SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING AND DISPLAYING AVERAGE AUXILIARY POWER IN A VEHICLE

• US 20130127475A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• 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: Sitarski, Nicholas Scott, Smith, Daniel Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,114,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A system and method for calculating and displaying average auxiliary power use in a vehicle is herein provided. The vehicle includes one or more batteries for powering auxiliary electrical devices, an auxiliary battery controller, a display for displaying both instantaneous and average auxiliary power consumption, and an electric motor. A main battery powers the drive motor and supplies power to the auxiliary loads. An auxiliary battery is connected to the main battery via a DC/DC converter and also supplies power to the auxiliary loads. A sensor detects instantaneous auxiliary power usage from each of the auxiliary loads. The instantaneous auxiliary power data from the sensor is averaged to calculate and display the average auxiliary power usage from each of the auxiliary loads. The vehicle operator is able to identify and manage how auxiliary load power consumption affects overall power consumption of both batteries during operation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for measuring average auxiliary power in a vehicle, the vehicle having a main battery, an auxiliary battery, an electric motor, and a plurality of electrical loads connected to the auxiliary battery, the auxiliary battery operable to power the plurality of electrical loads, the system comprising:

a sensor operable to detect a plurality of instantaneous auxiliary power usage amounts from the plurality of electrical loads;

a combination meter in communication with the sensor, the combination meter operable to calculate an average auxiliary power usage amount based on the plurality of instantaneous auxiliary usage amounts and;

a display operable to display the average auxiliary power usage amount and display each instantaneous auxiliary power usage amount.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is part of an auxiliary battery electrical control unit (ECU).

3. The system of claim 2 further including a processor within the auxiliary battery (ECU) and a processor within the combination meter, the processor within the auxiliary battery (ECU) in communication with the sensor and the auxiliary battery, wherein the processor within the auxiliary battery (ECU) is operable to process the amount of instantaneous power used by the plurality of electrical loads connected to auxiliary battery at a predetermined amount of time.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor within the auxiliary battery (ECU) is in communication with the processor within the combination meter via a communication line.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the communication line is a controlled-area network (CAN)-bus.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display of auxiliary power usage amount and the display of instantaneous auxiliary usage amount are displayed relatively adjacent to one another.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display of auxiliary power usage amount and display of instantaneous auxiliary usage amount are analog gauges.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the display is part of the combination meter.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the display is part of another vehicle display system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the display of auxiliary power usage amount and display of the instantaneous auxiliary usage amount are generated by the processor of the combination meter.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined amount of time is at least 10 milliseconds.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein average auxiliary power usage amounts and instantaneous auxiliary power usage amounts are calculated and displayed in kilowatts (kW).

13. A system for measuring average auxiliary power in a vehicle, the vehicle having one or more main batteries, one or more auxiliary batteries, an electric motor, and a plurality of electrical loads connected to the auxiliary battery, the auxiliary battery operable to power the plurality of electrical loads, the system comprising:

a sensor operable to detect a plurality of instantaneous auxiliary power usage amounts from the plurality of electrical loads;

a combination meter in communication with the sensor via a communication line, the combination meter having a processor operable to calculate an average auxiliary power usage value based on the plurality of instantaneous auxiliary usage amounts; and

a display operable to display the average auxiliary power usage amount and display each instantaneous auxiliary power usage amount, whereby the display may be reset by actuating a reset button.

14. A method for calculating and displaying an average of auxiliary power usage amount in a vehicle, the vehicle having a main battery, an auxiliary battery operable to power the plurality of electrical loads, an electric motor, a plurality of electrical loads connected to the auxiliary battery, a sensor at the auxiliary battery, and a combination meter operable to process auxiliary battery sensor readings and display average and instantaneous auxiliary power consumption, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining an initial instantaneous auxiliary power consumption reading from the sensor, wherein the instantaneous auxiliary power consumption reading is a total amount of instantaneous power used by the plurality of electrical loads connected to the auxiliary battery measured at a predetermined time;

(b) sending the initial instantaneous auxiliary power consumption reading and subsequent instantaneous auxiliary power readings to the combination meter to determine an average value;

(c) after the predetermined time has elapsed, taking a subsequent instantaneous auxiliary power consumption reading from the instantaneous power consumption meter and adding the subsequent instantaneous auxiliary power consumption reading to the value of the summation of the initial instantaneous power value and all preceding subsequent instantaneous auxiliary power consumption readings and dividing by a total number of instantaneous auxiliary power readings taken by the sensor to obtain an average auxiliary power reading;

(d) displaying both the instantaneous auxiliary power usage amount and average auxiliary power usage amount on the combination meter;

(e) waiting 10 milliseconds before returning to step (c) if the sensor detects that instantaneous power is still being consumed and a reset button on the display has not been actuated.