Robust vehicle fixing technology for power generation of internet of vehicles

Abstract

A securing technique for a vehicle for Internet of Vehicles (V2X) power generation includes receiving a requested state of a transmission from a transmission shifter, the requested state being a park state in which a park pawl is engaged and one or more non-park states in which the park pawl is disengaged, detecting a fob associated with the vehicle, and transmitting the detected fob to the transmission shifter. A lock request associated with a power generation mode in which a powertrain of the vehicle is configured to operate in a generator mode and output power is detected by a user interface device, and in response to the lock request, an actuator is commanded to physically lock the shifter when the transmission is in a park state and the park pawl is engaged, and the power generation mode is configured to operate in the generator mode and output power. When the fob is not detected, the parking pawl is maintained engaged regardless of whether the shifter requests a non-parking state.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. non-provisional application No. 18 / 182,451, filed March 13, 2023. The disclosure of each application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This application generally relates to electrified vehicles, and more specifically, to robust vehicle anchoring technology for generating electricity for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks. Background Technology

[0004] Electric vehicles comprise one or more electric motors powered by a battery system and an optional internal combustion engine. In some applications, electric vehicles are configured such that their electric motors operate as generators, producing and outputting electricity. Depending on the configuration of the electric vehicle, this electricity can be used to power a variety of external loads, from light loads (such as camping equipment) to heavy loads (such as household electricity). When an electric vehicle operates as a generator as described, the owner / driver may leave the vehicle unattended. However, because the electric vehicle is on / powered, this creates a risk of theft. For example, an unauthorized individual could gain access and physically move the electric vehicle, for example, by activating the manual parking release. Therefore, while such conventional electric vehicles do perform their intended purpose well, there is still room for improvement in the related technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a fixing system for a vehicle for power generation in a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) system is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the fixing system includes a parking pawl configured to engage / disengage to selectively lock the vehicle's transmission in a parked state; a controller configured to receive a request state for the transmission from a shifter associated with the transmission, the request state being one or more non-parking states in which the parking pawl is engaged and disengaged; wherein the controller is further configured to detect a remote key fob associated with the vehicle, detect a locking request associated with a power generation mode via a user interface device, in which the vehicle's powertrain is configured to operate in generator mode and output power, and in response to the locking request, instruct an actuator to physically lock the shifter when the transmission is in a parked state and the parking pawl is engaged, and to maintain the parking pawl engaged regardless of whether the shifter requests a non-parking state when no remote key fob is detected, and to disengage the parking pawl in response to a non-parking state requested by the shifter when the remote key fob is detected.

[0006] In some implementations, the presence of the remote key is continuously monitored via Controller Area Network (CAN) signals, rather than multiple remote key search requests, thereby preventing the vehicle's low-voltage battery from being depleted. In some implementations, the vehicle is an electric vehicle having an electric powertrain including one or more electric motors. In some implementations, the electric vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the user interface device being a charging plug that selectively connects the electric vehicle to an external charging station, and a locking request is generated in response to connecting the charging plug to the external charging station. In some implementations, when the charging plug is connected to an external charging station, the electric vehicle's driving-ready function is temporarily disabled; when the charging plug is subsequently disconnected from the charging station, if the remote key is detected, operation in generator mode is stopped, and the driving-ready function is restored.

[0007] In some embodiments, the vehicle is a mild hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and a belt-driven starter-generator (BSG) unit. In some embodiments, the manual parking release system is configured to disengage the parking pawl even when the remote key is not detected. In some embodiments, the gearshift lever associated with the transmission is configured to flash based on the presence of the remote key and the gearshift lever's request status. In some embodiments, the controller is also configured to output a notification indicating a driving-ready state to a mobile device associated with the vehicle operator.

