System and method for minimizing energy consumption in hybrid vehicles
First Claim
1. A system for optimizing energy consumption comprising:
- a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle having a battery-powered electric motor and a consumable fuel powered means, a battery powering said electric motor being rechargeable both from an external electric power source and from said consumable fuel powered means, anda computer receiving data and instructions as inputs and providing outputs,said data inputs describing an itinerary of said vehicle, operational data, available battery charge, availability and cost of energy from external electric power sources, availability and cost of consumable fuel for consumable fuel powered means,said instruction inputs enabling said computer to determine an optimal mix of energy from external electric power sources and energy from consumable fuel in said hybrid vehicle for a given itinerary, andsaid outputs describing said optimal mix of energy in said hybrid vehicle for displays.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method relating to the operation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles powered both by electricity from rechargeable batteries and by consumable fuel powered means, such as an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell. More particularly, the system and method of the claimed invention enable optimization of the energy cost associated with the operation of such plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, especially when the cost of recharging batteries from external electric power sources may be less than the cost of recharging batteries from the onboard consumable fuel powered means. To this end, the invention enables maximization of the use of electricity from external electric power sources and minimization of the use of electricity produced by the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle'"'"'s onboard consumable fuel powered means, when the cost of recharging batteries from external electric power sources is less than the cost of recharging batteries from the onboard consumable fuel powered means.
402 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system for optimizing energy consumption comprising:
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a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle having a battery-powered electric motor and a consumable fuel powered means, a battery powering said electric motor being rechargeable both from an external electric power source and from said consumable fuel powered means, and a computer receiving data and instructions as inputs and providing outputs, said data inputs describing an itinerary of said vehicle, operational data, available battery charge, availability and cost of energy from external electric power sources, availability and cost of consumable fuel for consumable fuel powered means, said instruction inputs enabling said computer to determine an optimal mix of energy from external electric power sources and energy from consumable fuel in said hybrid vehicle for a given itinerary, and said outputs describing said optimal mix of energy in said hybrid vehicle for displays. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for optimizing energy consumption in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle having a battery-powered electric motor and a consumable fuel powered means, comprising the steps of:
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recharging the battery powering said electric motor either from an external electric power source or from said consumable fuel powered means; and receiving by a computer data and instructions as inputs and providing outputs by said computer, said data inputs describing the itinerary of said vehicle, operational data, available battery charge, availability and cost of energy from external electric power sources, availability and cost of consumable fuel for consumable fuel powered means, said instruction inputs enabling said computer to determine an optimal mix of energy from external electric power sources and energy from consumable fuel in said hybrid vehicle for a given itinerary, and said outputs describing said optimal mix of energy in said hybrid vehicle for displays. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification