Vehicular propulsion systems and methods for managing the same

• US 8,483,897 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Marus, James D., Gibbs, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOKHALE, PRASAD V
• Application Number:
  US12/855,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Vehicular propulsion systems and methods for managing propulsion systems are provided. The remaining energy in an energy supply coupled to a propulsion actuator on-board a vehicle is monitored. The energy provided to an on-board auxiliary non-propulsion load device from the energy supply is automatically limited based on the remaining energy in the energy supply.

Claims

1. A vehicular propulsion system comprising:

an energy supply including a low voltage battery and a high voltage battery;

a propulsion actuator coupled to the energy supply;

a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter coupled to the energy supply;

at least one non-propulsion auxiliary load device coupled to the energy supply, the at least one non-propulsion auxiliary load device including a plurality of low voltage non-propulsion auxiliary load devices coupled to the low voltage battery; and

a controller coupled to the energy supply, the propulsion actuator, and the at least one non-propulsion auxiliary load device, the controller being configured to;

monitor remaining energy in the energy supply; and

limit energy provided to the at least one auxiliary non-propulsive load device from the energy supply based on the remaining energy in the energy supply,

wherein the plurality of low voltage non-propulsion auxiliary load devices are coupled to the energy supply through the low voltage battery and the DC/DC converter.

2. The vehicular propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the propulsion actuator comprises an electric motor.

3. The vehicular propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-propulsion auxiliary load device further comprises a heater, a compressor, or a combination thereof.

4. The vehicular propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of low voltage non-propulsion auxiliary load devices comprises seat heaters, passenger compartment lights, an entertainment center, window wipers, fans, or a combination thereof.

5. The vehicular propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the energy supply further comprises a combustion fuel tank and the propulsion actuator comprises an internal combustion engine.

6. The vehicular propulsion system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle propulsion system further comprises an alternator coupled to the internal combustion engine and the low voltage battery.

7. An automotive propulsion system comprising:

an electrical energy storage device including a low voltage battery coupled to a high voltage battery;

a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter coupled to the high voltage battery and the low voltage battery;

an electric propulsion motor coupled to the electrical energy storage device;

a plurality of non-propulsion auxiliary load devices coupled to the electrical energy storage device; and

a controller coupled to the electrical energy storage device, the electric propulsion motor, and the plurality of non-propulsion auxiliary load devices, the controller being configured to;

monitor remaining electrical energy in the electrical energy storage device; and

limit energy provided to the plurality of auxiliary non-propulsive load devices from the electrical energy storage device based on the remaining electrical energy in the electrical energy storage device,

wherein the plurality of auxiliary non-propulsion load devices comprises a plurality of high voltage load devices and a plurality of low voltage load devices, and the plurality of low voltage load devices are coupled to the electrical energy storage device through the low voltage battery and the DC/DC converter.

8. A method for managing a vehicular propulsion system comprising:

monitoring remaining energy in an energy supply coupled to a propulsion actuator on-board a vehicle, the energy supply including a low voltage battery and a high voltage battery; and

automatically limiting energy provided to one or more of a plurality of on-board auxiliary non-propulsion load devices from the energy supply based on the remaining energy in the energy supply, the plurality of on-board auxiliary non-propulsion load devices including a plurality of low voltage load devices, the plurality of low voltage load devices coupled to the energy supply through the low voltage battery and a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the propulsion actuator comprises an electric motor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of non-propulsion auxiliary load devices comprise a heater, a compressor, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the automatically limiting the energy provided to the plurality of on-board auxiliary, non-propulsion load devices is further based on air temperature outside the vehicle, ambient light level, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the automatically limiting the energy provided to the plurality of on-board auxiliary, non-propulsion load devices occurs when the remaining energy in the energy supply decreases below a predetermined threshold.