TECHNIQUE FOR CALCULATING DISTANCE TO EMPTY IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20130158758A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• 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: Kim, Sang Joon
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,576 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: G07C 5/004 Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Disclosed is a technique for calculating Distance to Empty (DTE) in an electric vehicle. In the disclosed technique, a past driving average fuel efficiency is calculated. An air conditioning average energy consumption rate during past driving is calculated. A past driving average fuel efficiency when assuming an air conditioning apparatus is not used from the past driving average fuel efficiency and the air conditioning average energy consumption rate is calculated. A current driving fuel efficiency is calculated. Then the past driving average fuel efficiency when assuming the air conditioning apparatus is not used and the current driving fuel efficiency are blended, and the DTE is calculated from the blended driving fuel efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for calculating a Distance to Empty (DTE) in an electric vehicle, comprising:

calculating, by at least one controller, a past driving average fuel efficiency;

calculating, by at least one controller, an air conditioning average energy consumption rate during at least one past driving cycle;

calculating, by at least one controller, a past driving average fuel efficiency which assumes an air conditioning apparatus is not used from the past driving average fuel efficiency and the air conditioning average energy consumption rate;

calculating, by at least one controller, a current driving fuel efficiency;

blending, by at least one controller, the past driving average fuel efficiency assumes the air conditioning apparatus is not used and the current driving fuel efficiency; and

calculating the DTE from the blended driving fuel efficiency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the blending of the past driving average fuel efficiency and the current driving fuel efficiency is calculated by applying a weighted average method, wherein the weighted average method applies a weighted value to the past driving average fuel efficiency which assumes the air conditioning apparatus is not used and the current driving fuel efficiency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the air conditioning average energy consumption rate during past driving is calculated by averaging air conditioning energy consumption rate of past driving cycles that are defined as intervals from previous charging to next charging, and an air conditioning energy consumption rate of each driving cycle is a rate of energy consumed in the air conditioning apparatus with respect to a total battery energy consumption of the corresponding driving cycle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the air conditioning average energy consumption rate is calculated by a weighted average wherein the weighted average method applies a weighted value a predetermined assumed value when the air conditioning apparatus is not used and the air conditioning energy consumption rate of each driving cycle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the past driving average fuel efficiency when assuming the air conditioning apparatus is not used is calculated into map values using the past driving average fuel efficiency and the air conditioning average energy consumption rate as input values.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the DTE from the blended driving fuel efficiency comprises:

calculating a fuel efficiency corresponding to current power consumed in the air conditioning apparatus;

calculating a final fuel efficiency by reflecting the fuel efficiency corresponding to the current power consumed by the air conditioning apparatus on the blended driving fuel efficiency; and

calculating the DTE from the final fuel efficiency.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fuel efficiency corresponding to the current power consumed in the air conditioning apparatus is calculated from a table in which fuel efficiency values are defined according to power consumption.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the final fuel efficiency is obtained by subtracting the fuel efficiency corresponding to the power consumed in the air conditioning apparatus from the driving fuel efficiency obtained by the blending.

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

program instructions that calculate a past driving average fuel efficiency;

program instructions that calculate an air conditioning average energy consumption rate during at least one past driving cycle;

program instructions that calculate a past driving average fuel efficiency which assumes an air conditioning apparatus is not used from the past driving average fuel efficiency and the air conditioning average energy consumption rate;

program instructions that calculate, a current driving fuel efficiency;

program instructions that blend the past driving average fuel efficiency assumes the air conditioning apparatus is not used and the current driving fuel efficiency; and

program instructions that calculate the DTE from the blended driving fuel efficiency

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions that calculate of the DTE from the blended driving fuel efficiency further r include:

program instructions that calculate a fuel efficiency corresponding to current power consumed in the air conditioning apparatus;

program instructions that calculate a final fuel efficiency by reflecting the fuel efficiency corresponding to the current power consumed by the air conditioning apparatus on the blended driving fuel efficiency; and

program instructions that calculate the DTE from the final fuel efficiency.