Managing the storage of electrical energy

Abstract

A system for managing the storage of electrical energy may include an electromagnetic machine and a controller. The electromagnetic machine may have a rotor and a stator. The rotor may be configured to be connected to a shaft. One of the rotor or the stator may have a first winding and a second winding. The controller may be configured to control a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft. The second circuit may be configured to selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to managing the storage of electrical energy. Specifically, the disclosed technology relates to managing the storage of electrical energy between two energy storage devices. Background Art

[0002] The engine of a conventional motor vehicle can generate propulsion by consuming fossil fuels through a combustion process. Since the waste of the combustion process may include pollutants, various efforts have been made to generate propulsion through different mechanisms. Among these efforts, some can use an electric motor to generate propulsion. The electrical power supplied to the electric motor can be provided from an energy storage device. For example, the energy storage device can be a battery. Generally, the battery can be configured to be connected to an AC power source through wires as needed for recharging. Unfortunately, recharging the battery in this way may take a duration from 20 minutes to 6 hours. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In an embodiment, a system for managing the storage of electrical energy may include an electromagnetic machine and a controller. The electromagnetic machine may have a rotor and a stator. The rotor may be configured to be connected to a shaft. One of the rotor or the stator may have a first winding and a second winding. The controller may be configured to control a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to allow energy to flow from a first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft. The second circuit may be configured to selectively allow energy to: (1) flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device. Additionally or alternatively, the second circuit may be configured to allow energy to flow from the second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the shaft. The first circuit may be configured to selectively allow energy to: (1) flow from the first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device.

[0004] In another embodiment, a controller for managing the storage of electrical energy may include a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding of an electromagnetic machine to rotate a shaft. The electromagnetic machine may have a rotor and a stator. The rotor may be configured to be connected to the shaft. One of the rotor or the stator may have a first winding and a second winding. The second circuit may be configured to selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device. Additionally or alternatively, the second circuit may be configured to cause energy to flow from the second energy storage device to the second winding of the electromagnetic machine to rotate the shaft. The first circuit may be configured to selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from the first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device.

[0005] In another embodiment, a method for managing the storage of electrical energy may include causing, by a controller, energy to flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding of an electromagnetic machine to rotate a shaft. The electromagnetic machine may have a rotor and a stator. The rotor may be connected to the shaft. One of the rotor or the stator may have a first winding and a second winding. The method may include causing, by the controller, energy to selectively: (1) flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device. Additionally or alternatively, the method may include causing, by the controller, energy to flow from the second energy storage device to the second winding of the electromagnetic machine to rotate the shaft. The method may include causing, by the controller, energy to selectively: (1) flow from the first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various systems, methods, and other embodiments of the disclosure. It should be appreciated that the element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) illustrated in the figures represent one embodiment of the boundaries. In some embodiments, one element may be designed as multiple elements, or multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some embodiments, an element that represents an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component, and vice versa. Additionally, the various elements may not be drawn to scale.

[0007] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first implementation of a system for managing the storage of electrical energy in accordance with the disclosed technology.

[0008] Figure 2A diagram illustrating an example of a second implementation of a system for managing the storage of electrical energy according to the disclosed technology.

[0009] Figure 3 A diagram illustrating an example of a first variation of the configuration of the first or second implementation according to the disclosed technology.

[0010] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating an example of a second variation of the configuration of the first or second implementation according to the disclosed technology.

[0011] Figure 5 A diagram illustrating an example of a controller for managing the storage of electrical energy according to the disclosed technology.

[0012] Figure 6A and 6B Includes a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for managing the storage of electrical energy according to the disclosed technology.

[0013] Figure 7 Includes a block diagram illustrating an example of components arranged on a vehicle according to the disclosed technology. Detailed Description

[0014] Several techniques can be used to maintain the charge state of a energy storage device (e.g., a battery, a capacitor, etc.) on a vehicle to alleviate the burden associated with having to connect the energy storage device to an AC power source via a wire for recharging. For example, the vehicle can include a fuel cell system. The fuel cell system can include one or more fuel cells. The one or more fuel cells can be configured to generate electrical energy from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel cell system can include a hydrogen fuel tank configured to store compressed hydrogen. The fuel cell system can be configured to obtain oxygen from the atmosphere. The electrical energy can cause a motor-generator to selectively cause: (1) rotation of the drive shaft of the vehicle or (2) the energy storage device (e.g., a battery, a capacitor, etc.) to be charged. Alternatively or additionally, for example, the motor-generator can be configured to perform a regenerative braking operation. During the regenerative braking operation, at times when the motor-generator is not required to provide propulsion force for the vehicle (e.g., when the speed of the vehicle is decreasing, when the movement of the vehicle is provided by gravity, etc.), the motor-generator can be configured to act as a generator such that the mechanical energy of the rotating drive shaft can be converted into electrical energy to charge the energy storage device (e.g., a battery, a capacitor, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the disclosed technology can provide another technique to maintain the charge state on the energy storage device (e.g., a battery, a capacitor, etc.).

[0015] The disclosed technology can manage the storage of electrical energy. The disclosed technology can be arranged, for example, on a vehicle. The vehicle can have a first energy storage device and a second energy storage device. For example, one or more of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device can include a battery, a capacitor, etc. The disclosed technology can include an electromagnetic machine having a rotor and a stator. The rotor can be configured to be connected to a shaft. For example, the shaft can include a drive shaft of the vehicle. One of the rotor or the stator can have a first winding and a second winding. The controller can be configured to control a first circuit to cause energy to flow from the first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft. The controller can be configured to control a second circuit to cause energy to selectively: (1) flow from the second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device. Additionally, for example, the first circuit can be configured to cause energy to selectively: (1) flow from the first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device. In this way, the disclosed technology can manage the storage of electrical energy between the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device.

[0016] For example, the controller can also be configured to determine the presence of conditions that ensure the transfer of energy from the first energy storage device to the second energy storage device. For example, the conditions can include one or more of the state of charge of the first energy storage device being greater than a first threshold state of charge (e.g., 90%) or the state of charge of the second energy storage device being less than a second threshold state of charge (e.g., 15%).

