Selective vehicle sensor actuation

Abstract

The present disclosure provides "selective vehicle sensor actuation". A system may include a computer coupled to a memory that stores instructions to determine an upcoming interval for operating a sensor at a planned destination and to determine an upcoming duration to travel to the planned destination. In response to determining that a battery coupled to the sensor includes a state of charge (SOC) insufficient to operate the sensor within the upcoming interval, programming of the computer may schedule a charging interval during vehicle travel to the planned destination, and actuating battery charging according to the scheduled charging interval during travel of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to sensors in a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] The vehicle may be equipped with computing devices, networks, sensors, and controllers to obtain data about the vehicle's environment and operate the vehicle based on the data. The sensors may provide data to detect features of the environment, such as markings on the road or other driving surface, road signs, objects such as other vehicles, or obstacles such as rocks or debris. The sensor data may be provided to one or more controllers or other computers on the vehicle network via the vehicle network. Thus, the vehicle sensors may provide data as the vehicle is traveling toward a destination, for example, to determine a route or possible routes to the destination. When the vehicle is deactivated and / or not moving, the sensors may be used additionally or alternatively to provide data about the vehicle's surroundings. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to detect objects in an area outside the vehicle when the vehicle is deactivated (such as when the vehicle is parked in a certain location), the vehicle may include a set of sensors and / or processing resources for monitoring the external area. The sensors may monitor the vehicle and / or the environment around the vehicle, for example, in an exposed truck bed, on a walkway near the vehicle, in a parking lot, etc. Because such sensors are activated when the vehicle is deactivated, the sensors for monitoring areas outside the vehicle may include an additional sensor battery separate from the main vehicle battery. Therefore, when the vehicle is deactivated, the sensor battery may be relied upon to provide power to the sensors. The deactivation period may last for minutes, hours, days, or longer.

[0004] In order to maintain a sufficient state of charge (SOC) of the sensor battery to power the sensor while the vehicle is in an inactive and / or unattended state, a computer in the vehicle can actuate a propulsion device and / or a main vehicle battery to recharge the sensor battery while the vehicle is in operation (e.g., traveling along a route to a destination). The computer can determine a specified charge amount that the sensor battery can use to power the sensor within a specified interval that the vehicle can be inactive. The computer can determine a recharge rate, i.e., a current supplied by the propulsion component (via an alternator, etc.) and / or the vehicle battery to restore the charge level of the sensor battery to the specified charge amount at or before completion of the route traveled by the vehicle. Thus, while traveling along a route to a planned destination location before the vehicle is inactive, the computer can charge the sensor battery so that the battery can be used to power the sensor while the vehicle is inactive within the specified interval.

[0005] However, in some cases, the planned destination for deactivating the vehicle may include a location where monitoring of an area outside the vehicle is unlikely to be activated or may only be activated for a short period of time. For example, if the planned destination includes a secure garage at a private residence, it may not be necessary to actuate the sensor to monitor the area outside the vehicle. In such an example, charging the sensor battery prior to arriving at the planned destination may represent an inefficient use of vehicle propulsion resources if the sensor battery may not be utilized at the planned destination. In another example, if the planned destination includes a convenience store or other institution that the vehicle may visit in a short period of time, fully charging the sensor battery may again represent an inefficient use of vehicle propulsion resources. In another example, in response to determining that the vehicle sensor battery does not include sufficient SOC to operate the sensor within a specified upcoming interval, it may be useful to actuate charging of the sensor battery when the vehicle engine is operating at a higher efficiency and avoid actuating charging when the vehicle engine is operating at a lower efficiency.

[0006] An exemplary system for vehicle sensor operation may include a computer having a processor coupled to a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine an upcoming interval for operating a sensor at a planned destination and to determine an upcoming duration of travel to the planned destination. In response to determining that a battery coupled to the sensor includes a state of charge (SOC) insufficient to operate the sensor during the upcoming interval, the instructions may schedule a charging interval during vehicle travel to the planned destination, and the instructions may additionally actuate battery charging according to the scheduled charging interval during vehicle travel.

[0007] The upcoming interval may be based on a risk parameter at the planned destination.

[0008] An upcoming interval may include an increased value based on the risk parameter at the planned destination being greater than a threshold value.

[0009] The upcoming interval may be decreased based on the risk parameter at the planned destination being less than a threshold.

[0010] The vehicle travel to the planned destination may be segmented. In addition, the scheduled charging intervals are distributed between the road segments.

[0011] The scheduled charging intervals may indicate battery charging only at road segments during which the vehicle's engine is predicted to operate at an efficiency greater than a threshold.

[0012] The instructions may also include instructions for evaluating historical vehicle travel patterns between a current location of the vehicle and the planned destination to predict the SOC.

[0013] The historical travel pattern between the current location and the planned destination may include time of day or day of the week.

[0014] The instructions may also include instructions for actuating a component of a human-machine interface in response to deactivation of the vehicle at the planned destination, wherein the component indicates that the sensor is to operate at the planned destination.

[0015] The instructions also include instructions for actuating a battery charging operation in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a fuel efficiency greater than a threshold.

[0016] The instructions also include instructions for actuating the battery charging operation in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a brake specific fuel consumption that is less than a threshold.

[0017] The instructions for actuating a battery charging operation may include instructions for actuating the battery charging operation during any operation of an engine of the vehicle in response to determining that the battery charging operation is predicted to result in an insufficient SOC.

[0018] The sensor may include a camera for viewing a portion of the environment external to the system.

[0019] An exemplary method for vehicle sensor operation may include determining an upcoming interval for operating a sensor at a planned destination and determining an upcoming duration of travel to the planned destination. The method may further include scheduling a charging interval during vehicle travel to the planned destination in response to determining that a battery coupled to the sensor includes an SOC insufficient to operate the sensor during the upcoming interval. The method may further include actuating battery charging according to the scheduled charging interval during the vehicle travel.

[0020] The method may further include determining a risk parameter at the planned destination and determining the upcoming interval based on the risk parameter.

