Managing vehicle information

• US 9,390,062 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XL Hybrids, Inc. (The Shyft Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: XL Hybrids
• Inventors: Ashton, Justin, Brenner, Neal Ennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US13/756,911
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/23, 701/24, 701/36, 340/902, 340/905, 340/907, 180/65.1, 180/65.22, 180/65.225
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A system includes a computing device for receiving information representative of activities of an operating first vehicle that includes a propulsion system. The computing device is configured to produce one or more control parameters from the received information in combination with information received from other vehicles, and, provide the one or more control parameters to control operations of a second vehicle.

Claims

1. A computing device-implemented method comprising:

receiving information representative of activities of an operating first vehicle that includes a propulsion system;

producing one or more control parameters from the received information in combination with information received from other vehicles;

providing the one or more control parameters for controlling operations of a second vehicle; and

controlling operations of a propulsion system of the second vehicle by a controller sending the provided control parameters to components of the propulsion system of the second vehicle, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance that an electric motor of the second vehicle provides to a combustion engine of the second vehicle relating to operation of a regenerative braking system, the at least one control parameter includes a level of regenerative braking for a zero pedal input.

2. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle includes at least a partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

3. The computing device-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the partial alternative fuel propulsion system is an electric propulsion system.

4. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle includes at least partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

5. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle includes a combustion engine.

6. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received information represents aspects of a partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

7. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein producing the one or more control parameters is executed internal to the first vehicle.

8. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein producing the one or more control parameters is executed external to the first vehicle.

9. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more control parameters reflect charging one or more batteries.

10. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle is the first vehicle.

11. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance for a combustion engine of the second vehicle.

12. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance for a combustion engine of the second vehicle in part determined from operational conditions of the first vehicle, environmental conditions of the first vehicle, and predefined target parameters.

13. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information representative of activities of the operating first vehicle is received substantially in real time.

14. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information received from the other vehicles that has been previously collected.

15. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control parameters relates to vehicle speed.

16. The computing device-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the control parameters relating to vehicle speed includes defining at least one of a minimum and a maximum vehicle speed for assistance to be initiated.

17. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control parameters that relates to the regenerative braking system relates to a target miles-per-gallon for initiating regenerative braking.

18. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control parameters relates to a target miles-per-gallon for initiating assistance.

19. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control parameters is at least one of a minimum and a maximum level of fuel to initiate assistance.

20. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control parameters includes transmission shift points based upon engine revolutions per minute, load effects, or engine torque output based on position of an accelerator pedal for assistance to be initiated.

21. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the control parameters is defined based upon information received from user feedback for assistance to be initiated.

22. A system comprising:

a computing device for receiving information representative of activities of an operating first vehicle that includes a propulsion system; and

wherein the computing device is configured to produce one or more control parameters from the received information in combination with information received from other vehicles, provide the one or more control parameters for controlling operations of a second vehicle, and control operations of a propulsion system of the second vehicle by a controller sending the provided control parameters to components of the propulsion system of the second vehicle, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance that an electric motor of the second vehicle provides to a combustion engine of the second vehicle relating to operation of a regenerative braking system, the at least one control parameter includes a level of regenerative braking for a zero pedal input.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first vehicle includes at least a partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the partial alternative fuel propulsion system is an electric propulsion system.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the second vehicle includes at least partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the first vehicle includes a combustion engine.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the received information represents aspects of a partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein producing the one or more control parameters is executed internal to the first vehicle.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein producing the one or more control parameters is executed external to the first vehicle.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more control parameters reflect charging one or more batteries.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the second vehicle is the first vehicle.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance for a combustion engine of the second vehicle.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance for a combustion engine of the second vehicle in part determined from operational conditions of the first vehicle, environmental conditions of the first vehicle, and predefined target parameters.

34. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving information representative of activities of an operating first vehicle that includes a propulsion system;

producing one or more control parameters from the received information in combination with information received from other vehicles;

providing the one or more control parameters for controlling operations of a second vehicle; and

controlling operations of a propulsion system of the second vehicle by a controller sending the provided control parameters to components of the propulsion system of the second vehicle, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance that an electric motor of the second vehicle provides to a combustion engine of the second vehicle relating to operation of a regenerative braking system, the at least one control parameter includes a level of regenerative braking for a zero pedal input.

35. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein the first vehicle includes at least a partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

36. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein the partial alternative fuel propulsion system is an electric propulsion system.

37. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein the second vehicle includes at least partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

38. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein the first vehicle includes a combustion engine.

39. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein the received information represents aspects of a partial alternative fuel propulsion system.

40. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein producing the one or more control parameters is executed internal to the first vehicle.

41. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein producing the one or more control parameters is executed external to the first vehicle.

42. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein the one or more control parameters reflect charging one or more batteries.

43. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein the second vehicle is the first vehicle.

44. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance for a combustion engine of the second vehicle.

45. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 34, wherein at least one of the control parameters represents a level of assistance for a combustion engine of the second vehicle in part determined from operational conditions of the first vehicle, environmental conditions of the first vehicle, and predefined target parameters.