METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE RANGE ANALYSIS

• US 20130096818A1
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Equilateral Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Equilateral Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Vicharelli, Pablo A., Fagen, Donna
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/423
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/16 Driving resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Estimating a vehicle'"'"'s driving range by combined processing of measured and calculated range data. A measured range it is adjusted to account for processes not included in the original measurements. These adjustments may include changes in road surface, terrain elevation, aerodynamic drag, or other losses. The resulting model is thus relative to the conditions used in quantifying vehicle range by calculating contributions that either penalize or enhance the measured range. This method is implemented in a software system that can also provide real-time display of the range for both a single trip or a contour that illustrates what the range is for all directions.

Claims

1. A method for determining range of a vehicle comprising:

obtaining information concerning a measured range for the vehicle;

determining a route to a destination along roads available to be followed by the vehicle;

simulating a result of the vehicle following the roads available to the route by;

breaking the route into segments;

for each such segment,

determining an energy expenditure for the vehicle to travel along each segment; and

weighting the energy expenditure for each segment using one or more condition associated with that road segment; and

adjusting the measured range according to a sum of the weighted energy expenditures, to determine a location along the route where a remaining energy available for the vehicle to follow the route would reach a predetermined level.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined level is determined as a percentage of maximum available energy.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more condition associated with the road segment are selected from surface conditions, road slope, or rolling resistance.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more condition associated with the road segment is one of a highway, secondary road, or unpaved road.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of weighting further adjusts the energy expenditure for each segment by one or more operating conditions including speed, vehicle accessory on or off state, air density, temperature, air velocity relative to vehicle, cargo carried by vehicle, or number of passengers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein available energy is one of fuel or electric charge.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the route with color or gray scale coding to indicate locations along the route where the remaining energy reaches two or more predetermined levels.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying range information as a contour line of predicted range for multiple compass points referenced to a location.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating range information as the vehicle travels along the route.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein a measured range depends on a road type chosen from city or highway.

10. A method for displaying range of a vehicle comprising:

given a starting point and multiple ending points, each ending point located a predetermined distance away from the starting point;

for each such ending point,

determining a route from the starting point to the ending point following one or more available roads between the starting point and each ending point;

predicting a range if the vehicle were to travel along the route taking into account one or more conditions;

setting a location for the predicted range along each such route;

displaying a map; and

overlaying on the map a contour line derived from the locations for the predetermined range along each such route.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

setting the multiple ending points aligned with a respective compass direction with respect to the starting point.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining a route along available roads comprises:

breaking the route into segments;

determining a measured expected energy expenditure for each road segment;

determine an energy expenditure to travel along each such road segment adjusted for one or more present condition; and

apply weights to enhance or penalize the energy expenditure for each road segment.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the one or more present condition further comprises road surface conditions, road slope, or rolling resistance.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the one or more present condition includes vehicle speed, on or off state of an accessory, air density, air velocity relative to vehicle, cargo, or number of passengers.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of determining a range further depends on a predetermined measured range.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein energy expenditure is expenditure of fuel or electric charge, or both.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein range contours are displayed with color or gray scale coding to indicate two or more predetermined range contours with reference to the starting location.

19. A method for determining range of a vehicle comprising:

determining a route from a starting point to an ending point along roads available to be followed by the vehicle;

breaking the route into road segments

for each road segment,

determining if the road segment is a highway, or city road;

weighing an expected energy expenditure of the vehicle were to travel along the road segment; and

estimating a range for the vehicle by summing the weight of energy expenditures for each road segment.

20. A method for estimate a range of a vehicle along a projected route comprising:

determine a set of N road segments that comprise the route;

receiving information concerning a measure maximum range, D_max; and

determining an energy spent to reach a predetermined distance from