SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXTENDING VEHICLE RANGE TO MAXIMIZE OPERATION DISTANCE

• US 20180312121A1
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Published: 11/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agility Fuel Systems, LLC, Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated, Agility Fuel Systems, Inc. (Hexagon Composites ASA)
• Inventors: Weber, Gregory A., Coupal-Sikes, Eric, Sloan, Todd F., Andreae, Morgan M., Rich, Jean-Patrick V.
• Granted Patent: US 11,208,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2400/00 Indexing codes relating to detected, measured or calculated conditions or factors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

Methods for extending a range of a vehicle are disclosed and include receiving a first data, the first data being indicative of a distance of the vehicle from a target destination, receiving a second data, the second data being indicative of a level of potential energy of an energy source for a power plant of the vehicle, receiving an operating parameter indicative of estimated future energy usage of the power plant, estimating, by a processor, an expected range of the vehicle based on the second data and the estimated future energy usage of the power plant, and adjusting a performance parameter of the power plant to extend an actual range of the vehicle when the estimated expected range is less than the distance of the vehicle from the target destination are disclosed. Systems for extending the range of the vehicle are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for extending a range of a vehicle comprising:

receiving a first data, the first data being indicative of a distance of the vehicle from a target destination;

receiving a second data, the second data being indicative of a level of potential energy of an energy source for a power plant of the vehicle;

receiving an operating parameter indicative of estimated future energy usage of the power plant,

estimating, by a processor, an expected range of the vehicle based on the second data and the estimated future energy usage of the power plant, and

adjusting, by a controller in electrical communication with the power plant, a performance parameter of the power plant to extend an actual range of the vehicle when the estimated expected range is less than the distance of the vehicle from the target destination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the level of potential energy is a level of a fuel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the level of potential energy is a state of charge of a battery.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the fuel is at least one of an alcohol, a diesel fuel, a gasoline, a natural gas, hydrogen, propane, or mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the natural gas is at least one of compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, or mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the power plant is an engine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the power plant is an electric motor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating parameter includes at least one of torque, instantaneous power, idle limits, speed, acceleration, change of acceleration, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the controller, by the processor, to adjust the performance parameter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the processor communicates wirelessly with the controller.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data includes at least one of a location of the vehicle, a location of the target destination, a velocity of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a route from between the position of the vehicle and the target destination, an elevation change along the route, a surface condition of the route, or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the estimated future energy usage of the power plant includes a third data, the third data including historical potential energy usage of the vehicle, historical potential energy usage of other vehicles, a weight of a payload, current traffic conditions, estimated future traffic conditions, current weather conditions, future weather conditions, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the target destination is a fueling station.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the target destination is a charging station.

15. A system for extending a range of a vehicle comprising:

a controller in electrical communication with a power plant of the vehicle;

an energy source that imparts potential energy into the power plant;

a processor that receives a first data and a second data,

the first data being indicative of a distance of the vehicle from a target destination, and

the second data being indicative of a level of a potential energy of the energy source from a sensor that gauges the potential energy available for the power plant of the vehicle, wherein

the processor estimates an expected range of the vehicle based on the second data and an operating condition of the vehicle, and

when an estimated expected range of the vehicle from the target destination is less than the distance of the vehicle from the target destination indicated by the first data, the processor instructs a controller to adjust a performance parameter of the power plant to extend an actual range of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor wirelessly instructs the controller.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the power plant is an engine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the engine converts at least one of alcohol, diesel fuel, gasoline, natural gas, or mixtures thereof into mechanical energy.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first data includes at least one of a location of the vehicle, a location of the target destination, a velocity of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a route from between the position of the vehicle and the target destination, an elevation change along the route, a surface condition of the route, or combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of a location of the vehicle, a location of the target destination, a velocity of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a route from between the position of the vehicle and the target destination, an elevation change along the route, a surface condition of the route, or combinations thereof are received wirelessly.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data is stored on a cloud.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the power plant is an electric motor and the energy source is a battery.