Electric range impact factor display and algorithms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776643-B2
Application number	US-201414536977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A method is provided for estimating range per full charge (RPC) for a vehicle. The method includes a controller which may, in response to detecting presence of a predefined condition impacting vehicle energy consumption, output to an interface by a controller a RPC and indicia indicative of an extent to which the predefined condition is affecting the RPC. An electrified vehicle including one or more vehicle components, a traction battery to supply energy to the vehicle components, one or more sensors, and a controller is also provided. The one or more sensors monitor the vehicle components, traction battery, and preselected ambient conditions. The controller is configured to, in response to input from the sensors, generate output for an interface which includes a RPC and indicia indicative of an extent of impact on the RPC by each of the ambient conditions and operation of the components and battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for estimating range per full charge (RPC) for a vehicle comprising:
in response to detecting presence of a predefined condition impacting vehicle energy consumption, outputting to an interface by a controller a RPC and stacked indicia adjacent one another to provide a visual comparison to a driver of an extent to which climate control, driver style, and external conditions are each separately affecting the RPC.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition includes at least one of an auxiliary load factor, a propulsive factor due to driving style, a propulsive factor due to battery age, and a propulsive factor due to ambient conditions.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the RPC is calculated based on an average auxiliary energy consumption rate, an average propulsive power consumption, and an average total energy consumption rate that account for the predefined condition and are based on a preselected calibratable distance of vehicle travel.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the RPC is calculated based on a learned average vehicle speed, a learned average auxiliary power consumption, a learned average propulsive power consumption, and a learned average external factor power consumption that account for the predefined condition and are learned during a predefined interval of a drive cycle while the predefined condition is present.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the RPC and indicia are further based on a total vehicle energy consumption associated with the predefined interval.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the RPC is calculated based on a difference between the energy consumption rates and preselected nominal consumption conditions associated with the predefined condition.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the interval is a time-based interval.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the interval is a trip-based interval.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the interval is a distance-based interval.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the indicia is a graphical element showing range distance relative to a state of charge of an energy storage device of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the indicia is a graphical element showing a power consumption percentage relative to a state of charge of an energy storage device of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the indicia is a graphical element showing a power consumption percentage relative to the RPC over a preselected calibratable distance.

13. An electrified vehicle comprising:
one or more vehicle components;
a traction battery to supply energy to the vehicle components;
one or more sensors to monitor the vehicle components, traction battery, and preselected ambient conditions; and
a controller programmed to, in response to input from the sensors, generate output for an interface which includes a RPC and stacked indicia adjacent one another to provide a visual comparison to a driver indicative of an extent of impact on the RPC by each of a climate control system, driver style, and external conditions based on the ambient conditions and operation of the components and battery.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the vehicle components is configured for activation by a driver and wherein the indicia includes an indicator identifying a reduction in the RPC due to activation of the at least one of the vehicle components.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the vehicle components draws current from the battery when activated and wherein the indicia includes an indicator identifying a reduction in the RPC due to activation of the at least one of the vehicle components.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the indicia is a graphical element showing a power consumption percentage relative to a preselected time-based interval, a trip-based interval, or a distance-based interval.

17. A vehicle traction battery system comprising:
a traction battery;
a vehicle component to measure current draw from a climate control system, driver style, and external conditions;
an interface; and
a controller programmed to, in response to detecting an energy consumption change condition due to the drawn current, output to the interface a RPC and stacked indicia adjacent one another to provide a visual comparison to a driver indicative of an extent of change to the RPC due to the drawn current.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the indicia is a graphical element showing a power consumption percentage relative to a preselected time-based interval, a trip-based interval, or a distance-based interval.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising another vehicle component configured to be activated by a driver, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to detecting an activation condition for the another vehicle component, output to the interface indicia indicative of an extent of a change to the RPC due to activation of the another vehicle component.

20. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to detecting an energy consumption change condition due to ambient conditions, output to the interface indicia indicative of an extent of change to the RPC due to the ambient conditions.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Skaff Ryan J
• Meyer Jason
• Esler Craig Edward
• Gilman Dale
• Aldighieri Paul
• Sosonkina Yevgeniya

Classifications

• B60W2540/30

  Driving style · CPC title

• B60L2240/526

  Operating parameters · CPC title

• B60W2510/305

  Power absorbed by auxiliaries · CPC title

• B60W50/14 Primary

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

• B60L2240/445

  Temperature · CPC title