PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12049143-B2
Application Number: US-202117151381-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Battery preconditioning for charging

Abstract:
A method includes pre-conditioning a battery for charging to support higher rates of charging the battery.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 determining, by an electro-mechanical system that includes a battery pack, that a potential charging operation is likely to occur based on a state of charge of the battery pack; and 
 cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the potential charging operation is likely to occur is based further on a user-specified destination. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining that the potential charging operation is likely to occur comprises:
 determining that an anticipated battery use for travel to the user-specified destination exceeds a threshold value. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the system, a potential battery charging location for the potential charging operation, wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation is performed prior to arriving at the potential battery charging location. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein identifying the potential battery charging location further comprises:
 determining a route to a user-specified destination, wherein the potential battery charging location is identified based on proximity of the potential battery charging location to the route to the user-specified destination. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation includes reducing a temperature of the battery pack relative to a current temperature of the battery pack prior to the potential charging operation. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the system, a potential battery charging location for the potential charging operation, wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation is performed prior to arriving at the potential battery charging location, 
 wherein determining that the potential charging operation is likely to occur includes determining that an anticipated battery use for traveling to a user-specified destination exceeds a threshold value, and 
 wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation includes reducing a temperature of the battery pack relative to a current temperature of the battery pack prior to the potential charging operation. 
 
     
     
       8. An apparatus, comprising:
 a battery pack; and 
 an electro-mechanical system that is configured to:
 determine that a potential charging operation is likely to occur based on a state of charge of the battery pack; and 
 cool the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to determine that the potential charging operation is likely to occur based further on a user-specified destination. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the system is configured to determine that the potential charging operation is likely to occur based on a determination that an anticipated battery use for travel to the user-specified destination exceeds a threshold value. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 identify a potential battery charging location for the potential charging operation, wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation is performed prior to arriving at the potential battery charging location. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the system is further configured to identify the potential battery charging location based on proximity of the potential battery charging location to a route to a user-specified destination. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the system is configured to cool the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation by reducing a temperature of the battery pack relative to a current temperature of the battery pack prior to the potential charging operation. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 identify a potential battery charging location for the potential charging operation, wherein the system is configured to cool the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation prior to arriving at the potential battery charging location, 
 wherein the system is configured to determine that the potential charging operation is likely to occur based on a determination that an anticipated battery use for travel to a user-specified destination exceeds a threshold value, and 
 wherein the system is configured to cool the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation by reducing a temperature of the battery pack relative to a current temperature of the battery pack prior to the potential charging operation. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device including program instructions executable by one or more processors that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 determining, by an electro-mechanical system that includes a battery pack, that a potential charging operation is likely to occur based on a state of charge of the battery pack; and 
 cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , wherein determining that the potential charging operation is likely to occur is based further on a user-specified destination. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of  claim 16 , wherein determining that the potential charging operation is likely to occur comprises:
 determining that an anticipated battery use for travel to the user-specified destination exceeds a threshold value. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 identifying, by the system, a potential battery charging location for the potential charging operation, wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation is performed prior to arriving at the potential battery charging location. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of  claim 18 , wherein identifying the potential battery charging location further comprises:
 determining a route to a user-specified destination, wherein the potential battery charging location is identified based on proximity of the potential battery charging location to the route to the user-specified destination. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation includes reducing a temperature of the battery pack relative to a current temperature of the battery pack prior to the potential charging operation. 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 identifying, by the system, a potential battery charging location for the potential charging operation, wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation is performed prior to arriving at the potential battery charging location, 
 wherein determining that the potential charging operation is likely to occur includes determining that an anticipated battery use for traveling to a user-specified destination exceeds a threshold value, and 
 wherein cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation includes reducing a temperature of the battery pack relative to a current temperature of the battery pack prior to the potential charging operation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/315,819, filed on Jan. 7, 2019, which is a National Phase Entry of International Application No. PCT/US2017/040343, filed on Jun. 30, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/358,599, filed on Jul. 6, 2016. The contents of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The application relates generally to battery management. 
     BACKGROUND 
     During charging of a rechargeable battery pack, resistive heat increases the temperature of the rechargeable battery pack. The rate at which a rechargeable battery pack is charged may be limited in order to limit the maximum temperature experienced by the rechargeable battery pack. But, reducing charging rate increases charging time. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the disclosure is a method that includes determining, by a system that includes a battery pack, that a potential charging operation is likely to occur based on a state of charge of the battery pack, and cooling the battery pack to prepare the battery pack for the potential charging operation. 
