Battery optimization

• US 9,573,480 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kalyanaraman, Shivkumar, Muenzel, Jan Valentin, Vishwanath, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US14/661,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20160272078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 320/109, 320/104, 320/112, 320/138, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, system, and computer program product for battery optimization. A computer receives the driving schedule of an electric vehicle detailing the dates and times electric vehicle will be driven as well as the locations the driver is driving to and from. The computer identifies several potential routes between locations and retrieves trip data detailing information relevant to commuting the potential routes. The computer determines the optimal route the driver should take as well as the minimum number of rechargeable battery packs necessary to power the electric car to the destinations and back. The computer also determines the optimal configuration of those batteries to maximize vehicle handling. The computer transmits both the minimum number of necessary batteries and the configuration thereof to a battery exchanger located under the parking spot of the vehicle which charges and exchanges battery packs to/from the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for battery optimization, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a driving schedule corresponding to a driver of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is powered by battery packs;

identifying, by the computer, one or more routes between one or more locations designated in the driving schedule;

retrieving, by the computer, trip data corresponding to the one or more routes, wherein the trip data includes at least any delays along the one or more routes;

determining, by the computer, an optimal route from the one or more routes based on the trip data;

determining, by the computer, a minimum number of battery packs required to power the vehicle based on the determined optimal route;

determining, by the computer, an optimal configuration in which to physically position the minimum number of batteries packs within the vehicle, wherein the optimal configuration is based, at least in part, on increasing an efficiency of the vehicle, reducing a center of gravity of the vehicle, increasing tire traction of the vehicle, increasing safety of the vehicle, and reducing wear on the vehicle; and

transmitting, by the computer, the minimum number of battery packs and the optimal configuration of the minimum number of battery packs to a battery exchanger, wherein the battery exchanger is capable of adding and removing one or more battery packs to and from the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving schedule includes one or more dates, one or more times, and one or more locations corresponding to where and when the driver will drive the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the trip data includes information such as mileage, traffic conditions, and weather conditions corresponding to the driving schedule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more routes may include a driver preferred route entered by the driver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery packs are charged by the battery exchanger using a plurality of power sources.

6. A computer program product for battery optimization, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive a driving schedule corresponding to a driver of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is powered by battery packs;

program instructions to identify one or more routes between one or more locations designated in the driving schedule;

program instructions to retrieve trip data corresponding to the one or more routes, wherein the trip data includes at least any delays along the one or more routes;

program instructions to determine an optimal route from the one or more routes based on the trip data;

program instructions to determine a minimum number of battery packs required to power the vehicle based on the determined optimal route;

program instructions to determine an optimal configuration in which to physically position the minimum number of battery packs within the vehicle, wherein the optimal configuration is based, at least in part, on increasing an efficiency of the vehicle, reducing a center of gravity of the vehicle, increasing tire traction of the vehicle, increasing safety of the vehicle, and reducing wear on the vehicle; and

program instructions to transmit the minimum number of battery packs and the optimal configuration of the minimum number of battery packs to a battery exchanger, wherein the battery exchanger is capable of adding and removing one or more battery packs to and from the vehicle.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the driving schedule includes one or more dates, one or more times, and one or more locations corresponding to where and when the driver will drive the vehicle.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the trip data includes information such as mileage, traffic conditions, and weather conditions corresponding to the driving schedule.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the one or more routes may include a driver preferred route entered by the driver.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the battery packs are charged by the batter exchanger using a plurality of power sources.

11. A computer system for battery optimization, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media, and program instructions stored on one or more of the computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive a driving schedule corresponding to a driver of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is powered by battery packs;

program instructions to identify one or more routes between one or more locations designated in the driving schedule;

program instructions to retrieve trip data corresponding to the one or more routes, wherein the trip data includes at least any delays along the one or more routes;

program instructions to determine an optimal route from the one or more routes based on the trip data;

program instructions to determine a minimum number of battery packs required to power the vehicle based on the determined optimal route;

program instructions to determine an optimal configuration in which to physically position the minimum number of battery packs within the vehicle, wherein the optimal configuration is based, at least in part, on increasing an efficiency of the vehicle, reducing a center of gravity of the vehicle, increasing tire traction of the vehicle, increasing safety of the vehicle, and reducing wear on the vehicle; and

program instructions to transmit the minimum number of battery packs and the optimal configuration of the minimum number of battery packs to a battery exchanger, wherein the battery exchanger is capable of adding and removing one or more battery packs to and from the vehicle.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the driving schedule includes one or more dates, one or more times, and one or more locations corresponding to where and when the driver will drive the vehicle.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the trip data includes information such as mileage, traffic conditions, and weather conditions corresponding to the driving schedule.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the one or more routes may include a driver preferred route entered by the driver.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the battery packs are charged by the batter exchanger using a plurality of power sources.