Dynamic control for light electric vehicles

• US 9,399,406 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2016
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neutron Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Boosted, Inc.
• Inventors: Dastoor, Sanjay, Ulmen, John, Trujillo, Salomon, Tran, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torchinsky, Edward
• Application Number:
  US14/994,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20160121756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 195 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/20 angular
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/665 Light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/102 of individual wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A method for dynamic control of an electric vehicle operable based on a throttle value received from a throttle and a default throttle map correlating default output values with throttle values, the method including: determining a user parameter; detecting a condition indicative of perturbation; in response to detecting the condition indicative of perturbation, determining a replacement output value for a first throttle value based on the user parameter; and controlling vehicle operation to meet the replacement output value in response to receipt of the first throttle value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a vehicle comprising an electric motor;

determining a user parameter;

receiving a user input value from a user input;

selecting a first electric power parameter value based on the user input value from a user input map;

controlling electric power provision to the electric motor to maintain a value of an electric power parameter within a predetermined range of the first electric power parameter value;

detecting a condition indicative of perturbation;

selecting a second electric power parameter value for the first user input value based on the user parameter;

in response to detecting the condition indicative of perturbation, controlling power provision to the electric motor to maintain the value of an electric power parameter within a second predetermined range of the second electric power parameter value;

incrementally adjusting a electric power parameter value mapped to the first user input value from the second electric power parameter value to the first electric power parameter value; and

controlling power provision to the electric motor to maintain the output value of an electric power parameter within a predetermined range of each adjusted electric power parameter value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user parameter comprises a user weight.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a connection to a mobile device;

wherein determining a user parameter comprises receiving a user parameter from the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a condition indicative of perturbation comprises:

detecting a vehicle acceleration above an acceleration threshold; and

detecting a user input value change rate exceeding a threshold user input change rate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a condition indicative of perturbation comprises:

detecting an angular acceleration change rate of a driven wheel of the vehicle exceeding a threshold acceleration change rate.

6. A method for dynamic control of an electric vehicle operable based on a user input value received from a throttle and a default throttle map correlating default electric power output values with throttle values, the method comprising:

determining a user parameter;

detecting a condition indicative of perturbation;

in response to detecting the condition indicative of perturbation, determining a replacement electric power output value for a first throttle value based on the user parameter; and

controlling vehicle operation to meet the replacement electric power output value in response to receipt of the first throttle value.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the electric vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a power to weight ratio of 200 W/kg or higher.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein detecting a condition indicative of perturbation comprises, at the vehicle:

receiving the first throttle value from the throttle;

operating the vehicle to achieve a default first electric power output value corresponding to the first throttle value on the default throttle map;

receiving a user position parameter from a mobile device connected to the vehicle;

measuring a vehicle position parameter during vehicle operation to achieve the default first electric power parameter output value; and

detecting a difference between the user position parameter and the vehicle position parameter exceeding a threshold difference.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the replacement electric power output value for the first throttle value comprises determining a replacement electric power output value higher than the default first electric power output value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling vehicle operation to meet the replacement electric power output value comprises changing the vehicle operation at a rate in excess of an electric power output change rate limit from the default electric power output value to the replacement electric power output value.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the first throttle position is mapped to a default electric power output value on the default throttle map, wherein controlling vehicle operation to meet the replacement electric power output value comprises:

remapping the first throttle position to the replacement electric power output value;

incrementally adjusting an electric power output value mapped to the first throttle position from the replacement electric power output value to the default electric power output value at an electric power output change rate equivalent to an electric power output change rate limit; and

controlling vehicle operation to meet the adjusted electric power output value.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the electric power output change rate limit based on the user parameter.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining an electric power output value for a first throttle position comprises assigning an electric power output value corresponding to a default throttle value on the default throttle map as the replacement electric power output value.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting a condition indicative of perturbation further comprises:

determining that a vehicle velocity is below a threshold velocity;

receiving the first throttle value, wherein the first throttle value is beyond a predetermined range relative to the default throttle value; and

receiving a drive command after receipt of the throttle value.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

detecting a condition indicative of perturbation comprises determining a vehicle acceleration above a threshold acceleration and detecting a loss of a drive command; and

wherein determining a replacement electric power output value for a first throttle value comprises assigning an electric power output value targeted prior to the loss of the drive command as the replacement electric power output value.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting a condition indicative of perturbation further comprises detecting a vehicle pitch exceeding an angular range defined relative to a gravity vector.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the vehicle pitch comprises determining the vehicle pitch relative to a gravity vector at a mobile device.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein determining a user parameter comprises detecting that a user has mounted the vehicle at a mobile device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting that a user has mounted the vehicle comprises, at the mobile device:

detecting a connection with the vehicle;

detecting an altitude change substantially equivalent to a distance of a support surface of the vehicle from a driving surface; and

detecting a substantially constant altitude for a threshold period of time after the altitude change was detected.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the connection comprises a short-range digital connection.