Abstract:
A power management system for a vehicle having at least one motor, comprising a user interface, a global positioning system input, an energy management system input, a motor controller operatively connected to the at least one motor and a power controller operatively connected to the user interface, the global positioning system input, the energy management system input and the motor controller, the power controller being configured to estimate a maximum available power value based on information provided by the user interface, the global positioning system input and the energy management system input. The power controller limits power available to the motor though the motor controller based on the estimated maximum available power.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefits of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/466,660 filed on Mar. 23, 2011, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a motor vehicle power management system and method. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Many drivers experience “range anxiety” in a motor vehicle, especially when driving long distances, that is expresses by the fear of not reaching the destination caused by a lack of necessary energy (i.e. gas or electricity). The various motor vehicle gages and indications often indicate how much energy is left or give an estimate of the distance that can be traveled with the available energy but the user must be able to correctly estimate the distance and limit its power consumption (i.e. acceleration, top speed, etc.) in order to reach its destination. Accordingly, there is a need for an adjustable seat support for use with motorcycles, snowmobiles, watercrafts, three and four wheel off-road vehicles, etc. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for a system that automatically does the above for the driver, leaving him or her to concentrate on its driving. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present disclosure provides a power management system for a vehicle having at least one motor, comprising: 
         [0006]    a user interface for receiving a desired destination; 
         [0007]    a global positioning system or a global positioning system input for receiving the instant geographical position of the vehicle; 
         [0008]    an energy management system or an energy management system input for receiving information regarding the energy reserves of the vehicle; 
         [0009]    a motor controller operatively connected to the at least one motor; and 
         [0010]    a power controller operatively connected to the user interface, the global positioning system input, the energy management system input and the motor controller, the power controller being configured to compute a maximum available power estimate based on the desired destination, the instant geographical position of the vehicle and the information regarding the energy reserves of the vehicle; 
         [0000]    wherein the power controller limits power available to the at least one motor though the motor controller based on the maximum available power estimate. 
         [0011]    The present disclosure also provides a power management system as described above, further comprising a conversion table indicating the energy consumption rate of the at least one motor, the power controller using the conversion table for estimating the maximum available power. 
         [0012]    The present disclosure further provides a power management system as described above, wherein the power controller includes: 
         [0013]    a geolocation application configured to compute the distance from the instant geographical position of the vehicle to the desired destination; 
         [0014]    an energy estimation application configured to compute the estimate of the maximum power available to the at least one motor using the conversion table associated the at least one motor, the distance to the desired destination computed by the geolocation application and the information regarding the energy reserves of the vehicle so that the vehicle may safely arrive at the desired destination without running out of energy. 
         [0015]    The present disclosure provides as well a power management method for a vehicle having at least one motor, comprising the steps of: 
         [0016]    receiving a desired destination; 
         [0017]    receiving the instant geographical position of the vehicle; 
         [0018]    receiving information regarding the energy reserves of the vehicle; 
         [0019]    computing a maximum available power estimate based on the desired destination, the instant geographical position of the vehicle and the information regarding the energy reserves of the vehicle; and limiting the power available to the at least one motor based on the maximum available power estimate. 
         [0020]    The present disclosure also provides a power management method as described above, wherein the step of computing a maximum available power estimate includes the sub steps of: 
         [0021]    computing the distance from the instant geographical position of the vehicle to the desired destination; and 
         [0022]    computing the estimate of the maximum power available to the at least one motor using the conversion table, the distance to the desired destination and the information regarding the energy reserves of the vehicle so that the vehicle may safely arrive at the desired destination without running out of energy. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0023]    Embodiments of the disclosure will be described by way of examples only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of the power management system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is flow diagram of an illustrative example of the power management process executed by the power management system; and 
           [0026]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are graphs of examples of conversion tables for an electric motor ( FIG. 3A ) and for an internal combustion engine ( FIG. 3B ). 
       
    
    
       [0027]    Similar references used in different Figures denote similar components. 
       DEFINITION 
       [0028]    The detailed description and figures refer to the following term which is herein defined: 
         [0000]    Motor vehicle: a motorcycle, car, bus, truck or any other self propelled vehicle having one or more internal combustion engine (ICE), electric motor or combination thereof, i.e. a hybrid engine/motor. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    Generally stated, a non-limitative illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system that allows the driver of a motor vehicle to reach its desired destination without running out of energy, i.e. electricity coming from a battery pack, gas coming from a gas tank, etc. The system does 50 by limiting the energy that is transferred to the wheels by limiting acceleration, speed and/or energy transfer rate in order to reduce the energy consumption and assure that the motor vehicle reaches its destination. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the power management system  100  generally comprises a user interface  110 , a global positioning system (GPS)  120 , an energy management system (EMS)  130 , a controller  140  and a power controller  150  in communication through a communication link  160 , for example a controller area network (CAN) bus. In an alternative embodiment, the GPS  120  and/or EMS  130  may be replaced by respective GPS and/or EMS inputs for receiving positioning and/or energy reserves information from external systems. 
         [0031]    In the illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, the user interface  110  is in the form of a touch screen with a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel which allows the user to interact with the power controller  150 , for example to input a desired destination. 