[0021] The vehicle travel to the planned destination may be divided into travel segments, and the method may further include allocating the scheduled charging intervals between the travel segments.

[0022] The method may additionally include determining historical vehicle travel patterns between the vehicle's current location and the planned destination.

[0023] The method may further include actuating the battery charging operation in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a brake specific fuel consumption that is less than a threshold.

[0024] The sensor may be a camera for viewing a portion of the environment outside the vehicle.

[0025] Actuating a battery charging operation may include actuating the battery charging operation during any operation of an engine of the vehicle in response to determining that the battery charging operation of the battery is predicted to result in an insufficient state of charge. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle system.

[0027] Figure 2 is a graph illustrating an operating window of internal combustion engine parameters of a vehicle.

[0028] Figure 3 is an illustration of an exemplary display of a vehicle system showing a route to a planned destination.

[0029] Figure 4A and Figure 4B is a block diagram of an exemplary process for vehicle sensor operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Figure 1 An exemplary system 100 of sensors for operating a vehicle 102 is shown. The computer 104 of the vehicle 102 may be programmed to receive signals representing data output from various sensors including sensor 108A. In one example, the output signals from sensor 108A may include data relating to the relative position of the vehicle 102, data relating to the environment surrounding the vehicle, data relating to static or moving objects external to the vehicle (such as another vehicle, individuals within the field of view of one or more of the sensors 108A, etc.). Thus, the sensors 108A may provide images of static or moving objects during various vehicle operations, such as detecting and identifying vehicles located in the environment external to the vehicle as the vehicle 102 proceeds along a road. Figure 1 In the example of , sensor 108A may additionally provide data to safety subsystem 108, which may operate as an integrated safety controller to monitor moving or static objects within the field of view of one or more of sensors 108A. Sensor 108A may include a static camera or a video camera for viewing an area outside of vehicle 102. Figure 1 In the example of , sensor 108A may be positioned to observe static or moving objects in a forward direction relative to vehicle 102, in a rearward direction relative to vehicle 102, and / or to the left and right of vehicle 102. Figure 1In the example of FIG. 1 , the output data from the sensors can be combined to form a panoramic video or static image in any direction relative to the vehicle 102. Thus, after deactivating the vehicle 102, the security subsystem 108 can monitor the activity of static or moving objects for which a change in state can, for example, indicate intentional or unintentional damage to the vehicle 102, vehicle intrusion, removal or theft of items stored in one or more compartments of the vehicle, or activity related to the theft of the vehicle 102. Although Figure 1 The example indicates that the vehicle 102 has four sensors 108A, but in other examples, the vehicle 102 may include a different number of sensors 108A, such as a single omnidirectional sensor, two hemispherical sensors, or any other number of sensors (e.g., 3, 5, 6, 8, etc.).

[0031] The vehicle 102 may include sensors other than the sensor 108A, such as sensors for monitoring and detecting various aspects of the driving environment of the vehicle. Such sensors may include short-range radar sensors, long-range radars, lidar sensors, ultrasonic transducers, motion detectors, etc. In addition, the vehicle 102 may include sensors for measuring internal vehicle states and modes, such as sensors for measuring engine speed (rpm), such as tachometers, wheel speed sensors, tire pressure sensors, etc. The sensors of the vehicle 102 may also include sensors for measuring the torque applied by the engine 103 to the drive shaft of the vehicle 102, such as calibrated strain gauges.

[0032] The safety subsystem 108 may include a sensor battery 108B that may be allocated to provide power for actuating the sensor 108A. In response to the propulsion component 110A and / or the main battery of the vehicle 102 being deactivated, the safety subsystem 108 may draw operating power from the sensor battery 108B. The sensor battery 108B may operate the sensor 108A until the user reactivates the vehicle 102, or until the sensor battery is depleted. The sensor battery 108B may be controlled by a charge controller 108C that may operate to determine the SOC of the sensor battery, transmit the SOC to the computer 104, determine a remaining time interval during which the sensor 108A may be operated, and transmit the remaining time to the computer 104. In one example, the charge controller 108C may utilize a voltage sensor to sense the voltage output of the sensor battery 108B. In an exemplary embodiment, as the SOC of the sensor battery 108B decreases, the voltage at the output terminal of the sensor battery may also decrease. The charge controller 108C may record the drop in battery voltage and determine the remaining capacity of the sensor battery 108B via a lookup table stored in the controller's memory and / or via a computer algorithm. The sensor battery 108B may include any suitable battery technology, such as, for example, lithium-ion. When the vehicle is disabled and / or unattended, the sensor battery 108B may provide power to one or more sensors 108A, as described below.

[0033] The computer 104 may generally be programmed to communicate over a vehicle network 106, which may include a communication bus such as a CAN bus, a LIN bus, etc., and / or other wired and / or wireless technologies such as Ethernet, WIFI, Ultra-wideband (UWB), etc. The vehicle network 106 may represent one or more mechanisms by which the computer 104 can communicate with a remote computer (such as a remote server). Thus, the vehicle network 106 may include one or more of a variety of wired or wireless communication mechanisms, including any desired combination of wired (e.g., cable and fiber optic) and / or wireless (e.g., cellular, wireless, satellite, microwave, and radio frequency) communication mechanisms and any desired network topology (or multiple topologies when multiple communication mechanisms are used). Exemplary communication networks include wireless communication networks that provide data communication services (e.g., using Low Energy (BLE), UWB, IEEE 802.11, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) such as Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC), etc.), Local Area Network (LAN) and / or Wide Area Network (WAN) including the Internet.

