Method and system for more efficient operation of plug-in electric vehicles

• US 8,855,840 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fleming, Matthew Eugene, Francisco, Avernethy
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENE, DANIEL LAWSON
• Application Number:
  US12/699,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20110190968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• 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 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The automobile may have an energy conversion unit, an energy storage unit, a user selection unit, a global positioning system, and a control unit. The automobile can operate in a default charging mode, which is either the charge depletion mode or the charge sustaining mode. Upon user input, the energy conversation unit and/or the energy storage unit can operate in an extended charging mode or a forced charging mode. In the extended charging mode, the state of charge is increased or decreased over a predetermined charging range. In the forced charging mode, the state of charge is increased until a predetermined charge limit is reached. The system and method can also use global positioning system signals to operate in the charge depletion mode, the charge sustaining mode, the extended charging mode, and/or the forced charging mode.

Claims

1. A method for operating an automobile having an energy storage unit with a state of charge and an energy conversion unit generating a power amount, the method comprising:

configuring the automobile to operate in an extended charging mode that automatically increases the state of charge of the energy storage unit when it is more fuel efficient to increase the power amount generated by the energy conversion unit and automatically decreases the state of charge of the energy storage unit when it is more fuel efficient to decrease the power amount generated by the energy conversion unit such that the state of charge of the energy storage unit is maintained within a predetermined charging range.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the automobile is further configured to operate in the extended charging mode when a user selects the extended charging mode.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring the automobile to receive data from a global positioning system signal; and

configuring the automobile to operate in a default charging mode, or the extended charging mode based on the received data from the global positioning system signal, the default charging mode including;

a charge depletion mode that substantially decreases the state of charge of the energy storage unit, and

a charge sustaining mode that substantially maintains the state of charge of the energy storage unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the automobile is configured to operate in a forced charging mode when a user selects the forced charging mode, wherein the forced charging mode automatically increases the state of charge of the energy storage unit until the energy storage unit has a substantially full charge by using energy from the energy conversion unit, and thereafter maintains the energy storage unit at the substantially full charge by powering the automobile using energy from the energy conversion unit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring the automobile to receive data from a global positioning system signal; and

configuring the automobile to operate in a default charging mode, the extended charging mode, or a forced charging mode based on the data received from the global positioning system signal, the default charging mode including;

a charge depletion mode that substantially decreases the state of charge of the energy storage unit, and

a charge sustaining mode that substantially maintains the state of charge of the energy storage unit within a first predetermined charging range,

wherein the forced charging mode automatically increases the state of charge of the energy storage unit until the energy storage unit has a substantially full charge by using energy from the energy conversion unit, and thereafter maintains the energy storage unit at the substantially full charge by powering the automobile using energy from the energy conversion unit.

6. A method for operating an automobile having a control unit, an energy conversion unit generating a power amount and an energy storage unit with a state of charge, the method comprising:

configuring the automobile to operate in the following charging modes where the automobile is configured to operate in only one of the following charging modes at a given time;

a charge depletion mode that substantially decreases the state of charge of the energy storage unit by powering the automobile using energy from the energy storage unit;

a charge sustaining mode that substantially maintains the state of charge of the energy storage unit within a first predetermined charging range by powering the automobile using energy from the energy conversion unit;

an extended charging mode that automatically increases the state of charge of the energy storage unit when the control unit determines that it is more fuel efficient to increase the power amount generated by the energy conversion unit and automatically decreases the state of charge of the energy storage unit when the control unit determines that it is more fuel efficient to decrease the power amount generated by the energy conversion unit, such that the state of charge of the energy storage unit is maintained within a second predetermined charging range which is substantially greater than the first predetermined charging range; and

a forced charging mode that increases the state of charge of the energy storage unit until the energy storage unit has a substantially full charge by using energy from the energy conversion unit, and thereafter maintains the energy storage unit at the substantially full charge by powering the automobile using energy from the energy conversion unit.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the automobile is configured to operate in the forced charging mode when a user selects the forced charging mode.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the automobile is configured to operate in the extended charging mode when a user selects the extended charging mode.

9. An automobile comprising:

a first energy conversion unit generating a power amount;

a second energy conversion unit;

an energy storage unit coupled to the first energy conversion unit and the second energy conversion unit, the energy storage unit having a state of charge and supplying power to or receiving power from the first energy conversion unit, the second energy conversion unit or both the first and the second energy conversion units; and

a control unit electrically connected to the energy storage unit, the first energy conversion unit and the second energy conversion unit, the control unit operating the energy storage unit, the first energy conversion unit, the second energy conversion unit or combinations thereof in;

an extended charging mode that automatically increases the state of charge of the energy storage unit when the control unit determines that it is more fuel efficient to increase the power amount generated by the first energy conversion unit and decreases the state of charge of the energy storage unit when the control unit determines that it is more fuel efficient to decrease the power amount generated by the first energy conversion unit.

10. The automobile of claim 9 further comprising a user selection unit connected to the control unit and receiving a user input, wherein the control unit operates the energy storage unit and the energy conversion unit in a default charging mode, the extended charging mode or a forced charging mode based on the user input, the default charging mode including a charge depletion mode and a charge sustaining mode,

wherein in the charge depletion mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is substantially decreased, and in the charge sustaining mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is substantially maintained within a first predetermined charging range, and

wherein in the forced charging mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is automatically increased until the energy storage unit has a substantially full charge by using energy from the energy conversion unit, and thereafter the state of charge of the energy storage unit is maintained at the substantially full charge by powering the automobile using energy from the first energy conversion unit.

11. The automobile of claim 9 wherein the automobile is further configured to operate in a default charging mode that includes a charge depletion mode and a charge sustaining mode, wherein:

in the charge depletion mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is substantially decreased, and

in the charge sustaining mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is substantially maintained within a first predetermined charging range.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein in the extended charging mode, when the control unit determines that it is more fuel efficient to increase the power amount generated by the first energy conversion unit, the power amount generated by the first conversion unit is used to operate the automobile and store energy in the energy storage unit.

13. The automobile of claim 12 wherein the control unit is further configured to:

receive data from a global positioning system signal, and

operate the energy storage unit, first conversion unit, the second conversion unit or combinations thereof in a default charging mode, the extended charging mode or a forced charging mode based on the data received from the global positioning system signal, the default charging mode including a charge depletion mode and a charge sustaining mode,

wherein in the charge depletion mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is substantially decreased, and in the charge sustaining mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is substantially maintained within a first predetermined charging range, and

wherein in the forced charging mode, the state of charge of the energy storage unit is automatically increased until the energy storage unit has a substantially full charge by using energy from the energy conversion unit, and thereafter the state of charge of the energy storage unit is maintained at the substantially full charge by powering the automobile using energy from the first energy conversion unit.

14. The automobile of claim 13 wherein:

the data received from the global positioning system signal includes data related to a target location, a road condition, a location of a charging station, an automobile operational requirement for an area or combinations thereof, and

the control unit operates the energy storage unit, first conversion unit, the second conversion unit or combinations thereof in the default charging mode, the extended charging mode or the forced charging mode further based on the data received from the global positioning system signal.