     One aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a method that includes identifying a battery charging location, setting a target temperature for thermal regulation of a battery pack based in part on the battery charging location, and regulating a temperature of the battery pack according to the target temperature. 
     Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a system that includes a battery pack, a navigation system that is configured to identify a battery charging location, and a thermal regulation system that is configured to regulate an actual temperature of the battery pack based on a target temperature. The thermal regulation system modifies the target temperature based on the battery charging location. 
     Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a method that includes identifying a planned route, identifying a battery charging location based on the planned route, and determining a travel energy requirement based on estimated use of a battery pack en route to the battery charging location using the planned route. The method also includes determining an excess energy amount based on the travel energy requirement and a state of charge of a battery pack, and reducing a temperature of the battery pack using a thermal regulation system upon determining that the excess energy amount exceeds a cooling energy requirement for reducing the temperature of the battery pack. 
     Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a method that includes determining that a battery pack is able to provide excess energy in addition to an anticipated energy usage during travel to a battery charging location, decreasing a target temperature for the battery pack in response to determining that the battery pack is able to provide the excess energy, and cooling the battery pack toward the target temperature prior to arriving at the battery charging location using at least part of the excess energy. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an illustration showing an exemplary system. 
         FIG.  2    is an illustration showing an exemplary thermal regulation system for a battery pack. 
         FIG.  3    is an illustration showing an exemplary controller. 
         FIG.  4    is an illustration showing an exemplary battery management system. 
         FIG.  5    is an illustration showing an exemplary planned route. 
         FIG.  6    is an illustration showing an exemplary planned route. 
         FIG.  7    is a flowchart showing an exemplary battery management process. 
         FIG.  8    is a flowchart showing an exemplary battery management process. 
         FIG.  9    is a flowchart showing an exemplary battery management process. 
         FIG.  10    is an illustration showing an exemplary hardware configuration for a controller. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a system  100  having a housing  102  that connects or encloses portions of the system  100 , one or more components  104  that consume electrical energy, a battery pack  106 , a thermal regulation system  108 , a charging system  110 , and a controller  112 . The battery pack  106  is a rechargeable electricity storage device that provides electrical energy to the components  104  and/or other portions of the system  100 . The battery pack  106  may include electrically interconnected rechargeable battery cells of any type, such as lithium ion cells or nickel-metal hydride cells. 
     The temperature of battery pack  106  can vary due to environmental conditions and/or usage conditions. For example, winter weather can lower the temperature of battery pack  106 . As another example, charging and discharging□ particularly at fast rates□ can increase the temperature of battery pack  106 . The battery pack  106  may experience degraded performance at temperature extremes. For example, if the battery pack  106  is too cold, internal impedance may rise and thereby limit the rate of energy transfer from the battery pack  106 . If the battery pack  106  is too hot, it may degrade quickly or may become damaged. 
     In some embodiments, the thermal regulation system  108  is configured for heat transfer  114  with respect to the battery pack  106 . In some embodiments, the thermal regulation system  108  is operable to heat the battery pack  106 . In some embodiments, the thermal regulation system  108  is operable to cool the battery pack  106 . The heating and/or cooling of the battery pack  106  helps maintain the temperature of the battery pack  106  within a range that optimizes performance of the battery pack  106 . This range may be referred to as an operating temperature range. As one example, the thermal regulation system  108  may incorporate electrically operated heating and/or cooling devices such as resistive heating elements, thermoelectric heaters, or thermoelectric coolers. As another example, the thermal regulation system  108  may include a fluid transport circuit for circulating a heated or chilled fluid media. 
     In some embodiments, the charging system  110  is electrically connected to the battery pack  106  and is operable to charge battery pack  106 . The charging system  110  may draw energy from external sources such as mains energy. In some implementations, the charging system  110  draws AC energy. In some implementations, the charging system  110  draws DC energy. In some implementations, the charging system  110  is able to draw both AC or DC energy. In some implementations, the charging system  110  is configured to draw energy wirelessly. In some implementations, the charging system  110  is configured to draw energy through a wired connection. In some implementations, the charging system  110  is configured to draw energy both wirelessly or through a wired connection. 