[0017] For example, the electromagnetic machine can include a first electric generator and a second electric generator. The rotor can include a first rotor arranged on the first electric generator and a second rotor arranged on the second electric generator. The stator can include a first stator arranged on the first electric generator and a second stator arranged on the second electric generator. One of the first rotor or the first stator can have a first winding. One of the second rotor or the second stator can have a second winding. For example, one or more of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device can include a battery. For example, the battery can include one or more of a lithium-ion battery, a lithium polymer battery, a lead-acid battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a zinc-air battery, a sodium nickel chloride battery, etc. For example, one or more of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device can include a capacitor. For example, the capacitor can include one or more of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, an electric double-layer capacitor, an electrochemical pseudocapacitor, a hybrid capacitor, a lithium-ion capacitor, etc.

[0018] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first implementation 100 of a system for managing the storage of electrical energy according to the disclosed technology. Figure 2FIG. is an illustration of an example of a second implementation 200 of a system for managing the storage of electrical energy according to the disclosed technology. The first implementation 100 or the second implementation 200 may be disposed, for example, on a vehicle 102. For example, the first implementation 100 and the second implementation 200 may include an electromagnetic machine 104 and a controller 106.

[0019] For example, the electromagnetic machine 104 may have a rotor 108 and a stator 110. For example, the rotor 108 may be configured to be connected to a shaft 112. For example, the shaft 112 may include a drive shaft of the vehicle 102. For example, in the first implementation 100, the rotor 108 may have a first winding 114 and a second winding 116. For example, in the second implementation 200, the stator 110 may have a first winding 114 and a second winding 116.

[0020] For example, the controller 106 may be configured to control a first circuit 118 and a second circuit 120. The first circuit 118 may be configured to cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device 122 to the first winding 114 to rotate the shaft 112. The second circuit 120 may be configured to selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from a second energy storage device 124 to the second winding 116 to rotate the shaft 112, or (2) flow from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124. Alternatively, for example, the first circuit 118 may be configured to selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from the first energy storage device 122 to the first winding 114 to rotate the shaft 112, or (2) flow from the first winding 114 to the first energy storage device 122 to charge the first energy storage device 122.

[0021] For example, the first circuit 118 may include an inverter 126, a rectifier 128, and a switch 130. For example, the inverter 126 may be configured to cause energy to flow from the first energy storage device 122 to the first winding 114. For example, the rectifier 128 may be configured to cause energy to flow from the first winding 114 to the first energy storage device 122. For example, the switch 130 may be configured to selectively connect the first energy storage device 122 to the first winding 114 via the inverter 126 or the rectifier 128.

[0022] Similarly, for example, the second circuit 120 may include an inverter 132, a rectifier 134, and a switch 136. For example, the inverter 132 may be configured to cause energy to flow from the second energy storage device 124 to the second winding 116. For example, the rectifier 134 may be configured to cause energy to flow from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124. For example, the switch 136 may be configured to selectively connect the second energy storage device 124 to the second winding 116 via the inverter 132 or the rectifier 134.

[0023] For example, one or more of the first energy storage device 122 or the second energy storage device 124 may include a battery. For example, the battery may include one or more of a lithium-ion battery, a lithium polymer battery, a lead-acid battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a zinc-air battery, a sodium nickel chloride battery, etc.

[0024] For example, one or more of the first energy storage device 122 or the second energy storage device 124 may include a capacitor. For example, the capacitor may include one or more of a supercapacitor, an ultracapacitor, an electric double layer capacitor, an electrochemical pseudocapacitor, a hybrid capacitor, a lithium-ion capacitor, etc.

[0025] For example, the first energy storage device 122 may include a fuel cell.

[0026] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first variant 300 of a first configuration 302 of a first implementation 100 or a second implementation 200 according to the disclosed technology. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second variant 400 of a first configuration 302 of a first implementation 100 or a second implementation 200 according to the disclosed technology. For example, in the first configuration 302, the electromagnetic machine 104 may include a first electric generator 304 and a second electric generator 306, the rotor 108 may include a first rotor 308 and a second rotor 310, and the stator 110 may include a first stator 312 and a second stator 314. For example, the first rotor 308 may be arranged on the first electric generator 304, and the first stator 312 may be arranged on the first electric generator 304. For example, the second rotor 310 may be arranged on the second electric generator 306, and the second stator 314 may be arranged on the second electric generator 306.

[0027] Reference Figures 1-4 , for example, if the first electric generator 304 is configured according to the first implementation 100, the first rotor 308 may have a first winding 114. However, if the first electric generator 304 is configured according to the second implementation 200, the first stator 312 may have a first winding 114.

[0028] For example, if the second electric generator 306 is configured according to the first implementation 100, the second rotor 310 may have a second winding 116. However, if the second electric generator 306 is configured according to the second implementation 200, the second stator 314 may have a second winding 116.

[0029] For example, in the first configuration 302, the controller 106 may be configured such that the way the controller 106 controls the first circuit 118 is independent of the way the controller 106 controls the second circuit 120. That is, for example: (1) the way the controller 106 controls the first circuit 118 configured to selectively direct energy: (a) from the first energy storage device 122 to the first winding 114 to rotate the shaft 112, or (b) from the first winding 114 to the first energy storage device 122 to charge the first energy storage device 122 can be independent of (2) the way the controller 106 controls the second circuit 120 configured to selectively direct energy: (a) from the second energy storage device 124 to the second winding 116 to rotate the shaft 112, or (b) from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124.

[0030] In the first variant 300, the first rotor 308 and the second rotor 310 may be configured to be connected to the shaft 112. Alternatively, the shaft 112 may include a first shaft 316 and a second shaft 318. The first rotor 308 may be configured to be connected to the first shaft 316. The second rotor 310 may be configured to be connected to the second shaft 318. For example, the first shaft 316 and the second shaft 318 may be configured to be connected via one or more gears 320. Additionally or alternatively, the shaft 112 may include a third shaft 322. For example, the third shaft 322 may be configured to be connected to the first shaft 316 or the second shaft 318 via one or more gears 324. For example, the third shaft 322 may include the drive shaft of the vehicle 102.