[0034] Alternatively or additionally, in an example where the computer 104 includes multiple devices, the vehicle network 106 may be used for communication between devices represented as the computer 104. In one example, the computer 104 may be a general-purpose computer having a processor and memory as described above, and / or may include an electronic control unit (ECU) or controller, etc., for a specific function or set of functions, and / or may include a dedicated electronic circuit including an ASIC manufactured for a specific operation, such as an ASIC for processing sensor data and / or transmitting sensor data. In another example, the computer 104 may include an FPGA (field programmable gate array), which is an integrated circuit manufactured to be configurable by an authorized user. Typically, hardware description languages ​​such as VHDL (very high speed integrated circuit hardware description language) are used in electronic design automation to describe digital and mixed signal systems such as FPGAs and ASICs. For example, an ASIC is manufactured based on VHDL programming provided before manufacturing, and the logic components inside the FPGA may be configured based on, for example, VHDL programming stored in a memory electrically connected to the FPGA circuit. In some examples, a combination of a processor, an ASIC, and / or an FPGA circuit may be included in the computer 104. Additionally, the computer 104 may be programmed to communicate with the communication component 114, the human interface (HMI) 112, and vehicle components using a vehicle network 106, as described below, which may include various wired and / or wireless networking technologies, such as cellular, Low energy (BLE), UWB, wired and / or wireless packet networks, etc.

[0035] The vehicle 102 may include various additional devices, such as vehicle components 110, which may utilize the vehicle network 106 to transmit and receive data related to, for example, vehicle speed, acceleration, position, subsystem and / or component status, etc. In one example, additional sensors of the vehicle 102 may provide data for controlling the operation of a component in the set of vehicle components 110, such as a component for controlling an aspect of vehicle operation. Thus, as Figure 1As shown, the vehicle components 110 may include components for evaluating the operation of the propulsion components 110A. In one example, in response to receiving output data from the charge controller 108C, the computer 104 may determine a "charge level," i.e., the amount of power that the sensor battery 108B can provide to the sensor 108A, measured in ampere-hours (Ah). The computer 104 may evaluate parameters of the engine 103 of the vehicle 102 and control whether the propulsion component 110A activates charging of the sensor battery 108B of the safety subsystem 108, for example, via the alternator of the vehicle 102. In one example, the computer 104 may activate charging of the sensor battery 108B only when the engine 103 is operating at an efficiency greater than a threshold (e.g., a brake specific fuel consumption of less than 235 grams of fuel per kilowatt-hour), as described with reference to FIG. Figure 2 Describe in more detail.

[0036] The vehicle components 110 may include other hardware entities suitable for performing mechanical or electromechanical functions or operations, such as moving the vehicle 102, slowing or stopping the vehicle, steering the vehicle, etc. The vehicle components 110 may include transmission components, steering components (which may include one or more of a steering wheel, a steering rack, etc.), brake components, parking aid components, adaptive cruise control components, adaptive steering components, movable seats, etc. The vehicle components 110 may also include computing devices, such as electronic control units (ECUs) and / or computing devices such as those described above with respect to the computer 104, and they also communicate via the vehicle network 106.

[0037] Exemplary System Operation

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the security subsystem 108 may be arranged to operate a specified upcoming interval at a planned destination. In the context of the present disclosure, an "upcoming interval" means a predicted interval at which a sensor will be operated when a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 102) is planned or foreseen to be inactive, not moving, and unattended by an operator. Thus, an upcoming interval may include a period of minutes, hours, or days during which the vehicle is predicted to be stationary, unattended, and inactive. The upcoming interval may be determined based on a risk parameter at the planned destination. In the context of the present disclosure, a "risk parameter" refers to a calculated, derived, or assigned probability of vehicle theft, vehicle intrusion, vehicle damage, or unauthorized removal of items from a vehicle. For example, a digital map may include an identifier that assigns a risk level to such an area based on the incidence of vehicle intrusion, theft, vandalism, etc. in certain areas of a city. Thus, for parking on a particular portion of a city street, a digital map may assign a relatively high risk parameter in response to a high rate of reported vehicle intrusion, theft, vandalism, etc. in the area, and a relatively low risk parameter in response to a low rate of reported intrusion, theft, vandalism, etc. in the area. In another example, the programming of computer 104 may determine a risk parameter that may determine that any city street parking will be assigned a relatively high risk parameter, and parking in a locked and monitored garage will be assigned a relatively low risk parameter. The risk parameter may be expressed using any convenient scale. In some examples, the risk parameter may be expressed as a value between 0.01 and 1.00, which may indicate the probability of vehicle theft, vehicle damage, vehicle intrusion, etc. at the planned destination.

[0039] In one example, the programming of the computer 104 may assign an upcoming interval for operation of the sensor 108A in response to a determined, assigned, and / or calculated risk parameter, which may utilize variables, constants, and / or program steps stored in a memory accessible to the computer 104. For example, for a determined, assigned, and / or calculated risk parameter of less than 0.01, the programming of the computer 104 may assign an SOC of the sensor battery 108B to allow the sensor 108A to operate for an upcoming interval of less than or equal to 1.0 hour. In another example, for a determined, assigned, and / or calculated risk parameter between 0.02 and 0.03, the computer 104 may assign an SOC of the sensor battery 108B to allow the sensor 108A to operate for an upcoming interval between 1.0 hour and 2.5 hours. In another example, for a determined, assigned and / or calculated risk parameter greater than 0.04, computer 104 may assign the SOC of sensor battery 108B to allow sensor 108A to operate for an extended upcoming interval, such as an upcoming interval greater than 24 hours or until sensor battery 108B has been fully depleted.

[0040] In response to determining the risk parameter at the planned destination, the programming of computer 104 may actuate charging of sensor battery 108B to provide sufficient battery power only for the upcoming interval and not provide excess battery charging to utilize battery 108B beyond the interval. Figure 2 As described above, the programming of the computer 104 may instruct the propulsion component 110A to selectively activate (e.g., in response to the engine 103 achieving a lower threshold of brake-specific fuel consumption, such as consuming more than 235 grams of fuel per kilowatt-hour) charging of the sensor battery 108B during travel to a planned destination. The programming of the computer 104 may instruct the propulsion component 110A to deactivate charging of the sensor battery 108B in response to the sensor battery reaching an SOC capable of providing sufficient battery power. Such deactivation may allow the engine 103 to operate at increased efficiency, for example, without unnecessarily overcharging the sensor battery 108B. Such selective charging of the sensor battery 108B may additionally extend the life of the sensor battery by avoiding overcharging the sensor battery.