[0008] According to another exemplary aspect of the invention, a locking method for a V2X power generation vehicle is proposed. In one exemplary embodiment, the locking method includes receiving, by a vehicle controller, a request state for the transmission from a shifter associated with the vehicle's transmission, the request state being one or more non-parking states in which the vehicle's parking pawl is engaged and disengaged, wherein the parking pawl is configured to engage / disengage to selectively lock the transmission in the parking state; detecting a remote key associated with the vehicle by the controller; detecting a lock request associated with a power generation mode by the controller and via a user interface device of the vehicle, during which the vehicle's electric powertrain is configured to operate in generator mode and output power; in response to the lock request, when the transmission is in the parking state and the parking pawl is engaged, instructing an actuator to physically lock the shifter by the controller; and when no remote key is detected, maintaining the parking pawl engaged by the controller regardless of whether the shifter requests a non-parking state; and when the remote key is detected, disengaging the parking pawl by the controller in response to a non-parking state requested from the transmission.

[0009] In some implementations, the presence of the remote key is continuously monitored via Controller Area Network (CAN) signals, rather than multiple remote key search requests, thereby preventing the vehicle's low-voltage battery from being depleted. In some implementations, the vehicle is an electric vehicle having an electric powertrain including one or more electric motors. In some implementations, the electric vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the user interface device being a charging plug that selectively connects the electric vehicle to an external charging station, and a locking request is generated in response to connecting the charging plug to the external charging station. In some implementations, when the charging plug is connected to an external charging station, the electric vehicle's driving-ready function is temporarily disabled, and when the charging plug is subsequently disconnected from the charging station, operation in generator mode is stopped, and the driving-ready function is restored.

[0010] In some embodiments, the vehicle is a mild hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and a belt-driven starter-generator (BSG) unit. In some embodiments, the manual parking release system is configured to disengage the parking pawl even when the remote key is not detected. In some embodiments, the gearshift lever associated with the transmission is configured to flash based on the presence of the remote key and the gearshift lever's request status. In some embodiments, the method also includes outputting a notification indicating a driving-ready state from the controller to a mobile device associated with the vehicle operator.

[0011] Other applicable areas taught in this application will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings provided below, wherein similar reference numerals denote similar features in several views of the drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description, including the disclosed embodiments and the drawings referenced therein, is merely exemplary in nature and for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or use of this disclosure. Therefore, variations without departing from the essence of this application are intended to be included within its scope. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram of an electric vehicle having an example stationary system for generating electricity for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, based on the principles of this application.

[0013] Figures 2A to 2C This is a functional block diagram of an example fixed system architecture for V2X power generation based on the principles of this application; and

[0014] Figures 3A-1 to 3C-2 This is a flowchart of an example electric vehicle anchoring method for V2X power generation based on the principles of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0015] As mentioned earlier, depending on the configuration of an electric vehicle, the electricity it generates and outputs can be used to power a variety of external loads, from light loads (such as camping equipment) to heavy loads (such as household electricity). When an electric vehicle is operating as a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) generator, as described, the owner / driver may leave the vehicle unattended. A traditional solution to this problem involves locking the gearshift in park, but this still leaves the electric vehicle vulnerable to theft.

[0016] Therefore, this article introduces robust vehicle mounting techniques for V2X power generation. In power generation mode, the electric vehicle's "power plate" is configured to output electricity to power various external loads. These techniques are applicable to conventional hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) (e.g., mild hybrid vehicles with an engine and a belt-driven starter-generator or BSG), as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). These techniques utilize components other than the gear shifter to secure the electric vehicle in a parking position.

[0017] For mild hybrid / BSG vehicles, this is performed by the transmission controller (e.g., transmission control module or TCM), but a manual parking release mechanism may still exist, allowing manual unlocking from the parked state. For PHEV / BEV, other system controllers / modules are used to control the parking pawl, including over-controlling / re-engaging the parking pawl in the presence of and activation of the manual parking unlock system. In a novel solution for a mild hybrid powertrain (e.g., engine plus BSG unit) in this application, two layers of protection are provided: (i) protection is provided if the operator manipulates or damages the shifter to move it out of parking to drive the vehicle away without the remote key; and (ii) the solution also provides the customer with a sufficient human-machine interface (HMI) to ensure proper driving away in the event of an unforeseen situation and to ensure the remote key is present in the vehicle before attempting to drive away. Conventional solutions to this problem involve shutting off the engine, making driving away impossible. However, these conventional solutions still allow the operator the opportunity to move the shifter out of parking if the shifter or its associated controller is damaged.