[0031] In the second variant 400, the shaft 112 may include a first shaft 316 and a second shaft 318. The first rotor 308 may be configured to be connected to the first shaft 316. The second rotor 310 may be configured to be connected to the second shaft 318. For example, the first shaft 316 and the second shaft 318 may be configured to be connected to a third shaft 404 via one or more gears 402. For example, the third shaft 404 may include the drive shaft of the vehicle 102.

[0032] Return Figure 1 and Figure 2 in the second configuration of the first implementation 100 or the second implementation 200, the controller 106 may also be configured to determine the presence of conditions that ensure that the second circuit 120 is in a state that causes energy to flow from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124.

[0033] For example, in a first variant of the second configuration, the controller 106 may also be configured to: (1) receive first information indicating the charge state of the first energy storage device 122, and (2) receive second information indicating the charge state of the second energy storage device 124. For example, the condition (that ensures that the second circuit 120 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124) may include one or more of the charge state of the first energy storage device 122 being greater than a first threshold charge state or the charge state of the second energy storage device 124 being less than a second threshold charge state. For example, the first threshold charge state may be 90%. For example, the second threshold charge state may be 15%.

[0034] In a second variant of the second configuration, for example, the first implementation 100 or the second implementation 200 may also include a first fuel cell system 138 and a second fuel cell system 140. For example, the first fuel cell system 138 may be configured to selectively direct energy to: (1) the first winding 114 to rotate the shaft 112, or (2) the first energy storage device 122 to charge the first energy storage device 122. The second fuel cell system 140 may be configured to selectively direct energy to: (1) the second winding 116 to rotate the shaft 112, or (2) the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124.

[0035] For example, the controller 106 may also be configured to: (1) receive first information indicating the amount of fuel in the tank 142 of the first fuel cell system 138, and (2) receive second information indicating the amount of fuel in the tank 144 of the second fuel cell system 140. For example, the condition (that ensures that the second circuit 120 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124) may include one or more of the amount of fuel in the tank 142 of the first fuel cell system 138 being greater than a first threshold amount or the amount of fuel in the tank 144 of the second fuel cell system 140 being less than a second threshold amount.

[0036] Additionally or alternatively, for example, the controller 106 may also be configured to receive information indicative of a measurement of the operating state of the second fuel cell system 140. For example, the condition (that ensures that the second circuit 120 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124) may include that the measurement of the operating state of the second fuel cell system 140 is outside a threshold range of the measured value. Similarly, if the first circuit 118 is configured to selectively allow energy to: (1) flow from the first energy storage device 122 to the first winding 114 to rotate the shaft 112, or (2) flow from the first winding 114 to the first energy storage device 122 to charge the first energy storage device 122, then the controller 106 may also be configured to: (1) determine the presence of a condition that ensures that the first circuit 118 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the first winding 114 to the first energy storage device 122 to charge the first energy storage device 122, and (2) receive information indicative of a measurement of the operating state of the first fuel cell system 138. For example, the condition (that ensures that the first circuit 118 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the first winding 114 to the first energy storage device 122 to charge the first energy storage device 122) may include that the measurement of the operating state of the first fuel cell system 138 is outside a threshold range of the measured value.

[0037] In a third variant of the second configuration, for example, the first implementation 100 or the second implementation 200 may be arranged on the vehicle 102. For example, the condition (that ensures that the second circuit 120 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding 116 to the second energy storage device 124 to charge the second energy storage device 124) may include conditions that are conducive to performing a regenerative braking operation. For example, the controller 106 may be configured to: (1) analyze information regarding the topological relief along the travel path of the vehicle 102, and (2) determine the presence of the condition based on the analysis result of the information regarding the topological relief along the travel path of the vehicle 102. For example, the information regarding the topological relief along the travel path of the vehicle 102 may be obtained from sensors (not shown) arranged on the vehicle 102, a cloud computing platform (not shown), a high-definition map (not shown), etc. Additionally or alternatively, for example, the controller 106 may be configured to: (1) analyze information indicative of a measurement of the change in traffic flow along the travel path of the vehicle 102, and (2) determine the presence of the condition based on the analysis result of the measurement of the change in traffic flow along the travel path of the vehicle 106. For example, the information indicative of a measurement of the change in traffic flow along the travel path of the vehicle 102 may be obtained from vehicle-to-vehicle communication devices (not shown), vehicle-to-infrastructure communication devices (not shown), a cloud computing platform (not shown), etc.

[0038] Figure 5FIG. is an illustration of an example of a controller 500 for managing the storage of electrical energy in accordance with the disclosed technology. For example, controller 500 may include a first circuit 502 and a second circuit 504. For example, first circuit 502 may be configured to cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding of an electromagnetic machine to rotate a shaft. For example, the electromagnetic machine may have a rotor and a stator. The rotor may be connected to the shaft. One of the rotor or the stator may have a first winding and a second winding. For example, second circuit 504 may be configured to selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

[0039] Alternatively, for example, first circuit 502 may be configured to selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from a first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the shaft, or (2) flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device.

[0040] Additionally, for example, controller 500 may further include a third circuit 506. Third circuit 506 may be configured to determine the presence of conditions that ensure that second circuit 504 is in a state that causes energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

[0041] In a first variant of controller 500, for example, controller 500 may further include a first port 508 and a second port 510. For example, first port 508 may be configured to receive first information indicating the charge state of the first energy storage device. For example, second port 510 may be configured to receive second information indicating the charge state of the second energy storage device. For example, the (conditions that ensure that second circuit 504 is in a state that causes energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include one or more of the charge state of the first energy storage device being greater than a first threshold charge state or the charge state of the second energy storage device being less than a second threshold charge state. For example, the first threshold charge state may be 90%. For example, the second threshold charge state may be 15%.

[0042] In a second variation of the controller 500, for example, the controller 500 may further include a first port 508 and a second port 510. For example, the first port 508 may be configured to receive first information indicating the amount of fuel in the tank of the first fuel cell system. The first fuel cell system may be configured to selectively direct energy to: (1) a first winding to rotate a shaft, or (2) a first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device. For example, the second port 510 may be configured to receive second information indicating the amount of fuel in the tank of the second fuel cell system. The second fuel cell system may be configured to selectively direct energy to: (1) a second winding to rotate a shaft, or (2) a second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device. For example, the condition (that ensures the second circuit 504 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include one or more of the amount of fuel in the tank of the first fuel cell system being greater than a first threshold amount or the amount of fuel in the tank of the second fuel cell system being less than a second threshold amount.

