Systems and methods for preventing battery depletion in a vehicle

• US 8,924,043 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Maslyn, Andrew J., Salvador, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US13/549,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20140018975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/29, 701/33
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• 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: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/448 End of discharge regulating measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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 90/16 : 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

System and methods for preventing battery depletion in a vehicle are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a method for preventing depletion of a battery included in a vehicle may include receiving a measurement of the SOC of the battery from an SOC sensor. A determination may be made as to whether the SOC of the battery has reached a threshold indicating that the battery is nearing depletion. Based on the determination, a notification may be transmitted to a remote device associated with a user of the vehicle. In certain embodiments, the user may use the notification to decide whether to remotely start a system of the vehicle to recharge the battery.

Claims

1. A method for preventing depletion of a battery included in a vehicle comprising:

receiving a measurement of the state-of-charge (SOC) of the battery from an SOC sensor;

determining that the SOC of the battery has reached a first threshold;

based on the determination, transmitting a notification to a remote device associated with a user;

receiving an indication from the remote device to start an intermediate power storage system of the vehicle to recharge the battery;

determining whether the intermediate power storage system has an SOC of at least a second threshold; and

if the intermediate power storage system has an SOC of at least the second threshold, generating a command to charge the battery with electrical energy supplied by the intermediate power storage system, otherwise, generating a command to charge the intermediate power storage system with energy provided by a power system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification further comprises a query as to whether the user would like to start a system of the vehicle to recharge the battery.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication from the remote device to not start the intermediate power storage system of the vehicle to recharge the battery; and

in response to receiving the indication, generating a command to terminate non-essential energy demands in the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises generating a command to terminate charging of the battery based on a determination that an SOC of the battery has reached a third threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication from the remote device comprises an indication that the user would like to start a high voltage battery system of the vehicle to recharge the battery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication from the remote device comprises an indication that the user would like to start a capacitor system of the vehicle to recharge the battery.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises generating a command to terminate charging of the intermediate power storage system based on a determination that an SOC of the intermediate power storage system has exceeded a fourth threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the command to charge the intermediate power storage system comprises a command to charge the intermediate power storage system with energy provided by an internal combustion engine.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the command to charge the intermediate power storage system comprising a command to charge the intermediate power storage system with energy provided by a fuel cell system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the measurement of the SOC of the battery comprises receiving a measurement of the SOC of a low voltage battery and determining that the SOC of the battery has reached the first threshold comprises determining that the SOC of the low voltage battery has reached the first threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the measurement of the SOC of the battery comprises receiving a measurement of the SOC of a 12V automotive battery and determining that the SOC of the battery has reached the first threshold comprises determining that the SOC of the 12V automotive battery has reached the first threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification further comprises an indication of a fuel level of the internal combustion engine.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification further comprises an indication of an SOC of the intermediate power storage system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a low SOC notification comprising an indication that the SOC of the battery is low.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is transmitted using a telematics system included in the vehicle.

16. A telematics system for preventing depletion of a battery included in a vehicle comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a measured state-of-charge (SOC) of the battery;

processing logic communicatively coupled to the receiver configured to determine whether the received measured SOC of the battery has reached a first predetermined threshold;

a communications interface communicatively coupled with the processing logic configured to;

transmit a low SOC notification to a remote device associated with a user comprising an indication that the SOC of the battery is low, and

receive an indication from the remote device to start an intermediate power storage system of the vehicle to recharge the battery;

wherein the processing logic is further configured to;

determine whether the intermediate power storage system has an SOC of at least a second threshold; and

if the intermediate power storage system has an SOC of at least the second threshold, generate a command to charge the battery with electrical energy supplied by the intermediate power storage system, otherwise, generate a command to charge the intermediate power storage system with energy provided by a power system.