Method and control device for setting remaining range parameter in electric vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method performed by a control device for setting a remaining range parameter in an electric vehicle wherein the control device is configured to estimate a first remaining range value based at least on a remaining charge state of an energy storage device of the vehicle. The method includes, when the first remaining range is estimated to be below a range threshold, determining a second remaining range value based at least on an actual range since the first remaining range value is estimated to be below the range threshold. The method further includes setting the remaining range parameter based at least on the second remaining range value. The risk of fast reduction of the range at low battery charge levels is thus reduced and the range parameter will be considered correct, which means that unnecessary pressure is avoided when the low charge state of the energy storage device of the vehicle is reached. The invention also relates to a control device, comprising said control device, a computer program, and a computer readable medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a control device for setting a distance to empty parameter in an electric vehicle.

[0002] The invention also relates to a computer program and a computer-readable medium and a vehicle comprising such a control device. Background Art

[0003] The following background description constitutes a description of the background of the present invention; however, it does not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0004] One of the major challenges facing the world today is to reduce the negative environmental impact of road transport due to greenhouse gas emissions. This has led to an increased interest in vehicle electrification. The powertrain of a vehicle driven by electricity, i.e. an electric vehicle, comprises an electric machine system having an energy storage device such as one or more batteries acting as an energy buffer and at least one electric machine.

[0005] When driving an electric vehicle, especially during long-range routes, the vehicle operator must be able to carefully plan the recharging of the vehicle's energy storage device, taking into account aspects such as the vehicle's range, charging infrastructure along the vehicle's route, and time constraints during the route.

[0006] In today's electric vehicles, it is possible to determine the remaining distance that the vehicle can be driven before needing to be recharged, commonly referred to as the remaining range DTE. Typically, in an electric vehicle, a real-time estimate of the DTE is displayed on one of the electronic instruments in the vehicle's dashboard and is used by the vehicle operator to plan the vehicle's route.

[0007] Accurate DTE calculations can reduce vehicle operator concerns about running out of power during a route. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a control device for alleviating or solving the disadvantages of conventional solutions. In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a solution for setting a remaining range DTE parameter in an electric vehicle. The DTE parameter is determined and set such that at least the reliability of the remaining range that the vehicle can be driven before charging is required is improved.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, the foregoing and further objects are achieved by a method for setting a remaining range parameter in an electric vehicle, performed by a control device, wherein the control device is configured to estimate a first remaining range value based at least on a remaining state of charge of an energy storage device of the vehicle, the method comprising when the first remaining range value is estimated to be below a range threshold:

[0010] determining a second remaining range value based at least on an actual distance traveled since the first remaining range value was estimated to be below a range threshold; and

[0011] A remaining range parameter is set based at least on the second remaining range value.

[0012] The state of charge SoC of the energy storage device of the vehicle may be understood as the charge level of the energy storage device relative to its capacity. The energy storage device of the vehicle may include one or more batteries.

[0013] The present invention therefore relates to an inventive method for determining and setting a DTE parameter when a DTE value is estimated to be below a threshold value, which is referred to herein as a range threshold value DTEth. When this is the case, the DTE parameter is set based on the actual distance the vehicle has travelled since the DTE value was estimated to be below the threshold value. DTEth may here relate to the remaining range, for example, when the energy, i.e. SoC level, of the vehicle's energy storage device is low. The SoC level of the vehicle's energy storage device may, for example, correspond to a level below which the DTE parameter may be perceived by the vehicle operator as less reliable due to an increased risk of a rapid decrease.

[0014] Therefore, the risk of a rapid decrease in DTE parameters at low battery capacity is mitigated. The vehicle operator's confidence in the reliability and accuracy of the DTE parameters will be increased compared to conventional DTE determination methods. The vehicle operator will feel that the DTE parameters are correct, which means that unnecessary stress is avoided when reaching low SoC.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, when the first remaining cruising range value is estimated to be lower than the cruising range threshold, the remaining cruising range parameter is set to a second remaining cruising range value.

[0016] Thus, the DTE parameters will be set in a very predictable manner for the vehicle operator, which will further increase the vehicle operator's confidence in the parameters.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present invention, when the first remaining cruising range value is estimated to be lower than the cruising range threshold, the setting of the remaining cruising range parameter includes:

[0018] When the second remaining cruising range value exceeds the first remaining cruising range value, the remaining cruising range parameter is set to the second remaining cruising range value; otherwise,

[0019] The remaining cruising range parameter is set to be equal to the first remaining cruising range value.

[0020] Thus, in situations where the load on the vehicle's electric machine is reduced and a higher DTE than before is expected, the DTE parameter is allowed to deviate from the actual mileage the vehicle has traveled to more accurately reflect the remaining driving range.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes, when the first remaining cruising range value is estimated to be equal to or exceed the cruising range threshold:

[0022] The remaining cruising range parameter is set to be equal to the first remaining cruising range value.

[0023] The DTE parameter is determined and set according to conventional methods based on the remaining SoC of the energy storage device of the vehicle by setting the DTE parameter to the first remaining range value when the first remaining range value is estimated to equal or exceed the range threshold.