     In some embodiments, the controller  112  is operable to regulate operation of various portions of the system  100 , such as by receiving information, processing the information according to stored instructions, and outputting command signals that regulate operation of the system  100 . The controller  112  may include, as an example, a memory that stores computer program instructions and a processor that is operable to execute the computer program instructions. The computer program instructions may include instructions that cause the controller  112  to perform operations for thermal regulation of the battery pack  106 . Although the controller  112  in the illustrated example is shown as a single device that performs many functions, it should be understood that the functions performed by the controller  112  may instead be performed by multiple devices, such as multiple controllers each having a separate memory and processor, and/or controller  112  may itself have multiple computer processors. 
       FIG.  2    illustrates an exemplary thermal regulation system  108  as including a heat transfer component  220 , a pump  222 , a thermal conditioning component  224 , and conduit(s)  226 . In some embodiments, these components facilitate liquid flow such as water, ethylene glycol, or another liquid refrigerant. In some embodiments, these components facilitate gas exchange, thereby allowing gaseous refrigerants, or refrigerants that undergo a phase change between liquid and gas to provide thermal conditioning of battery pack  106 . 
       FIG.  3    illustrates an exemplary thermal controller  112  as including a location system  330 , a battery management system  332 , and one or more sensors  334 , and stored information  336 . For example, the location system  330  may be a mapping system or a navigation system that uses GPS or other location-detecting and/or mapping technologies. The stored information  336  may include information stored by the controller  112  that describes past use of the system  100 . In some embodiments, the stored information  336  describes previous user actions that may be used by the controller  112  to predict future user actions. In some embodiments, the stored information  336  describes operating characteristics previously experienced by the system  100 , such as energy usage rates under specific operating conditions. 
     In some embodiments, the location system  330  is operable to plan a route. The route planned by the location system  330  may be a route from a current location of the system  100  to a destination. In some embodiments, the location system  330  is operable to identify intermediate locations, called waypoints, along a route between the current location and the destination. In some embodiments, the location system  330  is operable to receive destinations entered by a user through a user interface. In some embodiments, the location system  330  is operable to identify a destination based on the stored information  336 . Thus, if the stored information  336  indicates that the user is travelling along a commonly used route, such as from the user&#39;s place of work to the user&#39;s home, the location system  330  may set the destination accordingly. 
     In some embodiments, the battery management system  332  is operable to monitor operation of the battery pack  106 , such as pack temperature, state of charge, and so forth. As discussed above, the thermal conditions of a battery pack can limit the rate at which the pack can be charged. For example, a hot battery should not be charged at a high rate in order to protect its internal cell chemistry. Charging at a slower rate, while possible, lengthens the charging process. To enhance the user experience of the system  100  by reducing the amount of time spent charging the battery pack  106 , the battery management system  332  may precondition the battery pack  106  in advance of charging such as by pre-cooling the battery pack  106  while system  100  is en route to a charging location, as facilitated by location system  330 . Preconditioning is particularly favorable with charging locations that support higher charging rates, as the battery management system  332  allows charging at higher rates by reducing the temperature of the battery pack  106  prior to charging. 
     The sensors  334  provide information regarding the state of other parts of the system  100 , and information regarding the environment surrounding the system  100 . The information collected by the sensors  334  may be provided to other components of the controller  112  in the form of signals or data, such as voltage and/or current information in support of Coulomb-counting techniques. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4    the battery management system  332  utilizes information regarding the system  100  and the surrounding environment to change operating parameters for the system  100  in order to enhance the experience of the user of the system  100 . As examples, the battery management system  332  may receive state of charge information  442 , route information  444 , charging location information  446 , and battery temperature information  448 . As outputs, the battery management system  332  may generate a target temperature  450  and a thermal regulation command  452 . 
     The state of charge information  442  is information that represents an amount of electrical energy that is stored in the battery pack  106  and that may be available to the components  104 . The state of charge information  442  may be derived from information provided by the sensors  334 . The battery management system  332  uses the state of charge information  442  to determine, such as by estimating, an operating time. The operating time represents the amount of time that the system  100  can continue to function prior to recharging the battery pack  106 . As an example, operating time may be estimated based on a number of factors, such as information describing a manner in which the system  100  is currently being used and stored information describing previously-experienced energy usage rates under similar operating conditions. 
     The route information  444  may be obtained from the location system  330 . The route information  444  may include the planned route for the system  100 . The route information  444  may include the current location of the system  100 , such as in geospatial coordinates. The route information  444  may include a destination location for the system  100 . The route information  444  may include waypoint locations along the planned route. 
