Abstract:
The invention relates to a power management method for an electrically assisted vehicle, comprising the following steps: a) determining the total amount of power required for a journey; and b) assigning an amount of electric power to the journey and deducing therefrom the amount of human power required for the journey, or assigning an amount of human power to the journey and deducing therefrom the amount of electric power required for the journey.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a method of power management in an electrically-assisted vehicle such as an electrically-assisted bicycle. It will be within the abilities of those skilled in the art to adapt the provided method to other type of electrically-assisted vehicles, for example, an electrically-assisted scooter, an electrically-assisted oar, etc. More generally, in the present application, an electrically-assisted vehicle designates any vehicle intended to be driven by a human force, and provided with a motor-driven electrical assistance capable of completing human power or of occasionally replacing it. 
       DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0002]      FIG. 1  very schematically shows an electrically-assisted bicycle  1 . Such a bicycle comprises a crank gear  3 , connected to the back wheel hub via a chain and toothed wheels (not shown). Bicycle  1  further comprises a pedal-assist motor  5 , electrically powered by a battery  7 . Motor  5  is arranged so that, in operation, it rotates the back hub to relieve the cyclist&#39;s effort. There exist variations where the assistance motor can be arranged to drive the crank gear, the front hub, or the actual wheel, for example, via a friction roller. In the shown example, battery  7  is located at the level of the back luggage carrier of the bicycle. 
         [0003]    Bicycle  1  comprises a control unit  9  enabling the user to control the starting of motor  5 . Unit  9  for example enables to choose from among a plurality of assistance levels (low, medium, high, etc.). 
         [0004]    Control unit  9  also comprises an indicator of the battery charge state. It may be a display directly displaying the total quantity of electric power available in the battery, in the form of a numerical value (for example, in ampere hours) or in the form of a graphic representation. The display may also display in real time the electric power consumed by the motor (for example, in watts) and various pieces of information such as the speed, the number of kilometers traveled, etc. 
         [0005]    In certain systems, unit  9  displays an estimate of the number of kilometers that the user can still travel before the battery reaches a critical discharge level. It however is a rough estimate, calculated, for a given assistance level, by only taking into account the battery charge state. 
         [0006]    A disadvantage of current control systems is that they do no enable to provide an accurate indication of the bicycle range. 
         [0007]    Another disadvantage of current control systems is that they do not enable the user to intelligently manage the use of the electrical assistance along an itinerary. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a method of power management in an electrically-assisted vehicle such as an electric bicycle, at least partly overcoming some of the disadvantages of current solutions. 
         [0009]    An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a power management method enabling to determine the vehicle range with more accuracy than current solutions. 
         [0010]    An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a power management method enabling the user to easily choose an itinerary according to the quantity of electric power available in the battery. 
         [0011]    An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a power management method enabling the user to better manage his effort during an itinerary, by taking into account the quantity of electric power available in the battery. 
         [0012]    Thus, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method of power management in an electrically-assisted vehicle, this method being implemented by an on-board computer provided in the vehicle, comprising the steps of: a) dividing into elementary sections an itinerary between a starting point and an arrival point; b) for each elementary section, determining, taking into account prerecorded topographic data, the total amount of power necessary to travel the section, assigning an amount of electric power to the section, and deducing therefrom the amount of human power necessary to travel the section. 
         [0013]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, each elementary section, at step b), is assigned an amount of electric power selected so that the total amount of electric power available in a battery of the vehicle remains greater than a threshold between the starting point and the arrival point. 
         [0014]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power management method further comprises the feedback control of an electric power assist motor of the vehicle to automatically control, for each elementary section, the assistance level according to said amount of electric power assigned at step b). 
         [0015]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power management method comprises a step of measuring the average power delivered by the user. 
         [0016]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power management method comprises a step of geolocation of the vehicle. 
         [0017]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power management method comprises a step of measuring the total amount of power available in a battery of the vehicle. 
