Method and system for providing charging cord reminder and fault override for plug-in electric vehicles

• US 9,061,598 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ochocinski, Christopher Adam, Skaff, Ryan J., DeDona, Matthew Roger, Ferrel, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US14/013,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20150066257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/214 by power from domestic supply, e.g. plug in supplies
• 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 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An operation includes disabling a vehicle from moving while connection status of the vehicle with external charging infrastructure is unknown. A message is generated to advise a user to check the connection status. The vehicle is enabled to move upon a user indication that the vehicle is disconnected from the charging infrastructure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

disabling a vehicle from moving while connection status of a plug of the vehicle with an external charging infrastructure is not determined;

generating a message to advise a user to check connection status of the vehicle with the external charging infrastructure; and

enabling the vehicle to move upon a user indication via a steering wheel control of the vehicle that the vehicle is disconnected from the charging infrastructure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the message is generated in response to receiving a user request to move the vehicle while the vehicle is disabled.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a message advising the user that the vehicle is considered to be connected with the charging infrastructure while the vehicle is disabled.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining disablement of the vehicle upon a user indication that the vehicle is connected with the charging infrastructure.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining disablement of the vehicle while a user indication regarding the connection status of the vehicle with the charging infrastructure is absent.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the message is generated via an instrument cluster of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting the connection status of the vehicle with the charging infrastructure.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

enabling the vehicle to move while the connection status as detected is known to that the vehicle is disconnected from the charging infrastructure; and

disabling the vehicle from moving while the connection status as detected is that the vehicle is connected with the charging infrastructure.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the connection status of the vehicle with the charging infrastructure is detected as a function of electrical properties between the vehicle and the charging infrastructure.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the electrical properties relate to pilot and proximity signals associated with the charging infrastructure.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the charging infrastructure includes a charge cord that is connectable to the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle and the charging infrastructure are connected when the charge cord is connected to the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle and the charging infrastructure are disconnected when the charge cord is disconnected from the vehicle.

12. A system comprising:

a detection system configured to detect whether a vehicle is connected to external charging infrastructure; and

a controller configured to disable the vehicle from moving while the detection system is unable to confirm that the vehicle is not connected with the external charging infrastructure, generate a message to advise a user to check the connection status between the vehicle and the charging infrastructure when the detection system is unable to confirm that the vehicle is not connected with the charging infrastructure, and enable the vehicle to move upon a user indication via a steering wheel control of the vehicle that the vehicle is disconnected from the charging infrastructure.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein:

the controller is further configured to maintain disablement of the vehicle upon a user indication that the vehicle is connected with the charging infrastructure and to maintain disablement of the vehicle while a user indication regarding the connection status of the vehicle with the charging infrastructure is absent.

14. The system claim 12 wherein:

the controller is further configured to enable the vehicle to move while the connection status as detected is known to be that the vehicle is disconnected from the charging infrastructure and to disable the vehicle from moving while the connection status as detected is known to be that the vehicle is connected with the charging infrastructure.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein:

the controller is further configured to detect the connection status of the vehicle with the charging infrastructure as a function of electrical properties between the vehicle and the charging infrastructure.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein:

the electrical properties relate to pilot and proximity signals associated with the charging infrastructure.

17. A method for a plug-in vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting, with a detection system, the connection status between the vehicle and a charge cord;

enabling the vehicle to move while the detection system detects that the cord is unplugged from the vehicle;

disabling the vehicle from moving while the detection system detects that the cord is plugged into the vehicle;

while the detection system is unable to confirm that the cord is unplugged from the vehicle, disabling the vehicle from moving, generating a message to advise a user to check the connection status, and enabling the vehicle to move upon a user indication via a steering wheel control of the vehicle that the cord is unplugged from the vehicle.