[0024] Thus, the DTE parameters are determined and set in a reliable and accurate manner until a low SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device is achieved.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the second remaining range value is determined by subtracting from the range threshold the actual distance traveled since the first remaining range value was estimated to be below the range threshold.

[0026] The result is a robust method for determining a second remaining range value that takes into account the distance traveled. The determined second remaining range value is highly predictable, does not drop rapidly, and therefore does not provide a negative surprise to the vehicle operator. The determined second remaining range value can be determined very accurately, resulting in a DTE determination method that is perceived by the vehicle operator as accurate.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method also includes determining the actual mileage traveled since the first remaining range value was estimated to be below the range threshold based on at least one of trip meter mileage, odometer mileage, map data and / or GPS data.

[0028] The actual mileage can therefore be determined in a precise manner.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the threshold value is a predetermined value.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises determining a threshold value based on at least one of the following:

[0031] - one or more vehicle related parameters;

[0032] - information related to the vehicle route;

[0033] - information related to the way the vehicle is driven;

[0034] - information related to the vehicle's auxiliary loads; and

[0035] -The capacity of the vehicle's energy storage device.

[0036] The auxiliary load of the vehicle may be understood as the load imposed by auxiliary equipment (such as air conditioning, cooling system, electrical system, etc.).

[0037] In an embodiment of the invention, the one or more vehicle-related parameters include vehicle weight.

[0038] In an embodiment of the present invention, the information related to the vehicle route includes one or more of a topology of a recent vehicle route and a topology of an upcoming vehicle route.

[0039] Thus, the threshold value may be optimized such that the risk of damaging the vehicle's energy storage device is reduced.

[0040] In an embodiment of the present invention, information related to the vehicle route may be obtained based on at least one of map data and sensor data.

[0041] Therefore, information related to the vehicle route can be obtained in an accurate manner.

[0042] In an embodiment of the present invention, the information related to the driving style of the vehicle includes one or more of a current driving mode and a current driving preference of the vehicle operator.

[0043] Therefore, the threshold value can be obtained in an accurate manner.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises presenting the remaining DTE parameters to the vehicle.

[0045] The result is a user-friendly method according to one aspect of the invention.

[0046] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method executed by a control device to control an electric machine of an electric vehicle, wherein the electric machine is configured to provide a maximum available power for propelling the vehicle, the method comprising when a residual DTE parameter value decreases to zero:

[0047] The maximum available power provided by the electric machine for operating the vehicle is reduced, wherein the remaining DTE parameters are set according to the method of the first aspect.

[0048] The vehicle is operated in an energy efficient turtle mode by reducing the maximum available power provided by the electric machine for operating the vehicle when the residual DTE parameter value decreases to 0. This means that the vehicle is provided with a limited operating capability, i.e., reduced propulsion force, after the available energy in the vehicle's energy storage device has been reduced to 0. Thus, the vehicle's energy usage is reduced and the vehicle operator is able to reach a safe stopping point, such as the nearest charging station, under the vehicle's own power.

[0049] Thus, increased driving safety is achieved, which improves the overall comfort of the vehicle.

[0050] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a control device for setting a remaining DTE parameter in an electric vehicle, wherein the control device is configured to estimate a first remaining range value based at least on a remaining state of charge of an energy storage device of the vehicle,

[0051] The control device is configured to, when the first remaining cruising range value is estimated to be lower than a cruising range threshold:

[0052] determining a second remaining range value based at least on an actual distance traveled since the first remaining range value was estimated to be below a range threshold; and

[0053] A remaining range parameter is set based at least on the second remaining range value.

[0054] It should be understood that all embodiments described for the method aspects of the present invention are also applicable to at least one of the control device aspects of the present invention. Therefore, all embodiments described for the method aspects of the present invention can be performed by the control device. The control device and its embodiments have advantages corresponding to the advantages described above for the method and its embodiments.

[0055] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the foregoing and further objects are achieved by a vehicle comprising the control device of the third aspect. For example, the vehicle may be a bus, a truck or a car.

[0056] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to the first aspect and / or the second aspect.

[0057] According to a sixth aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to the first aspect and / or the second aspect.

[0058] The above-described features and embodiments of the method, the control device, the vehicle, the computer program and the computer-readable medium can each be combined in various possible ways in order to provide further advantageous embodiments.

[0059] Further advantageous embodiments of the method, the control device, the vehicle, the computer program and the computer-readable medium according to the invention as well as further advantages of embodiments of the invention emerge from the detailed description of the embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] Embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used for like components, and in which:

[0061] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary vehicle in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented;

[0062] Figure 2a A flow chart showing a method for setting a remaining range parameter in an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 2b A flow chart showing a method for setting a remaining cruising range parameter in an electric vehicle according to other embodiments of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 2c A flow chart showing method steps for setting a remaining range parameter in an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 2d A flow chart showing method steps for setting a remaining range parameter in an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0066] Figure 3 A flow chart showing a method for controlling a motor system of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0067] Figure 4 The principle of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in a driving situation;

[0068] Figure 5 A control device is shown, in which a method according to any of the embodiments described herein can be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] In today's electric vehicles, a measure of how far the vehicle can travel before the vehicle's energy storage device (such as one or more batteries) needs to be recharged (commonly referred to as the vehicle's remaining range DTE) is typically determined and presented to the vehicle operator on a display. The vehicle operator can therefore use this information to plan the vehicle's route, for example, by planning where and when to stop to recharge the batteries.