[0041] Figure 2 2 is a graph 200 showing an operating window of exemplary internal combustion engine parameters for the vehicle 102. The internal combustion engine parameters may include an engine speed parameter and a brake mean effective pressure parameter. Figure 2As shown in the example of , the programming of computer 104 can selectively activate the charging of sensor battery 108B in response to the engine speed parameter measured by the engine speed sensor (e.g., tachometer) being within a specified range. In addition, the programming of computer 104 can utilize the output data from the torque sensor to calculate the brake mean effective pressure according to the following equation (1):

[0042]

[0043] Where n=2 for a four-stroke engine, T represents the torque measured by a torque sensor positioned on the drive shaft of the vehicle 102, and where D represents the displacement of the engine 103. Alternatively or in addition, the programming of the computer 104 may utilize a lookup table stored in a memory that maps the torque measured by the torque sensor positioned on the drive shaft of the vehicle 102 to derive the brake mean effective pressure from the torque measurement.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, within certain ranges of brake mean effective pressure and the speed of the engine 103, for example, as indicated by the performance window 205, the sensor battery 108B can be charged at a higher efficiency than the range of brake mean effective pressure and the speed of the engine 103 outside the performance window 205. In the context of the present disclosure, "performance window" means one or more parameter ranges of the system within which a specified result can be achieved. As an example, the performance window 205 identifies the speed (in RPM) of the engine 103 and the range of brake mean effective pressure within which the engine 103 achieves a nominal value of brake specific fuel consumption. In this context, "brake specific fuel consumption" refers to the ratio of the amount of fuel consumed by the engine to the amount of rotational power generated by the engine. Therefore, brake specific fuel consumption can be a measure of the mechanical efficiency of the engine 103. Therefore, a lower number of brake specific fuel consumption indicates that a low amount of consumed fuel is used to produce a specified amount of available power (e.g., one kilowatt-hour) by the engine 103.

[0045] Therefore, it may be advantageous to charge the sensor battery 108B at lower brake specific fuel consumption values, since such lower values ​​represent lower fuel consumption per unit of available power produced by the engine 103. Figure 2 The engine parameters depicted in relate to an exemplary internal combustion engine, and many variations of the relationship between engine speed, brake mean effective pressure, and brake specific fuel consumption are possible. Thus, for internal combustion engines configured differently than engine 103 (e.g., including engines used in hybrid vehicles, gasoline or diesel engines, engines utilizing liquefied natural gas, etc.), engine speed, brake mean effective pressure, and brake specific fuel consumption may be different from Figure 2However, despite the various possible configurations of the internal combustion engine, it may be advantageous to actuate charging of a sensor battery (e.g., sensor battery 108B) in response to the internal combustion engine achieving a reduced value of brake specific fuel consumption or other parameter that is a measure of increased mechanical efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

[0046] exist Figure 2 , the horizontal axis represents the engine speed of the vehicle 102 , as measured in revolutions per minute (RPM) at the crankshaft of the engine 103 of the vehicle 102 . Figure 2 The vertical axis of represents brake mean effective pressure measured in bar, which represents the average pressure inside the cylinders when the engine 103 is operating in the vehicle 102 . Figure 2 The contour lines represent the brake specific fuel consumption measured in grams of fuel consumed per kilowatt-hour (g / kWh). Figure 2 As can be seen, in response to the engine 103 achieving a brake mean effective pressure between about 7 bar and 11.5 bar and the engine RPM between about 1000 and 2800, the brake specific fuel consumption achieves a relatively low value, such as 230 g / kWh. Thus, in one example, the programming of the computer 104 may actuate charging of the sensor battery 108B only in response to the engine 103 achieving a specified threshold fuel efficiency (e.g., less than 250 g / kWh) according to the above values. Additionally, in one example, the programming of the computer 104 may avoid actuating charging of the sensor battery 108B in response to the engine 103 operating outside of the above values, such as during a driving segment where the engine 103 may cause the vehicle 102 to idle as it slowly advances through urban traffic. In the context of the present disclosure, a "segment" means any subdivision of a driving route. Thus, for example, a driving route may include an urban segment, which may be characterized by stop-and-go traffic primarily at low vehicle speeds. The travel route may also include highway sections, which may be characterized by primarily constant speeds with few vehicle stops. By selectively actuating charging of the sensor battery 108B, such as only during the highway sections of the route, the programming of the computer 104 may increase the efficiency of converting fuel consumed by the engine 103 into energy stored by the sensor battery 108B.

[0047] Figure 3 is an illustration of an exemplary display of a vehicle system 300 showing a route to a planned destination. Figure 3, the vehicle 102 is instructed to travel along a route to a planned destination 330. At the planned destination 330, the vehicle 102 may be deactivated and the safety subsystem 108 may be operated to monitor an area outside the vehicle during an upcoming interval. The planned route may be displayed using a display 305, which may be a display component of the vehicle HMI 112. The programming of the computer 104 may actuate the display of the planned route in response to an operator of the vehicle 102 interacting with the HMI 112 to provide turn-by-turn directions for traveling to an intermediate destination 315 and the planned destination 330. In one example, the intermediate destinations 315 may include gas stations, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, beverage kiosks, etc., which may be spaced relatively short distances from each other. Thus, travel to the intermediate destination 315 may represent a stop-and-go segment 303 of vehicle travel to the planned destination 330. After visiting the intermediate destination 315, the vehicle 102 may be arranged to proceed along the highway 325 toward the mountain range 327 before arriving at the planned destination 330. Figure 3 , travel along the highway 325 is indicated as a highway segment 313 for vehicle travel toward a planned destination 330 .