     The charging location information  446  identifies the locations of chargers that are near the system  100  and/or near the planned route. The charging location information  446  may include information describing the geographic location of the charger. The charging location information  446  may also include information describing the capability and/or type of chargers available at a charging location. As an example, the charging location information  446  may include information describing a rate at which electrical energy can be supplied to the system  100  by the charger. This information may be in the form of a numerical rate, or a non-rate based classifier such as a term used to describe chargers having particular characteristics. 
     The charging location information  446  may include information that was previously stored by the system  100 . In some embodiments, the user may provide information to the system  100  describing the charging location. In some embodiments, the system  100  may store information describing a charging location when the system  100  is charged, such that the charging location information includes information describing charging locations that have previously been used by the system  100 . In this example, the charging location information  446  may also describe user behaviors relative to particular charging locations, such as information describing a number of times a particular charging location has been used, or information describing a likelihood that the system  100  will be charged at a particular charging location when the system  100  is near the charging location. In some embodiments, the system  100  includes a data source, such as a database or a list, identifying charging locations. In some embodiments, the system  100  may obtain the charging location information  446  from an external data source, such as a data source accessed via the internet. 
     The battery temperature information  448  includes information describing a current temperature of the battery pack  106 . The battery temperature information  448  may be derived from information received from the sensors  334 , which may include a temperature sensor disposed near or within the battery pack  106 . 
     In some implementations, the battery temperature information  448  includes or represents a single temperature measurement taken within or adjacent to the battery pack  106 . In some implementations, the battery temperature information  448  includes or represents an average of multiple temperature measurements taken within or adjacent to the battery pack  106 . In some implementations, the battery temperature information  448  includes or represents a maximum value from multiple temperature measurements taken within or adjacent to the battery pack  106 . In some implementations, the battery temperature information  448  includes or represents a temperature of the fluid media upon exiting the heat transfer component  220 , as this temperature is related to the average temperature of the battery pack  106 . 
     The battery management system  332  sets the target temperature  450  based on some or all of the state of charge information  442 , the route information  444 , the charging location information  446 , and the battery temperature information  448 . Upon setting the target temperature  450 , the battery management system  332  may cause operation of the thermal regulation system  108  in a manner intended to cause the actual temperature of the battery pack  106  to move towards the target temperature  450  by outputting the thermal regulation command  452  and transmitting the thermal regulation command  452  to the thermal regulation system  108 . In various embodiments, system  100  can be a portion of an electronic device such as a computer or phone, or be embedded into an automotive system. 
     When charge preconditioning is not being applied to the battery pack  106  by the battery management system  332 , the target temperature  450  may be set to a nominal setting within the normal operating temperature range. The nominal setting may be expressed as a value or range of values. 
     The battery management system  332  is operable to modify the target temperature  450  based on the charging location information  446 . Using the charging location information  446 , the battery management system  332  may reduce the actual temperature of the battery pack  106  before the system reaches a charging location by setting the target temperature  450  to a charge preconditioning setting and outputting a thermal regulation command  452  that corresponds to the charge preconditioning setting. By reducing the temperature of the battery pack  106  prior to commencement of a charging operation, charging can occur at a faster rate as compared to the charging rate that would be possible if the system  100  arrived at the charger after regulating the temperature of the battery pack  106  using the nominal setting. 
     The charge preconditioning setting may be a specific value or a range of values. As an example, the charge preconditioning setting may be between twenty-eight and forty-five degrees Celsius, and the thermal regulation system  108  may be operable to achieve a temperature reduction of this magnitude within fifty minutes during operation of the system  100 . 
     The battery management system  332  can modify the target temperature  450  from the nominal setting to the charge preconditioning setting in response to determining that the system  100  is to charge at a charging location. For example, the battery pack  106  may be cooled while the system  100  is en route to a charger. In order to cool the battery pack  106  to allow more effective charging, the target temperature  450  is set to a temperature that is lower than the actual temperature of the battery pack  106 , which is determined as described with respect to the battery temperature information  448 . 
     The battery management system  332  may identify a charging location based on the charging location information  446 , set the target temperature  450  for thermal regulation of the battery pack  106  based in part on the charging location identified by the charging location information  446 , and regulate the temperature of the battery pack  106  according to the target temperature  450  by outputting the thermal regulation command  452  to the thermal regulation system  108  accordingly. 
     The battery management system  332  may set the target temperature  450  based on the planned route for the system  100 , as determined based on the route information  444  received from the location system  330 , such that the temperature of the battery pack  106  is regulated according to the charge preconditioning setting while the system  100  is travelling to the charging location using the route. 