         [0032]    The GPS  120  provides the instant geographical position of the motor vehicle at every instant to the power controller  150 . 
         [0033]    The EMS  130  provides information regarding the energy reserves of the motor vehicle to the power controller  150 . For example, in the case of an electric vehicle, this information would be the charge state of the battery pack in Wh. In the case of an internal combustion engine (ICE), the information would be provided by the fuel gauge in Liter of fuel. 
         [0034]    The motor controller  140  limits the power available to the motor(s)  145  of the motor vehicle in response to commands from the power controller  150 . 
         [0035]    The power controller  150  generally comprises a processor  151 , with associated memory  152  having stored therein a geolocation application  153  and an energy estimation application  154 , and a conversion database  155  having stored therein one or more conversion tables  156  associated with various motor(s)  145 . 
         [0036]    The geolocation application  153  is executed by the processor  151  to compute a path and the distance from the instant geographical position of the motor vehicle, as provided by the GPS  120 , to a desired destination inputted by the user through the user interface  110 . 
         [0037]    The energy estimation application  154  is then executed by the processor  151  to compute an estimate of the maximum power available to the motor(s)  145 , using the conversion table  156  associated with the motor(s)  145 , the distance to the desired destination computed by the geolocation application  153  and the information regarding the energy reserves of the motor vehicle, so that the motor vehicle may safely arrive at the desired destination without running out of energy. This maximum power estimate is provided to the motor controller  140 , which limits the power available to the motor(s)  145  accordingly (i.e. acceleration, speed, etc.). 
         [0038]    As previously mentioned, the conversion database  155  having stored therein one or more conversion tables  156  indicating the energy consumption (i.e. discharge or injection) rate associated with various motors, including considerations for components between the motor controller  140  and the motor(s)  145 . 
         [0039]    In an alternative embodiment, the power management system  100  may be designed for a given motor vehicle with a specific motor type. Accordingly, there would be only one conversion table  156  corresponding to the specific motor used, in which case a database may no be required. Furthermore, even in the case where more than one conversions table  156  is present, these may simply be stored in memory instead of in a dedicated database. 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a flow diagram of an illustrative example of the power management process  200  executed by the power management system  100 . The steps of the process  200  are indicated by blocks  202  to  216 . 
         [0041]    The process  200  starts at block  202  where the appropriate conversion table  156  for the motor(s)  145  is uploaded to the processor  151 . 
         [0042]    At block  204 , the processor  151  is provided the desired destination of the motor vehicle inputted by the user through the user interface  110 , for example by entering its address or postal code. 
         [0043]    At block  206 , the processor  151  is provided the instant geographical position of the motor vehicle by the GPS  120 . 
         [0044]    Then, at block  208 , the processor  151  executes the geolocation application  153  to compute a path and the distance from the instant geographical position of the motor vehicle, as provided at block  206 , to the desired destination inputted at block  204 . 
         [0045]    At block  210 , the processor  151  is provided the information regarding the energy reserves of the motor vehicle by the EMS  130 . 
         [0046]    At block  212 , the processor  151  executes the energy estimation application  154  to estimate the maximum power that can be available to the motor(s)  145 , using the conversion table  156  uploaded at block  202 , the distance to the desired destination computed at block  208  and the energy reserves provided at block  210 , so that the motor vehicle may safely arrive at the desired destination without running out of energy. 
         [0047]    The maximum power estimate is then provided, at block  214 , to the motor controller  140 , which limits the power available to the motor(s)  145  accordingly. 
         [0048]    Finally, at block  216 , the process  200  verifies if the user has inputted a new destination (or canceled its request), in which case it proceeds back to block  204 , and if not, it proceeds back to block  206  where the energy reserves, distance, available power, etc., are constantly monitored and updated. 
         [0049]    It is to be understood that, optionally, when steps  204  to  212  are performed the first time for a given desired destination, the user may be informed through the user interface  110  of impacted driving parameters such as maximum speed and available accelerations (e.g. acceleration limited to 50%) and ask him or her to confirm that the power management system  100  is to be activated. The user interface  110  may also be used at any time to disengage the power management system  100  or set a new desired destination. 
         [0050]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , there are shown graphs of examples of conversion tables  156   a  and  156   b  for, respectively, an electric motor ( FIG. 3A ) and for an internal combustion engine ( FIG. 3B ). 
         [0051]    With reference to  FIG. 3A , supposing that the distance to the desired destination computed at block  208  is  100  km and the energy reserves provided at block  210  is 95 Wh, for a Wh/Km ratio of 95, indicated by position  171   a,  then the discharge rate curve would be intersected at point  172   a,  which would indicate a maximum discharge rate (C) indicated by position  173   a.    
         [0052]    With reference to  FIG. 3B , supposing that the distance to the desired destination computed at block  208  is 100 km and the energy reserves provided at block  210  is 10 L, for a L/Km ratio of 0.1, indicated by position  171   b,  then the discharge rate curve would be intersected at point  172   b,  which would indicate a maximum injection rate (cc) indicated by position  173   b.    
         [0053]    Although the present disclosure has been described with a certain degree of particularity and by way of illustrative embodiments and examples thereof, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the disclosure as hereinafter claimed.