Patent ID: 12214688

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

Various disclosed embodiments include illustrative control units, systems, and methods. As will be explained below, such embodiments can establish/dynamically adjust reserve power limits for a battery.

Given by way of non-limiting overview and referring toFIGS.1and2, in various embodiments a system20that dynamically establishes reserve power limits for a battery for a vehicle for allowing usage if needed during an event, such as a power outage. The system20includes a first device, such as a vehicle30, including a battery34and a control unit, such as a battery management unit (BMU)32. The BMU32includes a processor33and non-transitory computer-readable media, such as memory35, configured to store computer-executable instructions. The instructions are configured to cause the processor33to determine or establish a reserve level for the battery34of the vehicle30. The reserve level is chosen to provide sufficient electrical power to enable the vehicle30to achieve a function. The instructions are further configured to cause the processor33to enable the battery34to function as a power supply configured to provide electrical power for a second device, such as a structure22, external to the vehicle30responsive to a power level of the battery34exceeding the reserve level. The instructions are still further configured to cause the processor33to disable use of the battery34as the power supply for the structure22responsive to the power level of the battery34being below the reserve level. It should be noted the processor33may determine one or more reserve levels, possibly configurable by a user. For example, a first reserve level for the battery34may enable the vehicle30to drive 25 miles over a given terrain, whereas a second reserve level for the battery34may enable the vehicle30to driver more than 25 miles over the given terrain. In another example, the first reserve level for the battery34may enable the vehicle30to drive 25 miles over a given terrain within a first temperature range (e.g., 55-75 degrees Fahrenheit), whereas the second reserve level for the battery34may enable the vehicle30to driver more than 25 miles over the given terrain within a second temperature range (e.g., 40-90 degrees). As such, it should be noted that the reserve levels may be automatically configured based on air temperatures in the first temperature range and/or the second temperature range.

Now that an overview has been presented by way of illustration only and not of limitation, details will be set forth by way of non-limiting examples given by way of illustration only and not of limitation. First, the illustrative system20will be explained by way of non-limiting examples given by way of illustration only. Then, illustrative processes for establishing/dynamically adjusting reserve power limits for a battery will be explained by way of non-limiting examples given by way of illustration only.

As shown inFIGS.1and2, in various embodiments the illustrative system20is configured to establish/dynamically alter a reserve power level for the battery34located in the vehicle30. The system20may include the BMU32and the battery34. The system20may also include or be in data communication with a personal electronics device (PED)44, a bidirectional power electronics system23located at the structure22, and a utility status data source64located remotely from the vehicle30and the structure22. The structure22may be a residential structure, such as a house, a townhouse, a condominium, an apartment building, or the like, or a business structure such as an office building, a store, a factory, a warehouse, a hospital, or the like, or any other structure with an electrical system capable of connecting to a grid alternating current (AC) supply25or other external energy supply/source.

In various embodiments, the grid AC supply25may provide AC electrical power from a variety of different devices, such as wind turbine, solar cell, geothermal, nuclear power plants, hydro-electric power plants, natural gas power plants, coal-run power plants, or any mechanism that can produce AC electrical power.

Given by way of non-limiting example, in various embodiments the vehicle30may be an electric vehicle (that is, an all-electrically driven vehicle) or a hybrid vehicle. For example and given by way of non-limiting examples, in various embodiments the vehicle may include a motor vehicle driven by wheels and/or tracks, such as, without limitation, an automobile, a truck, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), a van, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), a motorcycle, an electric bicycle, a tractor, a lawn mower such as without limitation a riding lawn mower, a snowmobile, and the like. Given by way of further non-limiting examples, in various embodiments the vehicle30may include a marine vessel such as, without limitation, a boat, a ship, a submarine, a submersible, an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), and the like. Given by way of further non-limiting examples, in various embodiments the vehicle30may include an aircraft such as, without limitation, a fixed wing aircraft, a rotary wing aircraft, and a lighter-than-air (LTA) craft.