         [0018]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a power management system in an electrically-assisted cycle, comprising an on-board computer capable of: dividing into elementary sections an itinerary between a starting point and an arrival point; for each elementary section, determining, taking into account prerecorded topographic data, the total amount of power necessary to travel the section, assigning an amount of electric power to the section, and deducing therefrom the amount of human power necessary to travel the section. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The foregoing and other features and advantages will be discussed in detail in the following non-limiting description of specific embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings, among which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1 , previously described, schematically shows an example of electrically-assisted bicycle; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a timing diagram showing steps of an embodiment of a method of power management in an electrically-assisted vehicle, enabling to manage the use of the assistance along an itinerary; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example of display of data determined by the method described in relation with  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing steps of an embodiment of a method of power management in an electrically-assisted bicycle, enabling the user to choose an itinerary according to the amount of electric power available in the battery; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example of display of data determined by the method described in relation with  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing in simplified fashion an embodiment of a system of power management in an electrically-assisted bicycle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    To help the user manage the use of the electric power in an electrically-assisted vehicle such as an electrically-assisted bicycle, a method comprising a step of determining the total amount of power necessary to travel a section is here provided. Knowing the total amount of power necessary to travel the section, an amount of electric power is assigned to the section and the effort, that is, the amount of human power to be provided by the user to travel the section, is deduced therefrom. In an alternative embodiment of the provided method, an amount of electric power is assigned to the section and, knowing the average power delivered by the user, it is deduced whether the vehicle can or not travel the entire section. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing steps of an embodiment of a method of power management in an electrically-assisted bicycle. In this example, the method is at least partially implemented by a management system such as an on-board computer or an equivalent system comprising at least one calculation unit. The on-board computer is associated with a navigation system and can access cartographic data. The navigation system is preferably associated with geolocation means, for example, a GPS (“Global Positioning System”). The navigation system may further access prerecorded topographic data, for example, a topographic database, so that, for a given itinerary, the on-board computer can determine in advance the topographic profile of the itinerary. 
         [0028]    At a step  21  (“location”), the starting point of an itinerary to be traveled is determined. The starting point may correspond to the current position of the bicycle, automatically determined by the geolocation means. In an alternative embodiment, the user may himself input the coordinates of the starting point of the itinerary. 
         [0029]    At a step  22  (“input destination”), the user inputs the coordinates of a destination, or arrival point of the itinerary to be traveled. 
         [0030]    At a step  23  (“battery power measurement”), the management system measures the quantity of electric power available in the battery, for example, by means of a gauge connected both to the battery and to the on-board computer. 
         [0031]    At a step  24  (“topography acquisition”), the system acquires the topographic data corresponding to the itinerary determined at steps  21  and  22 , and deduces therefrom the topographic profile of the itinerary, that is, the elevation as a function of distance. Topographic maps may be prerecorded in the on-board computer. In another embodiment, the on-board computer may access a distant server containing cartographic and/or topographic data by means of wireless communication means, for example, of GSM type. 
         [0032]    During a step  25  (“electric power distribution”), the total amount of power (electric+human) necessary to travel the itinerary is determined, and the amount of available electric power is distributed and assigned to different portions of the itinerary. 
         [0033]    In a preferred embodiment, the itinerary is divided into elementary sections or routes. For each section, the total power required to travel the section is determined, taking into account the topographic profile of the section. Other parameters may be taken into account, such as the average displacement speed desired over the section and the bicycle weight, including the cyclist, or also the wind speed and the tire pressure, by means of appropriate sensors enabling, in particular, to estimate the different components opposing the bicycle motion. 
         [0034]    The amount of power available in the battery is then distributed between the different sections. Each section is assigned an amount of electric power selected so that the user can travel the entire itinerary without for the battery to reach a critical discharge level or threshold. As an example, if the vehicle is equipped with a system for recharging the battery in downward slopes, the electric power distribution method takes it into account. Thus, if the itinerary comprises downhill sections, a greater part of the available electric power is assigned to the sections preceding the downhill sections, since it is known that the battery will at least partially recharge during downhill slopes. More generally, it is provided to distribute the available electric power to minimize and to better distribute the user&#39;s effort while ascertaining that he reaches his destination with still a minimum battery charge level. Of course, according to the itinerary, and possible of a usage mode selected by the user (city, leisure, sport, etc.), it may be provided not to consume all the available electric power and thus to adjust the power assistance level. As a variation, if the battery appears not to contain enough power to travel the entire itinerary, it may be provided to decrease the assistance level on certain less demanding sections and to require an addi-tional human power contribution from the user. In an embodiment, the user may select a desired average speed over the itinerary. The electric power may then be distributed to respect at best the desired speed all along the itinerary. 