[0070] According to conventional methods, DTE is based on the amount of energy currently contained in the vehicle's energy storage device while taking into account different driving styles and different driving conditions. For example, DTE may be determined taking into account the topology of the vehicle's route and the estimated amount of electrical power required to propel the vehicle according to a desired speed profile. Furthermore, DTE may be adapted to the current vehicle operator by evaluating the individual driving behavior and energy consumption of different vehicle operators over a specific period of time.

[0071] In general, many conventional methods of determining DTE based on the above parameters are generally considered reliable and accurate by vehicle operators when the state of charge SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device is high or medium. However, as the SoC of the energy storage device decreases, the estimated DTE may be considered less reliable because even small changes in input parameters may have a large effect on the DTE calculation algorithm when the SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device is low. This may cause the DTE to drop quickly at low SoC, which may adversely affect the vehicle operator's confidence in the reliability of the DTE calculation and cause the vehicle operator to feel uneasy and worried about running out of power during the route before reaching the charging station.

[0072] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and a control device for setting a remaining range parameter in an electric vehicle such that these and other problems are at least partially solved.

[0073] The embodiments described herein will be explained Figure 1 A side view of a vehicle 100 is shown. The vehicle 100 may be an electric vehicle such as a truck or a bus. Figure 1 It is not illustrated in FIG, but the vehicle 100 may be equipped with a trailer. The vehicle may alternatively be a sedan. Figure 1 The vehicle 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 may include a powertrain 101 configured, for example, for an electric vehicle EV such as a battery electric vehicle BEV. The powertrain 101 of the vehicle 100 may include at least one motor 102 configured to provide torque to one or more wheels 111 of the vehicle 100. Figure 1 Only the wheels 111 on one side of the vehicle 100 are illustrated, but it should be understood that the vehicle 100 may have more than one wheel 111. Figure 1 Fewer or more wheels shown.

[0074] The at least one electric machine 102 may be disposed substantially anywhere as long as torque is provided to one or more of the vehicle's wheels, such as adjacent to one or more of the wheels, or in any other conventional manner as would be appreciated by one skilled in the art.

[0075] The vehicle 100 may include an energy storage device 103 including, for example, one or more batteries 104 . The energy storage device 103 may be configured to provide power to the at least one electric machine 102 .

[0076] It should be understood that the vehicle 900 may include other units, components such as Figure 1 Electrical components and / or mechanical components not shown in the example. Figure 1 In the description, only the units / devices / entities of the vehicle which are necessary for understanding the present invention are illustrated.

[0077] The vehicle's powertrain 101, the energy storage device 103 and other units in the vehicle may be controlled by the vehicle control system via a control device 120. The control device 120 may be distributed over several control units configured to control different parts of the vehicle 100. The control device 120 may, for example, comprise a unit 121 for estimating a first residual DTE value, a unit 122 for determining a second residual DTE value and a unit 123 for setting a residual DTE parameter, i.e. a unit arranged to perform the method steps of the disclosed invention as further explained. The control device 120 will be in Figure 5 Described in further detail in .

[0078] The vehicle 100 may also include one or more sensors 130 , such as at least one camera located at a suitable location within the vehicle 100 .

[0079] Furthermore, the vehicle 100 may include a positioning system / unit 140. The positioning unit 140 may be based on a satellite navigation system, such as Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging (Navstar), Global Positioning System (GPS), Differential GPS (DGPS), Galileo, GLONASS, etc. Thus, the positioning unit 140 may include a GPS receiver.

[0080] It should be understood that the one or more sensors 130 and the positioning system / unit 140 may be configured to communicate with the control device 120 to provide relevant information to the control device 120 .

[0081] The vehicle may further comprise a presentation member 150 adapted to present information to the vehicle operator. The presentation member may be provided for communication with the control device 120. The presentation member may comprise a display and / or a speaker device and may be mounted in the dashboard of the vehicle.

[0082] Now refer to Figure 2a The first aspect of the proposed invention is described by a method 200 performed by a control device disclosed in Figure 1 The control device may correspond to the remaining DTE parameters in the vehicle 100 disclosed in Figure 1 The control device 120 disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention is configured as follows:

[0083] In a first step 210 of the method 200 , a first remaining range DTE is estimated based at least on a remaining state of charge SoC of an energy storage device of the vehicle 1 value.

[0084] Method 200 includes when the DTE 1 The value is estimated to be below the range threshold DTE th Value:

[0085] In a second step 220, based at least on the fact that the DTE1 value is estimated to be lower than DTE th The actual mileage traveled is estimated to be lower than the DTE value since th Value to determine the second remaining cruising range DTE 2 value; and

[0086] - In a third step 230, based at least on the DTE 2 Value to set DTE parameters.

