System and method for management of a fleet of vehicles having an energy storage system

• US 9,079,505 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwah LLC
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Tuckerman, David B., Weaver, Thomas Allan, Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hilgendorf, Dale W
• Application Number:
  US14/188,916
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/123, 701/29.1, 701/29.3, 701/29.6, 701/31.4, 701/34.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for management of an energy storage system for a vehicle is disclosed. The energy storage system may comprise a battery system for a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or hybrid-electric vehicle. Vehicles may be in a group or fleet. The management system may be configured to use data and information available from data sources over a network or by instrumentation/sensors for vehicle systems. Data and information could be used in a system to manage the configuration and operation of the energy storage system and components, manage/control inventory and use/life-cycle of components, and/or aggregated/analyzed in analytics function for systems and components. Predictive control of the battery system may be implemented through a management system using data sources external to the vehicle. Inventive concepts and features of the systems and methods are indicated in the specification and FIGURES.

Claims

1. A method for management of a fleet of vehicles having vehicle systems including an energy storage system with at least one modular component comprising the steps of:

(a) operating a program on a computing system for management of the fleet of vehicles using data available by connectivity to data sources;

(b) establishing connectivity to at least one data source providing data available to be used by the computing system;

wherein management of the fleet of vehicles comprises use of considerations and data by the computing system for predictive management of the fleet of vehicles at least for (a) selection of vehicles to be deployed, (b) configuration of vehicles to be deployed, (c) assignment of duties to vehicles and (d) predicted conditions for operation of vehicles;

wherein considerations for management of the fleet of vehicles comprise at least (a) predetermined objectives for management of the fleet of vehicles, (b) conditions of the duties of the fleet of vehicles and (c) configuration of the vehicle in the fleet;

wherein a vehicle in the fleet is configurable with modular energy storage components as directed by the computing system for the vehicle to be operated for performance of a duty;

wherein data for the computing system comprises at least data relating to (a) vehicles in the fleet (b) type of vehicles in the fleet, (c) configuration options for vehicles in the fleet and (d) duties to be performed by vehicles in the fleet;

wherein predictive management comprises use of data from at least one data source external to vehicles in the fleet to operate vehicles in accordance with conditions predicted to be encountered by the vehicles in operation;

so that the computing system uses considerations and data available by connectivity for management of the fleet of vehicles to configure a selected vehicle in the fleet based on predicted conditions of use of the selected vehicle and vehicles in the fleet are configured with modular energy storage components for performance of duties and assigned duties as directed by the computing system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing system is configured with an operating program to use considerations and data for management of the fleet of vehicles.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising a database connected to the computing system as at least one data source for the predictive management of the fleet of vehicles.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising connectivity by the computing system to at least one data source associated with at least one vehicle providing data available to be used by the computing system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the components are categorized by type.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the components are categorized by status.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each vehicle in the fleet is classified by type.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each vehicle in the fleet is classified by status.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the conditions of duty are classified by type.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the considerations are categorized by priority.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the considerations further comprise (d) assignment of operators available to be assigned to operate vehicles in the fleet.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the considerations further comprise (e) options for route planning for vehicles in the fleet.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the considerations further comprise (f) options for configuration of components for vehicle systems in vehicles.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the considerations further comprise (g) options for service of components and vehicles.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein conditions of duty comprise operating conditions based on data from data sources.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein conditions of duty comprise predicted operating conditions based on data from data sources.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the data further comprises (e) types of duties to be performed by vehicles in the fleet.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing system uses data available from data sources to monitor the performance of vehicles in the fleet.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein predetermined objectives are provided to the computing system from a user interface when the operating program is operated on the computing system.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein predetermined objectives for predictive management comprise consideration of at least one of (a) optimizing efficiency of operation of the fleet;

(b) reducing cost of operation;

(c) extending life-cycle of components;

(d) priority of duties to be performed.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein objectives for a recommended configuration of the energy storage system comprise at least one of energy efficiency;

total operating cost;

energy availability;

emissions; and

extending component life.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the energy storage system comprises at least one of a battery system, regenerative fuel cell, a capacitor, waste heat storage, mechanical energy storage, spring, flywheel and compressed gas.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the energy storage system comprises a battery system with at least two battery packs each comprising at least one battery module.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the energy storage system comprises a battery system with a first type of battery module and a second type of battery module.