In various embodiments and given by way of example only and not of limitation, the battery34suitably includes high energy rechargeable batteries that store electrical charge, discharge electrical current upon request, and recharge. The rechargeable batteries may be structured in any desirable form, such as without limitation cylindrical, pouch, prismatic, massless, or other comparable forms. In various embodiments the rechargeable batteries may include Iron-air batteries, Li-ion batteries, such as without limitation Nickel Cobalt Aluminium, Lithium Manganese Cobalt, or Lithium Manganese Oxide batteries. However, other materials may be used that provide comparable recharging, energy density, and energy discharge capabilities.

As shown inFIG.2, in various embodiments the BMU32may include the processor33, a communication device36, and the memory35. The memory35stores computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor33to perform various battery management functions such as, without limitation, determining state of charge, determining battery temperature, collecting and analyzing other battery information, and the like. The communication device36may send the assessed battery information to a power electronics module (PEM)24. Charging information produced by the PEM24may be sent back to the respective BMU32via the same connection.

In various embodiments the bidirectional power electronics system23includes components for receiving the AC electrical power from the grid AC supply25, supplying the AC electrical power to electrical loads of the structure22, and converting the AC electrical power to direct current (DC) electrical power for charging various devices. In various embodiments the bidirectional power electronics system23may include a charging unit26and the PEM24. The PEM24performs bidirectional conversion between the AC electrical power to DC electrical power. The DC electrical power may be used for charging DC storage devices.

In various embodiments the PEM24includes power conversion electronics28, a second processor42, a non-transitory computer readable media (second memory48), and a second communication device43. In various embodiments the bidirectional power electronic system23may include other components, such as a power meter, circuit breakers, backup electrical power generation devices and electrical power storage devices31, a battery, or the like.

In various embodiments the charging unit26provides a power and communication connection between the battery34and the PEM24. In various embodiments the charging unit26suitably includes a charging cord50that electrically connects to the battery34and the BMU32via a charging port54of the vehicle30. In various embodiments the charging port54includes DC electrical power leads and communication leads that allow for transmission of DC electrical power between the battery34and the power conversion electronics28and for transmission of data and instructions between the processors33and42and the communication devices36and43in accordance with a communication protocol, such as, without limitation, the Combined Charging System (CCS) protocol, the CHAdeMO protocol, or other charger protocols.

In various embodiments the second memory48is configured to store computer-executable instructions. Responsive to the stored instructions, the second processor42is configured to receive information from the vehicle30and send information/instructions to the power conversion electronics28for providing electrical power to the battery34via the charging unit26, the charging cord50, and the charging port54.

In various embodiments and given by way of example only and not of limitation, the power conversion electronics28may include an AC-DC bidirectional inverter device and multiple DC-DC converters that are configured according to the device they are to be connected to. The AC-DC bidirectional inverter device converts AC received from the AC electrical power source to DC and converts DC received from the energy storage device31and the battery34back to AC. Bidirectional inverters and DC-DC converters are extremely well known in the art and no further explanation is necessary for a person of skill in the art to understand disclosed subject matter.

In various embodiments, the illustrative vehicle30may include a vehicle control unit (VCU)80, the BMU32, the battery34, and the charging port54. In various embodiments the VCU80provides usage information to the processor33regarding destinations where the vehicle30has traveled in the past. In various embodiments the VCU80may include a positioning device82, such as a global positioning system (GPS), a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), or the like. The data produced by the GPS and/or the GNSS is analyzed either at the VCU80, the processor33, or sent to other components for analysis to determine historical driving information (usage information). The historical driving information may include driving patterns, user information associated with the vehicle30and/or the driving patterns, date and time information associated with the driving patterns, and the like. The driving patterns may include frequently visited destinations away from the structure22and those destinations where charging may have occurred. Positioning devices are well known in the art and no further explanation is necessary for a person of skill in the art to understand the disclosed subject matter.