[0087] therefore, Figure 2a The first step 210 of the method 200 in FIG. 1 uses an algorithm according to previously known methods to estimate the remaining driving range that the vehicle can travel with the amount of energy currently available in the vehicle's energy storage device (such as one or more batteries). The remaining driving range estimated in step 210 is referred to as a first remaining range value or DTE. 1 value.

[0088] Today, there are a number of previously known methods for determining the remaining driving range in an electric vehicle using algorithms that can be applied in the first step 210 of the method 200 to estimate the DTE 1 According to the present invention, when determining the remaining mileage DTE of the vehicle 1 The conventional algorithm takes into account the remaining state of charge SoC of the energy storage device 103 in the vehicle 100. However, when estimating DTE 1 When calculating the value of the vehicle speed, conventional algorithms may additionally consider other parameters. These parameters may include the topology of the vehicle route, the estimated amount of power required to propel the vehicle according to the required speed profile, and the driving behavior of the vehicle operator, etc.

[0089] In previously known methods, after estimating the available remaining driving range, a remaining range DTE parameter is set to an estimated value and optionally presented to a vehicle operator.

[0090] As previously mentioned, many previously known methods are considered less reliable by the vehicle operator when the amount of remaining energy in the vehicle's energy storage device decreases. The DTE parameters may, for example, decrease rapidly when the state of charge SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device decreases, depending on, for example, changing conditions, such as increased energy consumption due to a changing speed profile, a road topology requiring more energy, starting / restarting of the vehicle, etc. When the amount of remaining energy in the vehicle's energy storage device decreases, this increased energy demand may have a significant impact on the estimated remaining available driving range. Therefore, the vehicle operator may not fully trust the displayed DTE parameters and use them to plan the vehicle's route and recharging.

[0091] The present invention modifies a previously known method for detecting a vehicle's estimated remaining usable range falling below a threshold DTE. th Instead of setting the DTE parameter to an estimated available remaining driving range according to previously known methods, i.e., setting the DTE parameter to an estimated remaining driving range, the DTE 1 Value, remaining available mileage DTE 2 The algorithm according to the invention is based on the fact that the remaining available range estimated according to previously known methods is below the threshold value DTE. th The mileage that the vehicle 100 has traveled since then is determined. Thereafter, based at least on the determined DTE 2 Value to set DTE parameters.

[0092] By setting the DTE parameters to DTE based on the actual mileage driven 2 By adjusting the value, the risk of the DTE parameters dropping at low SoC levels of the vehicle's energy storage device is avoided, and the vehicle operator's confidence in the DTE parameters can be increased.

[0093] DTE Threshold DTE th Can be understood as the remaining range, below which the DTE is estimated based on the remaining SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device 1 The value is considered less reliable due to the increased variance. In one example, the DTE th May depend on the size of the vehicle's energy storage device. A larger energy storage device may allow for a larger DTE than a smaller energy storage device th This type of DTE th A non-limiting example of may be a value between 50km and 10km. In one example, the DTE thAs will be further explained, when executing method 200, DTE th May be available in the vehicle's control system.

[0094] The result of applying the method of the present invention may be that if the remaining mileage DTE 2 More than DTE 1 , and assuming the very rare situation that the vehicle will be in motion until the DTE parameter drops to zero, it may be necessary to use a portion of the safety margin available in the vehicle's energy storage device.

[0095] In short, there are two types of SoC used to describe the energy level of the vehicle's energy storage device. One is called the operating SoC, and the other is called the technical SoC. The operating SoC is related to the energy available for normal use of the vehicle, which is usually not the amount of all the energy available in the energy storage device. The operating SoC is usually the only SoC visible to the vehicle operator. The technical SoC, on the other hand, is related to the actual energy of the energy storage device from completely empty to completely full. The technical SoC is not visible to the vehicle operator, and the difference between 0% operating SoC and 0% technical SoC can be considered a safety margin.

[0096] Complete exhaustion of the energy storage device should be avoided as much as possible, as this will have a negative impact on the life of the energy storage device and its capacity. In order to prevent this from happening, the operating SoC is usually limited so that when the operating SoC is 0, there is still a certain amount of energy remaining in the energy storage device. The amount of this energy corresponds to the above-mentioned safety margin. According to traditional solutions, the estimation of the remaining available mileage DTE in the vehicle is based on the operating SoC. Once the operating SoC is reduced to 0%, no remaining cruising range is available and the DTE parameter shows 0% power remaining. Typically, when this happens, the vehicle enters an ultra-power saving operating mode, which means that the maximum power available to the vehicle's motor is greatly reduced and the vehicle can travel additional mileage at a reduced capacity, thereby using a portion of the safety margin energy.

[0097] However, by applying the method of the present invention, the DTE parameter at low SoC is no longer determined based on the SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device, but is determined based on the actual mileage traveled by the vehicle. In some cases, such as when the vehicle's energy consumption increases and the battery SoC suddenly drops, the determined DTE 2 The value may exceed DTE 1 Values, such as Figure 4 As exemplified, this will be discussed and explained below.