[0018] In another novel solution of this application, for a high-voltage electric powertrain with a power board having a power outlet, the power board will not stop working even if the shifter / controller is damaged, and the vehicle will remain in the parking position. This protects against a damaged / malfunctioning shifter / controller, and the owner can still use the power board. Another novel solution of this application for a high-voltage electric powertrain features a V2X-based electric vehicle power supply device (EVSE) to provide four layers of protection: (i) disabling the drive-away function of a damaged shifter, (ii) preventing theft by re-engaging the parking pawl after a requested discharge via a manual parking release system until the remote key is present, (iii) providing the customer with sufficient HMI to ensure proper drive-away in the event of an accident, and (iv) ensuring the remote key is present in the vehicle before attempting to drive away. Conventional solutions to this problem as described above (e.g., locking the shifter in parking) also do not protect the manual parking release system / feature.

[0019] Now for reference Figure 1 This illustration shows a functional block diagram of an electric vehicle 100 having an exemplary stationary system 104 for V2X power generation, according to the principles of this application. While the techniques of this application are specifically described with reference to electric vehicles, it should be understood that these techniques are also applicable to conventional engine-based vehicles. The electric vehicle 100 includes an electric powertrain 108 comprising one or more electric motors 112 powered by a high-voltage (HV) battery system 116 to generate drive torque. This drive torque can be transmitted via an automatic transmission 124 to a drivetrain 120 for vehicle propulsion, or can be used otherwise, such as to power an optional BSG unit 128 associated with an optional internal combustion engine 132, or to generate power for V2X output (e.g., via a power board 136 having a set of power outlets) and / or to charge the high-voltage battery system 116 and / or the low-voltage (“LV”, e.g., 12 volts) battery system 140. The driver interface 144 is configured for driving inputs / outputs and may include, for example, a touch display 148 or other HMI device, a brake pedal 152, and a shift device 156 for selecting states such as parking, reverse, neutral, and driving (PRND).

[0020] The parking pawl 160 is configured to selectively engage / disengage to physically lock the transmission 124 and drivetrain 120. An optional parking pawl (PP) sensor 164 monitors the status / position of the parking pawl 160. An optional on-board (OB) charger system 168, also collectively referred to as EVSE 172, can also be provided for selective connection to the charging line / cable 176 of an external charging station 180. The control system 184 is configured, among other functions, to control the operation of the electric vehicle 100 and its electric powertrain 108, which will be described in more detail below. Figures 2A to 2CExemplary fixed system architectures for various electric vehicle powertrain configurations are illustrated, including various modules / devices on the vehicle controller area network (CAN) and their communication lines / connections. These components include at least some of the following: telematics module (ETM / LTM), security gateway module (SGWM), TCM, electric vehicle control unit (EVCU), microcontroller (MCPx), instrument cluster (IPC), radio frequency hub module (RFHM), body control module (BCM), automatic shifter module (AGSM), integrated dual charging module (IDCM), or power board inverter module (PIM or PPIM).

