System and method for energy optimization in autonomous vehicle operation

• US 9,446,768 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Attard, Christopher, Crombez, Dale Scott, Ivan, Jerome Charles, Joyce, John P., McBride, James Robert, Williams, Wayne, Szuszman, Paul Joseph, Worrel, Peter, Yu, Hai, Shutko, John, Greenberg, Jeff Allen, Johri, Rajit, Kochhar, Devinder Singh, Tseng, Hongtei Eric, Rhode, Douglas Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, KYUNG J
• Application Number:
  US14/226,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20150274169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• 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 10/18 including control of braking systems
• 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 30/18009 related to particular drive situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18181 Propulsion control with common controlling member for different functions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Vehicle operating systems are autonomously operated. A transient in an upcoming path of the vehicle is determined from a comparison of vehicle path data and vehicle status data to a threshold of mechanism first operating system. Operational parameters for one of first and second operating systems are selected according to the comparison. The selected operational parameters are applied to the operation of the one of the first and second operating systems.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to:

compare vehicle path data and vehicle status data to a threshold of a regenerative first braking mechanism for a vehicle;

determine a deceleration requirement for the vehicle according to the comparison;

select one or more operational parameters for at least one of the regenerative first braking mechanism and a second braking mechanism according to the comparison; and

apply the selected operational parameters to operation of at least one of the regenerative first braking mechanism and second braking mechanism;

wherein the operational parameters vary according to at least one of a road surface condition and a weather condition; and

the threshold is based on engagement criteria of an anti-lock brake system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the deceleration requirement includes maximizing operation of the regenerative first braking mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the comparison of the vehicle path data and the vehicle status data includes calculating a demanded torque for a deceleration target, and the threshold of the regenerative first braking mechanism is based on a torque limit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the comparison of the vehicle path data and the vehicle status data includes calculating a regenerated power amount for a deceleration target, and the threshold of the regenerative first braking mechanism is based on a power storage capacity of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle path data includes at least one of location information, communication from another vehicle, a road condition, and destination information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second braking mechanism is a friction braking mechanism.

7. A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to:

compare vehicle path data and vehicle status data to a threshold of an electrical power component of an acceleration system for a vehicle;

determine an acceleration requirement for the vehicle according to the comparison;

select one or more operational parameters for at least one of the electrical power component and a combustion power component of the acceleration system according to the comparison; and

apply the selected operational parameters to operation of at least one of the electrical and combustion power components;

wherein the operational parameters vary according to at least one of a road surface condition and a weather condition.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the comparison of the vehicle path data and the vehicle status data includes calculating a demanded acceleration power amount for an acceleration target, and the threshold of the electrical power component of the acceleration system is a power limit.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the determination of the acceleration requirement includes maximizing operation of the electrical power component.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle path data includes at least one of location information, communication from another vehicle, a road condition, and destination information.

11. A method, comprising:

comparing vehicle path data and vehicle status data to a threshold of a regenerative first braking mechanism for a vehicle;

determining a deceleration requirement for the vehicle according to the comparison;

selecting one or more operational parameters for at least one of the regenerative first braking mechanism and a second braking mechanism according to the comparison; and

applying the selected operational parameters to operation of at least one of the regenerative first braking mechanism and second braking mechanism;

wherein the operational parameters vary according to at least one of a road surface condition and a weather condition; and

the threshold is based on engagement criteria of an anti-lock brake system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determination of the deceleration requirement includes maximizing operation of the regenerative first braking mechanism.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the comparison of the vehicle path data and the vehicle status data includes calculating a demanded torque for a deceleration target, and the threshold of the regenerative first braking mechanism is based on a torque limit.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the comparison of the vehicle path data and the vehicle status data includes calculating a regenerated power amount for a deceleration target, and the threshold of the regenerative first braking mechanism is based on a power storage capacity of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle path data includes at least one of location information, communication from another vehicle, a road condition, and destination information.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the second braking mechanism is a friction braking mechanism.