SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF A VEHICLE BASED ON DETERMINED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN A PLURALITY OF ROUTES

• US 20150275788A1
• Filed: 03/31/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• 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: Dufford, Mohammad E., Payne, Joshua D., Gaither, Geoffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,605,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18009 related to particular drive situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/123 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation systems or GPS signals
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/2006 using prediction of future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A method/system for optimizing vehicle operations for a predicted route and/or a route set. The method/system may record location data and time data for a route. Two or more routes can be linked to form a route set by analyzing the location data and time data of the routes using a linking threshold. The linking threshold may be based on a relationship between locations and/or times of different routes. The vehicle may predict that a particular route segment or route will likely be driven. An operation of a unit or a device of the vehicle over the predicted route and/or route set may be adjusted based on information stored regarding the predicted route and/or route set in order to enhance the energy efficiency of the vehicle. The links may be categorized as having different types in order to apply a different control strategy to different types of links.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing energy efficiency of a vehicle for known routes, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory, first time data and first location data for a first route;

storing, in the memory, second time data and second location data for a second route;

determining, using a processor, a link between the first route and the second route based on the first time data, the first location data, the second time data, or the second location data;

determining or predicting, using the processor, that the vehicle will travel over at least one route based on the determined link between the first route and the second route; and

adjusting, using the processor, an operation of the vehicle in advance of or during travelling of the vehicle on the first route or the second route, in order to optimize the energy efficiency of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing, in the memory, a linking threshold, wherein

the step of determining or predicting, using the processor, the link between the first route and the second route is based on the linking threshold, and

the processor is further configured to store the determined link in the memory.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining or predicting, using the processor, the link between the first route and the second route includes determining or predicting, using the processor, that the vehicle will probably travel on the second route subsequent to traveling on the first route, based on the linking threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein

the first location data corresponds to at least a start location of the first route and an end location of the first route, and the second location data corresponds to at least a start location of the second route and an end location of the second route,

the linking threshold includes a distance proximity threshold, and

the processor is configured to set the link between the first route and the second route when a distance between the end location of the first route and the start location of the second route is within the distance proximity threshold.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of setting, using the processor, the link between the first route and the second route includes storing, in the memory, link type data based on the first time data, the first location data, the second time data or the second location data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle is based on the link type data.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein

the first time data corresponds to at least a start time of the first route and an end time of the first route, and the second time data corresponds to at least a start time of the second route and an end time of the second route, and

determining, using the processor, the link between the first route and the second route includes storing, in the memory, link type data based on a time period between the end time of the first route and the start time of the second route.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor includes an electronic control unit (ECU), and the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle includes adjusting, using the ECU, an operation of an engine of the vehicle based on the first time data, the second time data or the link between the first route and the second route.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the processor includes an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to an engine of the vehicle, and the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle includes adjusting, using the ECU, an operation of the engine based on the link type data for preventing or reducing energy inefficiency corresponding to re-warming of the engine.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a motor connected to the processor for driving the vehicle using electrical energy stored in a battery of the vehicle, wherein the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle includes adjusting, using the processor, power outputted using the motor and the battery based on the first time data, the first location data, the second time data, the second location data or the link between the first route and the second route.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a motor connected to the processor for driving the vehicle using electrical energy stored in a battery of the vehicle, wherein the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle includes adjusting, using the processor, power outputted using the motor and the battery in advance of reaching the second route and based on the link type data in order to reserve sufficient charge in the battery for travelling on the second route.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing, in the memory, vehicle operation data for the first route or the second route,

wherein the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle is based on the vehicle operation data for the first route or the second route.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein

the vehicle operation data includes an energy efficiency value corresponding to efficiency of utilizing power from an engine of the vehicle and power from a battery of the vehicle when the vehicle traveled on the first route, the second route or a route set that includes the first route and the second route, and

the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the unit or the device of the vehicle is based on the energy efficiency value.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle is based on a total distance of a route set that includes the linked first route and the second route.

15. A method of optimizing energy efficiency of a vehicle for known routes, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory, first time data corresponding to a first route and including a start time of the first route and an end time of the first route, and second time data corresponding to a second route and including a start time of the second route and an end time of the second route;

storing, in the memory, first location data corresponding to a first route and including a start location of the first route and an end location of the first route, and second location data corresponding to a second route and including a start location of the second route and an end location of the second route;

storing, in the memory, a linking threshold;

determining, using a processor, a link between the first route and the second route when the processor determines that the vehicle will probably travel on the second route subsequent to traveling on the first route based on the first time data, the second time data, the first location data, the second location data or the linking threshold;

determining or predicting, using the processor, that the vehicle will travel over at least one route based on the link between the first route and the second route; and

adjusting, using the processor, an operation of the vehicle in advance of or during travelling of the vehicle on the first route or the second route, in order to optimize the energy efficiency of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising storing, in the memory, link type data based on at least one of a total distance of a route set that includes the linked first route and the second route or a time period between the end time of the first route and the start time of the second route,

wherein the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle is based on the stored link type data.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a motor connected to the processor for driving the vehicle using electrical energy stored in a battery of the vehicle, wherein

the processor includes an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to an engine of the vehicle, and

the step of adjusting, using the processor, the operation of the vehicle includes:

adjusting, using the processor, power outputted using the engine based on the link type data, or

adjusting, using the processor, power outputted using the motor and the battery based on the link type data.

18. A system for optimizing energy efficiency of a vehicle for known routes, the system comprising:

a memory for storing first time data and first location data for a first route and for storing second time data and second location data for a second route; and

a processor configured to;

determine a link between the first route and the second route based on the first time data, the first location data, the second time data, or the second location,

determine or predict that the vehicle will travel over at least one route based on a current location, a current time, the first route, the second route, or the link between the first route and the second route, and

adjust an operation of the vehicle in advance of or during travelling of the vehicle on the first route or the second route, in order to optimize the energy efficiency of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein

the memory is further configured to store link type data based on the first time data, the first location data, the second time data, or the second location data,

the processor includes an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to an engine of the vehicle, and

the ECU is configured to adjust an operation of the engine based on the link type data for optimizing the energy efficiency of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising providing a motor connected to the processor for driving the vehicle using electrical energy stored in a battery of the vehicle, wherein

the memory is further configured to store link type data based on the first time data, the first location data, the second time data, or the second location data, and

the processor is configured to adjust power outputted using the motor and the battery based on the link type data for optimizing the energy efficiency of the vehicle.