Systems and methods for vehicle load detection and response

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016355189-A1
Application number	US-201615173451-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A torque-speed curve or data of load that is used as a standard to determine an external condition in which an electric vehicle is operating such as incline or no incline, head wind or no headwind, high temperature or low temperature. The system compares samples of actual torque-speed of load data to the standard. Based on the comparison, the system determines the external condition (going up a hill, traveling into a headwind, operating at high temperature) or an abnormal operation of the vehicle powertrain, for example, low tire pressure, elevated friction, wheels out of alignment. Based on the determination, the system takes an action to govern a maximum torque output of the motor to control temperature of the vehicle battery; to raise a wind deflector; to govern maximum speed of the vehicle to reduce danger resulting from low tire pressure, elevated powertrain friction or out of alignment wheels; or to initiate an indication of abnormal conditions.

First claim

I claim:

1 . A method of determining a particular type of load of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining real-time data regarding powertrain operation of a vehicle over a period of time; and determining whether the vehicle is subject to the particular type of load over the period of time based on comparing the obtained real-time data regarding the powertrain operation of the vehicle to reference data, the reference data including data regarding powertrain operation that is characteristic of when the vehicle is subject the particular type of load.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the real-time data regarding powertrain operation of a vehicle includes:
obtaining real-time data over the period of time from a power transmission system of the vehicle, the real-time data including data indicative of current motor torque of a motor of the vehicle as motor speed increases.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the reference data includes data indicating motor torque as motor speed increases that is characteristic of when the vehicle is subject to the particular type of load.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein determining whether the vehicle is subject to a particular type of load over the period of time includes:
sampling the real-time data from the power transmission system at a particular sampling rate over a particular period of time;
for each sampling of the real time data during the particular period of time:
comparing the sampled real-time data from the power transmission to the reference data;
determining whether the vehicle is currently being subject to the particular type of load at a time of the sampling based on the comparison made to the reference data at the sampling; and
determining whether to increment a counter initialized at the beginning of the particular period of time based on the determination of whether the vehicle is currently being subject to the particular type of load at a time of the sampling;

after the particular period of time has lapsed, comparing a value of the counter to a threshold value; and
determining whether the vehicle was subject to the particular type of load over the particular period of time based on whether the value of the counter is greater than or equal to the threshold value based on the comparison.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining whether to limit an operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle based at least in part on the determination whether the vehicle was subject to the particular type of load over the particular period of time.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein determining whether the vehicle was subject to the particular type of load over the particular period of time includes determining whether the vehicle was climbing an inclined surface or traveling on a flat surface based on the comparing of the sampled real-time data from the power transmission to the reference data.

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
repeating, over multiple periods of time of length equal to the particular period of time, the sampling, comparing the sampled real-time data, determining whether the vehicle is currently being subject to the particular type of load at a time of the sampling, determining whether to increment the counter, comparing the value of the counter to a threshold value after the particular period of time has lapsed and the determining whether to limit an operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle based at least in part on the determination whether the vehicle was subject to the particular type of load.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the particular sampling rate is once every second.

9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the particular period of time is one minute.

10 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
if it was determined the vehicle was subject to the particular type of load over the particular period of time, causing the vehicle to take an action at least in part in response to the determination the vehicle was subject to the particular type of load over the particular period of time.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein causing the vehicle to take an action includes to causing the vehicle to take an action to cause the motor torque of the vehicle to be at a particular amount of torque according to motor speed.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein causing the vehicle to take an action includes limiting an operational characteristic of a prime mover of the vehicle.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein limiting an operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle includes limiting an operational characteristic of a prime mover of the vehicle to cause the motor torque of the vehicle to be at a particular amount of torque according to motor speed.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the particular amount of torque according to motor speed is defined by a derating curve indicative of desired motor torque versus motor speed.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein causing the vehicle to take an action includes causing the vehicle to raise a wind deflector.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein causing the vehicle to take an action includes governing max torque output of motor.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein causing the vehicle to take an action includes governing max torque output of motor to control temperature of a battery of the vehicle powering a prime mover of the vehicle.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein governing max torque output of motor to control temperature of the battery of the vehicle powering the prime mover is performed in response to the battery temperature reaching a particular battery temperature threshold.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the particular battery temperature threshold is about 57 degrees Celsius.

20 . The method of claim 10 , wherein causing the vehicle to take an action includes one or more of: limiting a voltage supplied to the electric motor of the vehicle; limiting an acceleration of the vehicle; limiting a current supplied to the electric motor of the vehicle; adjusting a temperature of a battery powering the prime mover of the vehicle.

21 . The method of claim 1 wherein the particular type of load is associated with one or a combination of one or more of: a condition external to the vehicle; climbing an incline; climbing an incline of a particular gradient; traveling on a flat surface; weight of the vehicle; carrying additional weight; carrying a particular amount of additional weight; carrying a particular number of people; rolling resistance; a particular type of rolling resistance; type of tire; air pressure of one or more tires; nature of a ground surface on which the vehicle is traveling; friction between the vehicle and the ground surface; air resistance; size and shape of the vehicle; degree of streamlining of the vehicle; wind speed; crosswind speed; crosswind direction; headwind; headwind speed; problem of a power transmission system of the vehicle; problem with the powertrain of the vehicle; abnormality of the power transmission system of the vehicle; an abnormality of the powertrain of the vehicle; amount of resistance in the power transmission system of the vehicle; amount of resistance in the powertrain of the vehicle; amount of friction between moving components in the power transmission system of the vehicle; amount of friction between moving components in the powertrain of the vehicle; vehicle battery temperature; al

Assignees

• Gogoro Inc

Inventors

• Lin Sung-Ching
• Li Kai-Chiang

Classifications

• B60L15/20

  for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed · CPC title

• B60W2300/365

  Scooters · CPC title

• B60L2260/167

  of motors or generators · CPC title

• Y02T10/72

  Electric energy management in electromobility · CPC title

• B60W2520/105

  Longitudinal acceleration · CPC title