REGENERATIVE BRAKING AND CHARGE FLOW STATE INDICATION SYSTEM FOR A HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20100106353A1
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Watson, Angela L., Watson, David, Skaff, Ryan J., Greenberg, Jeffrey, Blommer, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/259,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• 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 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for using an information display to display information relating to a state of charge of the battery, a charge flow state of the battery, and a regenerative and friction braking system. The information display displaying the state of charge information that corresponds to the available energy capacity of the battery as a percentage of the total rated capacity of the battery. The information display displaying the charge flow state information that corresponds to a negative and positive charge flow state of the battery. The information display also displaying when the vehicle is operating the regenerative braking system or when the vehicle is operating the regenerative braking system and the friction braking system.

Claims

1. An information display system for a vehicle including an engine and an electric machine, each operable to provide torque to propel the vehicle, the vehicle further including an electric power source configured to provide electric power to the electric machine, the information display system comprising:

an information display configured to display a regenerative braking indicator; and

a controller being configured to receive regenerative braking information corresponding to a regenerative braking system, the controller further being configured to determine a regenerative braking state based upon the regenerative braking information, and the controller further being configured to transmit the regenerative braking state so that the information display displays the regenerative braking indicator that corresponds to the regenerative braking state.

2. The information display system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive friction braking information corresponding to a friction braking system, the controller further being configured to determine a regenerative and friction braking state based upon the regenerative braking information and the friction braking information.

3. The information display system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit the regenerative and friction braking state so that the information display displays the regenerative braking indicator that corresponds to the regenerative and friction braking state.

4. The information display system of claim 1, wherein the information display is further configured to display a charge flow state indicator, and the controller further being configured to receive charge flow information corresponding to a charge flow of the electric power source.

5. The information display system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a negative charge flow state based upon the charge flow information, wherein the negative charge flow state corresponds to a state in which energy discharged by the electric power source exceeds energy captured by the electric power source.

6. The information display system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit the negative charge flow state so that the information display displays the charge flow state indicator that corresponds to the negative charge flow state.

7. The information display system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a positive charge flow state based upon the charge flow information, wherein the positive charge flow state corresponds to a state in which energy captured by the electric power source exceeds energy discharged by the electric power source.

8. The information display system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit the positive charge flow state so that the information display displays the charge flow state indicator that corresponds to the positive charge flow state.

9. The information display system of claim 1, wherein the information display is further configured to display a state of charge indicator, and the controller further being configured to receive state of charge information corresponding to a state of charge of the electric power source.

10. The information display system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a state of charge based upon the state of charge information, and the controller further being configured to transmit the state of charge so that the information display displays the state of charge indicator that corresponds to the state of charge.

11. A method for displaying a information about a vehicle using an information display system, the vehicle including an engine and an electric machine, each operable to provide torque to propel the vehicle, the vehicle further including an electric power source configured to provide electric power to the electric machine, the method comprising:

receiving regenerative braking information corresponding to a regenerative braking system;

determining a regenerative braking state based upon the regenerative braking information;

transmitting the regenerative braking state to an information display;

displaying a regenerative braking indicator that corresponds to the regenerative braking state.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving friction braking information corresponding to a friction braking system, and determining a regenerative and friction braking state based upon the regenerative braking information related and the friction braking information.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting the friction and regenerative braking state to the information display, and displaying the regenerative braking indicator that corresponds to the regenerative and friction braking state.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving charge flow information corresponding to a charge flow of the electric power source.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a negative charge flow state based upon the charge flow information, wherein the negative charge flow state corresponds to a state in which energy discharged by the electric power source exceeds energy captured by the electric power source.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting the negative charge flow state to the information display, and displaying a charge flow state indicator that corresponds to the negative charge flow state.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a positive charge flow state based upon the charge flow information, wherein the positive charge flow state corresponds to a state in which energy captured by the electric power source exceeds energy discharged by the electric power source.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting the positive charge flow state to the information display, and displaying a charge flow state indicator that corresponds to the positive charge flow state.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving state of charge information corresponding to a state of charge of the electric power source;

determining the state of charge based upon the state of charge information;

transmitting the state of charge to the information display; and

displaying a state of charge indicator that corresponds to the state of charge.

20. An information display system for a vehicle including an engine and an electric machine, each operable to provide torque to propel the vehicle, the vehicle further including an electric power source configured to provide electric power to the electric machine, the information display system comprising:

an information display configured to display a regenerative braking indicator, a charge flow state indicator, and a state of charge indicator; and

a controller being configured to receive information related to a regenerative braking system and a friction braking system, the controller further being configured to determine a regenerative and friction braking state based upon the information related to the regenerative braking system and the friction braking system, and the controller further being configured to transmit the regenerative and friction braking state so that the information display displays the regenerative braking indicator that corresponds to the regenerative and friction braking state, the controller further being configured to receive charge flow information corresponding to a charge flow of the electric power source and display the charge flow indicator corresponding to a negative charge flow state or a positive charge flow state, the controller further being configured to receive state of charge information corresponding to a state of charge of the electric power source and display the state of charge indicator based upon the state of charge information.