         [0035]    Knowing the total amount of power necessary to travel each section, and having assigned to each section an amount of electric power, the system deduces the amount of human power to be delivered by the user to travel each section. 
         [0036]    It should be noted that one of the criteria of distribution of the electric power at step  25  may precisely be to make the effort requested from the user as uniform as possible all along the itinerary. Any other electric power distribution cri-terion may be selected. 
         [0037]    At a step  26  (“display”), the on-board computer indi-cates to the user, for each section of the itinerary, the amount of power or the average power that he should deliver to travel the section. Optionally, a feedback control of the electric power-assist motor may be provided to automatically control the assistance level according to the amount of electric power assigned to each section at step  25 . This enables for the user to envisage no other manipulation than inputting his destination coordinates. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  illustrates, as an example, a mode of display, for the user, of data determined by the method described in relation with  FIG. 2 . A display screen of the on-board computer displays topographic profile P of the itinerary, that is, elevation h as a function of distance d, between starting point D and arrival point A of the itinerary. Profile P is divided into sections, and for each section, the human power that the cyclist will have to deliver to travel the section is indicated. In this example, the average power is indicated in watts. The invention is of course not limited to this specific display mode. Any other form of display may be provided. 
         [0039]    Further, it may be provided to recalculate the electric power distribution at one or a plurality of intermediate points of the itinerary. This enables to readjust the calculation in the case where, on the sections already traveled, the cyclist would have delivered more or less than the initially-determined recommended average effort. 
         [0040]    An advantage of the provided method is that it enables to manage the use of the electric power assistance along an itinerary selected by the user. 
         [0041]    It should in particular be noted that the use of pre-recorded topographic data enables to anticipate the elevation data over the complete travel, and thus to anticipate the future power consumption over the travel. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing steps of another embodiment of a method of power management in an electrically-assisted bicycle. 
         [0043]    At a step  41  (“location”), the cyclist&#39;s starting point is determined. The starting point for example corresponds to the current position of the vehicle, and may be automatically determined by geolocation means. As a variation, the user may himself input the coordinates of the starting point. 
         [0044]    At a step  42  (“battery power measurement”), the management system measures the quantity of electric power available in the battery, for example, by means of a gauge connected to the on-board computer. 
         [0045]    At a step  43  (“cyclist power acquisition”), the average power delivered by the cyclist (human power) is determined. In a simplified embodiment, it may be a value prerecorded in the on-board computer. A system comprising a plurality of usage modes (city, leisure, sports, etc.) may for example be provided, each usage mode corresponding to a value of the average power delivered by the cyclist. In a preferred embodiment, the average delivered power is measured in situ by means of adapted sensors provided on the bicycle. 
         [0046]    At a step  44  (“topography acquisition”), the system acquires the cartographic and topographic data of a geographic area having as a center the starting point determined at step  41 . 
         [0047]    At a step  45  (“calculation of possible destinations”), the on-board computer calculates, taking into account the average power delivered by the cyclist as well as the available electric power and the topography, the maximum distance that the bicycle can travel (or bicycle range), in one or a plurality of directions from the starting point determined at step  41 . In an embodiment, an angular scanning of the map is performed, from the starting point determined at step  41 . The vehicle range is calculated for all the successive scanning directions. As an example, an angular resolution between 1 and 10 degrees may be selected. This enables to specifically indicate to the user his radius of action, that is, all the points that he can reach without for the battery to reach a critical discharge level. 
