Systems and methods for improving energy efficiency of a vehicle based on route prediction

• US 9,702,718 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Payne, Joshua D., Dufford, Mohammad E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jelani
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, MAJDI A
• Application Number:
  US14/708,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20160325637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/645 Type of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 : Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 : with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 : Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 : for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 : Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle includes one or more processors, a memory, an engine, a battery, and a motor. The motor is configured to utilize electrical energy stored in the battery for powering a movement of the wheels or an operation of the hybrid vehicle. A memory stores route data and corresponding vehicle operation data. The one or more processors predict, based on the route data, that the hybrid vehicle will travel on a second route after travelling on a first route. The one or more processors predict, based on the vehicle operation data, that the state of charge (SOC) of the battery will reach or exceed a threshold value during the second route. The one or more processors set a target SOC for the battery. The one or more processors discharge the electrical energy stored in the battery during the first route based on the target SOC value.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

wheels;

an engine for providing a first amount of power for at least one of a movement of the wheels or an operation of the hybrid vehicle;

a battery having a state of charge and storing electrical energy;

a motor configured to utilize the electrical energy from the battery and for providing a second amount of power for at least one of the movement of the wheels or the operation of the hybrid vehicle;

a memory for storing route data, a charging limitation event that indicates when the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to a maximum threshold value where the battery is unable to accept an additional charge for capture, and a duration and a distance where the state of charge is at or above the maximum threshold value and the additional charge is available; and

an electronic control unit coupled to at least the engine, the motor, and the memory, the electronic control unit configured to;

predict that the hybrid vehicle will travel on a second route after travelling on a first route based on the route data,

predict that the state of charge of the battery will be greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value during the second route based on the charging limitation event,

determine a target value for the state of charge of the battery for the first route that is less than the maximum threshold value based on the stored duration and the stored distance where the state of charge was at or above the maximum threshold value and the additional charge was available, and

discharge the electrical energy stored in the battery during at least a portion of the first route to decrease the state of charge of the battery to the target value or less by powering the movement of the wheels using the motor to allow the battery to capture the additional charge when the hybrid vehicle travels the second route.

2. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second route was previously travelled after the first route was travelled, and the second route is driven after a time period during which the hybrid vehicle is in an off state.

3. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the route data includes location data corresponding to at least a start location of the first route, an end location of the first route, a start location of the second route, and an end location of the second route, and

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to predict that the hybrid vehicle will travel on the second route after travelling on the first route based on the location data.

4. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to discharge the electrical energy when the electronic control unit determines that the hybrid vehicle is travelling on the first route and is within a discharge distance before a start location of the second route to allow the battery to reach the target value before the hybrid vehicle reaches the start location of the second route.

5. The hybrid vehicle of claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine the discharge distance based on at least one of:

a distance between the start location of the second route and a location at which the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value,

a time period between a start time of the second route and a time at which the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value,

a time period or distance during which the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value, or

a time period or distance during which the hybrid vehicle travels on a substantially flat or uphill surface before reaching the location at which the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value.

6. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to predict that the hybrid vehicle will travel on the second route after travelling on the first route further based on a number of times the hybrid vehicle has travelled on the second route after the first route as compared with a number of times the hybrid vehicle has travelled on another route after the first route.

7. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:

determine that the hybrid vehicle is traveling on the first route,

determine that the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value, and

store the charging limitation event corresponding to the first route in the memory, and

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to discharge the electrical energy stored in the battery further based on the charging limitation event.

8. The hybrid vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a regenerative braking unit configured to store the electrical energy in the battery when the hybrid vehicle decelerates in response to braking,

wherein the charging limitation event occurs when the battery is unable to store the electrical energy generated by the regenerative braking unit and the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value.

9. The hybrid vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a battery temperature,

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to store the charging limitation event in the memory when the electronic control unit determines that inability of the battery to store the electrical energy is due to the state of charge of the battery being greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value and not due to overheating of the battery based on the state of charge of the battery and the battery temperature.

10. The hybrid vehicle of claim 7, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to discharge the electrical energy stored in the battery to prevent the charging limitation event when the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value within a threshold distance from a start location of the second route.

11. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the first route and the second route begins when the hybrid vehicle is started and set to an on state and ends when the hybrid vehicle is shut off and set to an off state, and

wherein each of the first route and the second route include a plurality of route segments, the plurality of route segments determined based on at least turning of a steering wheel of the hybrid vehicle.

12. A system for optimizing energy efficiency of a hybrid vehicle, the system comprising:

an engine for providing a first amount of power for at least one of a movement of the hybrid vehicle or an operation of a device of the hybrid vehicle;

a battery having a state of charge and storing electrical energy;

a motor configured to utilize the electrical energy from the battery and for providing a second amount of power for the at least one of the movement of the hybrid vehicle or the operation of the device of the hybrid vehicle;

a memory for storing route data, a charging limitation event that indicates when the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to a maximum threshold value where the battery is unable to accept an additional charge for capture, and a duration and a distance where the state of charge is at or above the maximum threshold value and the additional charge is available; and

a navigation unit having a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to;

predict that the hybrid vehicle will travel on a second route after travelling on a first route based on the route data, and

predict that the state of charge of the battery will be greater than or equal to a maximum threshold value during the second route based on the charging limitation event; and

an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the navigation unit and configured to;

determine a target value for the state of charge of the battery for the first route that is less than the maximum threshold value based on the stored duration and the stored distance where the state of charge was at or above the maximum threshold value and the additional charge was available, and

discharge the electrical energy stored in the battery during at least a portion of the first route to decrease the state of charge of the battery to the target value or less by powering the movement of the hybrid vehicle using the motor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to discharge the electrical energy stored in the battery when the processor of the navigation unit predicts that the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to the maximum threshold value during the second route, and that the hybrid vehicle is travelling on the first route within a distance of a start location of the second route.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to discharge the electrical energy when the hybrid vehicle is travelling on the first route and is within a discharge distance before a start location of the second route to allow the battery to reach the target value before the hybrid vehicle reaches the start location of the second route.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the route data includes location data corresponding to at least a start location of the first route, an end location of the first route, a start location of the second route, and an end location of the second route, and the processor of the navigation unit is configured to predict that the hybrid vehicle will travel on the second route after travelling on the first route based on the location data.

16. A method of enhancing energy efficiency of a hybrid vehicle having wheels, an engine, a battery with a state of charge, a motor, a memory, and at least one processor, the method comprising:

storing, in the memory, first location data and first time data for a first route;

storing, in the memory, second location data and second time data for a second route;

storing, in the memory, a link or relationship between the first route and the second route;

determining, using the at least one processor, a battery charging limitation event on the second route, the battery charging limitation event indicating that the state of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to a maximum threshold value that indicates when the battery is unable to accept additional charge;

storing, in the memory, the battery charging limitation event;

storing, in the memory, a duration and a distance where the state of charge is at or above the maximum threshold value and the additional charge is available;

predicting that the hybrid vehicle will travel on the second route after traveling on the first route, based on the link or relationship between the first route and the second route;

predicting that the battery charging limitation event will occur during the second route;

determining a target value for the state of charge of the battery for the first route that is less than the maximum threshold value based on the battery charging limitation event and the stored duration and the stored distance where the state of charge is at or above the maximum threshold value and the additional charge is available during the second route; and

discharging the electrical energy stored in the battery during at least a portion of the first route based on the target value for the state of charge to increase an amount of the electrical energy stored in the battery that is consumed.

17. The hybrid vehicle of claim 16, further comprising:

determining that the hybrid vehicle is traveling on the first route and is within a discharge distance before arriving at a start location of the second route,

wherein discharging the electrical energy stored in the battery during at least a portion of the first route is performed when the second route is predicted to be travelled after the first route and the hybrid vehicle is travelling on the first route and within the discharge distance before arriving at the start location of the second route.

18. The hybrid vehicle of claim 16, wherein the link or relationship between the first route and the second route is based on a number of times the hybrid vehicle has travelled on the second route after the first route as compared with a number of times the hybrid vehicle has travelled on another route after the first route.

19. The hybrid vehicle of claim 16, further comprising detecting, using a sensor, a temperature of the battery, wherein storing, in the memory, the battery charging limitation event is based on the temperature of the battery and the state of charge of the battery.