Route oriented paradigm for hybrid vehicles using route calculation and system utilizing same

• US 20110029168A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Howard Barry Talberg
• Original Assignee: Howard Barry Talberg
• Inventors: Talberg, Howard Barry
• Application Number:
  US11/825,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029168A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a hybrid drive system utilizing route information. The route information may be learned by the vehicle'"'"'s control system using an exemplary drive of the route or entered into the vehicle'"'"'s control system manually or in conjunction with mapping or other software. A method for optimizing cost efficiency using a route oriented paradigm for operation of a hybrid drive system.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the operation of a hybrid electric vehicle having an electric motor, a battery powering the electric motor, and an auxiliary power unit, comprising the steps of:

(a) entering vehicle route information into a control system; and

(b) minimizing the use of the auxiliary power unit and using the electric motor to power the vehicle based at least in part on the vehicle route information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the vehicle route is within travel range of the vehicle using solely the electric motor.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of utilizing solely the electric motor on a route determined to be within travel range of the vehicle using solely the electric motor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of entering vehicle route information into a control system comprises manually entering said vehicle route information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of entering vehicle route information into a control system comprises entering a starting point of the vehicle route and the end point of the vehicle route.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of determining more detailed route information from an electronic memory storage based on said starting point and said end point of the vehicle route.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of entering vehicle route information into a control system comprises recording the vehicle route while driving the vehicle along the route in a first instance.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining whether the vehicle route is within travel range of the vehicle using solely the electric motor includes utilizing the initial depth of discharge of the vehicle batteries in the determination.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining whether the vehicle route is within travel range of the vehicle using solely the electric motor includes calculating battery recharge during vehicle descent during the traveling of the route.

10. A hybrid drive vehicle system comprising:

an engine;

an electric motor;

a system controller, said system controller adapted to allow for the operation of said engine in conjunction with said electric motor in some circumstances; and

a route information module, said route information module adapted to provide route information to said system controller.

11. The hybrid drive vehicle system of claim 10 wherein said route information module comprises an interface for the input of route information by a user.

12. The hybrid drive vehicle system of claim 11 further comprising a mapping module, said mapping module adapted to provide route information based upon the input of a starting point and an end point of a route.

13. The hybrid drive system of claim 10 wherein said route information module comprises memory storage for the storage of previously entered route information.

14. The hybrid drive system of claim 11 wherein said interface is a touch screen interface.

15. The hybrid drive system of claim 10 wherein said route information includes distance information.

16. The hybrid drive system of claim 10 wherein said route information includes altitude information.

17. The hybrid drive system of clam 10 wherein said system controller determines the amount of engine use during a drive based at least in part on said route information.

18. A route information module adapted to store the information pertaining to a driving route, said module comprising:

a memory storage device;

a input device adapted to receive input pertaining to route, said input including a route starting point, a route ending point, and a driver indentification.

19. The route information module of claim 18 further comprising a mapping module, said mapping module adapted to provide route information based on said route starting point and said route ending point.

20. The route information module of claim 19 wherein said input further includes entering the route in segments, and further includes altitude gain or loss in one or more of said segments.