Customized charging protocol

Abstract

A charging module configured to charge a battery system of a vehicle includes a usage prediction module configured to predict usage of the vehicle after a charging event, a target state of charge (SOC) computation module configured to determine a target SOC based on the predicted usage of the vehicle after the charging event, and a charge control module configured to selectively charge the battery system to one of the target SOC and a limited SOC based on the predicted usage of the vehicle after the charging event.

Description

[0001] introduction

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the background of this disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the work of the currently named inventors and aspects of the description that might not have otherwise constituted prior art at the time of filing are neither expressly nor implied to be considered prior art of this disclosure.

[0003] This disclosure relates to vehicles, and more specifically to charging protocols for battery systems used in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles.

[0004] Some types of vehicles consist only of an internal combustion engine that generates propulsive torque. Pure electric vehicles include a battery system and an electric motor. Hybrid vehicles include both an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors, and may also include a battery system. A battery system includes one or more batteries or battery modules. Each battery module includes one or more battery cells. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A charging module configured to charge a vehicle's battery system includes: a prediction module configured to predict vehicle usage after a charging event; a target state of charge (SOC) calculation module configured to determine a target SOC based on the predicted vehicle usage after the charging event; and a charging control module configured to selectively charge the battery system to either a target SOC or a limited SOC based on the predicted vehicle usage after the charging event.

[0006] Among other features, the vehicle's predicted usage includes the amount of time the battery system will store data after a charging event and before the vehicle is driven. The charging control module is configured to select between a target SOC and a limited SOC based on the amount of time the vehicle will store data. The charging control module is configured to (i) select the target SOC in response to a determination that the amount of time is less than or equal to N, and (ii) select the limited SOC in response to a determination that the amount of time is greater than N. N corresponds to a predetermined amount of time. N is determined based on the type of battery system. N is determined based on the sensitivity of the battery system type's lifetime to SOC.

[0007] Among other features, the target SOC is the maximum SOC allocated by either the vehicle's user or manufacturer. The allocated maximum SOC is less than the maximum possible SOC of the battery system. The constrained SOC is less than the target SOC. The target SOC is an intermediate SOC between the constrained SOC and the allocated maximum SOC. The target SOC module is configured to calculate the intermediate SOC based on the distance between the vehicle's predicted destination and its current location. To calculate the intermediate SOC, where L is the intermediate SOC, S is the constrained SOC, and M... L It is the mileage associated with the intermediate SOC, M S is the mileage associated with the restricted SOC, and D is the predicted distance between the destination and the current location.

[0008] Among other features, the charging module is also configured to charge the battery system to a limited SOC, stop charging the battery system at a first time in response to the battery system reaching the limited SOC, and restart charging the battery system to the target SOC at a second time after the first time. The second time is selected based on the amount of time required to charge the battery system from the limited SOC to the target SOC.

[0009] A method for charging a vehicle's battery system includes predicting vehicle usage after a charging event, determining a target SOC based on the predicted vehicle usage after the charging event, and selectively charging the battery system to either the target SOC or a limited SOC based on the predicted vehicle usage after the charging event.

[0010] Among other features, the predicted use of the vehicle includes the amount of time the battery system will store data after a charging event and before the vehicle is driven. The method also includes selecting between a target SOC and a restricted SOC based on the amount of time the vehicle will store data. The method further includes selecting a target SOC in response to a determination that the amount of time is less than or equal to N, and selecting a restricted SOC in response to a determination that the amount of time is greater than N. N corresponds to a predetermined amount of time.

[0011] Among other features, the target SOC is one of a maximum allocated SOC chosen by either the vehicle's user or manufacturer, and an intermediate SOC that is greater than the restricted SOC but less than the maximum allocated SOC. The method also includes calculating the intermediate SOC based on the distance between the vehicle's predicted destination and its current location. The method further includes charging the battery system to the restricted SOC, stopping charging the battery system at a first time in response to the battery system reaching the restricted SOC, and restarting charging the battery system to the target SOC at a second time after the first time. The second time is selected based on the amount of time required to charge the battery system from the restricted SOC to the target SOC.