[0098] Can be used to further explain the method according to the present invention Figure 4 This example shows how Figure 2aAspects of method 200 illustrated in the driving conditions of other embodiments of the method. Figure 4 Shows vehicles such as Figure 1 The vehicle 100 disclosed in FIG. 1 is driving through a route marked as 410 . Figure 4 The driving conditions illustrated in are described based on positions such as P1, P2, and so on.

[0099] Figure 4 Also shown is a graph of the SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device, i.e., the SoC of one or more batteries 104. Figure 4 As shown, at position P1, the SoC of the energy storage device of the vehicle, i.e., the energy contained in the energy storage device of the vehicle, is at a level marked as SOC P1 As the vehicle 100 consumes energy, for example by traveling on route 410, the energy of the energy storage device decreases unless the energy storage device is recharged. At position P5, the SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device decreases to a minimum state of charge SoC min , the minimum charging state SoC min The operating SoC corresponding to the energy storage device is depleted to 0%. Figure 4 As illustrated, below 0% operating SoC, there is still energy in the energy storage device corresponding to the safety margin described previously. min In the rare event that the vehicle continues to propel itself thereafter, the energy storage device will be completely exhausted at position P7.

[0100] Figure 4 The vehicle DTE parameters between position P1 and position P7 are also shown. The dashed line DTE graph between positions P1 and P5 corresponds to the DTE value estimated in step 210 of method 200, while the solid line DTE graph between position P2 and position P6 corresponds to the DTE value determined in step 220 of method 200. 2 Therefore, if Figure 4 As shown, when the SoC of the energy storage device is exhausted, that is, at position P5, based on the estimated DTE 1 The value of the DTE parameter drops to zero. 2 The DTE parameter is not related to the SoC and is not affected by the energy storage device after it is exhausted, i.e. Figure 4 At position P6 in the figure, it can reach zero.

[0101] Therefore, by applying the method of the present invention, it is ensured that the vehicle can achieve DTE under low SoC. th The estimated range is then estimated, thereby avoiding a situation where the vehicle operator is stressed due to the remaining range decreasing faster than the actual range driven.

[0102] It should be appreciated that method 200 may be used in substantially all types of electric vehicles in which propulsion power for propelling the vehicle is generated by one or more electric machines 102 .

[0103] Now refer to Figure 2b The method 200 of the present invention as well as other embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail. Figure 2b A flowchart of method 200 is disclosed, including reference Figure 2a The method steps 210 to 230 described above and other optional steps that may be included in the method 200 in an embodiment. It should be noted that Figure 2b The method steps illustrated in and described herein do not necessarily have to be followed in Figure 2b These steps can be performed in essentially any suitable order, as long as the physical requirements and information required to perform each method step are available when the step is performed.

[0104] Steps 210 to 270 of the method 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 may be repeated to continuously update the remaining DTE parameters according to a suitable sampling interval.

[0105] As previously described, the method 200 of determining and setting DTE parameters in a vehicle may be performed by executing reference Figure 2a The Figure 2b Therefore, in step 210, the first remaining cruising range DTE is estimated using a conventional algorithm. 1 value, the conventional algorithm takes into account the current SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device, such as Figure 4 The dashed line DTE between position P1 and position P5 1 As illustrated in the graph.

[0106] When DTE has been estimated 1 When the value Figure 2b The method 200 continues to step 214, where the estimated DTE 1 Value and Threshold DTE th Therefore, a threshold DTE is required th To perform method 200.

[0107] As mentioned above, the DTE threshold DTE th It can be understood as the remaining range associated with a low SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device. Figure 4 The DTE parameter is reduced to the same as the DTE at position P2. th The corresponding value.

[0108] In one embodiment, DTE th Can be a predetermined value. DTE thIt can be pre-configured in the vehicle's control system, for example. In one example, the DTE th The SoC level may correspond to the remaining usable range in the vehicle at a suitable SoC level for the vehicle's energy storage device. The suitable SoC level may be a level below which the DTE parameter may be perceived by the vehicle operator as less reliable due to an increased risk of a rapid degradation of the DTE parameter. Such SoC level may be obtained during a test drive or from feedback information used.

[0109] DTE th The size of may be a compromise between: obtaining stable and reliable DTE parameters; and on the other hand if the DTE2 value exceeds the DTE 1 value and the vehicle is allowed to drop below an operable SoC min (like Figure 4 If the vehicle is operated at a position P5 or P6, then there is a risk that a portion of the technical safety margin of the vehicle's energy storage device may need to be used. As previously described, using the technical safety margin of the vehicle's energy storage device may increase the risk of reduced capacity and shortened life of the energy storage device. One way to reduce the risk of completely exhausting the vehicle's energy storage device may include increasing the technical safety margin. However, the difference between the energy levels of the operating SoC and the technical SoC is typically set by the manufacturer of the energy storage device and may vary between different manufacturers. Instead, the DTE may be adaptively determined based on current conditions. th To reduce the risk of overusing technical margin.