[0048] At the current location 302, the programming of the charge controller 108C may report that the SOC of the sensor battery 108B is insufficient to operate the sensor 108A in the upcoming interval when the vehicle is disabled and unattended at the planned destination 330. Figure 2As described, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule charging intervals for the sensor battery 108B only within certain ranges of the brake mean effective pressure of the vehicle 102 and the rotational speed of the engine 103. In the context of the present disclosure, a "charging interval" refers to a period of time during vehicle travel when the engine 103 propels the vehicle 102 or when the engine 103 is idling, during which the computer 104 actuates the propulsion component 110A to perform or conduct a charging operation to charge the sensor battery 108B. Thus, for example, during vehicle travel, the computer 104 may actuate the propulsion component to engage the alternator, or actuate the control component of the alternator to initiate current conduction from the alternator to the sensor battery 108B. In one example, the charging interval may occur during some or all segments of vehicle travel to the planned destination 330. Thus, because the upcoming vehicle travel to the intermediate destination 315 involves stop-and-go road segments 303 during which the engine 103 may be idling or slowly advancing through city traffic, e.g., as indicated by traffic lights 310, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule intervals for charging the sensor battery 108B outside of such road segments. Additionally, because the upcoming vehicle travel includes the use of the highway 325, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule the charging of the sensor battery 108B by the propulsion component 110A to occur during the highway road segment 313. During such highway travel, the speed and output torque of the engine 103 of the vehicle 102 may be operated within a range of brake mean effective pressures and speeds, which results in improved efficiency in charging the sensor battery 108B.

[0049] As reference Figure 1As described, an upcoming interval for operating a sensor at a planned destination (e.g., planned destination 330) may be determined based on a risk parameter at the planned destination. Thus, in an example where the planned destination 330 represents a destination where the risk parameter is less than a threshold value (e.g., less than 0.03, less than 0.04, etc.), the programming of the computer 104 may determine or assign an upcoming interval of relatively short duration for operating the sensor 108A. Thus, the programming of the computer 104 may actuate charging of the sensor 108A within a relatively short charging interval (such as 15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) in order to bring the SOC to a level sufficient for operation within the upcoming interval. Thus, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule a relatively small charging interval (e.g., charging interval 323) during the travel of the vehicle 102 to the destination 330. Furthermore, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule the charging interval 323 to occur only during travel along a highway segment (e.g., highway segment 313). In such an example, the computer 104 may actuate the propulsion component 110A to charge the sensor battery 108B until the sensor battery achieves sufficient SOC to operate only in the upcoming interval, and then disable charging after sufficient SOC has been achieved.

[0050] In another example, in response to the planned destination 330 representing a destination where the risk parameter exceeds a first threshold value (e.g., 0.05, 0.06, etc.), the programming of the computer 104 may determine or assign an upcoming interval of relatively long duration for operating the sensor 108A. Thus, in order to bring the SOC of the sensor battery 108B to a sufficient level, the computer 104 may actuate charging of the sensor 108A within a relatively long interval (such as one hour, two hours, etc.). Thus, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule relatively long charging intervals during the travel of the vehicle 102 to the destination 330. Furthermore, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule charging intervals during the entire travel length along the highway 325 during the travel. In such an example, the computer 104 may actuate the propulsion component 110A to charge the sensor battery 108B until the sensor battery achieves a relatively high SOC, and then deactivate charging after the SOC has been achieved.

[0051] In another example, in response to the planned destination 330 representing a destination where the risk parameter exceeds a second threshold (e.g., 0.07, 0.08, or any other value above the first threshold), the programming of the computer 104 may determine or assign an upcoming interval of operation of the sensor battery 108A of relatively long duration (such as 24 hours, 36 hours, etc.). Thus, the programming of the computer 104 may assign the scheduled charging interval to occur during any operation of the engine 103 (such as throughout one or more or even all driving segments of the vehicle 102 on the route to the planned destination 330, which may include segments of stop-and-go traffic to the intermediate destination 315). In this context, "any" operation of the engine 103 means a process performed by the engine while the engine converts fuel into heat or usable work that can be transferred to the drive shaft of the vehicle 102. In such an example, the programming of the computer 104 may place a high priority on increasing or even maximizing the SOC of the sensor battery 108B compared to performing such charging operations during more efficient operation of the engine 103. In such cases, emphasis may be placed on protecting the vehicle 102 from theft, vandalism, damage, intrusion, or unauthorized removal of items from the vehicle, as opposed to actuating sensor battery charging operations during more efficient operation of the engine 103. Thus, the sensor 108A may be operated at the planned destination 330 for an extended upcoming interval.

[0052] In another example, the programming of the computer 104 may utilize historical travel patterns between the current location 302 of the vehicle 102 and the planned destination 330. In such an example, in response to the charge controller 108C indicating that the SOC of the sensor battery 108B is insufficient to operate the sensor at the planned destination 330 for an upcoming interval, the programming of the computer 104 may utilize the historical travel patterns to the planned destination to schedule charging to occur during a selected segment of vehicle travel (i.e., a charging interval). For example, the historical travel patterns may be determined based on statistical information such as the days of the week that the vehicle 102 typically travels to the destination and / or along the route, the average time of day that the vehicle 102 arrives at the destination, the average travel time along the route, and the like. For example, in response to the programming of the computer 104 determining that the vehicle 102 travels to the planned destination 330 on average for at least a threshold number of days during the weekdays (e.g., at least a majority of the weekdays (three out of five days)), the programming of the computer 104 may schedule actuation of the propulsion component 110A to charge the sensor battery 108B until an interval during the vehicle's travel along the highway 325. In another example, in response to the programming of the computer 104 determining that the vehicle 102 is traveling to the planned destination 330 on the weekend, and in response to determining that the risk parameter at the destination is greater than a threshold value (e.g., 0.05, 0.06, etc.), the computer may initiate charging of the sensor battery 108B during weekday driving. Thus, via such predictions performed by the programming of the computer 104, the computer may predict when upcoming sensor operations may be utilized and then schedule charging intervals to provide sufficient SOC at the planned destination 330.