[0012] The present invention also includes the following solutions:

[0013] Option 1. A charging module configured to charge a vehicle's battery system, the charging module comprising:

[0014] A prediction module is used, which is configured to predict the use of the vehicle after a charging event;

[0015] A target state of charge (SOC) calculation module, the target state of charge (SOC) calculation module being configured to determine a target SOC based on predicted usage of the vehicle following the charging event; and

[0016] A charging control module configured to selectively charge the battery system to either a target SOC or a limited SOC based on the predicted usage of the vehicle after the charging event.

[0017] Option 2. The charging module according to Option 1, wherein the vehicle prediction uses the amount of time the battery system will store after the charging event and before the vehicle is driven.

[0018] Option 3. The charging module according to Option 2, wherein the charging control module is configured to select between the target SOC and the limited SOC based on the amount of time the vehicle will store.

[0019] Option 4. The charging module according to Option 3, wherein the charging control module is configured to (i) select the target SOC in response to determining that the time amount is less than or equal to N, and (ii) select the restricted SOC in response to determining that the time amount is greater than N, wherein N corresponds to a predetermined time amount.

[0020] Option 5. The charging module according to Option 4, wherein N is determined based on the type of the battery system.

[0021] Option 6. The charging module according to Option 5, wherein N is determined based on the sensitivity of the battery system type's lifespan to the state of charge (SOC).

[0022] Option 7. The charging module according to Option 1, wherein the target SOC is the maximum SOC allocated by either the user or the manufacturer of the vehicle.

[0023] Option 8. The charging module according to Option 7, wherein the maximum SOC allocated is less than the maximum possible SOC of the battery system.

[0024] Solution 9. The charging module according to Solution 1, wherein the limited SOC is less than the target SOC.

[0025] Option 10. The charging module according to Option 9, wherein the target SOC is an intermediate SOC between the limited SOC and the allocated maximum SOC.

[0026] Option 11. The charging module according to Option 10, wherein the target SOC module is configured to calculate the intermediate SOC based on the distance between the vehicle's predicted destination and the vehicle's current location.

[0027] Option 12. The charging module according to Option 11, wherein the target SOC module is configured to according to To calculate the intermediate SOC, where L is the intermediate SOC, S is the restricted SOC, and M... L It is the mileage associated with the intermediate SOC, M S is the mileage associated with the restricted SOC, and D is the distance between the predicted destination and the current location.

[0028] Solution 13. The charging module according to Solution 1, wherein the charging module is further configured to charge the battery system to the limited SOC, stop charging the battery system at a first time in response to the battery system reaching the limited SOC, and restart charging the battery system to the target SOC at a second time after the first time.

[0029] Option 14. The charging module according to Option 13, wherein the second time is selected based on the amount of time required to charge the battery system from the limited SOC to the target SOC.

[0030] Option 15. A method for charging a vehicle's battery system, the method comprising:

[0031] Predicting the vehicle's usage after a charging event;

[0032] The target SOC is determined based on predictions of the vehicle following the charging event; and

[0033] Based on the predicted usage of the vehicle after the charging event, the battery system is selectively charged to either the target SOC or the limited SOC.

[0034] Option 16. The method of Option 15, wherein the predicted use of the vehicle includes the amount of time the battery system will be stored after the charging event and before the vehicle is driven, and the method further includes selecting between the target SOC and the limited SOC based on the amount of time the vehicle will be stored.

[0035] Option 17. The method according to Option 16 further includes (i) selecting the target SOC in response to determining that the time amount is less than or equal to N, and (ii) selecting the restricted SOC in response to determining that the time amount is greater than N, wherein N corresponds to a predetermined time amount.

[0036] Option 18. The method according to Option 15, wherein the target SOC is one of: (i) the maximum allocated SOC selected by one of the vehicle's user and manufacturer, and (ii) an intermediate SOC that is greater than the restricted SOC and less than the maximum allocated SOC.

