SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING BATTERY CAPACITY IN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20120256594A1
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: BISBING, Joseph, GRENN, Daniel P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,283,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/242 for electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

In accordance with exemplary embodiments, battery capacity of an electric vehicle can be automatically determined. In an exemplary method, an instruction is received to determine a battery capacity value and one or more vehicle accessories are activated to discharge the battery to a first charge level. When the first charge level is reached, a generator in the vehicle is started and used to charge the battery to a second charge level, after which the battery capacity value can be determined and stored. In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, the vehicle comprises a controller adapted to cause a battery to be discharged and charged to determine a capacity value of the battery. A plurality of accessories are configured to activate and deactivate responsive to the controller to discharge the battery, while a generator is responsive to the controller to charge the battery so that the controller can determine the battery capacity value.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an instruction in a vehicle controller to determine a battery capacity value of a battery of a vehicle;

activating one or more vehicle accessories to discharge the battery to a first charge level;

starting a generator in the vehicle and charging the battery to a second charge level; and

storing the battery capacity value in a vehicle controller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a signal upon determining the battery capacity value.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message upon determining the battery capacity value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein starting the generator further comprises automatically starting a gas-powered engine.

5. The method of claim 4, which includes determining whether the vehicle contains sufficient fuel for the gas-powered engine to charge the battery to the second charge level.

6. The method of claim 5, which includes transmitting a message when the vehicle contains insufficient fuel for the gas-powered engine to charge the battery to the second charge level.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes determining whether a malfunction is present in the vehicle prior to starting the generator.

8. The method of claim 7, which includes transmitting a message a malfunction is present in the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, which includes deactivating the one or more vehicle accessories while charging the battery to the second charge level.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving an instruction in a controller of a vehicle to determine a battery capacity value of a vehicle battery;

automatically activating one or more vehicle accessories to discharge the vehicle battery to a low charge level;

automatically deactivating the one or more vehicle accessories when the vehicle battery is discharged to the low charge level;

automatically starting a generator in the vehicle and charging the vehicle battery to a high charge level; and

deactivating the generator and storing the battery capacity value in the controller of the vehicle when the battery is charged to the high charge level.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a signal upon determining the battery capacity value.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a message upon determining the battery capacity value.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein automatically starting the generator further comprises automatically starting a gas-powered engine.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes determining whether the vehicle contains sufficient fuel for the gas-powered engine to charge the battery to the second charge level.

15. The method of claim 14, which includes transmitting a message when the vehicle contains insufficient fuel for the gas-powered engine to charge the battery to the second charge level.

16. The method of claim 10, which includes determining whether a malfunction is present in the vehicle prior to starting the generator.

17. The method of claim 16, which includes transmitting a message a malfunction is present in the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 10, which includes deactivating the one or more vehicle accessories while charging the battery to the second charge level.

19. A vehicle, comprising:

a controller adapted to cause a battery to be discharged and charged to determine a capacity value of the battery;

a plurality of accessories coupled to the controller and configured to activate and deactivate responsive to the controller; and

a generator responsive to the controller to charge the battery;

wherein the controller determines the capacity value of the battery.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, which includes a transmitter for transmitting a message upon determination of the capacity value of the battery.