[0053] In another example, the programming of the computer 104 can collect usage patterns of the vehicle 102 to develop a usage model for future use. In this context, a "usage model" refers to a computer-implemented representation of a system (e.g., vehicle system 100) and / or a subsystem (e.g., safety subsystem 108) that operates to predict future use of the system and / or subsystem based on previous use of the system and / or subsystem. Thus, for example, in response to the vehicle 102 being used for daily travel between the current location 302 and the planned destination 330, the programming of the computer 104 can collect data indicating that the sensor 108A has been operated for 1.0 hours per day during the previous month. Therefore, the computer 104 can form a usage model to predict that the sensor 108A will be used for one hour during each day of the next month. Based on the usage model, the programming of the computer 104 can actuate the propulsion component 110A during travel between the current location 302 and the planned destination 330 so as to maintain sufficient SOC to operate the sensor 108A within 1.0 hours after the vehicle 102 is deactivated. In another example, in response to the programming of the computer 104 determining a variance from an average interval of daily operation of the sensor 108A (e.g., 1.0 hour ± 1.0 hour) over a period of days, a week, a month, etc., the usage model implemented via the programming of the computer 104 may actuate the propulsion component 110A to maintain sufficient SOC to operate the sensor for a longer upcoming interval, such as within 2.0 hours after the vehicle 102 is deactivated. Accordingly, the programming of the computer 104 may control the charging of the sensor battery 108B so that the sensor 108A may be used during the upcoming interval without unnecessarily overcharging the sensor battery.

[0054] In one example, in response to the deactivation of the vehicle 102, the programming of the computer 104 may actuate the HMI 112 to notify the operator of the vehicle 102 of the upcoming interval that the sensor 108A will remain active. Thus, for example, in response to the operator deactivating the vehicle 102, the display 305 of the HMI 112 may notify the operator that the sensor 108A is scheduled to operate for a duration of 30 minutes, 1.0 hour, 2.0 hours, or another duration. The notification via the HMI 112 may include an audio message, a visual message viewable by the operator, a text message to the operator's mobile device, etc.

[0055] Figure 4A4 is a block diagram of an exemplary process 400 for powering sensors in a vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the security subsystem 108 utilizes the sensor 108A to view an area outside the vehicle after the vehicle 102 is deactivated (e.g., at the planned destination 330). The upcoming interval for operating the sensor 108A may be based on a risk parameter of vehicle theft, damage, vehicle intrusion, vandalism, and / or unauthorized removal of items from the vehicle 102 at the planned destination. In response to the risk parameter being greater than a first threshold (e.g., 0.05, 0.06, etc.), the programming of the computer 104 may actuate the propulsion component 110A of the vehicle 102 to provide sufficient charge to the sensor battery 108B to operate the sensor 108A during the first upcoming interval. In response to the risk parameter being less than the first threshold (e.g., 0.01, 0.02, etc.), the programming of the computer 104 may actuate the propulsion component 110A of the vehicle 102 to provide sufficient charge to operate the sensor during a second upcoming interval, which may be less than the first upcoming interval. Charging of the sensor battery 108B may occur in response to the engine 103 of the vehicle 102 operating within a specified performance window of the engine 103, such as the performance window 205. The performance window may reflect specified ranges of engine RPM, brake specific fuel consumption, brake mean effective pressure, etc.

[0056] Process 400 may begin at block 405, which may include determining a risk parameter at a planned destination (e.g., planned destination 330). Block 405 may include programming of computer 104 to access a digital map that includes an identifier that assigns a risk level at planned destination 330 based on an incidence of vehicle intrusion, theft, vandalism, etc. In one example, at block 405, in response to a planned destination involving parking on a particular city street, computer 104 may access the digital map to assign a relatively high risk parameter to the planned destination. In another example, block 405 may involve computer 104 assigning a relatively high risk parameter to any destination involving city street parking. In another example, in response to a planned destination involving parking in a secure monitored garage, computer 104 may access the digital map to assign a relatively low risk parameter to the planned destination.

[0057] The route to the planned destination may include various intermediate destinations, such as stops at convenience stores, gas stations, etc. The planned destination may include a risk parameter, which may indicate a measure of risk of damage to the vehicle 102, theft of the vehicle 102, etc. Risk parameters below a threshold (e.g., 0.01, 0.02, 0.03) may result from a planned destination that includes a locked garage at a private residence, a secure commercial parking lot under video surveillance, etc. Risk parameters above a threshold (e.g., 0.05, 0.06, 0.07) may result from a planned destination that includes street parking, parking in an unlit parking area, etc.

[0058] Process 400 may continue at block 410, where the programming of computer 104 determines an upcoming interval of sensor operation based on the risk parameter determined at block 405. The upcoming interval may include a short or even negligible interval for sensor operation based on the risk parameter being below a first threshold. The upcoming interval may include a longer interval based on the risk parameter being greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold. The upcoming interval may include an extended interval based on the risk parameter being greater than a second threshold.

[0059] The process 400 may continue at block 420, which includes the programming of the computer 104 determining the SOC of the sensor battery 108B based on, for example, output data from the charge controller 108C of the safety subsystem 108. In the exemplary process 400, the programming of the computer 104 may determine an upcoming interval of sensor operation based on the SOC of the battery 108B. In one example, the programming of the computer 104 may utilize a power consumption model of the safety subsystem 108 that correlates the SOC of the battery 108B with an upcoming interval during which the sensor 108A may operate. Block 420 may additionally include the programming of the computer 104 utilizing a historical driving pattern of the vehicle 102 that may indicate an additional vehicle driving duration during which the battery 108B may be charged before reaching the destination 330.

[0060] Process 400 may continue at block 425, which includes the programming of computer 104 determining whether sensor battery 108B includes sufficient SOC to operate sensor 108A in the upcoming interval. In response to computer 104 determining that battery 108B includes sufficient SOC to operate sensor 108A in the upcoming interval, the process ends. In response to computer 104 determining that battery 108B includes insufficient SOC to operate sensor 108A in the upcoming interval, the process continues at block 430, otherwise process 400 ends.