In various embodiments the BMU32may communicate with the VCU80and with numerous other vehicle components via a network38, such as a network bus, like a peer-to-peer network bus such as a controller area network (CAN) bus. Other network buses, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or a value-added network (VAN), may also be used for enabling communication between the components connected to the network38.

In various embodiments the PED44provides operational information to a user regarding the battery34and the established reserve level. The PED44may be a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or any device capable of providing information to a user. In various embodiments the PED44may include a third processor68, a non-transitory computer readable media (third memory70), and a third communication device72. The PED44may include application programs configured to receive battery reserve level information to the processors33and42via a data network40and the communication devices36,43, and72. The data network40may be a public or private data network, such as without limitation a cellular network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the like.

In various embodiments the utility status data source64provides status of utility services. The utility status data source64may be a processing system operated by an entity that operates the AC grid power source or an entity capable of gathering status of utility services information. The status of utility services information may include information identifying map areas included in a power outage, estimated power outage restoration information, or the like.

In various embodiments the processing described herein for dynamically establishing/adjusting reserve level the battery34may be performed at or distributed between any of the processing locations, such as, without limitation, the processors33,42, and68and the VCU80that is in communication with whatever device, such as, without limitation, the BMU32or the PEM24, control charging of the battery34. As discussed herein, in various embodiments the processors33,42, and68suitably may include computer processors, data processors, or the like, that are configured to execute instructions received from external sources or stored in local memory35,48, and70.

As discussed herein, in various embodiments the memory35,48, and70include non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that include computer-readable code (instructions) stored thereon for causing the respective processors33,42, and68to perform functions as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), an Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), flash memory, and the like. When stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium, software can include the instructions executable by the respective processors33,42, and68that, in response to such execution, causes performance of a set of operations, steps, methods, processes, algorithms, functions, techniques, etc. as described herein for the various embodiments.

In various embodiments the communication devices36,43, and72may include any suitable wired or wireless device (such as a transceiver or the like) configured to communicate with the other communication devices using various network access devices, methods, and/or protocols, such as, without limitation, a wireless (WiFi, Bluetooth) connection with a network portal/modem/router, a wired or wireless connection, or the like.

Now that the system20has been described, illustrative processes for establishing/dynamically adjusting reserve power limits for a battery will be explained by way of non-limiting examples given by way of illustration only.

The BMU32is used to dynamically establish and/or adjust a reserve battery level responsive to vehicle usage information, thus providing the vehicle30has reserve power for travelling to selected destinations that may not be affected by a power outage event. In various embodiments the instructions are further configured to cause the processor33to receive the usage information for the vehicle30from the VCU80. Then, the instructions cause the processor33to establish the reserve level responsive to the usage information.

In various embodiments the BMU32may relay capacity of the battery34to the processor42of the PEM24, which acts as an energy control unit. The processor42communicates the battery capacity information to a support center74via the network40. The support center74may also receive the historical driving information from the VCU80via the network40. The support center74may include an application program configured to determine the reserve level responsive to the received information and communicate the reserve level back to the vehicle30and/or the PEM24. The support center74may also receive/determine weather information and determine the reserve level responsive to the weather information. For example, the weather information may indicate weather and/or temperature that might require more battery power to get to a target location than driving to the same target location on a clear weather day.

In various embodiments the instructions are further configured to cause the processor33to filter the received usage information to include a location(s), which the vehicle30has visited responsive to a threshold value. The filtering may include removing trips, destinations, events, or the like that occur outside of the threshold value. The threshold value may be a time value, a distance value, a charging power value, if the destination is associated with the charging device, or the like. Then, the instructions cause the processor33to establish the reserve level further responsive to the filtered usage information.

In various embodiments the usage information may include user information, time, the day of the week, travel location information, or the like. The travel location information may include destination, battery recharging information, a learned driving pattern for the vehicle30and/or charging history information, or other operational information. The charging history information may include locations where the vehicle30has been charged, how much chare was given to the battery34during each charging event, or the like.