[0037] Option 19. The method according to Option 18 further includes calculating the intermediate SOC based on the distance between the vehicle's predicted destination and the vehicle's current location.

[0038] Option 20. The method according to Option 15 further includes charging the battery system to the limited SOC, stopping charging the battery system at a first time in response to the battery system reaching the limited SOC, and restarting charging the battery system to the target SOC at a second time after the first time, wherein the second time is selected based on the amount of time required to charge the battery system from the limited SOC to the target SOC.

[0039] Further applications of this disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0040] This disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed embodiments and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0041] Figure 1 It is a functional block diagram of an example vehicle system including a charging module according to this disclosure;

[0042] Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of an example charging module based on this disclosure;

[0043] Figure 3 Examples of relationships between various SOC values ​​and time according to this disclosure are shown;

[0044] Figure 4 The steps of a first example method for charging a battery system according to this disclosure are shown; and

[0045] Figure 5 The steps of a second example method for charging a battery system according to this disclosure are shown.

[0046] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals may be used repeatedly to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0047] Electric or hybrid electric vehicles typically include one or more rechargeable batteries or battery modules, each of which includes multiple battery cells (e.g., arranged in one or more battery packs). The charging system or module can be configured to control the charging of the batteries when the vehicle is connected to an external power source.

[0048] In some types of batteries (e.g., Si anode batteries), battery life can be sensitive to the battery's state of charge (SOC). For example, battery life may be reduced when a battery is stored at a high SOC (e.g., 80% or greater) for an extended period of time (e.g., several hours). Therefore, if the battery is fully charged during charging and the vehicle is not used for a period of time afterward, battery life may be reduced.

[0049] The battery charging system and method disclosed herein enable customized, adaptive charging protocols to minimize battery storage cycles at high SOC levels, thereby extending battery life while still providing the desired driving range. Although vehicle-specific implementations have been described, the principles of this disclosure can also be applied to suitable non-vehicle implementations.

[0050] Now for reference Figure 1 This diagram illustrates a functional block diagram of an example vehicle system 100 according to the present disclosure. Vehicle system 100 may correspond to an autonomous or non-autonomous vehicle. The vehicle may be an electric vehicle including a battery pack or system 104 (as shown). In other examples, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in a hybrid electric vehicle or a non-vehicle system.

[0051] Vehicle control module 112 controls various operations of vehicle system 100. Vehicle control module 112 may communicate with transmission control module 116, for example, to coordinate gear shifting in transmission 120. Vehicle control module 112 may communicate with battery system 104, for example, to coordinate the operation of electric motor 128. While an example of an electric motor is provided, multiple electric motors can be implemented. Electric motor 128 may be a permanent magnet electric motor or another suitable type of electric motor based on an output voltage of anti-electromagnetic force (EMF) during free rotation, such as a direct current (DC) electric motor or a synchronous electric motor. In various embodiments, the various functions of vehicle control module 112 and transmission control module 116 may be integrated into one or more modules.

[0052] Electrical power is applied from battery system 104 to electric motor 128 to cause electric motor 128 to output positive torque. For example, motor control module 132 (e.g., in response to vehicle control module 112) can be configured to control inverter module 136 to apply power from battery system 104 to electric motor 128. Electric motor 128 can output torque to, for example, the input shaft of transmission 120, the output shaft of transmission 120, or another component. Clutch 140 can be implemented to engage electric motor 128 with transmission 120 and disengage electric motor 128 from transmission 120. One or more gear transmissions can be implemented between the output of electric motor 128 and the input of transmission 120 to provide one or more predetermined gear ratios between rotation of electric motor 128 and rotation of input of transmission 120.

[0053] The battery control module (including, for example, a vehicle or battery management system) 144 is configured to control the functions of the battery system 104, including but not limited to controlling the switching of the various battery modules or units of the battery system 104, monitoring operating parameters, diagnosing faults, etc.