     The battery management system  332  may determine whether a charging operation is likely to occur while system  100  is traveling to a destination. For example, battery management system  332  may predict that battery pack  106  will run out of charge before system  100  reaches its intended destination. In some implementations, the determination is made based on the time or distance required to reach the destination from the present location of system  100  and the available state of charge in battery pack  106 . Thus, when the state of charge information  442  indicates that the system  100  will be operable for a time or range that is less than a time or range threshold value, the battery management system  332  may determine that charging is likely and modify the target temperature to cool the battery pack  106  prior to charging, such as by changing the target temperature  450  from the nominal setting to the charge preconditioning setting. In some implementations, the determination is made based on the availability of charging locations while en route to the intended destination. 
       FIG.  5    shows a planned route  554  for the system  100  according to a first example  500 . The planned route  554  follows a network of transportation facilities such as paths, sidewalks, transit routes, and/or streets from a current location  556  of the system  100  to a destination  558 . A charging location  560  is situated near the planned route  554 . 
     The battery management system  332  may determine the operating time for the system  100  based on the state of charge information  442  and determine a probability that the system  100  will stop at the charging location as a function of the operating time, the distance from the current location  556  to the destination  558 , and optionally, other factors. The other factors may include a factor of safety that models the operating time of the system  100  as a percentage of an expected operating time for the system  100 . 
     As an example, the probability of that the system  100  will be transported to a charger may be modelled such that the probability increases as a ratio of the time to travel from the current location  556  to the destination  558  compared to the operating time approaches one. The probability may be modeled such that it reaches 100% when this ratio reaches a value that is slightly less than or equal to one. Thus, if the state of charge information  442  indicates that the operating time of the system  100  is not sufficient to continue operation of the system  100  until it reaches the destination  558 , the battery management system  332  may determine that the probability of a charging operation occurring prior to reaching the destination is 100 percent. 
     In the first example  500 , the battery management system  332  determines that it is likely that the system  100  will be charged at the charging location  560  based on the state of charge information  442 , as a portion  562  of the planned route  554  lies beyond the operating time and/or range of the system  100 , and the charging location  560  is near the planned route  554 . 
     In situations where multiple charging locations are located along the planned route  554 , the charging location  560  may be identified as the likely location for the charging operation based on factors such as location, state of charge of the battery pack  106 , the stored information  333 , and the charging location information. 
     To prepare the system  100  for the charging operation, the battery management system  332  sets the target temperature  450  according to the charge preconditioning setting, to reduce the temperature of the battery pack  106  in advance of the expected charging operation. The battery management system  332  may set the target temperature  450  according to the charge preconditioning setting in advance of anticipated arrival at the charging location  560  to allow sufficient time to reduce the temperature of the battery pack  106 . As an example, the target temperature  450  may be reduced to cool the battery pack  106  between fifteen and sixty minutes before arrival at the charging location  560 . 
       FIG.  6    shows a planned route  654  for the system  100  according to a second example  600 . The planned route  654  follows a network of transportation facilities such as paths, sidewalks, transit routes, and/or streets from a current location  656  of the system  100  to a destination  658 . A charging location  660  is situated near the planned route  654 . The planned route  654  includes a planned stop  664  at the charging location  660 . 
     In this example, the planned stop  664  is a user-specified destination that corresponds to the charging location  660 . The battery management system  332  may interpret this as an explicit indication by the user that a charging operation will occur at the charging location  660 . To prepare the system  100  for the charging operation, the battery management system  332  sets the target temperature  450  according to the charge preconditioning setting to cool the battery pack  106  in advance of the charging operation while the system  100  is traveling to the charging location  660  using the planned route  654 . 
     In some implementations, the battery management system  332  may set the target temperature  450  based in part on a battery charging power level that is supported by the charging location  660 . The battery charging power level may be included in the charging location information  446 . For example, if the battery charging power level is above a threshold value, the battery management system  332  determines that cooling the battery pack  106  in advance of charging will be beneficial, and reduces the target temperature  450 . In this example, the target temperature  450  is not reduced if the battery charging power level is below the threshold value. In other implementations, the target temperature is set according to a sliding scale, with the temperature values used for the target temperature  450  decreasing as the battery charging power level increases. In the example of  FIG.  6   , the battery management system  332  may determine that a battery charging power level for the charging location  660  is below a threshold value, and in response, maintain the target temperature  450  according to the nominal setting instead of cooling the battery pack  106 . Exemplary battery charging power levels include DC fast charge, as well as other power levels defined in the SAE J1772 charging standard or future charging standards. Battery charging power levels may be expressed in terms of watts per hour of energy being directed to a battery system. 