In various embodiments the instructions are further configured to cause the processor33to receive information identifying a grid outage area from the utility status data source64via the data network40. The instructions are further configured to cause the processor33to select a target location outside of the grid outage area or inside the grid outage area if the target location has a charging unit powered by a non-grid power source, such as, without limitation, solar panels, wind turbines, generator, geothermal, or the like. The target location may be a location chosen from the usage information, the charging history information, a list of other charging devices located outside the grid outage area or inside the grid outage area if powered by a non-grid power source. Then, the instructions cause the processor33to determine an amount of energy needed to get the vehicle30to the target location and establish the reserve level further responsive to the determined amount of energy.

In various embodiments the received usage information may include calendared activity information associated with a user(s) of the vehicle30. The calendared activity information may be included in a calendar application program accessible by the VCU80and/or the PED44. The instructions are further configured to cause the processor33to establish the reserve level further responsive to the calendared activity information. In a nonlimiting example, the calendared activity information may indicate an upcoming road trip to a destination requiring greater amount of battery power.

In various embodiments the usage information produced by the positioning device82includes location information for various destinations visited or those including services, such as, without limitations, charging units. As shown inFIG.3, in various embodiments an illustrative map100is a graphical representation of a type of analysis performed by the system20, whereby the usage information is compared to grid outage information to determine potential target destinations the vehicle30may travel. The determined potential target destinations is used by the processor33to establish a reserve battery limit (reserve level) for the associated battery34. In various embodiments the map100suitably includes multiple target locations (such as, given by way of non-limiting examples, an airport104, a hospital106, a grocery store108, a restaurant110, and other locations) determined by the processor33responsive to receiving usage information from the positioning device82. The utility status data source64sends information identifying a power grid outage area102. The utility status data64may also send information estimating a time of when the power grid outage area102will return to full service. In this example, if the usage information of the vehicle30indicates that the vehicle30leaves the associated home (the structure22) to the hospital106every Monday through Friday, the processor33may determine that the reserve level for the battery34of the vehicle30should be high enough for the battery34to get the vehicle30to the hospital106or to another location that the usage information indicates the vehicle30often travels to, such as a fast charger or the grocery store108where battery chargers are located and have been used by the vehicle30in the past. The locations outside of the dotted line area show filtered usage information.

Referring additionally toFIG.4, in various embodiments an illustrative process120is provided for by a control unit executing instructions stored in a memory. At a block122, a reserve level for a battery of a first device is established. At a block124, the battery is enabled to function as a power supply for a second device provided the power level of the battery is higher than the reserve level. At a block126, the battery is disabled as a power supply to the second device responsive to the power level of the battery being below the reserve level.

Referring additionally toFIG.5, additional illustrative details will be explained regarding portions of the process120. For example, in various embodiments the process performed at the block122(FIG.4) may be expanded upon. In some such embodiments, at a block130, usage information for the first device is receive. At a block132, the reserve level is established responsive to the first device usage information.

Referring additionally toFIG.6, additional illustrative details will be explained regarding portions of the process120. For example, in various embodiments the process performed at the block122(FIG.4) may be expanded upon. In some such embodiments, at a block142, usage information for the first device is receive. At a block144, grid outage information is received. At a block146, the reserve level is established responsive to the first device usage information, charger location information, and/or the grid outage information.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a portion of the controllers, devices, units, and/or processes described herein can be integrated into a data processing system. Those having skill in the art will recognize that a data processing system generally includes one or more of a system unit housing, a video display device, memory such as volatile or non-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors or digital signal processors, computational entities such as operating systems, drivers, graphical user interfaces, and applications programs, one or more interaction devices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.), and/or control systems including feedback loops and control motors (e.g., feedback for sensing position and/or velocity; control motors for moving and/or adjusting components and/or quantities). A data processing system may be implemented utilizing suitable commercially available components, such as those typically found in data computing/communication and/or network computing/communication systems.

