Intelligent Power Management for a Vehicle

• US 20190344734A1
• Filed: 05/09/2018
• Published: 11/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Inventors: Bidarvatan, Mehran, Gacka, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/025 Engine noise, e.g. determined by using an acoustic sensor
• 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 2200/1002 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1406 with use of a optimisation method, e.g. iteration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1498 measuring engine roughness
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2438 Active learning methods
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2496 the memory being part of a closed loop
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/12 by monitoring vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A system for intelligent power management for a vehicle includes a fuel efficiency sensor, a dynamometer, an noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) sensor, and a measurement unit & map generator. The fuel efficiency sensor measures fuel efficiencies of the vehicle. The dynamometer senses torques and revolutions per minute (RPMs) of an internal combustion engine (ICE). The NVH sensor measures NVH level, for example noise and/or vibration levels, of the vehicle. The measurement unit & map generator produces an efficiency map including a plurality of fuel efficiency contours, a plurality of NVH level lines, and a plurality of power level curves. The efficiency map includes at least one vehicle operation point that corresponds to an acceptable NVH level and/or a desirable fuel efficiency, and that represents a desirable torque and a desirable RPM of the ICE.

Claims

1. A system for intelligent power management in a vehicle, said system comprising:

a fuel efficiency sensor measuring fuel efficiencies of said vehicle, said fuel efficiency sensor including a dynamometer sensing torques and revolutions per minute (RPMs) of an internal combustion engine (ICE);

a noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) sensor measuring NVH levels of said vehicle;

a measurement unit and map generator producing an efficiency map including a plurality of fuel efficiency contours representing said fuel efficiencies of said vehicle, a plurality of NVH level lines representing said NVH levels of said vehicle, and a plurality of power level curves representing power levels of said ICE;

wherein said efficiency map includes at least one vehicle operation point that corresponds to an acceptable NVH level and/or a desirable fuel efficiency, wherein said at least one vehicle operation point represents a desirable torque and/or a desirable RPM of said ICE.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said efficiency map further includes a plurality of emission contours, and said at least one vehicle operation point corresponds to a desirable emission output.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of fuel efficiency contours are assigned a first weighting factor and said plurality of NVH level lines are assigned a second weighting factor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said NVH sensor measures said NVH levels in a passenger cabin of said vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said power levels of said ICE are based on said sensed torques and RPMs.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said NVH sensor comprises a microphone array and an accelerometer.

7. A system for intelligent power management in a vehicle, said system comprising:

a fuel efficiency sensor measuring fuel efficiencies of said vehicle, said fuel efficiency sensor including a dynamometer sensing torques and revolutions per minute (RPMs) of an internal combustion engine (ICE);

a noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) sensor measuring NVH levels of said vehicle;

a measurement unit and map generator producing an efficiency map including a plurality of fuel efficiency contours representing said fuel efficiencies of said vehicle, a plurality of NVH level lines representing said NVH levels of said vehicle, and a plurality of power level curves representing power levels of said ICE.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said efficiency map includes an intersection region that corresponds to one of said plurality of fuel efficiency contours having a desirable fuel efficiency along one of said plurality of power level curves.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said efficiency map includes at least one vehicle operation point that corresponds to one of said plurality of NVH level lines having an acceptable NVH level along said intersection region, said at least one vehicle operation point representing a desirable torque and/or a desirable RPM of said ICE.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said efficiency map further includes a plurality of emission contours.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of fuel efficiency contours are assigned a first weighting factor and said plurality of NVH level lines are assigned a second weighting factor.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein said NVH sensor measures said NVH levels in a passenger cabin of said vehicle.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein said power levels of said ICE are based on said sensed torques and RPMs.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein said NVH sensor comprises a microphone array and an accelerometer.

15. A method for intelligent power management in a vehicle, said method comprising:

sensing torques and revolutions per minute (RPMs) of an internal combustion engine (ICE);

measuring fuel efficiencies of said vehicle;

measuring noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) levels of said vehicle;

producing an efficiency map including a plurality of fuel efficiency contours representing said fuel efficiencies of said vehicle, a plurality of NVH level lines representing said NVH levels of said vehicle, and a plurality of power level curves representing power levels of said ICE;

wherein said efficiency map includes at least one vehicle operation point that corresponds to an acceptable NVH level and a desirable fuel efficiency, wherein said at least one vehicle operation point represents a desirable torque and/or a desirable RPM of said ICE.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said efficiency map further includes a plurality of emission contours, and said at least one vehicle operation point corresponds to a desirable emission output.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said plurality of fuel efficiency contours are assigned a first weighting factor and said plurality of NVH level lines are assigned a second weighting factor.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said efficiency map includes products of said plurality of fuel efficiency contours and said plurality of NVH level lines after normalization.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said NVH levels are measured in a passenger cabin of said vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said power levels of said ICE are based on said sensed torques and RPMs.