SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ASSISTING DRIVER IN DRIVING ELECTRIC VEHICLE IN MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY EFFICIENT MANNER

• US 20130151047A1
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Yang, Chae Mo, Choi, Seunggil, Lee, Jeong Woo, Kee, Jung Do
• Granted Patent: US 9,114,727 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 2240/60 Navigation input
• 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 system and a method of assisting a driver in driving an electric vehicle in a more environmentally efficient manner are disclosed. In particular, an information collecting section collects information operating the electric vehicle and a control logic section generates control logic and models related to route calculation to a destination and operation of the electric vehicle based on the collected information. A route setting section calculates a plurality of travel routes based on the control logic and the model related to the route calculation and sets an optimum travel route having the highest energy efficiency among the plurality of travel routes. A vehicle driving controller monitors the vehicle state and controls driving of the electric vehicle based on the control logic and the model related to the driving of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle travels along the optimum travel route set by the route setting section.

Claims

1. A system for assisting a driver in driving an electric vehicle in a more environmentally efficient manner, comprising:

an information collecting section configured to collect information for driving the electric vehicle;

a control logic section configured to generate control logic and models related to a route calculation to a destination and driving of the electric vehicle based on the collected information;

a route setting section configured to calculate a plurality of travel routes based on the control logic and the models related to the route calculation and to set an optimum travel route having the highest energy efficiency among the plurality of travel routes; and

a vehicle driving controller configured to monitor a vehicle state in the electric vehicle and control driving of the electric vehicle based on the control logic and the models related to the driving of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle travels along the optimum travel route set by the route setting section,

wherein travel route information generated by the route setting section and vehicle control information generated by the vehicle driving controller are transmitted to the information collecting section.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information collected by the information collecting section comprises:

vehicle information including vehicle dynamic information, fuel consumption information, battery information, and vehicle state information;

geographic information including 3-dimensional map information, road information, and traffic information; and

miscellaneous information including information other than the vehicle information and the geographic information, and including state information related to the driver driving the electric vehicle and weather information along the calculated travel route.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the models generated by the control logic section includes at least one of a vehicle dynamic model, a fuel consumption model, a vehicle heat load model, and a vehicle heat energy model corresponding to states of the electric vehicle and environment and a power train control model for driving the electric vehicle on which an energy profile according to a lateral wind model is reflected.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle driving controller is configured to control driving components of the electric vehicle taking into account of torque efficiency of a motor and an inverter of the electric vehicle, a speed limit of a traveling road, and whether a gliding mode is maintained.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle driving controller is configured to receive a control logic for driving the electric vehicle in the gliding mode from the control logic section.

6. A method of assisting a driver in driving an electric vehicle in a more environmentally efficient manner, comprising:

calculating, by a control unit, a plurality of travel routes to a destination;

requesting from the driver by the control unit, a degree of familiarity with the travel routes of each of the plurality of travel route information calculated by the control unit;

supplementing, by the control unit, 3-dimensional geographic information based on the driver'"'"'s particular degree of familiarity and collecting vehicle state information;

calculating, by the control unit, a primary road process according to states of the driver and the electric vehicle and a primary driving schedule corresponding to the primary road process based on the vehicle state information and the geographic information;

calculating, by the control unit, a secondary road process and a secondary driving schedule corresponding to the secondary road process by reflecting real-time circumstantial information including driver information, real-time weather information and real-time traffic information on the primary road process;

selecting an optimum travel route having the highest energy efficiency among the plurality of travel routes according to the secondary driving schedule; and

monitoring a state of the electric vehicle travelling along the optimum travel route according to the secondary driving schedule and controlling driving of the electric vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein controlling the driving of the electric vehicle comprises:

controlling torque efficiency of a motor and an inverter in the electric vehicle travelling along the optimum travel route;

controlling a speed of the electric vehicle to be less than a speed limit when the torque efficiency is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference efficiency; and

converting a mode into a gliding mode on a road where non-powered driving is possible among the optimum travel route and controlling the driving of the electric vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a vehicle speed is maintained to be within a predetermined speed range by repeating pulse motoring and turning off motoring and regeneration at the controlling the driving of the electric vehicle while in the gliding mode.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of travel route information provided to the driver is information on road segments divided into a predetermined distance.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that calculate a plurality of travel routes to a destination;

program instructions that calculate request from the driver a degree of familiarity with the travel routes of each of the plurality of travel route information calculated by the control unit;

program instructions that supplement geographic information based on the driver'"'"'s particular degree of familiarity and collecting vehicle state information;

program instructions that calculate a primary road process according to states of the driver and the electric vehicle and a primary driving schedule corresponding to the primary road process based on the vehicle state information and the geographic information;

program instructions that calculate a secondary road process and a secondary driving schedule corresponding to the secondary road process by reflecting real-time circumstantial information including driver information, real-time weather information and real-time traffic information on the primary road process;

program instructions that select an optimum travel route having the highest energy efficiency among the plurality of travel routes according to the secondary driving schedule; and

program instructions that monitor a state of the electric vehicle travelling along the optimum travel route according to the secondary driving schedule and controlling driving of the electric vehicle.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that control the driving of the electric vehicle comprise:

program instructions that control torque efficiency of a motor and an inverter in the electric vehicle travelling along the optimum travel route;

program instructions that control a speed of the electric vehicle to be less than a speed limit when the torque efficiency is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference efficiency; and

program instructions that convert a mode into a gliding mode on a road where non-powered driving is possible among the optimum travel route and control the driving of the electric vehicle.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein a vehicle speed is maintained to be within a predetermined speed range by repeating pulse motoring and turning off motoring and regeneration at the controlling the driving of the electric vehicle while in the gliding mode.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of travel route information provided to the driver is information on road segments divided into a predetermined distance.