the second driving time is less than the target driving time, generating the second driving time as the driving guide information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating comprises:

when the target driving time is greater than or equal to the first driving time and is less than or equal to the second driving time, generating driving times during which the electric vehicle completes the target driving time in the first mode and the second mode, as the driving guide information.

20. An electric vehicle having wheels, comprising:

a motor configured to drive at least one of the wheels;

a battery configured to provide electric energy to the motor;

a residual power detector configured to detect a residual power of the battery;

an input unit configured to receive target information;

a guide information generator configured to generate driving guide information based at least in part on the residual power of the battery and the target information; and

an output unit configured to output the driving guide information.