Power management in an electrically-assisted vehicle

• US 9,409,622 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Gros, Jean-Philippe, Barla, Charlie, Joalland, Sylvain, Jobert, Timothee, Riche, Stephanie
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US14/126,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/13 on rider-propelled cycles with additional electric propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A method for energy management in an electrically assisted vehicle includes the steps of determining the quantity of total energy required for a journey and allocating a quantity of electrical energy to the journey and deducing the quantity of human energy required for the journey on the basic thereof, or allocating a quantity of human energy to the journey and deducing the quantity of electrical energy required for the journey on the basis thereof.

Claims

1. A method of power management in an electrically-assisted vehicle, the method being implemented by an on-board computer provided in the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring the quantity of electric power available in a battery of the vehicle;

for a plurality of different itineraries, wherein each of the plurality of different itineraries has a starting point and an arrival point, wherein the starting points of the plurality of different itineraries are the same, and wherein the distance between the starting point and the arrival point of each of the plurality of different itineraries is greater than a maximum range of the vehicle with the battery fully charged, dividing each of the itineraries into elementary sections;

for each of the elementary sections, determining the total amount of power necessary to travel the section, assigning an amount of human power to the section, and deducing therefrom the amount of electric power necessary to travel the section;

deducing, for each of the itineraries, the last elementary section of the itinerary that the vehicle can travel from the starting point before the battery of the vehicle reaches a critical discharge level; and

displaying, in a form of a cartographic representation, a plurality of points that the user is capable of reaching before the battery reaches the critical discharge level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said total amount of power necessary to travel a section is determined by taking into account prerecorded topographic data specific to said section.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of measuring the average power delivered by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of geolocation of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of measuring the total amount of power available in a battery of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said total amount of power necessary to travel a section is determined by taking into account prerecorded topographic data specific to said section.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of measuring the average power delivered by the user.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising a step of measuring the average power delivered by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of geolocation of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising a step of geolocation of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of geolocation of the vehicle.

6. A power management system in an electrically-assisted cycle, comprising an on-board computer capable of:

measuring the quantity of electric power available in a battery of the vehicle;

for a plurality of different itineraries, wherein each of the plurality of different itineraries has a starting point and an arrival point, wherein the starting points of the plurality of different itineraries are the same, and wherein the distance between the starting point and the arrival point of each of the plurality of different itineraries is greater than a maximum range of the vehicle with the battery fully charged, dividing each of the itineraries into elementary sections;

for each of the elementary sections, determining the total amount of power necessary to travel the section, assigning an amount of human power to the section, and deducing therefrom the amount of electric power necessary to travel the section;

deducing, for each of the itineraries, the last elementary section of the itinerary that the vehicle can travel from the starting point before the battery of the vehicle reaches a critical discharge level; and

displaying, in a form of a cartographic representation, a plurality of points that the user is capable of reaching before the battery reaches the critical discharge level.