[0043] In a third variation of the controller 500, for example, the controller 500 may further include a first port 508. The first port 508 may be configured to receive measured information indicating the operating state of the second fuel cell system. For example, the condition (that ensures the second circuit 504 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include the measured operating state of the second fuel cell system being outside a threshold range of measured values.

[0044] In a fourth variation of the controller 500, for example, the controller 500 may be configured to be disposed on a vehicle. For example, the condition (that ensures the second circuit 504 is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include conditions conducive to performing a regenerative braking operation. For example, the third circuit 506 may be configured to: (1) analyze information regarding the topological undulations along the vehicle's travel path, and (2) determine the presence of the condition based on the analysis result of the information regarding the topological undulations along the vehicle's travel path. Additionally or alternatively, for example, the third circuit 506 may be configured to: (1) analyze measured information regarding changes in traffic flow along the vehicle's travel path, and (2) determine the presence of the condition based on the analysis result of the changes in traffic flow along the vehicle's travel path.

[0045] Figure 6A and 6B Includes a flowchart illustrating an example of a method 600 associated with managing the storage of electrical energy in accordance with the disclosed technology. The method 600 is from Figure 5It is described from the perspective of the controller 500 shown in the figures. Although the method 600 is described in connection with the controller 500, those skilled in the art understand from the description herein that the method 600 is not limited to being implemented by the controller 500. Instead, the controller 500 is an example of a system or device that can be used to implement the method 600.

[0046] In Figure 6B In the method 600, at operation 602, for example, the controller 500 can cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding of an electromagnetic machine to rotate a shaft. For example, the electromagnetic machine can have a rotor and a stator. The rotor can be connected to the shaft. One of the rotor or the stator can have a first winding and a second winding.

[0047] Alternatively, at operation 602, for example, the controller 500 can selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding to rotate a shaft, or (2) flow from a first winding to a first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device.

[0048] At operation 604, for example, the controller 500 can selectively cause energy to: (1) flow from a second energy storage device to a second winding of an electromagnetic machine to rotate a shaft, or (2) flow from a second winding to a second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

[0049] In addition, in Figure 6A In the method 600, at operation 606, for example, the controller 500 can determine the existence of conditions that ensure energy flows from a second winding to a second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

[0050] In a first variant of the method 600, at operation 606-a, for example, the controller 500 can receive first information indicating the charge state of a first energy storage device.

[0051] At operation 606-b, for example, the controller 500 can receive second information indicating the charge state of a second energy storage device.

[0052] At operation 606-c, for example, the controller 500 can determine that the conditions (that ensure energy flows from a second winding to a second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) can include one or more of the charge state of the first energy storage device being greater than a first threshold charge state or the charge state of the second energy storage device being less than a second threshold charge state. For example, the first threshold charge state can be 90%. For example, the second threshold charge state can be 15%.

[0053] In a second variant of method 600, at operation 606-d, for example, controller 500 may receive first information indicative of the amount of fuel in the tank of the first fuel cell system. The first fuel cell system may be configured to selectively direct energy to: (1) a first winding to rotate a shaft, or (2) a first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device.

[0054] At operation 606-e, for example, controller 500 may receive second information indicative of the amount of fuel in the tank of the second fuel cell system. The second fuel cell system may be configured to selectively direct energy to: (1) a second winding to rotate a shaft, or (2) a second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

[0055] At operation 606-f, for example, controller 500 may determine that the conditions (to ensure that energy flows from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include one or more of the amount of fuel in the tank of the first fuel cell system being greater than a first threshold amount or the amount of fuel in the tank of the second fuel cell system being less than a second threshold amount.

[0056] In a third variant of method 600, at operation 606-g, for example, controller 500 may receive measured information indicative of the operating state of the second fuel cell system.

[0057] At operation 606-h, for example, controller 500 may determine that the conditions (to ensure that energy flows from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include the measurement of the operating state of the second fuel cell system being outside a threshold range of measured values.

[0058] In a fourth variant of method 600, for example, controller 500 may be disposed on a vehicle. The conditions (to ensure that energy flows from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include conditions conducive to performing a regenerative braking operation.

[0059] At operation 606-i, for example, controller 500 may analyze information regarding the topographical undulations along the vehicle's travel path.

[0060] At operation 606-j, for example, controller 500 may determine the presence of conditions to ensure that energy flows from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device based on the result of the analysis of the information regarding the topographical undulations along the vehicle's travel path.

[0061] In a fifth variant of method 600, for example, controller 500 may be disposed on a vehicle. The conditions (to ensure that energy flows from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device) may include conditions conducive to performing a regenerative braking operation.

[0062] At operation 606-k, for example, the controller 500 may analyze measured information regarding changes in traffic flow along the vehicle's travel path.

[0063] At operation 606-l, for example, the controller 500 may determine the existence of conditions that ensure the flow of energy from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device, based on the analysis result of the changes in traffic flow along the vehicle's travel path.

[0064] Figure 7 A block diagram illustrating an example of elements arranged on a vehicle 700 in accordance with the disclosed technology is included. The "vehicle" used herein can be any form of powered transportation vehicle. In one or more implementations, the vehicle 700 can be an automobile. Although the various solutions described herein are with respect to automobiles, those skilled in the art will understand, in view of the description herein, that the embodiments are not limited to automobiles.

[0065] In some embodiments, the vehicle 700 can be configured to selectively switch between an automatic mode, one or more semi-automatic operation modes, and / or a manual mode. Such switching can be achieved in a suitable manner known now or developed later. The "manual mode" used herein can refer to performing all or most of the navigation and / or maneuvering of the vehicle 700 in accordance with an input received from a user (e.g., a human driver). In one or more scenarios, the vehicle 700 can be a conventional vehicle configured to operate only in the manual mode.