[0054] Charging module 148 controls the charging of battery system 104. For example, charging module 148 provides an interface between external power source 152 (e.g., a charging station in a home or other facility, a public charging station, etc.) and battery system 104. Charging module 148 is configured to selectively supply current from external power source 152 to battery system 104 during charging and to prevent current from flowing from external power source 152 to battery system 104 to interrupt or pause charging. Although shown as a separate component, in some examples, the functionality of charging module 148 may be partially or completely implemented within battery control module 144, vehicle control module 112, etc.

[0055] According to this disclosure, the charging module 148 is configured to implement a customized, adaptive charging protocol to minimize battery storage cycles at high SOC, thereby extending battery life while still providing the desired driving range, as described in more detail below.

[0056] Figure 2 An example of a charging module 148 according to the present disclosure is shown. For example, the charging module 148 includes a usage prediction module 200, a target SOC calculation module 204, and a charging control module 208. As described above, one or more of the usage prediction module 200, the target SOC calculation module 204, and the charging control module 208 may be implemented within a battery control module 144, a vehicle control module 112, etc.

[0057] The prediction module 200 is configured to predict battery usage after the current charging event or period. For example, at the start of a charging period (e.g., in response to battery system 104 being connected to an external power source 152), the prediction module 200 predicts usage parameters such as how long battery system 104 may be charged during the current charging period, how long the vehicle may remain parked (i.e., unused) after charging, and how many miles the vehicle may travel after charging before returning home or reaching another charging station.

[0058] The prediction module 200 uses one or more inputs 212 that indicate historical and / or future behavior (e.g., behavior indicators) to determine usage parameters. For example, behavior indicators include, but are not limited to, driver behavior and history (e.g., day, time of day, average or typical usage parameters for the same day or time, same location, etc.) and charging location (e.g., using GPS information).

[0059] The target SOC calculation module 204 is configured to calculate the target SOC of the battery system 104 during the current charging period. For example, the target SOC calculation module 204 calculates the target SOC based on the output 216 of the prediction module 200 (e.g., a signal indicating prediction usage parameters) and further based on one or more SOC limits 220. The SOC limits 220 include user- and / or manufacturer-defined limits, as described in more detail below. The target SOC calculation module 204 generates an output 224 (e.g., a signal) indicating the calculated target SOC.

[0060] The charging control module 208 is configured to selectively charge the battery system 104 based on the output 224 of the target SOC calculation module 204. For example, the charging control module 208 selectively supplies current from the external power source 152 to the battery system 104 during charging and prevents current from flowing from the external power source 152 to the battery system 104, thereby interrupting or pausing charging based on the target SOC.

[0061] Figure 3 Examples of relationships between various SOC values ​​300 and time 304 are shown. SOC values ​​300 include the current SOC C, a first target SOC S, a second target SOC L, and a third target SOC A. For example, the first target SOC S corresponds to a low or conservative SOC (e.g., a restricted SOC). The first target SOC S is selected to be significantly lower than the SOC at which battery life decreases at an unacceptable rate during extended storage. As an example only, the first target SOC S is between 50% and 60% and can be assigned by the manufacturer or user, calculated based on predicted usage, etc.

[0062] Conversely, the third target SOC A is the assigned maximum SOC. In some examples, the assigned maximum SOC is assigned by the manufacturer, but can be modified by the user. The assigned maximum SOC corresponds to the maximum SOC to which the charging module 148 can charge the battery system 104. The assigned maximum SOC is less than the maximum SOC of the battery system 104 (i.e., 100%). For example, the assigned maximum SOC is between 80% and 90%. The assigned maximum SOC can be selected based on the battery type (e.g., materials and chemistry), battery type degradation observed at various SOC levels, etc. In some examples, the assigned maximum SOC can vary over time. For example, as battery use increases over time, the assigned maximum SOC can be reduced to minimize further battery degradation.

