Managing recreational vehicles and accessories

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11529913-B2
Application number	US-201916560692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle is electrically connected to one or more accessories. The vehicle includes at least one controller that may be configured to identify the accessory based on accessory identification information. The controller may also be configured to provide one or more commands to control an operation of the accessory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recreational vehicle operatively coupled to a user interface, comprising:
a plurality of ground engaging members;
a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members;
an electrical power supply supported by the frame and configured to provide power to at least one removable accessory;
at least one sensor operatively coupled to the frame and configured to provide sensor information; and
a controller operatively coupled to the frame and configured to:
receive, via a user interface, user input indicating at least one user priority;
receive the sensor information from the at least one sensor; and
adjust the power from the electrical power supply to the at least one removable accessory based on the sensor information and the user input.

2. The recreational vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user input indicates a threshold to adjust the power to the at least one removable accessory, wherein the sensor information indicates a sensor value, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power from the electrical power supply to the at least one removable accessory based on determining whether the sensor value satisfies the threshold from the user input.

3. The recreational vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an electrical power supply voltage sensor configured to provide an electrical power supply voltage to the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power from the electrical power supply to the at least one removable accessory based on the user input and determining the electrical power supply voltage satisfies a threshold.

4. The recreational vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the recreational vehicle further comprises an engine supported by the frame, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an engine speed sensor configured to:
monitor an engine speed of the engine; and
provide the engine speed to the controller, and
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power from the electrical power supply to the at least one removable accessory based on the user input and based on determining the engine speed satisfies a threshold.

5. The recreational vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an accessory current consumption sensor configured to:
detect a current consumption of the at least one removable accessory; and
provide the current consumption to the controller, and
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power from the electrical power supply to the at least one removable accessory based on the user input and based on determining the current consumption satisfies a threshold.

6. The recreational vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine a voltage corresponding to the at least one removable accessory;
determine a power consumption of the at least one removable accessory based on the voltage and the current consumption, and
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power from the electrical power supply to the at least one removable accessory based on the user input and the power consumption of the at least one removable accessory.

7. The recreational vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller comprises the accessory current consumption sensor, and wherein the controller is configured to detect the current consumption of the at least one removable accessory.

8. The recreational vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the user input indicates a first maximum current allowed threshold for a first accessory of the at least one removable accessory, and
wherein the at least one sensor comprises an accessory current consumption sensor configured to:
detect a first current consumption of the first accessory; and
provide the first current consumption to the controller, and
wherein the controller is configured to terminate the power from the electrical power supply to the first accessory based on determining whether the first current consumption of the first accessory satisfies the first maximum current allowed threshold.

9. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the user input further indicates a second maximum current allowed threshold for a second accessory of the at least one removable accessory,
wherein the second maximum current allowed threshold is different from the first maximum current allowed threshold,
wherein the accessory current consumption sensor is configured to:
detect a second current consumption of the second accessory; and
provide the second current consumption to the controller, and

wherein the controller is configured to terminate the power from the electrical power supply to the second accessory based on determining whether the second current consumption of the second accessory satisfies the second maximum current allowed threshold.

10. A method for controlling a plurality of accessories connected to a vehicle, comprising:
receiving user input indicating a plurality of priorities corresponding to the plurality of accessories;
receiving, from at least one sensor, sensor information indicating a vehicle parameter;
determining at least one accessory from the plurality of accessories based on the plurality of priorities and the vehicle parameter satisfying a vehicle parameter threshold associated with the at least one accessory; and
providing one or more commands to limit an amount of power supplied to the at least one accessory.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a plurality of vehicle parameter thresholds based on the plurality of priorities;
determining whether to turn off power to the at least one accessory based on comparing the vehicle parameter with the plurality of vehicle parameter thresholds, and
wherein providing the one or more commands comprises providing one or more commands to turn off the power to the at least one accessory.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a plurality of vehicle parameter thresholds based on the plurality of priorities;
determining whether to reduce the amount of power supplied to the at least one accessory based on comparing the vehicle parameter with the plurality of vehicle parameter thresholds, and
wherein the providing the one or more commands comprises providing one or more commands to reduce the amount of power supplied to the at least one accessory.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein each priority of the plurality of priorities has a corresponding accessory of the plurality of accessories.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor information indicating the vehicle parameter comprises electrical power supply voltage information indicating a state of charge of an electrical power supply.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor information indicating the vehicle parameter comprises engine speed information indicating whether an engine of the vehicle is turned off.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor information indicating the vehicle parameter comprises sensor information indicating a total current consumption of the plurality of accessories or a total power consumption of the plurality of accessories.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Weed Joshua T
• Shaughnessy Aidan B
• Krosschell Brian D

Classifications

• B60Q2900/10

  Retrofit arrangements · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• B60R21/13

  Roll-over protection (electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01) · CPC title

• G06F2213/40

  Bus coupling · CPC title

• B60P1/6409

  details, accessories, auxiliary devices · CPC title