[0066] In one or more embodiments, the vehicle 700 can be an autonomous vehicle. The "autonomous vehicle" used herein can refer to a vehicle operating in an automatic mode. The "automatic mode" used herein can refer to controlling the vehicle 700 to navigate along a travel route and / or maneuver the vehicle 700 using one or more computing systems with little or no input from a human driver. In one or more embodiments, the vehicle 700 can be highly automated or fully automated. In one embodiment, the vehicle 700 can be configured with one or more semi-automatic operation modes, where one or more computing systems perform a part of the navigation and / or maneuvering of the vehicle along the travel route, and a vehicle operator (i.e., a driver) provides an input to the vehicle 700 to perform a part of the navigation and / or maneuvering of the vehicle 700 along the travel route.

[0067] For example, Standard J3016, Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles, issued by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) on January 16, 2014 and most recently revised on June 15, 2018, defines six levels of driving automation. These six levels include: (1) Level 0, No Automation, where all aspects of the dynamic driving task are performed by the human driver; (2) Level 1, Driver Assistance, where a driver assistance system (if selected) can use information about the driving environment to perform steering or acceleration / deceleration tasks, but all remaining driving dynamic tasks are performed by the human driver; (3) Level 2, Partial Automation, where one or more driver assistance systems (if selected) can use information about the driving environment to perform both steering and acceleration / deceleration tasks, but all remaining driving dynamic tasks are performed by the human driver; (4) Level 3, Conditional Automation, where an automated driving system (if selected) can perform all aspects of the dynamic driving task, provided that the human driver responds appropriately to a request for intervention; (5) Level 4, High Automation, where an automated driving system (if selected) can perform all aspects of the dynamic driving task even if the human driver does not respond appropriately to a request for intervention; and (6) Level 5, Full Automation, where an automated driving system can perform all aspects of the dynamic driving task under all road and environmental conditions that can be managed by a human driver.

[0068] Vehicle 700 may include various elements. Vehicle 700 may have Figure 7 any combination of the various elements illustrated in the figure. In various embodiments, vehicle 700 may not need to include Figure 7 all of the elements illustrated in the figure. Additionally, vehicle 700 may have elements other than Figure 7 the elements illustrated in the figure. Although the various elements are Figure 7is illustrated as being within vehicle 700, but one or more of these components may be outside vehicle 700. Additionally, the components illustrated in the figures may be physically separated by a greater distance. For example, as described, one or more components of the disclosed system may be implemented within vehicle 700 while other components of the system may be implemented within a cloud computing environment, as described below. For example, these components may include one or more processors 710, one or more data repositories 715, a sensor system 720, an input system 730, an output system 735, a vehicle system 740, one or more actuators 750, one or more autonomous driving modules 760, a communication system 770, and a system 780 for managing the storage of electrical energy. For example, system 780 may include one or more of a first implementation 100 of a system for managing the storage of electrical energy or a second implementation 200 of a system for managing the storage of electrical energy.

[0069] In one or more scenarios, one or more processors 710 may be the main processor of vehicle 700. For example, one or more processors 710 may be an electronic control unit (ECU). For example, the functionality and / or operation of controller 106 ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 illustrated in the figure) or controller 500 ( Figure 5 illustrated in the figure) may be implemented by one or more processors 710.

[0070] One or more data repositories 715 may store, for example, one or more types of data. One or more data repositories 715 may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Examples of suitable memory for one or more data repositories 715 may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disk drives, any other suitable storage medium, or any combination thereof. One or more data repositories 715 may be a component of one or more processors 710. Additionally or alternatively, one or more data repositories 715 may be operably connected to one or more processors 710 for use. As used herein, "operably connected" may include direct or indirect connections, including connections without direct physical contact. A statement that a component is "configured to" operate as used herein may be understood to mean that for the component to operate, no structural changes are required, but only that the component needs to be placed in an operating state (e.g., powered on, having the underlying operating system running, etc.).

[0071] In one or more scenarios, one or more data repositories 715 may store map data 716. The map data 716 may include maps of one or more geographic regions. In some cases, the map data 716 may include information or data about roads, traffic control devices, road markings, structures, features, and / or landmarks in one or more geographic regions. The map data 716 may be in any suitable form. In some cases, the map data 716 may include an aerial view of a region. In some cases, the map data 716 may include a ground view of a region, including a 360° ground view. The map data 716 may include measurements, dimensions, distances, and / or information about one or more items included in the map data 716 and / or relative to other items included in the map data 716. The map data 716 may include a digital map with information about road geometry. The map data 716 may be of high quality and / or very detailed.

[0072] In one or more scenarios, the map data 716 may include one or more topographic maps 717. The one or more topographic maps 717 may include information about the ground, terrain, roads, surfaces, and / or other features of one or more geographic regions. The one or more topographic maps 717 may include elevation data for one or more geographic regions. The map data 716 may be of high quality and / or very detailed. The one or more topographic maps 717 may define one or more surfaces, which may include paved roads, unpaved roads, land, and other things that define the surface.

[0073] In one or more scenarios, the map data 716 may include one or more static obstacle maps 718. The one or more static obstacle maps 718 may include information about one or more static obstacles located within one or more geographic regions. A "static obstacle" may be a physical object whose position does not change (or changes very little) over a period of time and / or whose size does not change (or changes very little) over a period of time. Examples of static obstacles include trees, buildings, curbs, fences, guardrails, medians, utility poles, statues, monuments, signs, benches, furniture, mailboxes, large rocks, and hills. Static obstacles may be objects that extend above the ground plane. The one or more static obstacles included in the one or more static obstacle maps 718 may have associated position data, size data, dimensional data, material data, and / or other data. The one or more static obstacle maps 718 may include measurements, dimensions, distances, and / or information about one or more static obstacles. The one or more static obstacle maps 718 may be of high quality and / or very detailed. The one or more static obstacle maps 718 may be updated to reflect changes within the mapped area.

[0074] In one or more scenarios, one or more data repositories 715 may store sensor data 719. As used herein, "sensor data" may refer to any information regarding sensors that a vehicle 700 may be equipped with, including the capabilities of such sensors and other information regarding such sensors. Sensor data 719 may pertain to one or more sensors of a sensor system 720. For example, in one or more scenarios, sensor data 719 may include information regarding one or more lidar sensors 724 of a sensor system 720.