[0110] Thus, in one embodiment, step 214 may be preceded by optional step 212, wherein a DTE threshold DTE is determined based on at least one of the following: th : one or more vehicle-related parameters, information related to the vehicle's route, information related to the vehicle's driving style, information related to the vehicle's auxiliary loads, and the capacity of the vehicle's energy storage device.

[0111] In one example, the DTE may be determined by an algorithm th , thereby reducing the risk of overusing technical margins. DTE th Can vary depending on parameters.

[0112] The one or more vehicle-related parameters may include, for example, the weight of the vehicle. For example, the DTE of a heavy vehicle may be greater due to increased energy consumption. th Can be set up as a DTE for vehicles that are less heavy than th Lower value.

[0113] The information related to the vehicle route may include, for example, the topology of the recent vehicle route and / or the topology of the upcoming vehicle route. For example, the DTE may be determined taking into account the energy consumption of the vehicle on the recent route. th Smooth and predictable energy consumption may result in higher DTE than less predictable energy consumption th In a similar manner, the upcoming vehicle route can be considered to determine the DTE th For example, the DTE may be determined taking into account the topology of the vehicle route and the estimated amount of electrical power required to propel the vehicle according to a desired speed profile. th In addition, by evaluating the individual driving behaviors and energy consumption of different vehicle operators over a specific period of time, DTE th Can be adapted to current vehicle operators.

[0114] In one embodiment, information related to the route of the vehicle may be obtained based on at least one of map data and sensor data. In one example, such information may be obtained from a digital map including, for example, terrain information in combination with positioning information such as GPS information. Positioning information may be used to determine the position of the vehicle relative to the map data, so that road segment information may be extracted from the map data. In one example, the sensor data may include information obtained based on radar information, camera information, lidar information, and any other conventional sensor information that provides data related to the route of the vehicle.

[0115] In one embodiment, the information related to the vehicle driving style may include one or more of the current driving mode and the current driving preference of the vehicle operator. For example, a high energy efficient driving mode may allow a higher DTE than a low energy efficient driving mode. th .

[0116] In one example, the DTE th The determination may be based on information related to the auxiliary load of the vehicle (i.e., the load imposed by auxiliary equipment such as air conditioning, cooling system, electrical system, etc.). For example, with DTE in a vehicle having lower energy consumption th The increased energy consumption in the vehicle due to auxiliary loads may result in a lower DTE in comparison th .

[0117] In one example, the DTE may be determined based on the capacity of the vehicle's energy storage device 103 , ie, based on one or more batteries 104 in the vehicle. th In particular, the size of the technical safety margin may affect the DTE th A high technical safety margin can allow for a higher DTE than a battery with a lower safety margin. th .

[0118] If the DTE 1 Estimated to be lower than DTE th value, ie, yes in step 214 , the method continues to step 220 , otherwise, if no in step 214 , the method continues to method step 260 .

[0119] In step 220, as shown in reference Figure 2a The determination of DTE 2 Value. DTE 2 Values ​​are based at least on the DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th The value is determined by the actual mileage travelled since the start of the test.

[0120] In one embodiment, DTE 2 The value can be obtained from the DTE th Subtract the value from DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th The actual mileage traveled since the DTE value was set can be determined by saving the current DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th The vehicle mileage at the location when the value is reached, and the DTE at the current location is determined according to the following equation 2 To achieve:

[0121] DTE 2 =(M1+DTE th -M2), where:

[0122] Ml is when DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th The vehicle's saved mileage at the time of the value;

[0123] DTE th is the DTE threshold, and

[0124] M2 is the mileage at the current location.

[0125] In one embodiment, since the DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th The actual mileage traveled since the value was reached may be based on at least one of trip mileage, odometer mileage, map data, and / or GPS data.

[0126] In step 230 of method 200 after step 220, as shown in reference Figure 2a The DTE parameters are set. When the DTE1 value is estimated to be lower than the DTE th When the value Figure 4 Between position P2 and position P6, at least based on DTE 2The DTE parameters can be set using the .

[0127] In one embodiment, if Figure 2c As illustrated, when DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th When the value is set, the remaining DTE parameter is set to the remaining DTE 2 Values, such as Figure 4 The solid line DTE between position P2 and position P6 2 As illustrated in the graph. Below DTE, the DTE parameter therefore depends only on the actual mileage travelled by the vehicle. As previously mentioned, the DTE parameter can therefore be considered by the vehicle operator to be very predictable and reliable.

[0128] In one embodiment, if Figure 2d As illustrated, when DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th When the value is set, the method step 230 of setting the remaining DTE parameters includes:

[0129] In step 232, the DTE determined in step 220 of method 200 is determined. 2 value exceeds the DTE estimated in step 210 of method 200 1 value.

[0130] If DTE is determined 2 >DTE 1 , that is, in Figure 2c If yes, the method continues to step 240, where the remaining DTE parameter is set to the remaining DTE 2 Otherwise, if DTE is determined 2 Equal to or less than DTE 1 ,Right now Figure 2c If no, the method continues to step 250, where the remaining DTE parameters are set to DTE 1 value.