     In some implementations, the battery management system  332  determines whether or not to cool the battery pack  106  in advance of charging based on part on the state of charge information  442 , by determining a travel energy requirement. The travel energy requirement represents an anticipated amount of electrical energy that will be removed from the battery for utilization by the components  104  while the system  100  is en route to a charging location such as the charging location  660  of  FIG.  6    using the planned route  654 . The travel energy requirement may also account for energy utilization due to internal impedance of the battery pack  106  and other systems. As one example, the travel energy requirement may be calculated based on a time or distance expected for travel using the planned route  654  multiplied by an energy usage rate expressed per unit of time or per unit of distance. The battery management system  332  may also determine an excess energy amount based on the travel energy requirement and the state of charge of the battery pack  106 , and cooling the battery pack  106  using the thermal regulation system  108  using the excess energy amount. During travel to the charging location  660 , this determination can be re-evaluated. Thus, if the route changes or if energy consumption is greater than expected, the target temperature  450  can be revised, such as by setting it according to the nominal setting, in order to conserve electrical energy and maximize operating time. 
       FIG.  7    shows an example of a battery management process  700 . In operation  710 , a charging location is identified, such as by the battery management system  332  using the charging location information  446 . In operation  720 , a route to the charging location is identified, such as by using the route information  444  from the location system  330 . For example, the battery management system  332  could request a route to the charging location from the location system  330 . In operation  730 , the target temperature  450  for thermal regulation of the battery pack  106  is set based in part on the charging location. In operation  740 , the temperature of the battery pack  106  is regulated according to the target temperature  450 , such as by operating the thermal regulation system  108  in accordance with the thermal regulation command  452 . 
       FIG.  8    shows an example of a battery management process  800 . Operation  810  includes identifying a planned route. Operation  820  includes identifying a charging location based on the planned route. Operation  830  includes determining a travel energy requirement that represents anticipated energy usage during travel to the charging location using the planned route. In operation  840 , an excess energy amount is determined based on the travel energy requirement and a state of charge of the battery pack  106 , where the excess energy amount represents electrical energy that is in excess of what is needed for system  100  to maintain operation while travelling to the charging location. In operation  850 , the temperature of the battery pack  106  is reduced using the thermal regulation system  108  in response to determining that the excess energy amount exceeds a cooling energy requirement for reducing the temperature of the battery pack  106 . 
       FIG.  9    shows an example of a battery management process  900 . Operation  910  includes determining that the battery pack  106  is able to provide excess energy in addition to an anticipated energy usage during travel to a charging location. Operation  920  includes decreasing the target temperature  450  for the battery pack  106  in response to determining that the battery pack  106  is able to provide the excess energy. Operation  930  includes cooling the battery pack  106  prior to arriving at the charging location using at least part of the excess energy. 
       FIG.  10    shows an example of a hardware configuration for a controller  1000  that may be used to implement the controller  112  and/or other portions of the system  100 . In the illustrated example, the controller  1000  includes a processor  1010 , memory  1020 , a storage device  1030 , one or more input devices  1040 , and one or more output devices  1050 . These components may be interconnected by hardware such as a bus  1060  that allows communication between the components. The processor  1010  may be a conventional device such as a central processing unit, and is operable to execute computer program instructions and perform operations described by the computer program instructions. The memory  1020  may be a volatile, high-speed, short-term information storage device such as a random-access memory module. The storage device  1030  may be a non-volatile information storage device such as a hard drive or a solid state drive. The input devices  1040  may include any type of human-machine interface such as buttons, switches, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen input device, a gestural input device, or an audio input device. The output devices  1050  may include any type of device operable to provide an indication to a user regarding an operating state, such as a display screen or an audio output.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20210118
Publication Date: 20240730
Grant Date: 20240730
Priority Date: 20160706
Inventors: Sherback, Michael A.
Derbas, Hamza W.
Neubauer, Jeremy S.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H02J7/0013", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L58/26", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L2240/622", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L2240/545", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02T90/14", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02T10/70", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02T10/7072", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02T10/72", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02T90/16", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L58/26", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L2240/622", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L2240/545", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L53/11", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L53/11", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L2240/622", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L2240/545", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/0013", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L58/26", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60L53/11", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 59521631