METHOD FOR PREDICTING CHARGING PROCESS DURATION

• US 20150066837A1
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Twarog, Christopher J., Hanna, Ian L., Schieffer, Trista K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• 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 method for predicting the duration of a future charging process for a vehicle battery. The method comprises estimating a future charge amount of the battery corresponding to the start of the future charging process. The method further comprises estimating a future temperature of the battery. The method still further comprises determining a future charging power or a characteristic thereof to be applied to the battery during the future charging process, wherein the future charging power or characteristic thereof is based on the estimated future charge amount and the estimated future temperature and is representative of a charging amount or characteristic thereof that will maintain the temperature of the battery at or below a threshold temperature during the future charging process. The method still further comprises predicting a duration of the future charging process based on the estimated future charge amount and the determined future charging power or characteristic thereof.

Claims

1. A method for predicting the duration of a future charging process for a vehicle battery, comprising the steps of:

estimating a future charge amount of the vehicle battery corresponding to the start of the future charging process;

estimating a future temperature of the vehicle battery;

determining a future charging power or a characteristic thereof to be applied to the vehicle battery during the future charging process, wherein the future charging power or the characteristic thereof is based on the estimated future charge amount and the estimated future battery temperature and is representative of a charging power or characteristic thereof that will maintain the temperature of the battery at or below a threshold temperature during the future charging process; and

predicting a duration of the future charging process based on the estimated future charge amount and the determined future charging power or characteristic thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the future charge amount comprises one of:

a state-of-charge (SOC) of the vehicle battery at the start of the future charging process;

a difference between an estimated SOC of the vehicle battery at the start of the future charging process and a predetermined SOC to which the vehicle battery is to be charged during the future charging process;

a distance range of the vehicle corresponding to the current state of the vehicle battery; and

a difference between an estimated distance range of the vehicle and a predetermined distance range to which the vehicle battery is to be charged during the future charging process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of estimating a future vehicle battery temperature comprises:

obtaining a starting temperature of the vehicle battery;

determining an anticipated increase in the vehicle battery temperature resulting from the anticipated occurrence of one or more events; and

adding the starting temperature and the anticipated temperature increase together to obtain the estimated future vehicle battery temperature.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the estimated future battery temperature is the estimated future battery temperature at the end of an anticipated vehicle operation, and further wherein the step of determining an anticipated increase in the vehicle battery temperature comprises determining an anticipated temperature increase resulting from the anticipated operation of the vehicle prior to the future charging process.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining an anticipated temperature increase resulting from the operation of the vehicle comprises doing so based on one or more of:

the current state-of-charge (SOC) of the vehicle battery;

the known distance to a location where the future charging process is to be performed;

the propulsion power of the vehicle; and

the ambient temperature surrounding the vehicle battery.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the propulsion power of the vehicle comprises an average propulsion power of the vehicle over a predetermined distance or amount of time.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the estimated future battery temperature is the estimated future battery temperature at the end of the future charging process, and further wherein the step of determining an anticipated increase in the vehicle battery temperature comprises determining an anticipated temperature increase resulting from the anticipated performance of the future charging process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining an anticipated temperature increase resulting from the performance of the future charging process comprises doing so based on one or more of:

the estimated future charge amount of the battery;

the difference between the estimated future charge amount of the battery and a desired charge amount;

a default amount of charging power or a characteristic thereof that may be applied to the vehicle battery during the performance of the future charging process; and

the ambient temperature surrounding the vehicle battery.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the future charging process is a second future charging process that is to be performed subsequent to a first future charging process, and further wherein the starting temperature obtained in the obtaining step comprises an anticipated temperature of the vehicle battery corresponding to the end of the first future charging process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the steps is performed prior to the vehicle battery being plugged-in at a location where the future charging process is to be performed.

11. A method for predicting the duration of a future charging process for a vehicle battery, comprising the steps of:

estimating a future charge amount of the vehicle battery corresponding to the start of the future charging process;

estimating a future temperature of the vehicle battery corresponding to the end of the future charging process;

determining a future charging power or a characteristic thereof to be applied to the vehicle battery during the future charging process based on the estimated future charge amount and the estimated future temperature; and

predicting a duration of the future charging process based on the estimated future charge amount and the determined future charging power or characteristic thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the future charging power or the characteristic thereof is representative of a maximum charging power or characteristic thereof that will maintain the temperature of the battery at or below a threshold temperature during the future charging process.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the future charge amount comprises one of:

a state-of-charge (SOC) of the vehicle battery at the start of the future charging process;

a difference between an estimated SOC of the vehicle battery at the start of the future charging process and a predetermined SOC to which the vehicle battery is to be charged during the future charging process;

a distance range of the vehicle corresponding to the current state of the vehicle battery; and

a difference between an estimated distance range of the vehicle and a predetermined distance range to which the vehicle battery is to be charged during the future charging process.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of estimating a future vehicle battery temperature comprises:

obtaining a starting temperature of the vehicle battery;

determining an anticipated increase in the vehicle battery temperature resulting from the anticipated occurrence of one or more events; and

adding the starting temperature and the anticipated temperature increase together to obtain the estimated future vehicle battery temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining an anticipated increase in the vehicle battery temperature comprises one or more of:

determining an anticipated temperature increase resulting from the anticipated operation of the vehicle prior to the future charging process; and

determining an anticipated temperature increase resulting from the anticipated performance of the future charging process.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the future charging process is a second future charging process that is to be performed subsequent to a first future charging process, and further wherein the starting temperature obtained in the obtaining step comprises an anticipated temperature of the vehicle battery corresponding to the end of the first future charging process.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the steps is performed prior to vehicle battery being plugged-in at a location where the future charging process is to be performed.

18. A method for predicting the duration of a future charging process for a vehicle battery, comprising the steps of:

determining a distance to a charging location at which the future charging process is to be performed using a planned route to be followed by the vehicle;

estimating a future charge amount of the vehicle battery corresponding to the start of the future charging process based at least in part on the distance to the charging location;

estimating a future temperature of the vehicle battery based at least in part on the distance to the charging location;

determining a future charging power or a characteristic thereof to be applied to the vehicle battery during the future charging process, wherein the future charging power or characteristic thereof is based on the estimated future charge amount and the estimated future temperature and is representative of a charging power or characteristic thereof that will maintain the temperature of the battery at or below a threshold temperature during the future charging process; and

predicting a duration of the future charging process based on the estimated future charge amount and the determined future charging power or characteristic thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the steps is performed prior to the vehicle battery being plugged-in at the charging location.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining a distance to a charging location at which the future charging process is to be performed comprises acquiring the distance from a navigation module of the vehicle.