Charge utilization control system and method

• US 9,440,638 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Booth, Lewis, Crombez, Dale Scott, Gabor, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US13/893,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20130253745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• 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 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/16 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 charge utilization control system for an electric vehicle includes a controller, an electric motor connected to the controller, a battery connected to the electric motor and an internal combustion engine connected to the controller. The controller is adapted to minimize electric charge stored in the battery as the electric vehicle approaches a charging destination for the battery.

Claims

1. A charge utilization control system for an electric vehicle, comprising:

a controller configured to execute programmed instructions stored in controller readable memory;

an electric motor connected to said controller;

a battery connected to said electric motor;

an internal combustion engine connected to said controller; and

wherein said controller is configured to minimize electric charge stored in said battery in response to operator input including said electric vehicle being within a predetermined distance of a charging destination for said battery, said electric charge minimization comprising apportioning a relatively greater proportion of torque provided by said electric motor to said electric vehicle compared to said internal combustion engine, said apportioning comprising said electric motor and said internal combustion engine respectively providing said torque at a selected level greater than zero to a respective front and rear axle, the controller configured to select the level of torque in response to approaching the charging destination to substantially deplete the electrical charge stored in said battery as said electric vehicle reaches the charging destination.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface connected to said controller, said user interface configured to provide at least one of direct or programmed control of said controller.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said user interface comprises a physical button, said physical button configured to initiate upon actuation said electric charge minimization.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said user interface comprises a virtual button, said virtual button configured to initiate upon actuation at least one of said electric charge minimization and learning said charging destination.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said user interface comprises a programmable control for said controller.

6. The system of claim 2 further comprising a touch screen connected to said controller and wherein said user interface comprises a virtual button provided on said touch screen, said virtual button configured to initiate upon actuation said electric charge minimization.

7. The system of claim 2 further comprising a positioning system connected to said controller and wherein said user interface comprises a programmable control connected to said positioning system or said controller, said positioning system configured to automatically recognize said location of said electric vehicle relative to said charging destination.

8. The system of claim 2 further comprising a positioning system connected to said controller and wherein said user interface comprises a programmable control connected to said positioning system or said controller, said positioning system configured to initiate said charge minimization upon said electric vehicle approaching said charging destination within the predetermined distance.

9. The system of claim 2 further comprising a charging destination learn button as part of a positioning system, said positioning system configured to automatically recognize a location of said electric vehicle relative to said charging destination, wherein said charging destination learn button is configured to upon actuation cause said positioning system to learn a location of said charging destination upon recharging of said vehicle at said charging destination.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller is connected to a positioning system, said positioning system configured to automatically recognize a location of said electric vehicle relative to said charging destination, said controller configured to automatically learn a location of said charging destination and to automatically recognize said electric vehicle approaching said charging destination wherein in response to said recognition, said electric charge minimization is automatically initiated.

11. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a chassis;

a first axle and a second axle carried by said chassis;

a first pair of wheels and a second pair of wheels carried by said first axle and said second axle, respectively;

at least one electric motor drivingly engaging at least one of said axles;

an internal combustion engine providing power indirectly or directly to at least one of said axles;

a battery connected to said at least one electric motor;

at least one controller connected to said internal combustion engine and said electric motor, said at least one controller configured to execute programmed instructions stored in controller readable memory; and

wherein said at least one controller is configured to minimize electric charge stored in said battery and at least reduce operation of said internal combustion engine in response to operator input including said electric vehicle being within a predetermined distance of a charging destination for said battery, said reducing operation comprising apportioning a relatively greater proportion of torque provided by said electric motor to said electric vehicle compared to said internal combustion engine, said apportioning comprising said electric motor and said internal combustion engine respectively providing said torque at a selected level greater than zero to a respective one of said first and second axles, the controller configured to select the level of torque in response to approaching the charging destination to substantially deplete the electrical charge stored in said battery as said electric vehicle reaches the charging destination.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11 further comprising a user interface connected to said controller.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 12 wherein said user interface comprises a physical button, said physical button configured to initiate upon actuation said electric charge minimization.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 12 wherein said user interface comprises a virtual button, said virtual button configured to initiate upon actuation at least one of said electric charge minimization and learning said charging destination.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 12 wherein said user interface comprises a programmable control for said controller.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a touch screen connected to said controller and wherein said user interface comprises a virtual button provided on said touch screen, said virtual button configured to initiate upon actuation at least one of said electric charge minimization and learning said charging destination.

17. A charge utilization control method for an electric vehicle, comprising:

charging a battery of said electric vehicle;

operating said electric vehicle;

approaching a charging destination;

operating an electric motor of said electric vehicle to minimize a battery charge remaining in said battery;

in response to operator input including said electric vehicle being within a predetermined distance of a charging destination for said battery, at least reducing operation of an internal combustion engine of said electric vehicle, said at least reducing operation comprising apportioning a relatively greater proportion of torque provided by said electric motor to said electric vehicle compared to said internal combustion engine, said apportioning comprising said electric motor and said internal combustion engine respectively providing said torque at a selected level greater than zero to a respective front and rear axle, the selected level of torque selected in response to approaching the charging destination to substantially deplete the electrical charge stored in said battery as said electric vehicle reaches the charging destination; and

arriving at said charging destination.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said operating an electric motor of said electric vehicle comprises connecting a controller to said electric motor, connecting a user interface to said controller and manually activating said user interface.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said manually activating said user interface comprises connecting a physical button to said controller and depressing said physical button, said physical button configured to initiate upon actuation said battery charge minimization.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said manually activating said user interface comprises connecting a touch screen having a virtual button to said controller and touching said virtual button, said virtual button configured to initiate upon actuation at least one of said battery charge minimization and learning said charging destination.