The term controller/processor, as used in the foregoing/following disclosure, may refer to a collection of one or more components that are arranged in a particular manner, or a collection of one or more general-purpose components that may be configured to operate in a particular manner at one or more particular points in time, and/or also configured to operate in one or more further manners at one or more further times. For example, the same hardware, or same portions of hardware, may be configured/reconfigured in sequential/parallel time(s) as a first type of controller (e.g., at a first time), as a second type of controller (e.g., at a second time, which may in some instances coincide with, overlap, or follow a first time), and/or as a third type of controller (e.g., at a third time which may, in some instances, coincide with, overlap, or follow a first time and/or a second time), etc. Reconfigurable and/or controllable components (e.g., general purpose processors, digital signal processors, field programmable gate arrays, etc.) are capable of being configured as a first controller that has a first purpose, then a second controller that has a second purpose and then, a third controller that has a third purpose, and so on. The transition of a reconfigurable and/or controllable component may occur in as little as a few nanoseconds, or may occur over a period of minutes, hours, or days.

In some such examples, at the time the controller is configured to carry out the second purpose, the controller may no longer be capable of carrying out that first purpose until it is reconfigured. A controller may switch between configurations as different components/modules in as little as a few nanoseconds. A controller may reconfigure on-the-fly, e.g., the reconfiguration of a controller from a first controller into a second controller may occur just as the second controller is needed. A controller may reconfigure in stages, e.g., portions of a first controller that are no longer needed may reconfigure into the second controller even before the first controller has finished its operation. Such reconfigurations may occur automatically, or may occur through prompting by an external source, whether that source is another component, an instruction, a signal, a condition, an external stimulus, or similar.

For example, a central processing unit/processor or the like of a controller may, at various times, operate as a component/module for displaying graphics on a screen, a component/module for writing data to a storage medium, a component/module for receiving user input, and a component/module for multiplying two large prime numbers, by configuring its logical gates in accordance with its instructions. Such reconfiguration may be invisible to the naked eye, and in some embodiments may include activation, deactivation, and/or re-routing of various portions of the component, e.g., switches, logic gates, inputs, and/or outputs. Thus, in the examples found in the foregoing/following disclosure, if an example includes or recites multiple components/modules, the example includes the possibility that the same hardware may implement more than one of the recited components/modules, either contemporaneously or at discrete times or timings. The implementation of multiple components/modules, whether using more components/modules, fewer components/modules, or the same number of components/modules as the number of components/modules, is merely an implementation choice and does not generally affect the operation of the components/modules themselves. Accordingly, it should be understood that any recitation of multiple discrete components/modules in this disclosure includes implementations of those components/modules as any number of underlying components/modules, including, but not limited to, a single component/module that reconfigures itself over time to carry out the functions of multiple components/modules, and/or multiple components/modules that similarly reconfigure, and/or special purpose reconfigurable components/modules.

In some instances, one or more components may be referred to herein as “configured to,” “configured by,” “configurable to,” “operable/operative to,” “adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,” etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that such terms (for example “configured to”) generally encompass active-state components and/or inactive-state components and/or standby-state components, unless context requires otherwise.

While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (for example, bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (for example, the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to claims containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (for example, “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (for example, the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (for example, “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms unless context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be typically understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software (e.g., a high-level computer program serving as a hardware specification), firmware, or virtually any combination thereof, limited to patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101. In an embodiment, several portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, limited to patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software (e.g., a high-level computer program serving as a hardware specification) and or firmware would be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication link (e.g., transmitter, receiver, transmission logic, reception logic, etc.), etc.).

With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art will appreciate that recited operations therein may generally be performed in any order. Also, although various operational flows are presented in a sequence(s), it should be understood that the various operations may be performed in other orders than those which are illustrated or may be performed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may include overlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered, incremental, preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or other variant orderings, unless context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms like “responsive to,” “related to,” or other past-tense adjectives are generally not intended to exclude such variants, unless context dictates otherwise.

While the disclosed subject matter has been described in terms of illustrative embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the claimed subject matter as set forth in the claims.