         [0048]    In an embodiment, for each angular scanning direction, the point determined at step  41  is selected as the starting point of an itinerary. A point sufficiently distant from the starting point and belonging to the considered angular direction is selected as the arrival point of the itinerary. “Sufficiently distant” means that the distance between the starting point and the arrival point is greater than the maximum range of the bicycle in favorable conditions. For example, the arrival point may be selected at a distance from the starting point 1.5 greater than the theoretical range of the bicycle on even ground, with a charged battery. 
         [0049]    The itinerary thus determined is divided into sections or elementary sections. For each section, the total power required to travel the section is determined, taking into account the prerecorded topographic data. Other parameters may be taken into account, such as the average displacement speed over the section and the bicycle weight, or also the air resistance (for example, estimated by measuring the wind speed) or the rolling resistance (for example estimated by measuring the tire pressure). The amount of human power delivered by the cyclist on each section is calculated, taking into account the cyclist&#39;s average power determined at step  43 . Thus, each section is assigned a given amount of human power. Knowing the total amount of power necessary to travel each section, and the amount of human power assigned to each section, the system determines the amount of electric power necessary to travel each section. The last section of the itinerary that can be traveled from the starting point before the battery reaches a critical discharge level is then determined. 
         [0050]    Any other adapted method may be used to determine the most distant point that the cyclist can reach in a given direction. 
         [0051]    In an alternative embodiment, to determine the possible destinations, the cartographic data are used to only consider destinations and itineraries located on roads or tracks where a bicycle can be ridden. 
         [0052]    At a step  46  (“display”), the on-board computer indi-cates to the user, for each direction of the angular scanning performed at step  45 , the vehicle range. This information is for example displayed on a geographic map, in the form of a curve showing all the destinations accessible from the starting point determined at step  41 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 5  illustrates, as an example, a mode of display, for the user, of data determined by the method described in relation with  FIG. 4 . A display screen of the on-board computer displays map  51  of a geographic area having as a center the starting point D determined at step  41 . A curve C showing all the destinations accessible from starting point D is over-laid on map  51 . Any other form of display may of course be provided. It may in particular be provided to display a plurality of curves, corresponding to a plurality of levels of assistance (sports, city, leisure, etc.) and/or of average power delivered by the cyclist. It may further be provided to recalculate the possible destinations on the way, to readjust curve C in the case where the cyclist would have delivered more or less than the effort corresponding to the average power determined at step  43 . 
         [0054]    An advantage of this embodiment is that it enables to more accurately and more realistically determine the vehicle range than current solutions. Further, the provided power management method enables the user to easily select an itinerary, taking into account the real range of the vehicle over this itinerary. 
         [0055]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing in simplified fashion an embodiment of a system of power management in an electrically-assisted bicycle. 
         [0056]    The management system comprises a calculation unit  60  (μP), for example corresponding to an on-board computer micro-processor. A sensor  62  (P cycl ) capable of measuring the power delivered by the cyclist is connected to calculation unit  60 . A sensor  61  (E bat ) capable of determining the amount of electric power available in the battery is connected to calculation unit  60 . Calculation unit  60  is further connected to a topographic and/or cartographic data base  63  (Topo). Database  63  may be local, that is, recorded in a memory of the on-board computer. As a variation, database  63  may be recorded by a distant server to which the on-board computer can access by wireless communication means, for example, via a GSM-type network. In this example, a geolocation module  64  (GPS) is connected to calculation unit  60 . Further, a display  65  (Display) is provided, to display data for the user. 
         [0057]    Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described. Various alterations, modifications, and improve-ments will readily occur to those skilled in the art. 
         [0058]    In particular, the invention is not limited to the above-described examples where the total power necessary to travel a section is determined by taking into account the real topography of the section. Simpler embodiments may be provided, where the total power necessary to travel a section is determined by taking into account the length of the section and, possibly, a standard average elevation (pre-recorded) corresponding to a usage mode selected by the user (flat ground, hills, mountain, etc.). 
         [0059]    Further, the provided power management method has been more specifically described in relation with an example of use in an electrically-assisted bicycle. The present invention is not limited to this specific example.