CONTROLLING STATE OF CHARGE OF A VEHICLE BATTERY

• US 20080150490A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Rios, Daniel Navarro, Spier, Bernd, Koziara, Christopher Richard, Wenzel, Kenneth Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/30 by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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

Abstract

A method of controlling a state of charge of a battery in a vehicle includes receiving a request to enter an enhanced charging mode. A target for the state of charge is increased from a normal operating target to at least one enhanced mode target. The state of charge may be controlled to the at least one enhanced mode target during a drive charging cycle and during a park charging cycle.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a state of charge of a vehicle battery, comprising the step of:

receiving a request to enter an enhanced charging mode including a drive charging cycle and a park charging cycle;

increasing a target for the state of charge from a normal operating target to at least one enhanced mode target.

controlling the state of charge to the at least one enhanced mode target during the drive charging cycle; and

controlling the state of charge to the at least one enhanced mode target during the park charging cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

prompting the driver to perform operations prerequisite to entering the park charging cycle; and

entering the park charging cycle if the operations have been performed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operations include one or more of the following:

placing a transmission in a park gear or a neutral gear;

depressing a brake pedal;

or

activating a park brake.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring for exit conditions to exit the drive charging cycle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the exit conditions include one or more of:

shifting a transmission out of a driving gear;

receiving an input to exit a driving gear;

or

detecting a location of the vehicle at a destination.

6. The method of claim 4, further including the step of determining whether the state of charge has met the at least one enhanced mode target if one or more of the exit conditions is detected.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of exiting the drive charging cycle and entering the park charging cycle if the state of charge has not met the at least one enhanced mode target after an exit condition is detected.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to enter the enhanced charging mode is received from a driver through an interface device in the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying a driver that the vehicle is entering the enhanced charging mode and requesting a confirmation from the driver to enter the enhanced charging mode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the normal operating target includes a state of charge ranging from a desired minimum to a desired maximum, and the at least one enhanced mode target includes a state of charge greater than the desired maximum for the normal operating target.

11. A method of controlling a state of charge of a vehicle battery according to an enhanced charging mode, comprising the step of:

receiving a request form an operator to enter the enhanced charging mode;

monitoring for one or more acceptable conditions for the enhanced charging mode; and

increasing a target for the state of charge from a normal operating target to an enhanced mode target if the acceptable conditions are satisfied.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the acceptable conditions include one or more of the following:

the state of charge of the battery is within an acceptable range; and

the accuracy of a state of charge is within an acceptable range.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of monitoring output from the vehicle battery and determining the state of charge of the battery from the monitored output.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of tracking the frequency of the vehicle entering the enhanced charging mode.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of determining whether the state of charge is equal to, or greater than, the enhanced mode target and entering a park charging cycle mode if the state of charge is not equal to, or greater than, the enhanced node target.

15. A method of controlling a state of charge of a vehicle battery according to an enhanced charging mode, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to enter an enhanced charging mode including a drive charging cycle;

controlling the state of charge to an enhanced mode target during the drive charging cycle;

monitoring for one or more escape conditions for the enhanced charging mode; and

exiting the enhanced charging mode if an escape condition is detected.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the escape conditions include or more of the following:

receiving an input from a driver to exit the enhanced charging mode;

detecting that a vehicle ignition is off;

or

determining that there are no constraints to prevent exiting the enhanced charging mode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the constraints to prevent exiting the enhanced charging mode include one or more of the following:

a battery temperature outside an acceptable range;

the state of charge of the battery outside an acceptable range;

the accuracy of the state of charge outside an acceptable range;

or

a system failure.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of determining whether acceptable conditions are satisfied, wherein the acceptable conditions include one or more of the following:

the state of charge of the battery is within an acceptable range;

or

the accuracy of the state of charge within an acceptable range.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of controlling the state of charge to the enhanced mode target during a park charging cycle.