[0063] The second target SOC L is the intermediate SOC. The intermediate SOC lies between the first (conservative) target SOC S and the third (assigned maximum value) SOC A. For example, the intermediate SOC can be assigned by the user and / or calculated based on predicted usage after charging, as described in more detail below.

[0064] Current SOC C is the battery's current state at time t. C The time it takes for the battery system 104 to reach the first target SOC S (e.g., at the current charging rate) is t. S The time it takes for battery system 104 to reach the second target SOC L is t. L The time it takes for battery system 104 to reach the third target SOC A is t. A The charging module 148 is configured to charge at t based on the calculated target SOC. S t L or t A Stop charging. The time when charging resumes or restarts (e.g., at t). S (After charging stops) is t r . t S and t A The difference between them is T Δ In other words, T Δ This is the time required to charge the battery system 104 from the first target SOC S to the third target SOC A. Therefore, T Δ Also corresponds to t r and the predicted departure time t w The time required to charge battery system 104 when recharging begins.

[0065] Based on the above, the charging module 148 is configured to stop charging the battery system 104 before reaching the allocated maximum SOC, thereby limiting the time period during which the battery system 104 is stored at the allocated maximum SOC (e.g., the amount of time the vehicle is parked and not powered or driven). For example, if the battery system 104 reaches t A If the battery system 104 is charged immediately and continuously to the allocated maximum SOC, then the battery system 104 will be charged from t A To t w The maximum SOC is allocated for storage. Conversely, if the battery system 104 is only charged to a conservative SOC, then it will be stored at t. w Previously charged to the allocated maximum SOC (i.e., from t) r To t w If the battery system 104 stores at the allocated maximum SOC, the time period for storage will decrease.

[0066] Although a target SOC has been specified relative to the assigned maximum SOC, t can be determined based on different desired target SOCs (e.g., the calculated intermediate SOC, or some other value that is less than or greater than the assigned maximum SOC). r and t w For example, in other examples, t Δ Corresponding to t S and expected target SOC (e.g., t) L The difference between ) and t r The corresponding changes occur. In other words, t r It can be based on t w The desired target SOC at the location is shifted forward or backward to shorten or lengthen t. Δ .

[0067] Each target SOC has an associated mileage, as shown at 308. In other words, for each SOC, the battery system 104 is capable of providing power to the vehicle up to a corresponding mileage M, for example, mileage M. A Corresponding to the maximum allocated SOC, and mileage M S Corresponding to conservative SOC. M Δ It is M A and M S The difference between them. M A and M S It can be assigned or has a known value. Conversely, it can be based on t. w Subsequent predictions are used to calculate the mileage M corresponding to the intermediate SOC. L Therefore, the intermediate SOC (L) can be calculated based on the predicted usage, and the charging module 148 charges the battery system based on the intermediate SOC.

[0068] In one example, based on ML And according to The intermediate SOC L is calculated, where D is the predicted distance between the vehicle's predicted destination and current location. For example, D can be selected as D1 (e.g., the distance between the predicted destination (e.g., work) and the current location (e.g., home), D2 (e.g., the distance between the predicted destination and the current charging station), etc. D1, D2, or another value can be input by the user and / or calculated by the charging module 148 based on predicted usage (e.g., using the current location, possible destinations based on date and time of day, etc.).

[0069] In this way, the charging module 148 is configured to minimize the period during which the battery system 104 is stored (i.e., when the vehicle is parked) at a high state of charge (SOC). More specifically, the charging module 148 is configured to determine the length of time the battery system 104 will be stored between the completion of charging and the next time the vehicle will be operated, and accordingly selectively adjust the charging.

[0070] Furthermore, the battery system 104 may have an allocated maximum waiting period N. N may be selected based on a specific battery type and chemistry, and may vary based on the degradation and health status of the battery system 104. For example, N may decrease with increased use and a decrease in health status. In some examples, the charging module 148 may directly charge the battery system 104 to the target SOC in response to determining that the length of time the battery system 104 will be stored at the target SOC will be less than or equal to N. Alternatively, the charging module 148 may charge the battery system 104 to a lower SOC (e.g., a conservative SOC S), stop charging, and later resume charging to the target SOC in response to determining that the length of time the battery system 104 will be stored at the target SOC will be greater than N.

