Control units, systems, and vehicles for controlling operations of on-board equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330528-B2
Application number	US-202217684757-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2022
Priority date	Mar 2, 2022
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

Various disclosed embodiments include illustrative control units, systems, and vehicles. In an illustrative embodiment, a control unit includes a processor and computer-readable media that stores computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to determine a reserve level for a battery of an electric vehicle, determine activation status of electrical equipment in the electric vehicle responsive the reserve level and a battery level, and control supply of power from the battery to the electrical equipment responsive to the activation status.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control unit comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable media configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to:
determine a reserve level for a battery of an electric vehicle, the battery to provide power to a direct current (DC) power system and to an alternating current (AC) power system via a DC/AC converter;
determine activation status of electrical equipment in the electric vehicle responsive the reserve level and a battery level of the electric vehicle, the electrical equipment powered by the alternating current (AC) power system;
control supply of power from the battery to the electrical equipment responsive to the activation status;
determine schedule information associated with the electric vehicle;
determine the reserve level responsive to the schedule information;

wherein the schedule information includes calendared activity information associated with the electric vehicle; and
wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to determine the reserve level further responsive to the calendared activity information.

2. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
enable the battery to supply power to the electrical equipment in the electric vehicle responsive to the battery level being greater than the reserve level; and
disable the battery from supplying the power to the electrical equipment responsive to the battery level from one of meeting the reserve level and falling below the reserve level.

3. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
determine an amount of power needed to get the electric vehicle to a next location responsive to schedule information; and
determine the reserve level further responsive to the determined amount of power, wherein the activation status is determined based on the reserve level determined responsive to the determined amount of power.

4. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the calendared activity information includes an amount and type of function and a location of a next customer, wherein the function is chosen from a tire changing function, a hydraulic suspension servicing function, a coolant servicing function, a brake hydraulic servicing function, and a charging function for charging battery powered devices chosen from a computer or a battery powered tool.

5. The control unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication device configured to receive the schedule information from a fleet management center via a network.

6. The control unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
an interface device,
wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
output information associated with the determined activation status; and
receive input from a user to manually control the activation status of at least a portion of the electrical equipment,

wherein the interface device is configured to present the outputted information.

7. A system comprising:
an alternating current (AC) power system configured to receive power from a direct current (DC) power system, and provide power to electrical equipment;
the DC power system including a battery; and
a control unit including:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable media configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to:
determine a reserve level for the battery;
determine activation status of the electrical equipment responsive the reserve level and a battery level;
control supply of power from the battery to the electrical equipment responsive to the activation status;

wherein the system is included in an electric vehicle,
wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
determine schedule information associated with the electric vehicle; and
determine the reserve level responsive to the schedule information;

wherein the schedule information includes calendared activity information associated with the electric vehicle; and
wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to determine the reserve level further responsive to the calendared activity information.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
enable the battery to supply power to the electrical equipment responsive to the battery level being greater than the reserve level; and
disable the battery from supplying the power to the electrical equipment responsive to the battery level chosen from one of meeting the reserve level and falling below the reserve level.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
determine an amount of power needed to get the electric vehicle to a next location responsive to schedule information; and
determine the reserve level further responsive to the determined amount of power, wherein the activation status is determined based on the reserve level determined responsive to the determined amount of power.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the calendared activity information includes an amount and type of function and a location of a next customer, wherein the function is chosen from a tire changing function, a hydraulic suspension servicing function, a coolant servicing function, a brake hydraulic servicing function, and a charging function for charging battery powered devices chosen from a computer and a battery powered tool.

11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a communication device configured to receive the schedule information from a fleet management center via a network.

12. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
an interface device,
wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
output information associated with the determined activation status; and
receive input from a user to manually control the activation status of at least a portion of the electrical equipment,

wherein the interface device is configured to present the outputted information.

13. A vehicle comprising:
tire changing equipment to receive power via an alternating current power distribution device coupled with a battery;
the battery;
the alternating current power distribution device; and
a control unit including:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable media configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to:
determine a reserve level for the battery;
determine activation status of the tire changing equipment responsive the reserve level and a battery level;

control supply of power from the battery to the tire changing equipment, via the alternating current power distribution device, responsive to the activation status;
determine schedule information associated with the vehicle;
determine the reserve level responsive to the schedule information;

wherein the schedule information includes calendared activity information associated with the vehicle; and
wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to determine the reserve level further responsive to the calendared activity information.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to:
determine an amount of power needed to get the vehicle to a next location responsive to schedule information; and
determine the reserve level further responsive to the determined amount of power,
wherein the activation status is dete

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Tompkins Philip
• Yang Alex

Classifications

• G08G1/20

  Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2240/60

  Navigation input · CPC title

• B60L2240/70

  Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres · CPC title

• B60L1/00 Primary

  Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00) · CPC title

• B60L2260/58

  Departure time prediction · CPC title