[0075] In some scenarios, at least a portion of the map data 716 and / or the sensor data 719 may be located in one or more data repositories 715 disposed on the vehicle 700. Alternatively or additionally, at least a portion of the map data 716 and / or the sensor data 719 may be located in one or more data repositories 715 disposed remotely from the vehicle 700.

[0076] The sensor system 720 may include one or more sensors. As used herein, a "sensor" may refer to any device, component, and / or system capable of detecting and / or sensing something. One or more sensors may be configured to detect and / or sense in real time. As used herein, the term "real time" may refer to a level of processing responsiveness that a user or system deems to be sufficiently immediate for a particular process or determination to be carried out, or that enables a processor to keep up with some external process.

[0077] In scenarios where the sensor system 720 includes multiple sensors, the sensors may operate independently of one another. Alternatively, two or more of the sensors may operate in combination with one another. In such cases, two or more of the sensors may form a sensor network. The sensor system 720 and / or one or more sensors are operably connected to one or more processors 710, one or more data repositories 715, and / or another element of the vehicle 700 (including Figure 7 any of the elements illustrated in the figures). The sensor system 720 may acquire data of at least a portion of the external environment of the vehicle 700 (e.g., nearby vehicles). The sensor system 720 may include any suitable type of sensor. Various examples of different types of sensors are described herein. However, those skilled in the art understand that the embodiments are not limited to the specific sensors described herein.

[0078] The sensor system 720 may include one or more vehicle sensors 721. The one or more vehicle sensors 721 may detect, determine, and / or sense information about the vehicle 700 itself. In one or more scenarios, the one or more vehicle sensors 721 may be configured to detect and / or sense changes in the position and orientation of the vehicle 700, such as based on inertial acceleration. In one or more scenarios, the one or more vehicle sensors 721 may include one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a dead reckoning system, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), a global positioning system (GPS), a navigation system 747, and / or other suitable sensors. The one or more vehicle sensors 721 may be configured to detect and / or sense one or more characteristics of the vehicle 700. In one or more scenarios, the one or more vehicle sensors 721 may include a speedometer to determine the current speed of the vehicle 700.

[0079] Alternatively or additionally, the sensor system 720 may include one or more environmental sensors 722 configured to obtain and / or sense driving environment data. As used herein, "driving environment data" may include data or information about the external environment in which the vehicle is located or one or more parts thereof. For example, the one or more environmental sensors 722 may be configured to detect, quantify, and / or sense obstacles and / or information / data about such obstacles in at least a portion of the external environment of the vehicle 700. Such obstacles may be stationary objects and / or dynamic objects. The one or more environmental sensors 722 may be configured to detect, measure, quantify, and / or sense other things in the external environment of the vehicle 700, such as lane markings, signs, traffic lights, traffic signs, lane lines, crosswalks, curbs adjacent to the vehicle 700, objects outside the road, etc.

[0080] Various examples of sensors of the sensor system 720 are described herein. The example sensors may be part of the one or more vehicle sensors 721 and / or the one or more environmental sensors 722. However, those skilled in the art understand that the embodiments are not limited to the specific sensors described.

[0081] In one or more scenarios, the one or more environmental sensors 722 may include one or more radar sensors 723, one or more lidar sensors 724, one or more sonar sensors 725, and / or one or more cameras 726. In one or more scenarios, the one or more cameras 726 may be one or more high dynamic range (HDR) cameras or one or more infrared (IR) cameras. For example, the one or more cameras 726 may be used to record the true situation of the status of information items that may appear in a digital map.

[0082] The input system 730 may include any device, component, system, element, arrangement, or group thereof that enables information / data to be input into the machine. The input system 730 may receive input from a vehicle occupant (e.g., a driver or a passenger). The output system 735 may include any device, component, system, element, arrangement, or group thereof that enables information / data to be presented to a vehicle occupant (e.g., a driver or a passenger).

[0083] Figure 7 The middle figure illustrates various examples of one or more vehicle systems 740. However, those skilled in the art understand that the vehicle 700 may include more, fewer, or different vehicle systems. Although specific vehicle systems may be defined separately, each or any system or part thereof may be otherwise combined or separated within the vehicle 700 via hardware and / or software. For example, one or more vehicle systems 740 may include a propulsion system 741, a braking system 742, a steering system 743, a throttle system 744, a transmission system 745, a signaling system 746, and / or a navigation system 747. Each of these systems may include one or more devices, components, and / or combinations thereof that are currently known or developed in the future.

[0084] The navigation system 747 may include one or more devices, applications, and / or combinations thereof that are currently known or developed in the future and are configured to determine the geographical location of the vehicle 700 and / or determine the driving route of the vehicle 700. The navigation system 747 may include one or more map applications to determine the driving route of the vehicle 700. The navigation system 747 may include a global positioning system, a local positioning system, a geolocation system, and / or combinations thereof.

[0085] One or more actuators 750 may be any element or combination of elements that are operable to modify, adjust, and / or change one or more of the vehicle systems 740 or its components in response to receiving a signal or other input from one or more processors 710 and / or one or more autonomous driving modules 760. Any suitable actuator may be used. For example, one or more actuators 750 may include an electric motor, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic piston, a relay, a solenoid valve, and / or a piezoelectric actuator.

[0086] One or more processors 710 and / or one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may be operably connected to communicate with respective vehicle systems 740 and / or their respective components. For example, one or more processors 710 and / or one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may communicate to send information and / or receive information from the respective vehicle systems 740 to control the movement, speed, maneuvering, heading, direction, etc. of the vehicle 700. One or more processors 710 and / or one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may control some or all of these vehicle systems 740 and may thus be partially or fully automated.

[0087] One or more processors 710 and / or one or more autonomous driving modules 760 are operable to control the navigation and / or maneuvering of the vehicle 700 by controlling one or more of the vehicle systems 740 and / or their components. For example, when operating in an automatic mode, one or more processors 710 and / or one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may control the direction and / or speed of the vehicle 700. One or more processors 710 and / or one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may cause the vehicle 700 to accelerate (e.g., by increasing the fuel supply provided to the engine), decelerate (e.g., by reducing the fuel supply to the engine and / or by applying brakes), and / or change direction (e.g., by turning the front two wheels). As used herein, "cause" or "cause to" may mean to make, induce, force, direct, command, instruct, and / or permit an event or action to occur in a direct or indirect manner, or at least to be in a state in which such an event or action can occur.