[0021] Now for reference Figure 2A , Figure 3A-1 and Figure 3A-2 The diagram illustrates a first example electric vehicle securing system architecture 200 and a corresponding first example electric vehicle securing method 300. This system design for conventional and mild hybrid vehicles (e.g., BSG units) uses a TCM 212 as the primary source for securing vehicle 100 in the parking position. The TCM 212 acts as a supervisor of the parking pawl system management, not merely locking the shifter 156 in the parking position. This requires the engine 132 and vehicle 100 to be open. The customer triggers securing the vehicle by selecting a fixed idle state on the vehicle's touchscreen display 148 (e.g., infotainment head unit). The fixed idle selection keeps vehicle 100 in the parking position while the power plate 136 is in use (see steps 301-305). Once fixed idle is selected, the customer can shift the gear out of the parking position if a remote key is present (step 303), and re-engaging the shifter 156 in the parking position will reactivate fixed idle. TCM 212 is the supervisor of the brake-transmission shift interlock (“BTSI”) and is used to lock the shifter 156 in the parking position.

[0022] This essentially provides two layers of protection. First, protection is provided if the operator manipulates or damages the shifter 156 to move it out of parking without the remote key, thereby driving the vehicle 100 away. Second, the TCM 212 continuously monitors the status of the remote key via CAN signals. No additional remote key requests are required to prevent the remote key's low-voltage battery 140 from running out. Existing remote key search methods can be reused. In the absence of the remote key and with the customer pressing the brake pedal 152 (brake-transmission shift interlock or "BTSI" trigger), the TCM 212 will provide the customer with an HMI indicating "Remote key not found" (see steps 306-309, 317-322). If the operator does not have the remote key and moves the shifter 156 out of parking, the shifter 156 can flash in the selected state, and the HMI indicating "Remote key not found" can be set (see steps 310-313). When the shifter 156 flashes in the selected state and the remote key reappears within the vehicle's vicinity, the TCM 212 can display "Shift to Park for Driving Access" (see steps 315-316) when the departure conditions are met. It should be noted that this system design cannot avoid the need for a manual parking release system / feature, as this is the physical method of shifting the gear shift out of parking. Therefore, even with increased robustness, coasting due to inertia is still possible, similar to other implementations in previously known solutions.

[0023] Now for reference Figure 2BFigure 3B illustrates a second example electric vehicle securing system architecture 230 and a corresponding second example electric vehicle securing method 330. This system is designed to use an EVCU 234 or a similar vehicle controller as the securing supervisor and an MCPx 242 as the parking pawl supervisor. System management is the primary source of securing vehicle 100 to parking, not just locking shifter 156 in parking. The customer triggers securing the vehicle by selecting a power board 136 discharge request on the touchscreen display 144 of vehicle 100 and by activating the EVCU 234 when the discharge conditions via the socket are met. The EVCU 234 acts as the supervisor of the BTSI for locking shifter 156 in parking (see steps 331-335). Once its internal securing conditions are met, the EVCU 234 also locks shifter 156 in parking. Once securing is confirmed, the EVCU 234 locks the parking state and sends a command to keep the MCPx 242 in parking. When the activation conditions of the power board 136 are met (verified by the EVCU 234 and the PIM / IDCM 238 connected to the power board 136), the EVCU 234 also disables the drive-ready function. The MCPx 242 also determines whether the parking pawl 160 has been manually released and notifies the EVCU 234, which then instructs the parking pawl 160 to re-engage and notifies the customer, for example, only by flashing hazard lights and a calibrable number of horn sounds (see steps 337-342).

[0024] This essentially provides four layers of protection. First, protection is provided if the operator manipulates the system without the remote key. The EVCU 234 continuously monitors the status of the remote key via CAN signals, eliminating the need for additional remote key requests to prevent the low-voltage battery 140 from being depleted. Existing remote key search methods can be reused. When the customer wishes to connect to a power outlet and drive the vehicle 100, acceptance by the customer via the HMI triggers "Vehicle is ready to drive" as the HMI and readiness is established. If the remote key is present in the vehicle 100, the customer will be able to shift the gear shift out of parking (see steps 352-356). In the case where there is no remote key and the customer depresses the brake pedal 152 (BTSI trigger), the EVCU 234 can provide the customer with the HMI "Remote key not present". If the operator does not have the remote key and shifts the gear shift 156 out of parking, the gear shift 156 can flash in the selected state. If the gear shift 156 flashes in the selected state and the remote key reappears around the vehicle, the EVCU 234 can display the HMI "Shift to parking for drivability". Once the gear shifter 156 is moved to the parking position, the driving ready function will be activated, and the HMI will display "Vehicle is ready to drive," allowing the customer to drive away (see steps 344-351).

