TRIP PARTITIONING BASED ON DRIVING PATTERN ENERGY CONSUMPTION

• US 20150268053A1
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: YU, Hai, TSENG, Fling, WANG, Qing
• Granted Patent: US 9,121,722 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/10 Vehicle control parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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 vehicle includes an electric machine configured to propel the vehicle using battery power. The vehicle also includes a controller programmed to operate the electric machine along a predetermined route based on a superposition of a plurality of partitionings of the route. Each of the partitionings is based on a different force characteristic associated with the route and defines at least one segment transition, where each segment transitions defines an end of a previous segment and a beginning of a subsequent segment. The predetermined route segments are such that no two adjacent segments of the superposition are defined by a same force characteristic.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an electric machine configured to propel the vehicle using battery power; and

a controller programmed to operate the electric machine along a predetermined route based on a superposition of a plurality of partitionings of upcoming portions of the route, wherein each of the partitionings is based on a different set of upcoming static and dynamic resistive force characteristics associated with the route and defines at least one segment transition, and wherein each of the segment transitions defines an end of a previous segment and a beginning of a subsequent segment such that no two adjacent segments of the superposition are defined by a same set of upcoming static and dynamic resistive force characteristics.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the static force characteristics include static resistive force factors indicative of road curvature, road gradient, road terrain type, forecasted stop frequency, or route speed limits.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the controller is further programmed to, while operating the electric machine along the predetermined route, receive updated route information and modify at least one of the static resistive force factors based on the updated route information.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the dynamic force characteristics include dynamic resistive force factors indicative of vehicle acceleration, sudden stop frequency, weather conditions, or traffic conditions.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the controller is further programmed to periodically update at least one of the partitionings based on changes in the dynamic resistive force factors.

6. A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

partitioning a predetermined route based on an upcoming static route characteristic into a first series of segments each defined by a first segment transition;

receiving an upcoming dynamic route characteristic from an external source;

partitioning the predetermined route based on the upcoming dynamic route characteristic into a second series of segments each defined by a second segment transition;

superposing the first and second series of segments to define the route such that no two adjacent route segments are defined by a same route characteristic; and

operating an electric machine along the predetermined route based on resistive forces associated with the superposed segments.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the static route characteristics include static force factors indicative of road curvature, road gradient, road terrain type, forecasted stop frequency, or route speed limits.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the dynamic route characteristics include dynamic force factors indicative of vehicle acceleration, sudden stop frequency, weather conditions, or traffic conditions.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving updated route information from an off-vehicle processor while operating the electric machine, and in response, updating at least one of the superposed series of segments based on the updated route information.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the static route characteristic comprises a vehicle speed pattern along the predetermined route.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the static route characteristic comprises a stop frequency pattern along the predetermined route.

12. A vehicle powertrain comprising:

an electric machine powered by a battery; and

a controller programmed to

partition a predetermined route based on a static force characteristic,

receive a dynamic force characteristic from an external source during driving,

partition the predetermined route based on the dynamic force characteristic,

superpose the route partitions to define unique route segments, and

demand power output from the electric machine according to an overall route force pattern defined by the segments.

13. The vehicle powertrain of claim 12 further comprising an engine configured to propel the vehicle, wherein the controller is further programmed to allocate power output between the electric machine and the engine.

14. The vehicle powertrain of claim 12 wherein the static force characteristic includes static force factors indicative of road curvature, road gradient, road terrain type, forecasted stop frequency, or route speed limits.

15. The vehicle powertrain of claim 12 wherein the controller is further programmed to, while operating the electric machine along the predetermined route, receive updated route information from an off-vehicle source, and modify at least one of the segments based on the updated route information.

16. The vehicle powertrain of claim 12 wherein the dynamic force characteristic includes dynamic force factors indicative of vehicle acceleration, sudden stop frequency, weather conditions, or traffic conditions.