Power spike mitigation

• US 9,758,052 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wu, Bo, MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/540,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20160137089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/627 by WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/30 derived directly from separate directional systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• 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 processing device programmed to monitor a vehicle battery, predict a vehicle maneuver, and determine whether the vehicle battery has sufficient charge for a vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver. The processing device is further programmed to perform a preparatory action if the vehicle battery lacks sufficient charge for the vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a processing device programmed to monitor a vehicle battery, determine a vehicle location and orientation according to an antenna field pattern, predict a vehicle maneuver associated with the vehicle location, and determine whether the vehicle battery has sufficient charge for a vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver;

wherein the processing device is programmed to perform at least one preparatory action if the vehicle battery lacks sufficient charge for the vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver,

wherein the processing device is programmed to determine the vehicle location by comparing the antenna field pattern to a plurality of antenna profiles stored in a profile database, matching the antenna field pattern to at least two of the plurality of antenna profiles stored in the profile database, and selecting the vehicle location by prompting a vehicle occupant to select the vehicle location from a list of possible vehicle locations, wherein each possible vehicle location is associated with one of the plurality of antenna profiles that matched the antenna field pattern,

wherein the antenna field pattern is based on signals transmitted from multiple antennas and arriving at the vehicle location from different directions and wherein the processing device is programmed to determine the vehicle orientation according to the directions from which the signals are received.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to monitor signals over a communication bus and predict the vehicle maneuver based on the monitored signals.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on a location of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on a turn indicator signal.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on a steering wheel angle.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on the vehicle location determined as a result of prompting the vehicle occupant to select the vehicle location from the list of possible vehicle locations.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on signals received from an infrastructure device.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on a vehicle location relative to a reference point.

9. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on signals received from a remote server.

10. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the at least one preparatory action includes at least one of pre-charging the vehicle battery, generating an alert, performing a load shedding action, and rerouting the vehicle.

11. A vehicle system comprising:

a vehicle battery;

a processing device programmed to monitor a state of charge of the vehicle battery, determine a vehicle location and orientation according to an antenna field pattern, predict a vehicle maneuver associated with the vehicle location, and determine whether the battery state of charge is sufficient for a vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver;

wherein the processing device is programmed to perform at least one preparatory action if the battery state of charge is insufficient for the vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver, wherein the at least one preparatory action includes at least one of pre-charging the vehicle battery, generating an alert, performing a load shedding action, and rerouting the vehicle,

wherein the processing device is programmed to determine the vehicle location by comparing the antenna field pattern to a plurality of antenna profiles stored in a profile database, matching the antenna field pattern to at least two of the plurality of antenna profiles stored in the profile database, and selecting the vehicle location by prompting a vehicle occupant to select the vehicle location from a list of possible vehicle locations, wherein each possible vehicle location is associated with one of the plurality of antenna profiles that matched the antenna field pattern,

wherein the antenna field pattern is based on signals transmitted from multiple antennas and arriving at the vehicle location from different directions and wherein the processing device is programmed to determine the vehicle orientation according to the directions from which the signals are received.

12. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the processing device is programmed to monitor signals over a communication bus and predict the vehicle maneuver based on the monitored signals.

13. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the processing device is programmed to predict the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on at least one of a location of the vehicle, a turn indicator signal, a steering wheel angle, a profile of antenna signals, signals received from an infrastructure device, a vehicle location, and signals received from a remote server.

14. A method comprising:

monitoring a battery state of charge;

determining a vehicle location and orientation according to an antenna field profile by comparing the antenna field pattern to a plurality of antenna profiles stored in a profile database, matching the antenna field pattern to at least two of the plurality of antenna profiles stored in the profile database, and selecting the vehicle location by prompting a vehicle occupant to select the vehicle location from a list of possible vehicle locations, wherein each possible vehicle location is associated with one of the plurality of antenna profiles that matched the antenna field pattern, wherein the antenna field pattern is based on signals transmitted from multiple antennas and arriving at the vehicle location from different directions and wherein the vehicle orientation is determined according to the directions from which the signals are received;

predicting a vehicle maneuver associated with the vehicle location;

determining whether the vehicle state of charge is sufficient for a vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver; and

performing at least one preparatory action if the battery state of charge is insufficient for the vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein predicting the vehicle maneuver includes:

monitoring signals over a communication bus; and

predicting the vehicle maneuver based on the monitored signals.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein predicting the vehicle maneuver includes

predicting the vehicle maneuver based at least in part on the vehicle location determined as a result of prompting the vehicle occupant to select the vehicle location from the list of possible vehicle locations.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle maneuver is predicted based at least in part on at least one of a turn indicator signal, a steering wheel angle, a profile of antenna signals, signals received from an infrastructure device, and signals received from a remote server.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the at least one preparatory action includes pre-charging a vehicle battery.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the at least one preparatory action includes commanding a user interface device to output an alert.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the at least one preparatory action includes performing a load shedding action.