Selective electric mode for electric vehicle

• US 9,440,644 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Porras, Angel Fernando, Bolger, Bryan Michael, Ochocinski, Christopher Adam, Supina, Joseph Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, Mcdieunel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US14/281,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20150336568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• 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: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

An example method includes operating an electric vehicle in an electric mode when a speed of the electric vehicle is at or below a threshold speed, and operating the electric vehicle in a hybrid mode when the speed of the electric vehicle is above the threshold speed. The threshold speed is an operator-adjustable threshold speed. Another example method includes operating an electric vehicle in an electric mode when a state of charge of a battery of the electric vehicle is at a threshold state of charge, and operating the electric vehicle in a hybrid mode when the state of charge of the battery is at or below the threshold state of charge.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

operating, by a controller, an electric vehicle in an electric mode when a speed of the electric vehicle is at or below a threshold speed;

operating, by the controller, the electric vehicle in a hybrid mode when the speed of the electric vehicle is above the threshold speed;

using a selector device to adjust the threshold speed, the adjustment of the threshold speed independent from an adjustment to an actual speed of the electric vehicle, and charging a battery of the electric vehicle to a charge level when operating the electric vehicle in a hybrid mode, the charge level calculated based on a desired reserve charge when the electric vehicle stops operating in the hybrid mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the selector device to adjust the threshold speed when the electric vehicle is moving.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold speed is one of a plurality of fixed choices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired reserve charge comprises an operator-adjustable desired reserve charge.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the operator-adjustable desired reserve charge can be adjusted by an operator using the selector device or another selector device when the electric vehicle is moving.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the operator-adjustable desired reserve charge comprises an operator-adjustable electric distance amount.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting an operator of the vehicle of a transition between the electric mode and the hybrid mode, and providing the operator with an option to bypass the transition.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the alerting comprises initiating an audible count down timer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the selector device comprises a human machine interface.

9. A method, comprising:

automatically operating, using a controller, an electric vehicle in an electric mode when a state of charge of a battery of the electric vehicle is above a threshold state of charge that is calculated based on a desired reserve charge when the electric vehicle stops operating in a hybrid mode;

automatically operating, using the controller, the electric vehicle in the hybrid mode when the state of charge of the battery is at or below the threshold state of charge; and

using an operator-adjustable selector device to adjust the threshold state of charge.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising charging the battery of the electric vehicle to the threshold state of charge when operating the electric vehicle in a hybrid mode.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the desired reserve charge is an operator-adjustable desired reserve charge.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the operator-adjustable desired reserve charge can be adjusted by an operator using the operator-adjustable selector device or another operator-adjustable selector device when the electric vehicle is moving.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the operatable-adjustable selector device comprises a human machine interface.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a powertrain controller configured to cause an electric vehicle to operate in an electric mode when a speed of the electric vehicle is at or below a threshold speed, and to operate in a hybrid mode when the speed of the electric vehicle is above the threshold speed, the powertrain controller further configured to cause a battery of the electric vehicle to be charged to a charge level when operating the electric vehicle in the hybrid mode, the charge level calculated based on a desired reserve charge within the battery when the electric vehicle stops operating in the hybrid mode; and

a threshold speed selector device that is actuated to adjust the threshold speed independently from the speed of the electric vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an operator-adjustable charge level selector device that is actuated to adjust the desired reserve charge.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the desired reserve charge comprises a range of desired reserve charges that can be each be individually selected by an operator using an operator-adjustable charge level selector device when the electric vehicle is moving.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the powertrain controller is further configured to provide an alert to an operator of the vehicle, the alert alerting the operator of a transition from electric mode to a hybrid mode, and providing the operator with an option to bypass the transition.