[0061] Block 430 of process 400 includes the programming of computer 104 determining the upcoming duration of travel to planned destination 330. Block 430 may include the programming of computer 104 executing a suitable route planning technique, which may include calculating the upcoming duration of travel to planned destination 330. The planned route may include intermediate destinations or waypoints before reaching planned destination 330, such as gas stations, stores, etc.

[0062] Process 400 may continue at block 435, which includes scheduling one or more charging intervals during travel to the planned destination 330. At block 435, in response to calculating the upcoming travel duration, computer 104 may divide the planned route to destination 330 into travel segments during which the engine 103 of vehicle 102 may be operated at a threshold efficiency, such as during travel along highway 325 (e.g., a highway segment). The threshold efficiency may correspond to operation of the engine 103 within a specified performance window (e.g., performance window 205). In response to computer 104 determining that sensor battery 108B cannot be adequately charged during operation of engine 103 within performance window 205, the computer may schedule charging intervals to occur at any segment of the planned route. Additional segments may include segments where vehicle 102 is idling in traffic, advancing slowly through stop-and-go traffic, etc.

[0063] Process 400 may continue at block 440, which may include actuating battery charging during travel. Actuating battery charging during travel may include programming computer 104 to instruct propulsion component 110A of vehicle 102 to actuate charging at a specified segment of travel toward destination 330. Thus, in one example, during vehicle travel, computer 104 may actuate propulsion component 110A to engage the alternator, or actuate control components of the alternator to initiate conduction of current from the alternator to sensor battery 108B.

[0064] Process 400 may continue at block 445 , which may include the operator deactivating vehicle 102 . In response to deactivation of vehicle 102 , sensor 108A of safety subsystem 108 may operate during the upcoming interval specified at block 410 .

[0065] After block 445, process 400 ends.

[0066] Figure 4B4 is a block diagram of an exemplary process 450 that may be operated as a subroutine of the exemplary process 400 executed at block 435. In the exemplary process 450, scheduling charging intervals during travel of the vehicle 102 involves determining a route to the destination 330 and dividing the route into one or more route segments. The charging intervals may be scheduled during the route segments so that the vehicle 102 is within the range of the vehicle 102. Figure 2 The charging intervals are distributed between route segments where the engine 103 will operate within the performance window 205. In response to the scheduled charging intervals resulting in insufficient charging of the sensor battery 108B to operate the sensor 108A as determined at block 425, the process 450 may schedule charging intervals to occur during additional route segments, such as route segments where the engine 103 will operate outside of the performance window 205.

[0067] Process 450 begins at block 431, which may occur after block 430 of process 400. Block 431 may include determining a route destination using route planning programming of the HMI 112. In one example, in response to an operator of the vehicle 102 entering a street address of the planned destination 330 via the HMI 112, the HMI may access a navigation database or other memory to provide turn-by-turn directions for traveling from the current location 302 to the planned destination 330.

[0068] Process 450 may continue at block 432, which includes the programming of computer 104 aggregating turn-by-turn instructions into route segments, such as stop-and-go segments 303 and highway segments 313. Computer 104 may classify route segments as stop-and-go segments based on whether the turn-by-turn instructions from HMI 112 include traffic lights, stop signs, etc. Computer 104 may classify route segments as highway segments based on whether the turn-by-turn instructions do not include traffic lights, stop signs, etc.

[0069] Process 450 may continue at block 433, where computer 104 determines whether the route segments obtained at block 432 include route segments between which a charging interval will occur. For example, in response to computer 104 programming determining that the planned route of vehicle 102 includes highway segment 313, the computer may schedule a charging interval to occur while vehicle 102 is traveling along highway segment 313.

[0070] Process 450 may continue at block 434, where the programming of computer 104 determines whether travel along highway segment 313 may provide sufficient SOC for sensor 108A to operate during the upcoming interval determined at block 410. In response to computer 104 determining that travel along highway segment 313 may provide sufficient SOC for operation of sensor 108A, block 435 may be executed, where computer 104 may schedule a charging interval (e.g., charging interval 323) to occur only during highway segment 313. As previously described with respect to Figure 2 As described, during such highway driving, the speed and output torque of the engine 103 of the vehicle 102 may be operated within a range of brake mean effective pressure and speed, which results in improved charging efficiency of the sensor battery 108B.

[0071] In response to the computer 104 determining at block 434 that travel along the highway segment 313 will not provide sufficient SOC for the sensor 108A to operate during the upcoming interval determined at block 410, block 436 may be executed. At block 436, the programming of the computer 104 may schedule charging intervals during all route segments determined at block 432. Thus, the computer 104 may schedule charging intervals to occur during the stop-and-go segment 303, the highway segment 313, and so on.

[0072] After completion of either block 435 or block 436 , process 450 ends and control returns to block 440 of process 400 .

[0073] The computing devices discussed herein (including computer 104) include processors and memories, each of which typically includes instructions that can be executed by one or more computing devices such as the computing devices identified above and used to perform the blocks or steps of the above-described processes. The computer-executable instructions can be compiled or interpreted by a computer program created using a variety of programming languages ​​and / or technologies, including but not limited to Java, alone or in combination. TM , C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Python, Perl, HTML, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, such as from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data can be stored and transmitted using various computer-readable media. Files in computer 104 are typically collections of data stored on computer-readable media such as storage media, random access memory, etc.

[0074] Computer-readable media include any media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer. Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, etc. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical disks or disks and other persistent memories. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which usually constitutes main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, floppy disks, floppy disks, hard disks, tapes, any other magnetic media, CD ROMs, DVDs, any other optical media, punch cards, paper tapes, any other physical media with hole patterns, RAMs, PROMs, EPROMs, flash EEPROMs, any other memory chips or cassettes, or any other media from which a computer can read.

