Range prediction in fleet management of electric and fuel-cell vehicles

• US 6,625,539 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electricab Taxi Company
• Inventors: Schneck, Michael M., Schneck, Thomas, Kittell, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/299,147
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/117, 701/123, 701/22, 701/24, 702/63, 702/187, 290/406
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/71 Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A method of managing power cell information resources of a non-petroleum fueled vehicle, particularly electric or fuel cell vehicles of a fleet of vehicles. Such vehicles have power pack instrumentation for wirelessly reporting data to a base station computer including power pack charge parameters and GPS location in real-time. This data is applied to a database which documents past vehicle performance as well as contains minimal acceptable vehicle parameters. A prediction is made regarding remaining range, state of charge and vehicle scheduling, considering vehicle load or mileage efficiency. The remaining range is viewed in combination with the GPS location of the vehicle so that judgments can be made regarding whether particular vehicles can take a job request, complete the job without recharging, then go to a recharging location, or have the vehicle dispatched for service.

Claims

1. A method of managing electric and fuel cell vehicles in a fleet comprising:

collecting charge data in each vehicle while each vehicle is in use;

reporting the charge data to a remotely located computer from time to time;

determining GPS position of each vehicle;

reporting the GPS position of each vehicle to the computer in connection with the reporting of the charge data;

comparing the charge data to calibration data to establish remaining range for each vehicle; and

directing vehicles for tasks and refuelling from reported GPS positions using range.

2. The method of claim 1 further defined by displaying at the base station computer the GPS position of each vehicle and the associated remaining range.

3. The method of claim 2 further defined by displaying at the base station computer the fixed position of known recharging stations, maintenance facilities and other known reference landmarks.

4. The method of claim 1 further defined by computing mileage efficiency for each vehicle and selecting aggregate charge data for comparing based upon mileage efficiency.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein directing selected vehicles comprises vehicle self-direction to a task by communicating range among vehicles of a fleet and bidding on job assignments.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein bidding takes into account range, power pack condition, GPS position relative to starting location of a job and refueling location relative to ending the job.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the charge data to calibration data comprises using-a database system using pre-programmed rules.

8. A method of managing electric and fuel cell vehicles in a fleet comprising:

collecting charge data in each vehicle while each vehicle is in use;

comparing in each vehicle, while in use, the charge data to calibration data considering changing mileage efficiency for establishing remaining range in each vehicle;

determining GPS position of each vehicle, reporting the remaining range and the GPS position of each vehicle to the base station computer; and

dispatching vehicles from reported GPS positions using remaining range as a constraint in an optimized routing heuristic.

9. The method of claim 8 further defined by displaying at the base station computer the GPS position of each vehicle and the associated remaining range.

10. The method of claim 9 further defined by displaying at the base station computer the fixed position of known recharging stations, maintenance facilities and other known reference landmarks.

11. The method of claim 9 further defined by displaying at each vehicle the fixed position of known recharging stations, maintenance facilities and other known reference landmarks.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein directing selected vehicles comprises vehicle self-direction to a task by communicating range among vehicles of a fleet and bidding on job assignments.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein bidding takes into account range, GPS position relative to starting location of a job power pack conditions and refueling location relative to ending the job.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein comparing the charge data to calibration data comprises using a database system using pre-programmed rules.