Energy consumption output device and method for outputting a still remaining usability

• US 8,531,161 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Glauning, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US13/122,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20110221396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 320/136
• US Class Current: 320/136
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery

Abstract

An energy consumption output device for outputting the still remaining usability of an electrical consumer which may be connected to an energy storage. The energy consumption output device has the following features: a unit for providing a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage; a power consumption ascertainment unit which is configured to ascertain a power consumption rate in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer; and an output unit which is configured to determine information concerning the maximum usability for a user of the energy consumption output device with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, using the provided residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate, and to output this information.

Claims

1. An energy consumption output device for outputting the still remaining usability of an electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, comprising:

a unit for providing a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

a power consumption ascertainment unit, which is configured to ascertain a power consumption rate in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer; and

an output unit, which is configured to determine, with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, information concerning the maximum usability, using the provided residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate, and to output this information;

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to ascertain, for each operating mode of a plurality of operating modes, the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer, a different power being withdrawn from the electrical energy storage in the individual operating modes.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit also has a switching unit, which is configured to switch the electrical consumer between various operating modes.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the unit is configured for determining a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage to determine the residual capacity of the electrical energy storage by at least one of (i) analyzing a voltage at the electrical energy storage, and (ii) analyzing a current from the electrical energy storage, by analyzing a linear relationship between the current and the voltage.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the power consumption rate corresponds to a power consumption of the electrical consumer during an operating cycle, during a time interval, or for a specified distance segment.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the information concerning the maximum usability corresponds to the maximum operating cycles still to be carried out using the energy storage, a maximum operating period, or a maximum range.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the desired residual usability corresponds to an operating period, a desired number of operating cycles, or a desired range of the electrical consumer.

2. A power specification device for setting a residual usability of an electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, comprising:

a unit for providing a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

a power consumption ascertainment unit, which is configured to ascertain a power consumption rate in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer;

a receiver unit, which is configured to receive information concerning a desired residual usability; and

a control unit to operate the electrical consumer, using the received information concerning the desired residual usability and power consumption rate of the electrical consumer, so that the electrical consumer is operable with the desired residual usability by the electrical consumers

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

9. An electrical device, comprising:

an electrical consumer;

an electrical energy storage for providing a maximum electrical supply energy for the electrical consumer, and the electrical consumer linked to the device and to the electrical energy storage;

an energy consumption output device for outputting the still remaining usability of the electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, including;

a unit for providing a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

a power consumption ascertainment unit, which is configured to ascertain a power consumption rate in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer; and

an output unit, which is configured to determine, with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, information concerning the maximum usability, using the provided residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate, and to output this information, which is connected to the electrical energy storage;

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

10. A method for outputting the still remaining usability of an electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, the method comprising:

determining a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

ascertaining the power consumption rate for the power consumption in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer by a power consumption ascertainment unit; and

outputting information concerning the maximum usability with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, the information to be output being determined using the determined residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate;

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein one of a desired operating period, a desired number of operating cycles, and a desired range of the electrical consumer is predefined as information concerning the maximum usability, the electrical consumer being operated using the received information concerning the operating period, the number of operating cycles, the range and the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer, so that the consumer may be operated one of for the indicated operating period, for the indicated number of operating cycles, and for the indicated range.

12. A method for setting a residual usability of an electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, the method comprising:

determining a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

ascertaining a power consumption in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer to ascertain a power consumption rate by a power consumption ascertainment unit;

receiving information concerning a desired residual usability; and

operating the electrical consumer, using the received information concerning the desired residual usability and the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer, so that the consumer may be operated with at least the desired residual usability;

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

13. A computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for outputting the still remaining usability of an electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, by performing the following;

determining a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

ascertaining the power consumption rate for the power consumption in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer by a power consumption ascertainment unit; and

outputting information concerning the maximum usability with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, the information to be output being determined using the determined residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate;

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

14. An electric power tool, comprising:

an electrical device, including;

an electrical consumer;

an electrical energy storage for providing a maximum electrical supply energy for the electrical consumer, and the electrical consumer linked to the device and to the electrical energy storage;

an energy consumption output device for outputting the still remaining usability of the electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, including;

a unit for providing a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

a power consumption ascertainment unit, which is configured to ascertain a power consumption rate in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer; and

an output unit, which is configured to determine, with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, information concerning the maximum usability, using the provided residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate, and to output this information, which is connected to the electrical energy storage; and

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

15. An electric vehicle, comprising:

an electrical device, including;

an electrical consumer;

an electrical energy storage for providing a maximum electrical supply energy for electrical consumer, and the electrical consumer linked to the device and to the electrical energy storage;

an energy consumption output device for outputting the still remaining usability of the electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, including;

a unit for providing a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

a power consumption ascertainment unit, which is configured to ascertain a power consumption rate in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer; and

an output unit, which is configured to determine, with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, information concerning the maximum usability, using the provided residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate, and to output this information, which is connected to the electrical energy storage; and

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.

16. A battery-operated lighting device, comprising:

an electrical device, including;

an electrical consumer;

an electrical energy storage for providing a maximum electrical supply energy for the electrical consumer, and the electrical consumer linked to the device and to the electrical energy storage;

an energy consumption output device for outputting the still remaining usability of the electrical consumer, which is connectable to an energy storage, including;

a unit for providing a residual capacity of the electrical energy storage;

a power consumption ascertainment unit, which is configured to ascertain a power consumption rate in an instantaneous operating mode of the electrical consumer; and

an output unit, which is configured to determine, with regard to the instantaneous operating mode, information concerning the maximum usability, using the provided residual capacity and the ascertained power consumption rate, and to output this information, which is connected to the electrical energy storage; and

wherein the power consumption ascertainment unit is configured to query from a memory the power consumption rate of the electrical consumer for the instantaneous operating mode.