Mobile energy management system

• US 7,305,291 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cummins Power Generation Limited (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cummins Power Generation Limited (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Plahn, Paul H., Lovegren, Keith L., Koenig, David J, Haupt, Brian G., Priem, Dan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/263,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 363/35, 363/41, 363/17, 363/55, 363/98, 363/56.02, 320/101, 436/134, 436/167, 322/19, 322/28, 322/36, 322/45, 361/84, 361/90, 361/91.3
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A recreational vehicle includes a chassis having a living space, an electrical system for providing electrical power to the living space, an air conditioner for cooling the living space, a heater for heating the living space, and a plurality of appliances within the living space attached to the electrical system. The recreational vehicle also includes an engine for moving the recreational vehicle, a motor generator for supplying power to the recreational vehicle, a connector for connecting the electrical system of the recreational vehicle to an external power source, and a local area network system electrically connected to the air conditioner, the heater, the plurality of appliances, and the motor generator. The local area network manages the power provided to the to the electrical appliances. A display positioned within the living space shows data related to the air conditioner, the heater, the plurality of appliances, the motor generator and the engine.

Claims

1. A control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle, the control system comprising:

a network coupled to two or more sources of energy, wherein one of the two or more sources of energy is a shore power energy source, the network having;

a first node associated with a first device of the plurality of devices;

a second node associated with a second device of the plurality of devices; and

a microprocessor for running a set of commands to control the first device and the second device such that the network controls electrical loading caused by the first device and the second device, and further such that the network controls which source of energy is supplying power to each of the electrical loads caused by the first device and the second device in response to the electrical loading, automatically sensed shore power energy source line voltages and automatically sensed phase angle differences between the shore power energy source line voltages.

2. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 1 further comprising memory accessible by the microprocessor for storing data associated with the first device and the second device.

3. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 2 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor is used for storing data associated with the vehicle.

4. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 3 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor is used for storing vehicle identification data or appliance information.

5. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 3 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor is used for storing service reminders associated with the vehicle.

6. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 3 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor is used for storing service reminders associated with at least one of the plurality of devices associated with the vehicle.

7. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 3 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor is used for storing trip information associated with the vehicle.

8. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 3 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor is used for storing a plurality of service sites and a plurality of service site locations.

9. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 8 further comprising a global positioning system, wherein the microprocessor determines the service site which is closest of the stored plurality of service sites.

10. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 2 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor is used for storing a fault message.

11. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 10 wherein the fault message is associated with the vehicle.

12. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 10 wherein the fault message is associated with at least one of the first device or the second device.

13. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 10 wherein the fault message is downloadable.

14. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 2 wherein the control system stores a load profile of at least one of the first and second devices.

15. The control system of claim 14 wherein the saved load profile is compared to a current load profile of the at least one of the first and second devices.

16. The control system of claim 14 wherein a fault signal is produced when the current load profile varies from the saved load profile by a desired amount.

17. The control system of claim 2 wherein the control system stores a current profile of the at least one of the first and second devices.

18. The control system of claim 17 wherein an overcurrent condition associated with the at least one of the first and second devices results in a diagnostic fault signal.

19. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 2 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor stores fault codes associated with at least one of the first device and the second device.

20. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 2 wherein the memory accessible by the microprocessor stores diagnostic data associated with at least one of the first device and the second device.

21. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second nodes is a load control node for controlling loads associated with the vehicle.

22. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 21 wherein the load control node can also monitor power demand.

23. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 22 wherein the load control node can monitor demand from the first device and the second device, the control system capable of acting through the control node of the control system to disable one of the first device or the second device when the power demand exceeds a level of available power.

24. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 22 wherein the load control node can monitor demand from the first device and the second device, the control system capable of acting through the control node of the control system to disable one of the first device or the second device when the power demand exceeds a level of available power for a predetermined amount of time.

25. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 22 wherein the control node can monitor demand from the first device and the second device, the control system capable of acting through the control node of the control system to enable one of the first device or the second device when the power demand is less than the level of available power.

26. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 22 wherein the load control node can monitor demand from the first device and the second device, the control system capable of acting through the control node of the control system to disable one of the first device or the second device in anticipation of a condition when the power demand exceeds a level of available power.

27. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 22 wherein the load control node can monitor demand from the first device and the second device, the control system capable of acting through the load control node of the control system to disable one of the first device or the second device based on a prioritization in anticipation of a condition when the power demand exceeds a level of available power.

28. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 21 further comprising:

a first source of power; and

a second source of power associated with the load control node, wherein the load control node monitors demand from the first device and the second device, the load control capable of enabling the second source of power in anticipation of a condition when the power demand exceeds a level of available power from the first source of power.

29. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 28 further comprising a third source of power associated with the load control node, wherein the load control node monitors demand from the first device, the second device, and the third device, the load control node capable of enabling at least one of the first source of power, the second source of power, or the third source of power in anticipation of a condition when the power demand exceeds a level of available power from one of the first source of power, the second source of power, or the third source of power.

30. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 29 wherein the second source of power is a motor generator and the third source of power is a motor generator.

31. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 28 wherein the second source of power includes an inverter.

32. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 31 wherein the second source of power is a battery, the microprocessor acting under a set of instructions capable of monitoring battery level and controlling the charging and discharging of the battery.

33. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 31 wherein the set of instructions for the microprocessor includes a schedule of times during which the motor generator can be enabled.

34. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 28 wherein the second source of power includes a battery.

35. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 28 wherein the second source of power includes a capacitor.

36. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 28 wherein the second source of power is a fuel cell.

37. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 28 wherein the second source of power is a motor generator.

38. The control system for a plurality of devices of claim 37 further including a carbon monoxide sensor, wherein the control system disables a motor generator in response to a carbon monoxide level detected by the carbon monoxide sensor in the vehicle being above a threshold value.

39. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

a master control unit; and

a display attached to the master node, the display capable of displaying information from the first and second devices.

40. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a tank level node adapted to monitor the level of at least one tank associated with the vehicle.

41. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

an engine node for receiving information from the engine of the vehicle.

42. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 41 wherein the information received from the engine includes fault codes associated with the engine.

43. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a transfer switch node for receiving information from the first and second devices of the vehicle.

44. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 43 wberein the information from the first and second devices includes voltages and currents associated with the first and second devices.

45. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 44 further comprising a battery, wherein the transfer switch node receives battery voltage information.

46. The control system for a plurality of devices in a vehicle of claim 44 further comprising a battery and an inverter, wherein the control system also includes an inverter interface node which is in electrical communication with the transfer switch node receives inverter information.

47. The control system for a plurality of devices of claim 1 wherein one of the first device and the second device include air conditioning equipment, the control system further including:

a temperature sensor; and

a modem, wherein the control system dials a predetermined number in response to a temperature in the vehicle being beyond a threshold value.

48. The control system for a plurality of devices of claim 1 further comprising a carbon monoxide detector for a plurality of devices, wherein one of the first device and the second device include heating equipment, the control system further including a modem, wherein the control system dials a predetermined number in response to a carbon monoxide level in the vehicle being beyond a threshold value.

49. The control system for a plurality of device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first device associated with the vehicle;

a second device associated with the vehicle;

a detector associated with at least one of the first device associated with the vehicle or the second device associated with the vehicle, wherein one of the first device associated with the vehicle and the second device associated with the vehicle include an apparatus for producing a signal based on a condition of the at least one of the first device associated with the vehicle or the second device associated with the vehicle; and

a modem, wherein the control system dials a predetermined number in response to a condition signal from at least one of the first device associated with the vehicle and the second device associated with the vehicle.

50. The control system of claim 49 wherein the predetermined number dials a pager with messaging capability, the control system producing a message associated with the condition signal when the control system dials the predetermined number.

51. The control system of claim 49 wherein the control system produces a message associated with the condition signal when the control system dials the predetermined number.

52. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is a water heater.

53. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is a motor genset.

54. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is a gas tank.

55. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is an air conditioner.

56. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is a water tank.

57. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is an inverter.

58. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is a fuel cell.

59. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is an engine for moving the vehicle.

60. The control system of claim 59 wherein the second device associated with the vehicle is a transmission associated with the engine for moving the vehicle.

61. The control system of claim 49 wherein the first device associated with the vehicle is a fuel tank.

62. The control system for a plurality of devices of claim 1 wherein one of the first device and the second device include heating equipment, the control system further including:

a temperature sensor; and

a modem, wherein the control system dials a predetermined number in response to a temperature in the vehicle being beyond a heating equipment threshold value.