Vehicle system

Abstract

A vehicle system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor for storing vehicle data including a vehicle location, vehicle event data, and a vehicle pattern. The vehicle system also includes a server communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor. The server is configured to determine whether a transport mode has been selected based on one or more of the vehicle mode or the vehicle location. The server is further configured to determine whether the current battery change is above a state of charge limit based on the vehicle event data. In addition, the server is configured to activate the shipping mode if the current battery charge is below the charge state limit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors, to the extent described in this section, and in aspects of the description that may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, is neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted to be prior art against the present disclosure.

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to a vehicle system for complying with state-of-charge constraints. Background Art

[0003] Many vehicles today are electric vehicles that use batteries to power their vehicles. Batteries, especially fully charged batteries, can pose a fire risk under certain conditions. Therefore, electric vehicles that are transported or stored are typically kept at a charge below the maximum charge and, ideally, within a safe charge capacity window to mitigate any fire risk. The safe charge capacity window is typically below the maximum charge but above zero charge because additional risks to the vehicle may occur if the vehicle battery life is at or near zero.

[0004] Some transport vehicles now require state of charge limits to help mitigate the risks associated with transporting electric vehicles. While some vehicles include a transport mode that limits charging to a certain percentage after leaving the manufacturing plant, the charging limit is removed once the vehicle reaches its destination (such as a dealer). Once the charging limit is removed, the vehicle can be fully charged for normal use.

[0005] While fully charging the vehicle for normal use will allow the vehicle to function normally, returning the vehicle to a transport mode with a fully charged battery may result in damage to the battery and / or the vehicle. Therefore, there remains a need to safely and easily place the vehicle in transport mode at any time while complying with state of charge restrictions. Summary of the invention

[0006] In some examples, a vehicle system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor for storing vehicle data, the vehicle data including vehicle location, vehicle event data, and vehicle mode. The vehicle system also includes a server that is communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor and is configured to determine whether a transport mode has been selected based on one or more of the vehicle location and the vehicle mode. The server is also configured to determine whether a current battery charge is above a state of charge limit based on the vehicle event data. Additionally, the server is configured to determine whether a remote connection is active based on the vehicle event data. The server is configured to issue a notification that the transport mode cannot be activated if the current battery charge is above the state of charge limit or if the remote connection is not active.

[0007] In some examples, the server is configured to issue a notification if the remote connection becomes active. In addition, if the server determines that the remote connection is active, the server can discharge the battery when activated by the user. In some examples, discharging the battery includes discharging energy from the battery back to the energy grid through a vehicle charger or activating one or more of the battery depletion operations. The battery depletion operations may include one or more of the following: enabling a maximum accessory load including one or more of increased cooler operation, increased coolant flow, additional vehicle imaging, activating vehicle sensors to a high load mode, activating the discharge of a cell group by activating a cell balancing resistor, and activating inefficient operation of vehicle components including one or more of a vehicle motor or a vehicle inverter. In addition, the server can be configured to activate a transport mode once the current battery charge is below a state of charge limit and the remote connection is active. The vehicle may include a vehicle system.

[0008] In another configuration, a vehicle system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor for storing vehicle data, the vehicle data including vehicle location, vehicle event data, and vehicle mode. The vehicle system also includes a server that is communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor and is configured to determine whether a transport mode has been selected based on one or more of the vehicle location, vehicle mode, or vehicle event data. The server is further configured to determine whether a current battery charge is below a state of charge limit based on the vehicle event data. The server determines a time that the current battery charge is below the state of charge limit, issues a notification of the time that the battery charge is below the state of charge limit, discharges the battery upon user activation, and activates the transport mode once the current battery charge is below the state of charge limit.

[0009] In one configuration, discharging the battery may be accomplished by returning energy from the battery to a grid. Additionally or alternatively, discharging the battery may be accomplished by a battery depletion operation of the vehicle. In one configuration, the server may determine whether the vehicle is connected to a charger. The server may prompt a user to select a discharge mode for the battery. In some examples, the vehicle event data includes data related to a current battery charge. The vehicle may include a vehicle system.

[0010] In yet another configuration, a vehicle system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor for storing vehicle data, the vehicle data including vehicle location, vehicle event data, and vehicle mode. The vehicle system also includes a server communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor and configured to determine whether a transport mode has been selected based on one or more of the vehicle mode or the vehicle location. The server is further configured to determine whether a current battery change is above a state of charge limit based on the vehicle event data, and activate the transport mode if the current battery charge is below the state of charge limit.

[0011] The server may discharge the battery upon user activation. Discharging the battery may include returning energy from the battery to the grid and activating one or more of battery depletion operations. The battery depletion operations may include one or more of: enabling maximum accessory load including one or more of increased chiller operation, increased coolant flow, additional vehicle imaging, activating vehicle sensors to a high load mode, activating discharge of cell groups by activating cell balancing resistors, and activating inefficient operation of vehicle components including one or more of a vehicle motor or a vehicle inverter. Additionally, the server may activate a transport mode once the current battery charge is below a state of charge limit. The vehicle may include a vehicle system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle including a vehicle system according to one aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0014] Figure 2 is an exemplary operational flow chart according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0015] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and example configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0017] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific exemplary configurations and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a", "an" and "the" may also be intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly states otherwise. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "including" and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes and operations described herein should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as an execution order. Additional or alternative steps may be adopted.

[0018] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on another element or layer," "engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, directly engaged with, connected to, attached to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element or layer," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0019] The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used in this article to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts. These elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms may only be used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer or part from another region, layer or part. Unless the context clearly indicates, terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply an order or sequence. Therefore, without departing from the teaching of the example configuration, the first element, component, region, layer or part discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer or part.

[0020] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" may be replaced with the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; a memory (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0021] The term "code" as used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class and / or an object. The term "shared processor" covers a single processor that executes some or all codes from multiple modules. The term "group processor" covers a processor that executes some or all codes from one or more modules in combination with an additional processor. The term "shared memory" covers a single memory that stores some or all codes from multiple modules. The term "group memory" covers a memory that stores some or all codes from one or more modules in combination with an additional memory. The term "memory" may be a subset of the term "computer-readable medium". The term "computer-readable medium" does not cover transient electrical signals and electromagnetic signals propagated through the medium, and therefore can be considered to be tangible and non-transient memory. Non-limiting examples of non-temporary memory include tangible computer-readable media, which include non-volatile memory, magnetic memory, and optical memory.

[0022] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented in part or in whole by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer program includes processor executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer program may also include and / or rely on stored data.

[0023] A software application (i.e., software resource) may refer to computer software that enables a computing device to perform tasks. In some examples, a software application may be referred to as an "application," "app," or "program." Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and gaming applications.

[0024] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to temporarily or permanently store programs (e.g., sequences of instructions) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used for firmware, such as bootloaders). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase change memory (PCM), and disk or tape.

[0025] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages ​​and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, apparatus, and / or device (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0026] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementations in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system that includes at least one programmable processor, which may be special purpose or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and to send data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0027] The process and logic flow described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors (also referred to as data processing hardware), which execute one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The process and logic flow can also be performed by a dedicated logic circuit (e.g., FPGA (field programmable gate array) or ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)). As an example, a processor suitable for executing a computer program includes both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any type of digital computer. Typically, the processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The basic elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or be operably connected to receive data from it or transmit data to it or both. However, a computer does not need to have such a device. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of nonvolatile memory, media, and memory devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

[0028] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touch screen) for displaying information to the user and optionally a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including sound, voice, or tactile input. In addition, the computer may interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a user's client device in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0029] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1, a vehicle system 100 for a vehicle 10 is shown. The vehicle system 100 includes a vehicle processor 200 and a server 300 communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor 200. The vehicle 10 is envisioned as an electric vehicle (EV) and may include autonomous or semi-autonomous capabilities. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle 10 may be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that combines EV and internal combustion engine (ICE) components and capabilities. Although the vehicle 10 may be an EV or an HEV, the vehicle 10 will be described as including only EV components and capabilities. The vehicle 10 also includes a vehicle battery 12 configured to provide power to the vehicle 10. The vehicle battery 12 is rechargeable and includes a vehicle battery life between 0% and 100%, where 0% indicates that the vehicle battery 12 has no charge and 100% indicates that the vehicle battery 12 is fully charged. In addition, the vehicle 10 may include a plurality of vehicle sensors 14 and / or a vehicle camera 16 configured to provide data to the vehicle processor 200.

[0030] The vehicle processor 200 stores vehicle data 202 of the vehicle 10. The vehicle data 202 includes a vehicle location 204, vehicle event data 206, and a vehicle mode 208. The vehicle location 204 is generally related to the location of the vehicle 10. The vehicle location 204 may include one or more of a current vehicle location and route information. The current vehicle location is generally related to the current location of the vehicle 10. The current vehicle location may be obtained from a global positioning system (GPS) or other navigation system and may be transmitted to the vehicle processor 200. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle camera 14 and / or the sensor 16 may be used to obtain the current vehicle location. For example, the vehicle processor 200 may collect video data related to the current environment of the vehicle 10 to help the vehicle processor 200 and / or the server 300 determine the current vehicle location.

[0031] Route information generally relates to the route that the vehicle 10 is traveling, including origin and destination information. Route information may be obtained from user input, a vehicle navigation system, or past driver activity, and may be transmitted to the vehicle processor 200. Additionally, route information may include the route that a transport vehicle is taking. A transport vehicle may include, but is not limited to, a car-carrying truck or trailer, a train, or a cargo ship. Route information may also include information related to the transport vehicle, including a transport vehicle schedule and / or weather conditions that may affect the travel of the transport vehicle. Additionally, route information may include data related to traffic information or road closures.