[0071] Now for reference Figure 4 This illustrates a first example method 400 for charging a battery system 104 (e.g., as performed by a charging module 148) according to the present disclosure. At 404, method 400 begins charging the battery system 104. For example, the battery system 104 is connected to an external power source 152, and the charging control module 208 provides current from the external power source 152 to the battery system 104.

[0072] At position 408, method 400 calculates the target SOC (e.g., as described above). Figure 2 and 3(As described in the text). At 412, method 400 optionally determines whether the target SOC is less than a predetermined conservative SOC S; if so, method 400 continues to 416. If not, method 400 continues to 420. At 416, method 400 charges battery system 104 to the target SOC. In other words, if the target SOC is not greater than the conservative SOC, method 400 simply charges battery system 104 to the target SOC.

[0073] At 420, method 400 determines the amount of time that battery system 104 will store at the target SOC if it is continuously charged to the target SOC without stopping. The target SOC may be a SOC assigned by the manufacturer or user, a target SOC calculated based on predicted usage, etc.

[0074] At 424, method 400 determines whether the time amount determined at 420 is greater than N. If yes, method 400 continues to 428. If no, method 400 continues to 416. At 428, method 400 charges battery system 104 to a SOC less than the target SOC (e.g., to a conservative SOC S). At 432, method 400 calculates the restart time t. r Restart charging and continue to 416 to complete charging to the target SOC.

[0075] Now for reference Figure 5 This illustrates a second example method 500 for charging a battery system 104 according to the present disclosure. At 504, method 500 begins charging the battery system 104. For example, the battery system 104 is connected to an external power source 152, and a charging control module 208 provides current from the external power source 152 to the battery system 104.

[0076] At position 508, method 500 calculates the target SOC (e.g., as described above). Figure 2 and Figure 3 (As described in the text). At 512, method 500 optionally determines whether the target SOC is less than a predetermined conservative SOC S. If yes, method 500 continues to 516. If no, method 500 continues to 520. At 516, method 500 charges battery system 104 to the target SOC. In other words, if the target SOC is not greater than the conservative SOC, method 500 simply charges battery system 104 to the target SOC.

[0077] At 520, method 500 determines whether the user has selected or requested fast charging. For example, fast charging can be selected when charging at the maximum rate is needed to reach the target SOC as quickly as possible. If yes, method 500 proceeds to 516. If no, method 500 proceeds to 524. In other words, if fast charging is desired, it can be assumed that battery system 104 will not store an extended period of time (e.g., greater than N) at the target SOC, and method 500 simply charges battery system 104 to the target SOC. The target SOC can be predetermined (e.g., an assigned maximum value A) or can be based on the current location, navigation input, and as described above. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The intermediate SOC L is calculated using other parameters as described in the document.

[0078] At 524, method 500 determines whether battery system 104 (i.e., the vehicle) is at a home charging station. A home charging station can be a charging station located at the vehicle's actual home and / or the location where battery system 104 is typically charged (e.g., a working charging station). In some examples, method 500 may identify two or more home charging stations. If yes, method 500 proceeds to 528. If no, method 500 proceeds to 532.

[0079] At point 532, method 500 charges battery system 104 to the allocated maximum SOC A. For example, if method 500 determines at point 524 that the vehicle is not at a home charging station, it can assume that battery system 104 is charging at a public charging station. Therefore, the user may want battery system 104 to charge to the maximum allocated SOC as quickly as possible. In some examples, the user can alternatively provide navigation input to set a destination (e.g., home or another charging station), and method 500 will accordingly charge the battery system to a calculated intermediate target SOC. In other words, when the vehicle is charging at a public charging station, method 500 may default to charging battery system 104 to the allocated maximum SOC, but the user may not override this decision. For example, the allocated maximum SOC may be less than a conservative SOC.