[0088] Communication system 770 may include one or more receivers 771 and / or one or more transmitters 772. Communication system 770 may receive and transmit one or more messages via one or more wireless communication channels. For example, one or more wireless communication channels may be in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11p standard for Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE) (the basis for Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC)), the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) (LTE-V2X) standard (including the LTE Uu interface between a mobile communication device and an evolved Node B of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), the 3GPP 5th Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) standard (including the 5G NR Uu interface), etc. For example, communication system 770 may include "connected vehicle" technology. For example, "connected vehicle" technology may include devices that exchange communications between a vehicle and other devices in a packet switched network. Such other devices may include, for example, another vehicle (e.g., "Vehicle-to-Vehicle" (V2V) technology), roadside infrastructure (e.g., "Vehicle-to-Infrastructure" (V2I) technology), a cloud platform (e.g., "Vehicle-to-Cloud" (V2C) technology), a pedestrian (e.g., "Vehicle-to-Pedestrian" (V2P) technology), or a network (e.g., "Vehicle-to-Network" (V2N) technology). "Vehicle-to-Everything" (V2X) technology may integrate aspects of these individual communication technologies.

[0089] Vehicle 700 may include one or more modules, at least some of which are described herein. The modules may be implemented as computer-readable program code that, when executed by one or more processors 710, implements one or more of the various processes described herein. One or more of the modules may be components of one or more processors 710. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the modules may execute on and / or be distributed among other processing systems to which one or more processors 710 are operably connected. The modules may include instructions (e.g., program logic) executable by one or more processors 710. Alternatively or additionally, one or more data repositories 715 may contain such instructions.

[0090] In one or more scenarios, one or more of the modules described herein may include artificial or computational intelligence elements such as neural networks, fuzzy logic, or other machine learning algorithms. Additionally, in one or more scenarios, one or more of the modules may be distributed among the multiple modules described herein. In one or more scenarios, two or more of the modules described herein may be combined into a single module.

[0091] Vehicle 700 may include one or more autonomous driving modules 760. The one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may be configured to receive data from the sensor system 720 and / or any other type of system capable of capturing information related to the vehicle 700 and / or the external environment of the vehicle 700. In one or more scenarios, the one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may use such data to generate one or more driving scenario models. The one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may determine the position and speed of the vehicle 700. The one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may determine the positions of obstacles, barriers, or other environmental features (including traffic signs, trees, shrubs, adjacent vehicles, pedestrians, etc.).

[0092] The one or more autonomous driving modules 760 may be configured to receive and / or determine position information of obstacles within the external environment of the vehicle 700 for use by one or more processors 710 and / or one or more of the modules described herein for estimating the position and orientation of the vehicle 700, the position of the vehicle in a global coordinate system based on signals from multiple satellites, or any other data and / or signals that may be used to determine the current state of the vehicle 700 or to determine the position of the vehicle 700 relative to its environment for creating a map or determining the position of the vehicle 700 with respect to map data.

[0093] One or more autonomous driving modules 760 may be configured to determine one or more driving paths, a current autonomous driving maneuver of vehicle 700, future autonomous driving maneuvers, and / or modifications to the current autonomous driving maneuver based on data acquired by sensor system 720, a driving scenario model, and / or data from any other suitable source, such as a determination from sensor data 719. As used herein, "driving maneuver" may refer to one or more actions that affect the movement of a vehicle. Examples of driving maneuvers include: accelerating, decelerating, braking, steering, moving in a lateral direction of vehicle 700, changing driving lanes, merging into a driving lane, and / or reversing, just to name a few possibilities. One or more autonomous driving modules 760 may be configured to implement the determined driving maneuvers. One or more autonomous driving modules 760 may directly or indirectly cause such autonomous driving maneuvers to be implemented. As used herein, "cause" or "bring about" means to make, order, instruct, and / or allow an event or action to occur in a direct or indirect manner, or at least be in a state where such event or action can occur. One or more autonomous driving modules 760 may be configured to perform various vehicle functions and / or send data to, receive data from, interact with, and / or control vehicle 700 or one or more of its systems (e.g., one or more of vehicle systems 740). For example, the functions and / or operations of an automotive navigation system may be implemented by one or more autonomous driving modules 760.

[0094] Detailed embodiments are disclosed herein. However, given the description herein, those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed embodiments are only intended as examples. Thus, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but rather only as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to use the various aspects herein differently in substantially any appropriate detailed structure. Additionally, the terms and phrases used herein are not limiting, but rather provide an understandable description of the various possible implementations. In Figures 1-5 , Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 7 various embodiments are illustrated, but the embodiments are not limited to the illustrated structures or applications.

[0095] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. Given the description herein, those skilled in the art will understand that, in some alternative implementations, the functions recited in the blocks may occur out of the order shown in the figures. For example, in fact, two blocks shown in succession may be executed substantially concurrently, or the respective blocks may be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.

[0096] The above-described systems, components, and / or processes can be implemented using hardware or a combination of hardware and software, and can be implemented centrally in one processing system or can be implemented distributively, in which case the different elements are distributed among several interconnected processing systems. Any type of processing system or other device suitable for executing the methods described herein is appropriate. A typical combination of hardware and software can be a processing system having computer-readable program code that, when loaded and executed, controls the processing system such that the processing system executes the methods described herein. The systems, components, and / or processes can also be embedded in a machine-readable tangible computer-readable storage device that tangibly contains an instruction program executable by the machine to perform the methods and processes described herein, such as a computer program product or other data program storage device. These elements can also be embedded in an application product that contains all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein and, when loaded into a processing system, is capable of executing these methods.

[0097] In addition, the solutions described herein may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code embodied thereon (e.g., stored). Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be utilized. A computer-readable medium may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. As used herein, the phrase "computer-readable storage medium" means a non-transitory storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of the computer-readable storage medium will include the following in a non-exhaustive list: a portable computer floppy disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer-readable storage medium as used herein may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0098] Generally, modules as used herein include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform a particular task or implement a particular data type. In a further aspect, memory generally stores such modules. The memory associated with a module may be a buffer or may be a cache, random access memory (RAM), ROM, flash memory, or another suitable electronic storage medium embedded within a processor. In a still further aspect, modules as used herein may be implemented as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a hardware component of a system-on-chip (SoC), a programmable logic array (PLA), or another suitable hardware component embedded with a defined set of configurations (e.g., instructions) for performing the disclosed functions.

