SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING BATTERY PRE-CHARGING USING ADJUSTED TRAFFIC PREDICTIONS

• US 20180345801A1
• Filed: 06/06/2017
• Published: 12/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2017
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: WROBEL, SHANNON ALICIA, PAYNE, JOSHUA D.
• Application Number:
  US15/615,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20180345801A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• 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: 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: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for optimizing predictions regarding traffic conditions based upon learned/measured traffic conditions. Current traffic conditions can be measured and characterized based on speed or other factors as a vehicle traverses the route. These measured traffic conditions can be compared to predicted traffic conditions. A weighting term can be associated with the measured traffic conditions based upon the comparison. During a subsequent time that the vehicle traverses the route, a traffic conditions prediction may be made. The weighting term and measured traffic conditions data can be used to adjust the traffic conditions prediction for better accuracy so that, for example, an optimal time(s) during which a battery of a hybrid vehicle can be pre-charged can be requested.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

upon a vehicle reaching a second link of a route being traversed by the vehicle, obtaining historical measured traffic conditions data and a related weighing term for the second link;

measuring current traffic conditions at the second link;

updating the historical measured traffic conditions data with the current, measured traffic conditions;

determining a difference between traffic conditions prediction data generated at a first link of the route traversed by the vehicle regarding the second link and the updated historical measured traffic conditions data;

updating the related weighting term based upon the determined difference; and

storing the updated, related weighting term in association with the updated historical measured traffic conditions data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first route link was traversed prior to the vehicle reaching the second link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the related weighting term comprises a percentage-based value indicating accuracy of the traffic conditions prediction data relative to the current measured traffic conditions.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, adjusting a subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data regarding the second link to increase accuracy of the subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data in accordance with the updated historical measured traffic conditions data and the updated, related weighting term.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data is adjusted according to the following equation:

adjusted traffic conditions prediction=(traffic conditions prediction* ∝

)+(historical measured traffic conditions*(1−

∝

))

wherein ∝

is the related weighing term.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising, adjusting pre-charge timing for a battery of the vehicle based upon the adjusted, subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data.

7. A system, comprising:

a database storing historical measured traffic conditions data;

a navigation adjustment component that, upon a vehicle reaching a second link of a route being traversed by the vehicle;

obtains historical measured traffic conditions data and a related weighing term for the second link from the database;

measures current traffic conditions at the second link;

updates the historical measured traffic conditions data with the current, measured traffic conditions;

determines a difference between traffic conditions prediction data generated at a first link of the route traversed by the vehicle regarding the second link and the updated historical measured traffic conditions data;

updates the related weighting term based upon the determined difference;

stores the updated, related weighting term in association with the updated historical measured traffic conditions data in the database; and

upon a subsequent traversal of the route, adjusts subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data based upon the updated, related weighting term and the updated historical measured traffic conditions data; and

a controller to which the adjusted, subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction is transmitted, the controller adjusting pre-charge timing applied to a battery of the vehicle based upon the adjusted, subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising, a navigation server from which the traffic conditions prediction data and the subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data is received.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the historical measured traffic conditions data, the traffic conditions prediction data, and the subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data comprises one or more data values indicative of traffic conditions along at least one link of the route.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more data values reflect one of clear traffic conditions, crowded traffic conditions, and jammed traffic conditions.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the historical measured traffic conditions data is tagged in the database with a time of day during which the vehicle previously traversed the second link of the route.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the traffic conditions prediction data generated at a first link of the route traversed by the vehicle regarding the second link is generated at the same or similar time of day.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the related weighting term comprises a percentage-based value indicating accuracy of the traffic conditions prediction data relative to the current measured traffic conditions.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the subsequently generated traffic conditions prediction data is adjusted according to the following equation:

adjusted traffic conditions prediction=(traffic conditions prediction* ∝

)+(historical measured traffic conditions*(1−

∝

))

wherein ∝

is the related weighing term.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the historical measured traffic conditions data is characterized based upon at least one of:

a speed at which the vehicle is traveling;

the amount of times the vehicle brakes;

relative position of the vehicle; and

relative motion of the vehicle.