[0131] Therefore, for less than DTE th The remaining mileage, DTE parameter is set equal to DTE 1 and DTE 2 The maximum value among:

[0132] DTE=MAX(DTE 1 ,DTE 2 ).

[0133] This embodiment can be Figure 4 DTE in 1 and DTE 2 The curve diagram is used as an example.1 At position P2 it drops below DTE th When the DTE parameter is set to DTE between the P2 position and the P3 position 2 , where DTE 2 >DTE 1 Between position P3 and position P4, DTE 1 Value exceeds DTE 2 Therefore, between positions P3 and P4, the DTE parameter is set to DTE 1 Between position P4 and position P6, DTE 2 The value exceeds DTE again 1 Therefore, between positions P4 and P6, the DTE parameter is set to DTE 2 value.

[0134] In one embodiment, Figure 2b In step 260, when the DTE 1 When the value is estimated to be equal to or greater than the DTE value, the DTE parameter is set equal to Figure 4 The dashed line DTE between position P1 and position P2 1 DTE shown in the graph 1 value.

[0135] Once based on Figure 2d Once any of steps 230 or 260 have set the remaining DTE parameters, the method may continue to optional step 270 , which includes presenting the DTE parameters to a vehicle operator, which may be performed via presentation component 150 .

[0136] Now go to Figure 3 , a flow chart of a method 300 for controlling an electric motor 102 of an electric vehicle such as vehicle 100 is shown. The method 300 is performed by a control device of the vehicle. During normal mode operation of the vehicle, i.e., before the DTE parameter value decreases to 0, the electric motor 102 is configured to provide a maximum available power P in step 310 of the method 300. max , used to propel vehicles, such as Figure 4 This is illustrated by the “Available Power” graph between position P1 and position P6.

[0137] The method 300 includes reducing the maximum available power P provided by the electric machine 102 for operating the vehicle 100 in step 320 when the DTE parameter value decreases to zero. max , wherein the DTE parameters are set according to the method 200 disclosed herein. Thus, the vehicle is operated in the super eco mode.

[0138] Therefore, in step 312 of method 300, after step 310, it is determined whether the DTE parameter is equal to 0. If "yes" in step 312, method 300 continues to step 320, where the maximum available power P provided by the motor is max Reduce, such as Figure 4 As shown, the available power is reduced to a reduced power P at position P6. red Otherwise, if “NO” in step 312 , the method may return to step 310 .

[0139] According to one aspect of the invention, a control device 120 is proposed for setting a residual DTE parameter in an electric vehicle 100. The control device 120 comprises means 121 arranged for estimating the DTE based at least on the residual SoC of the vehicle's energy storage device. 1 value.

[0140] Furthermore, the control device 120 comprises a component 122 which is arranged to be used when the DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th value, at least since DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th The actual mileage traveled is used to determine the DTE value. 2 value.

[0141] Furthermore, the control device 120 comprises a component 123 which is arranged to be used when the DTE 1 The value is estimated to be lower than DTE th Value is based on at least DTE 2 values ​​to set the remaining DTE parameters.

[0142] The control device 120 (e.g., device or control device) according to the present invention can be arranged to perform all method steps in the above, claims, and embodiments described herein. The control device 120 thus provides the above advantages for each respective embodiment. The present invention also relates to a vehicle 100 comprising the control device 120.

[0143] Now go to Figure 5, which illustrates a control device 500 / 120, which may correspond to or may include the above-mentioned control units 121 and 122, i.e. control units that perform the method steps of the disclosed invention. The control device 500 / 120 includes a computing unit 501, which may be composed of a processor or microcomputer of substantially any suitable type, such as a circuit for digital signal processing (digital signal processor (DSP)), or a circuit with a predetermined specific function (such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)). The computing unit 501 is connected to a storage unit 502 arranged in the control device 500 / 120, which provides the computing unit 501 with, for example, stored program code and / or stored data that the computing unit 501 needs to be able to perform calculations. The computing unit 501 is also arranged to store partial results or final results of the calculations in the memory unit 502.

[0144] In addition, the control device 500 / 120 is provided with means 511, 512, 513, 514 for receiving and transmitting input and output signals. These input and output signals may contain waveforms, pulses or other properties which may be detected as information by the means 511, 513 for receiving input signals and may be converted into signals which may be processed by the computing unit 501. These signals are then available to the computing unit 501. The means 512, 514 for transmitting output signals are arranged to convert signals received from the computing unit 501 so as to generate output signals by, for example, modulating the signal, which output signals may be transmitted to other parts and / or systems in the vehicle 100.

[0145] Each connection of the means for receiving and transmitting input and output signals may be formed by one or more cables, a data bus, such as a CAN bus (Controller Area Network bus), a MOST bus (Media Oriented System Transport bus) or some other bus configuration; or by a wireless connection. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-mentioned computer may be formed by a computing unit 501, and the above-mentioned memory may be formed by a storage unit 502.

