Energy control mechanisms for an electric vehicle

• US 9,352,635 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: Clippard, Robert, Stafford, Tim, Schepmann, Seneca A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe
• Application Number:
  US14/675,200
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 165/202, 165/203, 165/205, 165/42, 320/132, 320/109, 320/135, 180/65.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00371 for vehicles carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00778 the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/04 using rollers or sliding shoes in contact with trolley wire B60L5/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• 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 90/14 : 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

A method of controlling an electric vehicle having an HVAC system configured to condition a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle, and one or more batteries configured to provide energy to the HVAC system, may include controlling an output of the HVAC system based on one or more of a charging state of the one or more batteries, a state of charge of the one or more batteries, and an ambient temperature outside of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle having an HVAC system configured to condition a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle, and one or more batteries configured to provide energy to the HVAC system, the method comprising:

receiving a user-selected temperature setpoint for the HVAC system;

determining if the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station;

if the electric vehicle is being charged, automatically modifying the temperature setpoint by increasing or decreasing the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system from the user-selected temperature setpoint; and

controlling an output of the HVAC system to achieve the modified temperature setpoint within a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving a temperature of the one or more batteries;

absorbing heat from the one or more batteries via a cooling system or transferring heat to the one or more batteries via a heating system; and

if the electric vehicle is being charged, increasing an output of the cooling system or the heating system if the temperature of the one or more batteries is outside of an ideal operating temperature range.

3. The method of claim 1, further including;

determining whether a door or a window of the electric vehicle is open; and

reducing an amount of power directed to the HVAC system if a door or window is determined to be open.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically modifying the temperature setpoint includes decreasing the temperature setpoint from the user-selected temperature setpoint when the HVAC system is cooling the passenger cabin, and increasing the temperature setpoint from the user-selected temperature setpoint when the HVAC system is heating the passenger cabin.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an amount of reduction or increase of the temperature setpoint from the user-selected temperature setpoint is based on the ambient temperature outside of the electric vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further including setting the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system back to the user-selected temperature setpoint after charging of the electric vehicle is complete.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a user-selected temperature setpoint includes selecting a temperature from a temperature setpoint window, wherein the temperatures presented in the temperature setpoint window are determined based on an ambient temperature outside of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, when the ambient temperature is between a minimum threshold temperature and a maximum threshold temperature, the temperature setpoint window presents temperatures in a range that is centered at the ambient temperature outside of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

when the ambient temperature is below the minimum threshold temperature, setting a lower end of the temperatures in the temperature selection window as the minimum threshold temperature; and

when the ambient temperature is above the maximum threshold temperature, setting an upper end of the temperatures in the temperature selection window as the maximum threshold temperature.

10. The method of claim 1, further including determining a state of charge of the one or more batteries, and reducing the power directed to the HVAC system when the state of is below a first threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electric vehicle further includes a propulsion system configured to propel the electric vehicle, wherein the method further includes reducing the power directed to the propulsion system when the state of charge of the one or more batteries is below a second threshold that is less than the first threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, further including disabling the cooling or heating capability of the HVAC system, and only allowing the HVAC system to recirculate air through the passenger cabin when the state of charge of the one or more batteries falls below a third threshold that is less than the second threshold.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle further includes an air regulator configured to adjust a ratio of fresh air to recirculated air that is directed to the passenger cabin, wherein the method further includes sending a signal to the air regulator to decrease the ratio of fresh air to recirculated air directed to the passenger cabin if a control unit determines that a door, window, or vent of the electric vehicle is open.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein sending a signal to the air regulator includes sending the signal if the control unit further determines that a difference between the ambient temperature outside of the vehicle and a temperature within the passenger cabin is greater than a fresh air temperature threshold.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the electric vehicle further includes a cooling system configured to absorb heat from the one or more batteries or a heating system configured to transfer heat to the one or more batteries, wherein the method further includes determining if the cooling system or the heating system is operating, and decreasing the ratio of fresh air to recirculated air directed to the passenger cabin if the cooling system or the heating system is operating.

16. A control system for an electric vehicle, comprising:

an HVAC system configured to condition air within a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle;

one or more batteries configured to provide energy to the HVAC system; and

a control unit configured to;

receive a user-selected temperature setpoint for the HVAC system;

determine if the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station;

if the electric vehicle is being charged, automatically modify the temperature setpoint by increasing or decreasing the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system from the user-selected setpoint, wherein an amount of the increase or decrease in temperature is based on an ambient temperature outside the vehicle;

if the electric vehicle is not being charged, set the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system to the user-selected setpoint; and

control an output of the HVAC system to achieve the modified temperature setpoint within a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle when the vehicle is being charged.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein the control unit is configured to allow a user to select a temperature for the user-selected temperature setpoint from a temperature setpoint window, wherein the temperatures presented in the temperature setpoint window are selected based on an ambient temperature outside of the vehicle.

18. A method of controlling an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle having an HVAC system configured to condition a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle, and one or more batteries configured to provide energy to the HVAC system, the method comprising:

selecting a temperature from a temperature setpoint window as a user-selected temperature setpoint, wherein the temperatures presented in the temperature setpoint window are selected based on an ambient temperature outside of the vehicle;

determining if the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station;

if the electric vehicle is being charged, automatically modifying the temperature setpoint by increasing or decreasing the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system from the user-selected temperature setpoint, wherein an amount of the increase or decrease in temperature is based on the ambient temperature;

if the electric vehicle is not being charged, setting the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system to the user-selected setpoint; and

controlling an output of the HVAC system to achieve the modified temperature setpoint within a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle when the vehicle is being charged.

19. The method of claim 18, further including;

determining whether a door or a window of the electric vehicle is open; and

reducing an amount of power directed to the HVAC system if a door or window is determined to be open.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the electric vehicle further includes a propulsion system configured to propel the electric vehicle, and the method further includes:

determining a state of charge of the one or more batteries;

reducing the power directed to the HVAC system when the state of charge falls below a first threshold value;

reducing the power directed to the propulsion system when the state of charge falls below a second threshold value that is less than the first threshold value; and

disabling a cooling or heating capability of the HVAC system when the state of charge is less than a third threshold value that is less than the second threshold value.