ENHANCED ELECTRIC DRIVE MODE HAVING PREDICTED DESTINATIONS TO REDUCE ENGINE STARTS

• US 20170072937A1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kapadia, Jimmy, Miller, Kenneth James, Frederick, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 10,093,304 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 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a vehicle includes controlling a vehicle according to a first mode in response to a calculated likelihood exceeding a threshold likelihood, and controlling the vehicle according to a second mode otherwise. The calculated likelihood corresponds to the likelihood that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a current drive cycle final destination. The calculated likelihood is derived from geolocation data collected from geolocation systems in at least one vehicle across a plurality of vehicle drive cycles.

Claims

1. A vehicle control method comprising:

controlling a vehicle according to a first mode in response to a calculated likelihood that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a current drive cycle final destination exceeding a threshold likelihood; and

controlling the vehicle according to a second mode otherwise, wherein the calculated likelihood is derived from geolocation data collected from geolocation systems in at least one vehicle across a plurality of vehicle drive cycles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode comprises an electric-only operating mode having a first engine-start threshold associated with a parameter, the second mode comprises an electric-only operating mode having a second engine-start threshold associated with the parameter, and the first engine-start threshold is different from the second engine-start threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the parameter comprises a driver power request and the first engine-start threshold is greater than the second engine-start threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the parameter comprises a temperature of an engine component and the first engine-start threshold is less than the second engine-start threshold.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the parameter comprises a traction battery state of charge and the first engine-start threshold is less than the second engine-start threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a set of drive cycles among the plurality based on a current vehicle location, wherein the geolocation data for respective drive cycles of the set corresponds to the current vehicle location, and determining a proportion among the set for which drive cycles reached a final destination within the threshold distance to generate the calculated likelihood.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a modification factor based on a starting location for the current drive cycle to generate the calculated likelihood.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a modification factor based on a proximity to an electric vehicle charging station to generate the calculated likelihood.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a predetermined probability factor based on a vehicle destination being set in a vehicle navigation system to generate the calculated likelihood.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a modification factor based on a detected current vehicle location on a neighborhood road to generate the calculated likelihood.

11. A vehicle comprising:

an electric drive system including a traction battery;

an internal combustion engine; and

a controller configured to control the vehicle according to an electric-only operating mode having a first engine-start threshold associated with a parameter in response to a calculated likelihood that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a final destination for a current drive cycle exceeding a threshold likelihood, and control the vehicle according to an electric-only operating mode having a second engine-start threshold associated with the parameter different than the first engine-start threshold otherwise, wherein the calculated likelihood is derived from geolocation data collected from geolocation systems in at least one vehicle across a plurality of vehicle drive cycles.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the parameter comprises a driver power request and the first engine-start threshold is greater than the second engine-start threshold.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the parameter comprises a temperature of an engine component and the first engine-start threshold is less than the second engine-start threshold.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the parameter comprises a traction battery state of charge and the first engine-start threshold is less than the second engine-start threshold.

15. A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:

in response to an electric drive mode being active and a calculated probability that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a final destination for a current drive cycle based on geolocation data collected from at least one vehicle across a plurality of drive cycles, modifying an engine-start threshold associated with a vehicle sensor reading.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle sensor reading is associated with a driver power request, a temperature of an engine component, or a traction battery state of charge.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculated probability is based on an identified set of drive cycles among the plurality that is based on a current vehicle location, on the geolocation data for respective drive cycles of the set corresponding to the current vehicle location, and on a determined proportion among the set for which the drive cycles reached a final destination within the threshold distance.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculated probability includes a modification factor based on a starting location for the current drive cycle, on a proximity to an electric vehicle charging station, on a vehicle destination being set in a vehicle navigation system, or on a detected current vehicle location on a neighborhood road.