Method and assembly for directing power within an electrified vehicle

• US 9,403,528 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Banker, Adam Nathan, Doering, Jeffrey Allen, Kuang, Ming Lang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward J
• Application Number:
  US14/335,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/14 in conjunction with braking regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0688 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/086 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

An exemplary method directing power within an electrified vehicle includes generating electric power with an electric machine of an electrified vehicle. The method directs a first percentage of the electric power to a first use and a second percentage of the electric power to a second use. The method adjusts the first percentage and the second percentage in response to demand for an internal combustion engine of the electrified vehicle.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating electric power with an electric machine of an electrified vehicle;

directing a first percentage of the electric power to a first use and a second percentage of the electric power to a second use; and

adjusting the first percentage and the second percentage in response to a predicted demand for an internal combustion engine of the electrified vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first use is charging a battery of the electrified vehicle and the second use is generating thermal energy.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising heating a portion of the internal combustion engine with the thermal energy.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising heating a fluid of the internal combustion engine with the thermal energy.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising heating an area of the electrified vehicle with the thermal energy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predicted demand for the internal combustion engine comprises calculating whether the internal combustion engine will be operated during a drive cycle.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising using information from a navigation system when calculating whether the internal combustion engine will be operated during the drive cycle.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting the directing in response to a state of charge of the battery.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting the directing in response to a temperature of the battery.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the directing in response to an ambient temperature.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating is provided by regenerative braking.

12. An electrified vehicle assembly, comprising:

an electric machine to generate a first percentage of electric power that is directed to a first device and a second percentage of electric power that is directed to a second device; and

a controller to change the first percentage and the second percentage in response to a predicted demand for an internal combustion engine.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first device is a battery of an electrified vehicle charged by the electric power and the second device is a heating element powered by the electric power to provide thermal energy.

14. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising a portion of the internal combustion engine heated by thermal energy from the heating element.

15. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising a fluid of the internal combustion engine heated by thermal energy from the heating element.

16. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising an area of the electrified vehicle heated by thermal energy from the heating element.

17. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the predicted demand for the internal combustion engine is based at least in part on whether the internal combustion engine will be operated during a drive cycle.

18. The assembly of claim 17, including a navigation system that calculates whether the internal combustion engine will be operated during the drive cycle.

19. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the controller further selectively directs electric power from the electric machine to the first device, the second device, or the combination of the first device and the second device, in response to a state of charge of the battery.

20. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the controller further selectively directs electric power from the electric machine to the first device, the second device, or the combination of the first device and the second device, in response to a temperature of the battery, an ambient temperature, or both.