Relating to range prediction in electric vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052770-B2
Application number	US-201715804661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2017
Priority date	Jun 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A first method of predicting the range of an electric vehicle comprises, determining a range value during a current vehicle operating cycle using a first range model, wherein the first range model is dependent on an energy consumption rate value recorded during a previous vehicle operating cycle. A second method of predicting the range of an electric vehicle comprises, monitoring a trailer detecting means of the vehicle; and determining a first range value if the trailer detecting means detects that a trailer is attached to the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for predicting a range of an electric vehicle, the method comprising the following performed by a controller of the electric vehicle:
monitoring a trailer detector of the vehicle, wherein the trailer detector is configured to monitor a rate of change of an energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the electric vehicle;
determining a first range value if the trailer detector detects that a trailer is attached to the vehicle, wherein the first range value is a distance range value being indicative of a maximum distance that the vehicle can travel until an energy store of the vehicle is depleted; and
displaying the first range value to a vehicle user via a display screen within the electric vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , including determining a second range value if the trailer detector detects that a trailer is not attached to the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second range value is dependent on a second stored energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the vehicle during a previous vehicle operating cycle in which the trailer was not attached to the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first range value includes modifying the second stored energy gradient value by a predetermined factor to represent an increased energy consumption rate associated with the trailer attached to the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second range value is a time range value being indicative of a time for which the vehicle may remain operational until an energy store of the vehicle is depleted.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first range value is dependent on a first stored energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the vehicle during a previous vehicle operating cycle in which the trailer was attached to the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a second range value is dependent on a second stored energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the vehicle during a previous operating cycle in which the trailer was not attached to the vehicle.

8. A processing system for an electric vehicle having a controller configured to implement the method of claim 1 .

9. An electric vehicle including an energy store, an electric drive system, and an on-board processing system having a controller configured to implement the method of claim 1 .

10. A method for predicting a range of an electric vehicle, the method comprising the following performed by a controller of the electric vehicle:
monitoring a trailer detector of the vehicle, wherein the trailer detector is configured to monitor a rate of change of an energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the electric vehicle;
determining a first range value if the trailer detector detects that a trailer is attached to the vehicle, wherein the first range value is a time range value being indicative of a time for which the vehicle may remain operational until an energy store of the vehicle is depleted; and
displaying the first range value to a vehicle user via a display screen within the electric vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the time range value is displayed to the user during a predetermined vehicle state.

12. The method of claim 10 , including determining a second range value if the trailer detector detects that a trailer is not attached to the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second range value is dependent on a second stored energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the vehicle during a previous operating cycle in which the trailer was not attached to the vehicle.

14. A processing system for an electric vehicle having a controller configured to implement the method of claim 10 .

15. An electric vehicle including an energy store, an electric drive system, and an on-board processing system having a controller configured to implement the method of claim 10 .

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first range value is dependent on a first stored energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the vehicle during a previous vehicle operating cycle in which the trailer was attached to the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a second range value is dependent on a second stored energy gradient value indicating an energy consumption rate of the vehicle during a previous vehicle operating cycle in which the trailer was not attached to the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first range value includes modifying the second stored energy gradient value by a predetermined factor to represent an increased energy consumption rate associated with the trailer attached to the vehicle.

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Grewal Karmjit
• Burrows Andrew

Classifications

• G07C5/004 Primary

  Indicating the operating range of the engine (economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00) · CPC title

• Y02T10/84

  Data processing systems or methods, management, administration · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60L58/13

  Maintaining the SoC within a determined range · CPC title

• B60W2530/18

  Distance travelled · CPC title