[0099] The program code embodied on the computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, fiber optic, cable, radio frequency (RF), etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. The computer program code for performing operations for various aspects of the disclosed technology may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including such as Java TM , Smalltalk TM, object-oriented programming languages such as C++, and conventional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., connected to an external computer via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0100] As used herein, the terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or more than one. The term "plurality" as used herein is defined as two or more than two. The term "another" as used herein is defined as at least a second or more. The terms "comprising" and / or "having" as used herein are defined as including (i.e., open language). The phrase "at least one of... or..." as used herein refers to and includes any one and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For example, the phrase "at least one of A, B, or C" includes only A, only B, only C, or any combination thereof (e.g., AB, AC, BC, or ABC).

[0101] Without departing from its spirit or essential attributes, the various aspects herein may be embodied in other forms. Thus, reference should be made to the following claims rather than the foregoing specification to indicate its scope.

Claims

1. A system, comprising: An electromagnetic machine having a single rotor and a single stator configured to be connected to a single shaft, with one of the single rotor or the single stator having a first winding and a second winding; and A controller configured to: Control a first circuit to cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the single shaft, Control a second circuit to selectively cause energy to, while energy is being transferred through the first winding: Flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the single shaft, or Flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device; and In response to determining that the charge state of the first energy storage device is greater than a first threshold charge state, place the second circuit in a state to cause energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is arranged on a vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device comprises a battery.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device comprises a capacitor.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The first circuit is configured to selectively cause energy to: Flow from the first energy storage device to the first winding to rotate the single shaft, or Flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device, and At least one of the first circuit or the second circuit includes: At least one inverter configured to cause energy to flow from at least one of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device to at least one of the first winding or the second winding, At least one rectifier configured to cause energy to flow from at least one of the first winding or the second winding to at least one of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device, and At least one switch configured to selectively connect at least one of the first energy storage device or the second energy storage device to at least one of the first winding or the second winding via the at least one inverter or the at least one rectifier.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The electromagnetic machine includes a first electric generator and a second electric generator, The single shaft includes a first single shaft and a second single shaft, The single rotor includes a first single rotor disposed on the first electric generator and configured to be connected to the first single shaft and a second single rotor disposed on the second electric generator and configured to be connected to the second single shaft, The single stator includes a first single stator disposed on the first electric generator and a second single stator disposed on the second electric generator, One of the first single rotor or the first single stator has a first winding, and One of the second single rotor or the second single stator has a second winding.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the first single shaft and the second single shaft are configured to be connected to a third single shaft via at least one gear.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the third single shaft comprises a drive shaft of the vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the arrangement of the third single shaft is consistent with the arrangement of at least one of the first single shaft or the second single shaft.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein an angle other than zero degrees or 180 degrees is formed between the arrangement of the third single axis and the arrangement of at least one of the first single axis or the second single axis.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive first information indicating a charge state of the first energy storage device; and receive second information indicating a charge state of the second energy storage device, wherein the condition for ensuring that the second circuit is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device further includes that the charge state of the second energy storage device is less than a second threshold charge state.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: A first fuel cell system configured to selectively cause energy to flow to: The first winding to rotate the shaft, or The first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device; and A second fuel cell system configured to selectively cause energy to flow to: The second winding to rotate the shaft, or The second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein: The controller is further configured to: Receive first information indicating the amount of fuel in the tank of the first fuel cell system, and Receive second information indicating the amount of fuel in the tank of the second fuel cell system, and The condition for ensuring that the second circuit is in a state to cause energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device further includes that the amount of fuel in the tank of the first fuel cell system is greater than a first threshold amount.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the condition further includes that the amount of fuel in the tank of the second fuel cell system is less than a second threshold amount.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein: The controller is further configured to receive information indicative of a measured operating state of the second fuel cell system, and a condition for ensuring that the second circuit is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device further includes that the measured operating state of the second fuel cell system is outside a threshold range of measured values.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The system is arranged on a vehicle, and a condition for ensuring that the second circuit is in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device further includes a condition conducive to performing a regenerative braking operation.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the controller: is further configured to analyze information about the topological undulations along the driving path of the vehicle, and is configured to determine the existence of the condition based on the analysis result of the information about the topological undulations along the driving path of the vehicle.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the controller: is also configured to analyze measurement information regarding changes in traffic flow along a driving path of a vehicle, and is configured to determine the presence of the condition based on an analysis result of measurements of changes in traffic flow along a driving path of a vehicle.

19. A controller, comprising: A first circuit configured to cause energy to flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding of an electromagnetic machine to rotate a single shaft, the electromagnetic machine having a single rotor and a single stator, the single rotor being connected to the single shaft, and one of the single rotor or the single stator having a first winding and a second winding; A second circuit configured to selectively cause energy to: flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the single shaft while energy is being transferred through the first winding, or flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device; and A third circuit configured to cause the second circuit to be in a state that allows energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device in response to determining that the state of charge of the first energy storage device is greater than the state of charge of the second energy storage device.

20. The controller according to claim 19, wherein the first circuit is configured to selectively cause energy to: flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding to rotate the single shaft, or flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device.

21. A method, comprising: Causing energy to flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding of an electromagnetic machine to rotate a single shaft by a controller, the electromagnetic machine having a single rotor and a single stator, the single rotor being connected to the single shaft, and one of the single rotor or the single stator having a first winding and a second winding; Selectively causing energy to: flow from a second energy storage device to the second winding to rotate the single shaft while energy is being transferred through the first winding, or flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device by the controller; and Causing energy to flow from the second winding to the second energy storage device to charge the second energy storage device in response to determining that the state of charge of the first energy storage device is greater than the state of charge of the second energy storage device.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein causing energy to flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding comprises selectively causing energy to: flow from a first energy storage device to a first winding to rotate the single shaft, or flow from the first winding to the first energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device.

Images