[0146] The control system in a modern vehicle typically includes a communication bus system comprising one or more communication buses for linking a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) or controllers and various components located on the vehicle. Such a control system may include a large number of control units, and the responsibility for a particular function may be divided between more than one control unit. Thus, a vehicle of the type shown typically includes more than Figure 1 and Figure 4 Many more control units are shown, as are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0147] In the illustrated embodiment, the present invention can be implemented by the above-mentioned control units 121 to 123. However, the present invention can also be implemented in whole or in part in one or more other control units already in the vehicle 100, or in some control units dedicated to the present invention.

[0148] Here and in this document, units are generally described as being arranged to perform the steps of the method according to the invention. This also includes that these units are designed and / or configured to perform these method steps.

[0149] The control units 121 to 123 are Figure 1 501 are illustrated as separate units. However, these units may be implemented logically separate but physically in the same unit, or may be logically and physically arranged together. These units may, for example, correspond to groups of instructions, which may be in the form of program code, which are input into and used by the processor / computing unit 501 when it is started and / or used to perform its method steps.

[0150] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments for controlling an engine described herein may also be implemented in a computer program that, when executed in a computer, instructs the computer to perform the method. The computer program is typically composed of a computer program product 503 stored on a non-temporary / non-volatile digital storage medium, wherein the computer program is contained in a computer-readable medium of the computer program product. The computer-readable medium includes a suitable memory, such as: ROM (read-only memory), PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (erasable PROM), flash memory, EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM), hard disk unit, etc. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. On the contrary, the present invention relates to and encompasses all different embodiments included within the scope of the independent claims.

Claims

1. A method (200) for setting a remaining range (DTE) parameter in an electric vehicle (100) performed by a control device, wherein the control device is configured to estimate (210) a first remaining range (DTE1) value based at least on a remaining state of charge (SoC) of an energy storage device of the vehicle, The method includes when the first remaining range (DTE1) value is estimated to be below a range threshold (DTE th )hour: Based at least on the fact that the first remaining range (DTE1) value is estimated to be below the remaining range threshold (DTE th ) to determine (220) a second remaining range (DTE2) value based on the actual mileage traveled since ; and The remaining range (DTE) parameter is set (230) based at least on the second remaining range (DTE2) value.

2. The method (200) according to claim 1, wherein when the first remaining range (DTE1) value is estimated to be lower than the range threshold (DTE th ), the remaining endurance (DTE) parameter is set (230) to the second remaining endurance (DTE2) value.

3. The method (200) of claim 1, wherein when the first remaining range (DTE1) value is estimated to be below a range threshold (DTE th ), setting (230) the remaining endurance (DTE) parameter includes: When the second remaining endurance (DTE2) value exceeds the first remaining endurance (DTE1) value, the remaining endurance (DTE) parameter is set (240) to the second remaining endurance (DTE2) value; otherwise, The remaining endurance (DTE) parameter is set (250) to be equal to the first remaining endurance (DTE1) value.

4. The method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising the step of estimating the first remaining range (DTE1) value to be equal to or exceed the range threshold (DTE th )hour: The remaining endurance (DTE) parameter is set (260) to be equal to the first remaining endurance (DTE1) value.

5. The method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the range threshold (DTE th ) is subtracted from the first remaining range (DTE1) value which is estimated to be below the range threshold (DTE th ) to determine the second remaining endurance mileage (DTE2) value.

6. The method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising determining, based on at least one of a single trip odometer mileage, a total odometer mileage, map data and / or GPS data, that the first remaining range (DTE1) value is estimated to be below the remaining range threshold (DTE th ) The actual mileage travelled since 7. The method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the threshold value (DTE th ) is a predetermined value.

8. The method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising determining the threshold value (DTE) based on at least one of the following: th ): - one or more vehicle related parameters; - information related to the vehicle route; - information related to the driving style of the vehicle; - information related to the auxiliary loads of the vehicle; and - the capacity of the energy storage device of the vehicle.

9. The method (200) of claim 8, wherein the information related to the vehicle route is obtained based on at least one of map data and sensor data.

10. The method (200) according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the information related to the driving style of the vehicle includes one or more of a current driving mode and a current vehicle operator's driving preference.

11. A method (300) performed by a control device to control an electric motor (102) of an electric vehicle (100), wherein the electric motor (102) is configured to provide [310] a maximum available power (P max ), the method comprising when a remaining endurance (DTE) parameter value decreases to 0: reducing [320] the maximum available power (P) provided by the electric machine (102) for operating the vehicle (100) max ), wherein the remaining endurance (DTE) parameter is set according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A control device for setting a remaining range (DTE) parameter in an electric vehicle (100), wherein the control device is configured to estimate (210) a first remaining range (DTE1) value based at least on a remaining state of charge (SoC) of an energy storage device of the vehicle, the control device being configured to set a remaining range (DTE1) value when the first remaining range (DTE1) value is estimated to be below a range threshold (DTE th )hour: Based at least on the fact that the first remaining range (DTE1) value is estimated to be below the remaining range threshold (DTE th ) to determine (220) a second remaining range (DTE2) value based on the actual mileage traveled since ; and The remaining range (DTE) parameter is set (230) based at least on the second remaining range (DTE2) value.

13. A vehicle (100) comprising a control device (120) according to claim 12.

14. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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