25. A system for management of a fleet of vehicles having vehicle systems including an energy storage system with at least one modular component comprising:

a computing system configured for management of the fleet of vehicles using data available by connectivity to data sources;

connectivity to at least one data source for data available to be used by the computing system;

wherein management of the fleet of vehicles comprises use of considerations and data by the computing system for predictive management of the fleet of vehicles at least for (a) selection of vehicles to be deployed, (b) configuration of vehicles to be deployed, (c) assignment of duties to vehicles and (d) predicted conditions for operation of vehicles;

wherein considerations for management of the fleet of vehicles comprise at least (a) predetermined objectives for management of the fleet of vehicles, (b) conditions of the duties of the fleet of vehicles and (c) configuration of the vehicle in the fleet;

wherein a vehicle in the fleet is configurable with modular energy storage components as directed by the computing system for the vehicle to be operated for performance of a duty;

wherein data for the computing system comprises at least data relating to (a) vehicles in the fleet (b) type of vehicles in the fleet, (c) configuration options for vehicles in the fleet and (d) duties to be performed by vehicles in the fleet;

wherein the fleet of vehicles comprises a plurality of reconfigurable vehicles;

wherein the plurality of reconfigurable vehicles comprises a reconfigurable vehicle that can be configured in a first configuration for a first use and a second configuration for a second use;

wherein predictive management comprises use of data from at least one data source external to vehicles in the fleet to operate vehicles in accordance with conditions predicted to be encountered by the vehicles in operation;

so that the computing system uses considerations and data available by connectivity for management of the fleet of vehicles and reconfigurable vehicles in the fleet are configured selectively with modular energy storage components for performance of duties and assigned duties as directed by the computing system.

26. A system for management of a fleet of vehicles having vehicle systems including a battery system with at least one battery module to provide energy for vehicle systems comprising:

a computing system configured for management of the fleet of vehicles using data available by connectivity to data sources;

connectivity to at least one data source for data available to be used by the computing system;

wherein management of the fleet of vehicles comprises use of considerations and data by the computing system for predictive management of the fleet of vehicles at least for (a) selection of vehicles to be deployed, (b) configuration of vehicles to be deployed, (c) assignment of duties to vehicles and (d) predicted conditions for operation of vehicles;

wherein considerations for management of the fleet of vehicles comprise at least (a) predetermined objectives for management of the fleet of vehicles, (b) conditions of the duties of the fleet of vehicles and (c) configuration of the vehicle in the fleet;

wherein a vehicle in the fleet is configurable with battery modules as directed by the computing system for the vehicle to be operated for performance of a duty;

wherein data for the computing system comprises at least data relating to (a) vehicles in the fleet (b) type of vehicles in the fleet, (c) configuration options for vehicles in the fleet and (d) duties to be performed by vehicles in the fleet;

wherein predictive management comprises use of data from at least one data source external to vehicles in the fleet to operate vehicles in accordance with conditions predicted to be encountered by the vehicles in operation;

wherein the battery modules are categorized by type and status;

wherein the vehicles in the fleet are categorized by type and status;

so that the computing system uses considerations and data available by connectivity for management of the fleet of vehicles and vehicles in the fleet are configured selectively with battery modules for performance of duties and assigned duties according to type and status as directed by the computing system;

so that a selected vehicle in the fleet may be configured in a variety of configurations wherein each configuration is directed to an intended use of the selected vehicle for performance of assigned duties.

27. A method for management of a fleet of vehicles having vehicle systems including a battery system with at least one modular component comprising the steps of:

(a) operating an operating program on a computing system for management of a fleet of vehicles using data available by connectivity to data sources;

(b) establishing connectivity to at least one data source providing data available to be used by the computing system;

wherein management of the fleet of vehicles comprises use of considerations and data by the computing system for predictive management of the fleet of vehicles at least for (a) selection of vehicles to be deployed, (b) configuration of vehicles to be deployed, (c) assignment of duties to vehicles and (d) predicted conditions for operation of vehicles;

wherein considerations for management of the fleet of vehicles comprise at least (a) predetermined objectives for management of the fleet of vehicles, (b) conditions of the duties of the fleet of vehicles and (c) configuration of the vehicle in the fleet;

wherein the vehicle in the fleet is configurable with modular components as directed by the computing system for the vehicle to perform a duty;

wherein the at least one modular component comprises an interchangeable battery module;

wherein data for the computing system comprises at least data relating to (a) vehicles in the fleet (b) type of vehicles in the fleet, (c) configuration options for vehicles in the fleet and (d) duties to be performed by vehicles in the fleet;

wherein predictive management comprises use of data from at least one data source external to vehicles in the fleet to operate vehicles in accordance with conditions predicted to be encountered by the vehicles in operation;

so that the computing system uses considerations and data available by connectivity for management of the fleet of vehicles to configure a selected vehicle in the fleet based on predicted conditions of use of the selected vehicle and vehicles in the fleet are configured with modular components for performance of duties and assigned duties as directed by the computing system.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the computing system is configured with an operating program to use considerations and data for management of the fleet of vehicles.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the operating program comprises a routine using the predetermined considerations for management of the fleet of vehicles for the computing system.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the operating program comprises an algorithm.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising a database connected to the computing system as at least one data source for the predictive management of the fleet of vehicles.