[0075] With respect to the media, processes, systems, methods, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring in a certain ordered sequence, such processes can be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from the order described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps can be performed simultaneously, other steps can be added, or certain steps described herein can be omitted. For example, in process 400, one or more of the steps can be omitted, or the steps can be performed in an order different from that shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the description of the system and / or process herein is provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the disclosed subject matter.

[0076] Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure including the above description and the accompanying drawings and claims is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. After reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention should not be determined with reference to the above description, but with reference to the claims attached and / or based thereon included in the non-provisional patent application together with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is contemplated and expected that future developments will occur in the technology discussed herein, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In summary, it should be understood that the disclosed subject matter is capable of modification and variation.

[0077] Unless otherwise specified or required by context, the articles "a" and "an" modifying a noun are to be understood to mean one or more. The phrase "based on" encompasses partially or completely based on.

[0078] Ordinal adjectives such as "first" and "second" are used throughout this document as identifiers and are not intended to imply importance or order.

[0079] According to the present invention, a system is provided, the system having: a computer, the computer including a processor coupled to a memory, the memory storing instructions, the instructions executable by the processor to: determine an upcoming interval for operating a sensor at a planned destination; determine an upcoming duration of travel to the planned destination; in response to determining that a battery coupled to the sensor includes a state of charge (SOC) that is insufficient to operate the sensor within the upcoming interval, schedule a charging interval during vehicle travel to the planned destination; and actuate battery charging according to the scheduled charging interval during vehicle travel.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the upcoming interval is based on a risk parameter at the planned destination.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the upcoming interval is increased based on the risk parameter at the planned destination being greater than a threshold value.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the upcoming interval is reduced based on the risk parameter at the planned destination being less than a threshold value.

[0083] According to an embodiment, the vehicle travel to the planned destination is segmented, and wherein the scheduled charging intervals are distributed between the segments.

[0084] According to an embodiment, the vehicle travel to the planned destination is segmented, and wherein the scheduled charging intervals indicate battery charging only at segments during which the engine of the vehicle is predicted to operate at an efficiency greater than a threshold.

[0085] According to an embodiment, the instructions further include instructions for evaluating historical vehicle travel patterns between a current location of the vehicle and the planned destination to predict the SOC.

[0086] According to an embodiment, the historical travel pattern between the current location and the planned destination includes a time of day or a day of the week.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the instructions further comprise instructions for actuating a component of a human-machine interface in response to deactivation of the vehicle at the planned destination, wherein the component indicates that the sensor is to be operated at the planned destination.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the instructions further include instructions for actuating a battery charging operation in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a fuel efficiency greater than a threshold.

[0089] According to an embodiment, the instructions further include instructions for actuating the battery charging operation in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a brake specific fuel consumption less than a threshold.

[0090] According to an embodiment, the instructions for actuating a battery charging operation include instructions for actuating the battery charging operation during any operation of an engine of the vehicle in response to determining that the battery charging operation is predicted to result in an insufficient SOC.

[0091] According to an embodiment, the sensor comprises a camera for viewing an ambient area external to the system.

[0092] According to the present invention, a method includes: determining an upcoming interval for operating a sensor at a planned destination; determining an upcoming duration of travel to the planned destination; in response to determining that a battery coupled to the sensor includes a state of charge (SOC) that is insufficient to operate the sensor within the upcoming interval, scheduling a charging interval during vehicle travel to the planned destination; and actuating battery charging according to the scheduled charging interval during the vehicle travel.

[0093] In one aspect of the invention, the method comprises: determining a risk parameter at the planned destination; and determining the upcoming interval based on the risk parameter.

[0094] In one aspect of the invention, the vehicle travel to the planned destination is divided into travel segments, and wherein the method further comprises: allocating the scheduled charging intervals between the travel segments.

[0095] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes determining historical vehicle travel patterns between a current location of the vehicle and the planned destination.

[0096] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes actuating the battery charging operation in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a brake specific fuel consumption less than a threshold.

[0097] In one aspect of the invention, the sensor is a camera for viewing an ambient area outside the vehicle.

[0098] In one aspect of the invention, actuating a battery charging operation includes actuating the battery charging operation during any operation of an engine of the vehicle in response to determining that the battery charging operation of the battery is predicted to result in an insufficient SOC.

Claims

1. A method comprising: determining an upcoming interval for operating the sensor at a planned destination; determining an upcoming duration of travel to the planned destination; In response to determining that a battery coupled to the sensor includes a state of charge (SOC) insufficient to operate the sensor during the upcoming interval, scheduling a charging interval during vehicle travel to the planned destination; and Battery charging is actuated according to the scheduled charging intervals during travel of the vehicle. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the upcoming interval is based on a risk parameter at the planned destination. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the upcoming interval is increased based on the risk parameter at the planned destination being greater than a threshold. 4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the upcoming interval is decreased based on the risk parameter at the planned destination being less than a threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle travel to the planned destination is segmented, and wherein the scheduled charging intervals are distributed among the road segments.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle travel to the planned destination is segmented, and wherein the scheduled charging intervals indicate battery charging only at segments during which the vehicle's engine is predicted to operate at an efficiency greater than a threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Historical vehicle travel patterns between a current location of the vehicle and the planned destination are evaluated to predict the SOC. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the historical travel pattern between the current location and the planned destination includes time of day or day of the week.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: A component of a human-machine interface is actuated in response to deactivation of the vehicle at the planned destination, wherein the component indicates that the sensor is to operate at the planned destination.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: A battery charging operation is initiated in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a fuel efficiency greater than a threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The battery charging operation is actuated in response to an engine of the vehicle achieving a brake specific fuel consumption that is less than a threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The battery charging operation is initiated during any operation of an engine of the vehicle in response to determining that the battery charging operation is predicted to result in an insufficient SOC.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a camera for viewing an ambient area external to the system.

14. A computer programmed to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A vehicle comprising the computer according to claim 14.

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