NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING VEHICLE STATE INFORMATION FOR ROUTE MODELING

• US 20120179315A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Tate, Edward D. Jr., Jackson, Scott E., Damon, Todd E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,057,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/64 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• 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: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

A vehicle includes a powertrain controller, an energy storage system (ESS), a traction motor, an electrical device such as an HVAC system and/or auxiliary system, and a navigation system. The navigation system generates a recommended eco-route or other travel route. The navigation system receives vehicle state information including a current powertrain state from the controller and a power load value from the device(s), including a state of charge of the ESS. The vehicle state information is used to select between a charge-depleting and a charge-sustaining costing model. The route is generated using the selected model, and then displayed. The navigation system includes a host machine which selects the model and generates the route, and a display screen for displaying the route. A method for generating the route includes receiving the current powertrain state and power load values, and using the state information to select between the charge-depleting and charge-sustaining models.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a powertrain controller;

an energy storage system (ESS);

a traction motor that is energized via the ESS, and that is configured to propel the vehicle;

at least one electrical device, including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; and

a navigation system in communication with a geospatial database, and configured to generate a recommended travel route between a route origin and a route destination using mapping data from the geospatial database;

wherein the navigation system is configured to;

receive, as vehicle state information, a current powertrain state from the controller and a current power load from the at least one electrical device, wherein the current powertrain state includes a state of charge of the ESS;

select, using the vehicle state information, between a charge-depleting costing model that uses the traction motor in a manner that depletes the ESS below a calibrated threshold state of charge, and a charge-sustaining costing model that uses the traction motor in a manner that maintains the state of charge of the ESS above the calibrated threshold;

generate the recommended travel route via the navigation system using the selected costing model; and

display the recommended travel route via a display screen.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a power load from the HVAC system and use the estimated power load as part of the vehicle state information.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the electrical device further includes an auxiliary system, and wherein the current power load includes the power load of the auxiliary system.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a user interface configured for recording user settings for the HVAC system, wherein the navigation system processes the user settings to thereby determine the power load of the HVAC system.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an internal combustion engine and a transmission, wherein the powertrain controller is a hybrid control processor configured for coordinating torque input to the transmission from the engine and the traction motor.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the navigation system is in communication with a remote source that provides weather and traffic information as at least part of the vehicle state information.

5. (canceled)

8. A navigation system for use in a vehicle having a powertrain controller, an energy storage system (ESS), a traction motor powered by the ESS, and at least one electrical device including a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the navigation system comprising:

a host machine in communication with a geospatial database, and configured for generating a recommended travel route between a route origin and a route destination using mapping data from the geospatial database; and

a display screen;

wherein the host machine is configured to;

receive, as vehicle state information, a current powertrain state from the controller and a current power load from the at least one electrical device, including a power load of the HVAC system, wherein the current powertrain state includes the state of charge of the ESS;

select, using the vehicle state information, between a charge-depleting costing model that uses the traction motor in a manner that depletes the ESS below a calibrated threshold state of charge, and a charge-sustaining costing model that uses the traction motor in a manner that maintains the state of charge of the ESS above the calibrated threshold;

generate the recommended travel route via the navigation system using the selected costing model; and

display the recommended travel route using a display screen.

10. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the at least one electrical device further includes an auxiliary system, and wherein the current power load includes the power load of the auxiliary system.

11. The navigation system of claim 8, further comprising a user interface configured for recording user settings for the HVAC system, wherein the navigation system processes the user settings to thereby estimate the power load of the HVAC system.

13. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle further includes an internal combustion engine and a transmission, and wherein the powertrain controller is a hybrid control processor configured for coordinating torque input to the transmission from the engine and the traction motor.

14. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the navigation system is in communication with a remote source that provides weather and traffic information as at least part of the vehicle state information.

9. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

15. A method for generating a recommended travel route between a route origin and a route destination using a navigation system in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a powertrain controller, a traction motor, an electrical storage system (ESS) supplying power to the traction motor, and an electrical device, the method comprising:

receiving via the navigation system, as part of a set of vehicle state information, a current powertrain state from the powertrain controller, wherein the current powertrain state includes the state of charge of the ESS;

receiving via the navigation system, as another part of the set of vehicle state information, a power load value from the electrical device, including receiving a power load from a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;

using the vehicle state information to automatically select between a charge-depleting costing model that uses the traction motor in a manner that depletes the ESS below a calibrated threshold state of charge, and a charge-sustaining costing model that uses the traction motor in a manner that maintains the state of charge of the ESS above the calibrated threshold;

generating the recommended travel route, via the navigation system, using the selected costing model; and

displaying the recommended travel route using a display screen.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one electrical device further includes an auxiliary system, and wherein the current power load includes the power load of the auxiliary system.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

using a user interface to record user settings for the HVAC system; and

processing the user settings using the navigation system to thereby estimate a power load of the HVAC system.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating and displaying, via the display screen, at least one of:

an estimated remaining range of the vehicle until a recharge or a refill; and

an estimate of a rate of energy use per mile driven.

16. (canceled)

19. (canceled)