[0025] Now for reference Figure 2C Figure 3C illustrates a second example electric vehicle securing system architecture 260 and a corresponding first example electric vehicle securing method 360. Finally, a novel solution is proposed for electric vehicles (e.g., PHEVs) generating electricity via V2X through the EVSE 172 (e.g., a charging station vehicle cable / plug). This system design uses an EVCU 264 or similar vehicle controller as the securing supervisor and an MCPx 242 as the supervisor of the parking pawl 160. System management is the primary source of securing the vehicle 100 to the parking position, not just locking the shifter 156 in the parking position. This securing is triggered by the customer inserting the EVSE 172 device. When the EVSE 172 plug or connection is detected (via the IDCM 268), the EVCU 264 also disables the drive-ready function. The EVCU 264 acts as the supervisor of the BTSI to lock the shifter 156 in the parking position. Once its internal securing conditions are met, the EVCU 264 also locks the shifter 156 in the parking position. Once the parking condition is confirmed, EVCU 264 locks the parking position and sends a command to keep MCPx 242 in parking (see steps 361-366). MCPx 242 also determines whether the parking pawl has been manually released and notifies EVCU 264, which then instructs the parking pawl 160 to re-engage and notifies the customer via flashing hazard lights and a calibrable number of horn sounds (see steps 367-373). It should be understood that customer notification may be provided additionally or alternatively, for example, via a mobile device application.

[0026] The system is designed with essentially four layers of protection, depending on whether the operator operates it without the remote key. The EVCU 264 continuously monitors the remote key's status via CAN signals, eliminating the need for additional remote key requests to prevent the low-voltage battery 140 from being depleted. Existing remote key search methods can be reused. In the first case, where the customer does not insert the EVSE 172, the EVCU 264 will trigger an HMI message stating "Vehicle is ready to drive," and if the remote key is present in the vehicle 100, the customer will be able to shift the gear out of parking. In the second case, where the EVSE 172 is not inserted, there is no remote key, and the customer depresses the brake pedal 152 (BTSI trigger), the EVCU 264 will provide an HMI message stating "Remote key not found." In the third case, where the operator does not have the remote key and shifts the gearshift 156 out of parking, the gearshift may flash in the selected state. In the fourth case, where the gearshift 156 flashes in the selected state, the remote key reappears around the vehicle, and the EVCU 264 may display "Shift to parking for drivability." Once the shifter 156 is moved to the parking position, the driving-ready function will be activated, for example, "Vehicle is ready to drive" as an HMI, and the customer will be able to drive away (see steps 374-381, 382-386).

[0027] It should be understood that the term "controller" as used herein refers to any suitable control device or a group of control devices configured to perform at least a portion of the technology of this application. Non-limiting examples include application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more processors and non-transient memory storing instructions thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the controller to perform a set of operations corresponding to at least a portion of the technology of this application. The one or more processors can be a single processor or two or more processors operating in a parallel or distributed architecture.

[0028] It should also be understood that this document may explicitly consider the mixing and matching of features, elements, methods and / or functions among various examples so that those skilled in the art may understand from this teaching that, unless otherwise stated above, features, elements and / or functions of one example may be appropriately incorporated into another example.

