Charging notification and inquiry of an electric vehicle

• US 9,333,872 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Douge, Briere J, Maya, Alejandro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/333,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 340/455, 340/439, 340/632.2, 340/636.1, 701/22, 701/29.1, 701/33, 320/104, 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/169 Remaining operating distance or charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• 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 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A text message, phone call or e-mail is sent to an owner/operator of an all-electric vehicle, stating when the vehicle should be plugged in (charging started) in order to provide enough charge to the vehicle in order to reach an expected destination.

Claims

1. A method of providing notification of when to charge an electric vehicle battery, the method comprising:

determining a charge time for a number of miles the electric vehicle travels per unit of battery charging time;

determining a next travel start time;

determining an existing charge level travel distance;

determining a next travel distance; and

transmitting an alert to start charging the electric vehicle at a first calculated time of day, the alert being transmitted at a second calculated time of day, which is determined by a difference between the next travel start time and, a quotient of the next travel distance minus the existing charge level distance, and the charge time for a number of miles the electric vehicle travels per unit of battery charging time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a charge time for a number of miles the electric vehicle travels per unit of battery charging time additionally comprises determining a voltage that was last used to charge the electric vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a charge time for a number of miles the electric vehicle travels per unit of battery charging time additionally comprises determining a voltage with which the electric vehicle is charged.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a next travel start time comprises determining an average time of day, when the electric vehicle is first used after being recharged.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an existing charge level travel distance comprises determining a distance the electric vehicle travels on an existing charge level by averaging a plurality of distances the electric vehicle was previously driven on a substantially same existing charge level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a next travel distance comprises determining an average distance the electric vehicle is when the electric vehicle is first used each day.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting an alert comprises sending a text message to a cellular telephone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a time of day when charging the electric vehicle battery should begin is performed by a processor located in the electric vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a time of day when charging the electric vehicle battery should begin is performed by a processor coupled to the electric vehicle by a wireless network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to a server, the charge time for a number of miles the electric vehicle travels per unit of battery charging time;

transmitting to the sever, a next travel start time;

transmitting to a server an existing charge level travel distance;

transmitting to a server, a next travel distance; and

receiving from the server, a time of day that indicates when to start charging the electric vehicle battery.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a time of day when the electric vehicle charging is started over a plurality of days;

determining a distance that the electric vehicle travels on an existing charge over a plurality of days; and

determining a voltage used to charge the electric vehicle.

12. A charging system for providing notification of when to charge a battery for an electric vehicle, the charging system comprising:

a battery charger coupled to a motor controller and a battery, the battery charger configured to be coupled to a power source and to charge an electric vehicle battery;

a telematics controller coupled to the battery charger and motor controller, the telematics controller being configured to track electric vehicle usage, battery state and transmit a state of charge message to a remotely-located server, the telematics controller being additionally configured to;

determine a next travel start time when the electric vehicle will next be driven;

determine an existing charge level travel distance;

determine a next travel distance;

transmit an alert message to a server, the alert message notifying an electric vehicle operator to start charging the vehicle at a first calculated time of day, the alert being transmitted at a second calculated time of day determined by a difference between the next travel start time and, a quotient of the next travel distance minus the existing charge level distance, and the charge time for a number of miles the vehicle travels per unit of battery charging time.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the telematics controller is configured to calculate the first time of day and the second time of day.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to the telematics controller, the wireless transceiver configured to transmit information to a server.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is configured to calculate the first time of day and the second time of day.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to the telematics controller, the wireless transceiver configured to provide a wireless data link between the telematics controller and a wireless communications device for a driver of the vehicle.