[0080] At 528, method 500 determines the amount of time that battery system 104 will store at the target SOC if it continues to charge to the target SOC without stopping. In this example, since the vehicle is at a home charging station, the target SOC can be determined based on predicted usage as described above in various examples. For example, the target SOC could be a manufacturer- or user-assigned SOC, a target SOC calculated based on predicted usage, etc.

[0081] At 536, method 500 determines whether the time amount determined at 528 is greater than N. If yes, method 500 continues to 540. If no, method 500 continues to 516. At 540, method 500 charges battery system 104 to a SOC less than the target SOC (e.g., to a conservative SOC S). At 544, method 500 calculates the restart time t. r Restart charging and continue to 516 to complete charging to the target SOC.

[0082] In some examples, method 500 performs a distance comparison at position 516 to determine the target SOC. For example, refer to... Figure 3 Method 500 determines the distance D between the vehicle's predicted destination and its current location (i.e., the distance the vehicle will travel after charging, such as D1 or D2 mentioned above). Method 500 compares the determined distance D with M. Δ (that is, M as described above) A and M S The distances are compared (the mileage difference between them). If the determined distance D is greater than or equal to M... Δ Method 500 sets the target SOC to the maximum assigned SOCA. Conversely, if the determined distance D is less than M... Δ Then method 500 sets the target SOC to the intermediate SOC L.

[0083] In other words, if the determined distance D and the mileage difference M Δ If the target SOC is relatively large, then the maximum allocated SOC A can be set, and if the determined distance D is equal to the mileage difference M... Δ If the target SOC is relatively small, then the target SOC can be set as the intermediate SOC L.

[0084] The foregoing description is illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or use. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, description, and appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within the method may be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, although each of the embodiments described above is described as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented in features of any of other embodiments and / or combined with features of any of other embodiments, even if such combinations are not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more embodiments for each other remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0085] Various terms are used to describe spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.), including “connection,” “joint,” “link,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top,” “above,” “below,” and “set.” Unless explicitly described as “direct,” when a relationship between first and second elements is described in the foregoing disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which no other intermediate elements exist between the first and second elements, or an indirect relationship in which one or more intermediate elements exist between the first and second elements (spatially or functionally). As used herein, at least one of the phrases A, B, and C should be interpreted as indicating logic using the non-exclusive logic “OR” (A or B or C) and should not be interpreted as indicating “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0086] In the accompanying drawings, the direction of the arrows, as indicated by the arrows, typically represents the flow of information of interest (e.g., data or instructions). For example, when elements A and B exchange various types of information, but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. Furthermore, for information sent from element A to element B, element B may send a request for that information or an acknowledgment of receipt of that information to element A.

[0087] In this application, including the following definitions, the term "module" or "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include the following: application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field-programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; memory circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by said processor circuitry; other suitable hardware components that provide said functionality; or combinations of some or all of the foregoing, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0088] This module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module of this disclosure may be distributed across multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow for load balancing. In a further example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0089] The term "code" as used above can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" covers a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" covers a processor circuit that, in conjunction with additional processor circuitry, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiprocessor circuitry cover multiprocessor circuitry on discrete dies, multiprocessor circuitry on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or combinations thereof. The term "shared memory circuit" covers a single memory circuitry that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" covers a memory circuitry that, in conjunction with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0090] The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. As used herein, the term computer-readable medium does not cover transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term computer-readable medium can be considered tangible and non-transient. Non-limiting examples of non-transient, tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0091] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions implemented in a computer program. The aforementioned function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements serve as software specifications that can be converted into computer programs by the routine work of skilled technicians or programmers.

[0092] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may encompass a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of a special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0093] Computer programs may include: (ii) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (iii) assembly code; (iv) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (v) source code executed by an interpreter; (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler; and so on. As an example only, source code can be written using syntax from languages ​​including C, C++, C#, Objective C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, JavaScript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th Revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.