Claims

1. A stationary system for a vehicle used for power generation in a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) network, the stationary system comprising: Parking pawl, configured to engage / disengage to selectively lock the vehicle's transmission in the parked state; A controller configured to receive a request state for the transmission from a shifter associated with the transmission, the request state being one or more non-parking states, wherein the parking pawl is engaged and disengaged, wherein the controller is further configured to: Detect the remote key associated with the vehicle; The user interface device detects a lock request associated with the power generation mode, in which the vehicle's powertrain is configured to operate in generator mode and output electricity. In response to the lock request: When the transmission is in the parking state and the parking pawl is engaged, the actuator is commanded to physically lock the shifter, and When the remote key is not detected, the parking pawl remains engaged regardless of whether the gear shifter requests a non-parking state. as well as When the remote key is detected, the parking pawl disengages in response to the non-parking state request from the gear shifter.

2. The fixing system according to claim 1, wherein, The presence of the remote key is continuously monitored via Controller Area Network (CAN) signals, rather than multiple remote key search requests, thereby preventing the vehicle's low-voltage battery from being depleted.

3. The stationary system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an electric vehicle having an electric powertrain comprising one or more electric motors.

4. The stationary system of claim 3, wherein the electric vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the user interface device is a charging plug that selectively connects the electric vehicle to an external charging station, and wherein the locking request is generated in response to connecting the charging plug to the external charging station.

5. The fixing system according to claim 4, wherein, When the charging plug is connected to the external charging station, the driving-ready function of the electric vehicle is temporarily disabled, and when the charging plug is subsequently disconnected from the charging station, if the remote key is detected, operation in the generator mode is stopped and the driving-ready function is restored.

6. The stationary system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a mild hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a belt-driven starter-generator (BSG) unit.

7. The securing system of claim 6, wherein the manual parking release system is configured to disengage the parking pawl even when the remote key is not detected.

8. The fixing system according to claim 1, wherein, The shifter associated with the transmission is configured to flash based on the presence of the remote key and the shifter's request state.

9. The fixed system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to output a notification indicating a driving-ready state to a mobile device associated with an operator of the vehicle.

10. A method for fixing a vehicle used for power generation in a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) network, the method comprising: The vehicle controller receives a request state for the transmission from a shifter associated with the vehicle's transmission. The request state is one or more non-parking states, wherein the parking pawl of the vehicle is engaged or disengaged, and wherein the parking pawl is configured to engage / disengage to selectively lock the transmission in the parking state. The controller detects the remote key associated with the vehicle; The controller detects a lock request associated with the power generation mode via the vehicle's user interface device, in which the vehicle's electric powertrain is configured to operate in generator mode and output electricity. In response to the lock request: When the transmission is in the parking state and the parking pawl is engaged, the controller commands the actuator to physically lock the shifter, and When the remote key is not detected, the controller keeps the parking pawl engaged regardless of whether the gear shifter requests a non-parking state. as well as When the remote key is detected, the controller disengages the parking pawl in response to the non-parking state request from the gear shifter.

11. The fixing method according to claim 10, wherein, The presence of the remote key is continuously monitored via Controller Area Network (CAN) signals, rather than multiple remote key search requests, thereby preventing the vehicle's low-voltage battery from being depleted.

12. The fixing method according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle is an electric vehicle having an electric powertrain including one or more electric motors.

13. The locking method of claim 12, wherein the electric vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and the user interface device is a charging plug that selectively connects the electric vehicle to an external charging station, and wherein the locking request is generated in response to connecting the charging plug to the external charging station.

14. The fixing method according to claim 13, wherein, When the charging plug is connected to the external charging station, the driving-ready function of the electric vehicle is temporarily disabled, and when the charging plug is subsequently disconnected from the charging station, if the remote key is detected, operation in the generator mode is stopped and the driving-ready function is restored.

15. The fixing method according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle is a mild hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a drive starter generator (BSG) unit.

16. The fixing method according to claim 15, wherein, The manual parking release system is configured to disengage the parking pawl even when the remote key is not detected.

17. The fixing method according to claim 10, wherein, The shifter associated with the transmission is configured to flash based on the presence of the remote key and the shifter's request state.

18. The fixing method of claim 10, further comprising outputting a notification indicating a driving-ready state from the controller to a mobile device associated with an operator of the vehicle.

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