Vehicle and electric bicycle charge monitoring interface

• US 9,658,076 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Aich, Sudipto, Nelson, Zachary David, Seagraves, Jamel, Peplin, Christopher, Melcher, David
• Primary Examiner(s): MOTT, ADAM R
• Application Number:
  US14/506,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20160097650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/00 Electrical equipment arrangements specially adapted for use as accessories on cycles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a charging interface that is configured to connect to a bicycle battery and a processing device programmed to determine a state of charge of the bicycle battery. The processing device further estimates traveling ranges of a vehicle and a bicycle. The vehicle system further includes a navigation module programmed to generate a route to a selected destination based on the estimated traveling ranges of the vehicle and the bicycle.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a charging interface configured to connect a bicycle battery;

a processing device programmed to monitor the charging interface to determine a state of charge of the bicycle battery and a vehicle battery, and wherein the processing device is programmed to estimate traveling ranges of both a vehicle and a bicycle; and

a navigation module programmed to generate a route to a selected destination based on the estimated traveling ranges of both the vehicle and the bicycle.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the bicycle battery is selectively charged when connected to the charging interface.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the bicycle battery is charged by a vehicle battery or vehicle powertrain.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein generating the route to the selected destination includes generating a route from a current location to an intermediate location, and from the intermediate location to the selected destination.

5. The vehicle system of claim 4, wherein the route from the current location to the intermediate location is based on the state of charge of the vehicle battery.

6. The vehicle system of claim 4, wherein the route from the intermediate location to the selected destination is based on the state of charge of the bicycle battery.

7. The vehicle system of claim 4, wherein the navigation module is programmed to generate a route from the selected destination to the intermediate location.

8. The vehicle system of claim 7, wherein the route from the selected destination to the intermediate location is based at least in part on the state of charge of the bicycle battery.

9. The vehicle system of claim 4, wherein the navigation module is programmed to generate a route from the intermediate location to a charging location.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the route to the charging location is based at least in part on a state of charge of the vehicle battery.

11. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module programmed to wirelessly transmit the route to a mobile device.