Claims

1. A charging module configured to charge a vehicle's battery system, the charging module comprising: Using a prediction module, which is configured to predict the use of the vehicle after a charging event, wherein the predicted use of the vehicle includes the amount of time the battery system will be stored after the charging event and before the vehicle is driven, the period during which the battery system will be charged during the charging event, and the distance the vehicle will be driven before the next charging event after the charging event. A target state of charge (SOC) calculation module is configured to determine a target SOC based on predicted usage of the vehicle after the charging event, wherein the target SOC is an intermediate SOC between a limited SOC and an allocated maximum SOC, and wherein the target SOC module is configured to determine a target SOC based on... To calculate the intermediate SOC, where L is the intermediate SOC, S is the restricted SOC, and M... L It is the mileage associated with the intermediate SOC, M S It is the mileage associated with the restricted SOC, and D is the distance between the predicted destination and the current location; as well as A charging control module configured to selectively charge the battery system to either a target SOC or a limited SOC based on the predicted usage of the vehicle after the charging event, wherein the charging control module is configured to select between the target SOC and the limited SOC based on the amount of time the vehicle will be stored, and the battery system comprises a Si anode battery.

2. The charging module of claim 1, wherein the charging control module is configured to (i) select the target SOC in response to determining that the time amount is less than or equal to N, and (ii) select the restricted SOC in response to determining that the time amount is greater than N, wherein N corresponds to a predetermined time amount.

3. The charging module according to claim 2, wherein N is determined based on the type of the battery system.

4. The charging module according to claim 3, wherein N is determined based on the sensitivity of the battery system type's lifespan to the state of charge (SOC).

5. The charging module of claim 1, wherein the target SOC is the maximum SOC allocated by either the user or the manufacturer of the vehicle.

6. The charging module according to claim 5, wherein the allocated maximum SOC is less than the maximum possible SOC of the battery system.

7. The charging module according to claim 1, wherein the limited SOC is less than the target SOC.

8. The charging module of claim 1, wherein the charging module is further configured to charge the battery system to the limited SOC, stop charging the battery system at a first time in response to the battery system reaching the limited SOC, and restart charging the battery system to the target SOC at a second time after the first time.

9. The charging module of claim 8, wherein the second time is selected based on the amount of time required to charge the battery system from the limited SOC to the target SOC.

10. A method for charging a vehicle's battery system, the method comprising: Predicting the use of the vehicle after a charging event, wherein the predicted use of the vehicle includes the amount of time the battery system will be stored after the charging event and before the vehicle is driven, the period during which the battery system will be charged during the charging event, and the distance the vehicle will be driven before the next charging event after the charging event; The target SOC is determined based on the vehicle's predicted usage after the charging event, wherein the target SOC is an intermediate SOC between the constrained SOC and the allocated maximum SOC, and wherein the target SOC module is configured to determine based on... To calculate the intermediate SOC, where L is the intermediate SOC, S is the restricted SOC, and M... L It is the mileage associated with the intermediate SOC, M S It is the mileage associated with the restricted SOC, and D is the distance between the predicted destination and the current location; as well as Based on the predicted usage of the vehicle after the charging event, the battery system is selectively charged to one of the target SOC and the limited SOC, wherein selective charging includes selecting between the target SOC and the limited SOC based on the amount of time the vehicle will be stored, and the battery system comprises Si anode cells.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising (i) selecting the target SOC in response to determining that the time amount is less than or equal to N, and (ii) selecting the restricted SOC in response to determining that the time amount is greater than N, wherein N corresponds to a predetermined time amount.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the target SOC is one of: (i) a maximum allocated SOC selected by one of the vehicle's user and manufacturer, and (ii) an intermediate SOC that is greater than the restricted SOC and less than the maximum allocated SOC.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising charging the battery system to the restricted SOC, stopping charging the battery system at a first time in response to the battery system reaching the restricted SOC, and restarting charging the battery system to the target SOC at a second time after the first time, wherein the second time is selected based on the amount of time required to charge the battery system from the restricted SOC to the target SOC.

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