[0032] The vehicle event data 206 is generally related to the action taken by the vehicle 10. The vehicle event data 206 can be collected by any vehicle sensor 16 and / or vehicle camera 14, and can be transmitted to the vehicle processor 200 for further processing. For example, the vehicle event data 206 may include vehicle ignition status, Wi-Fi connection, remote connection status, vehicle speed, or other vehicle operations. More specifically, the vehicle ignition status may be related to the current ignition status (i.e., whether the vehicle 10 is turned on or off), or may be related to the amount of time that has passed since the last change in the ignition status. In addition, the Wi-Fi connection may be related to which Wi-Fi connections are connected to the vehicle 10 and how long the connection lasts. In addition, the remote connectivity status may be related to whether the server 300 is connected to the vehicle 10, so that the vehicle 10 can receive updates and / or notifications from the server 300. The vehicle speed may be related to the current speed of the vehicle 10, whether the vehicle 10 has stopped, whether the vehicle 10 has changed speed, accelerated or decelerated, and other events related to the vehicle speed. Furthermore, vehicle event data 206 may be constantly changing such that vehicle event data 206 may be continuously sensed and / or obtained during vehicle operation.

[0033] The vehicle mode 208 generally relates to one or more modes in which the vehicle 10 is currently operating. For example, the vehicle mode 208 may relate to any vehicle mode or operation that may affect the battery life of the vehicle 10. The vehicle mode 208 may include, but is not limited to, operating modes including accessory modes, operations of various vehicle components including a vehicle engine or a vehicle inverter, resistor modes, vehicle sensor modes, or other vehicle modes that require the use of the vehicle battery 12. In addition, the vehicle mode 208 may relate to a transport mode or an airplane mode. The transport mode or airplane mode may be activated by a user through a vehicle dashboard or other vehicle components, through a third-party application, or through a user device such as a cellular phone or tablet. In addition, it is contemplated that the airplane mode or the transport mode may be activated by the server 300, as disclosed in more detail below. In addition, the vehicle mode 208 may be constantly changing so that the vehicle mode 208 may be continuously sensed and / or obtained during vehicle operation.

[0034] Transportation companies typically impose state of charge restrictions on electric vehicles (such as vehicle 10) before vehicle 10 is allowed to be loaded onto a transport vehicle. In some examples, the state of charge restriction requires that the vehicle battery life is less than 60% of a full charge. In other examples, the state of charge restriction requires that the vehicle battery life is between 10%-55% of a full charge. In other examples, the state of charge restriction requires that the vehicle battery life is between 20%-50% of a full charge. In other examples, the state of charge restriction requires that the vehicle battery life is between 20%-40% of a full charge. In addition, the state of charge restriction can be based on the specific chemistry of the vehicle battery 12, so that the state of charge restriction can vary from vehicle to vehicle. In addition, the state of charge restriction can be collected, stored and / or determined by the vehicle processor 200 and / or the vehicle server 300.

[0035] The vehicle processor 200 is also configured to store vehicle battery life information. The vehicle battery life information generally relates to the amount of vehicle battery life remaining in the vehicle battery 12. In addition, the vehicle battery life information may be affected by one or more of the vehicle event data 206, the vehicle mode 208, the vehicle location 204, and the haul length 210. In addition, the vehicle battery life information may include whether the vehicle 10 is within the state of charge limits that can be achieved by the haul vehicles along the route. For example, the vehicle battery life information may include whether the vehicle battery life is within the acceptable charge limits for a particular haul vehicle.

[0036] Further references Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the server 300 is configured as a network and / or cloud-based system in communication with the vehicle processor 200. It is also contemplated that the vehicle processor 200 may transmit any or all of the vehicle data 202 to the server 300 for further processing and / or evaluation. In addition, the vehicle processor 200 and / or the server 300 may be continuously and / or periodically updated so that the vehicle data 202 is updated in real time.

[0037] The server 300 may also be configured to communicate with a third-party processor 500 to collect third-party data. For example, the third-party processor 500 may include, but is not limited to, a vehicle processor 200 along the route. Additionally or alternatively, the third-party processor 500 may include a third-party user device, such as a cellular phone and / or a tablet computer, within a vehicle along the route. In addition, the third-party processor 500 may include a third-party database, such as a database including a transportation vehicle schedule, weather information, and / or traffic conditions. It is generally contemplated that the third-party data may include information related to one or more of the vehicle location 204, vehicle event data 206, and / or vehicle mode 208 from the third-party processor 500.

[0038] In addition, the third-party data may include data from a dealer or dealer portal. For example, the third-party data may include information related to sales, shipping, or other related data. More specifically, the server may use the third-party data from the dealer portal to predict when the vehicle 10 may be shipped. For example, if the third-party data includes data that the vehicle 10 has been sold and needs to be shipped from a storage location to a dealer for pickup, the server 300 may determine that the shipment is imminent and take appropriate steps to ensure safe transportation.

[0039] Still refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the example shown in , the server 300 is configured to determine whether the transport mode should be activated based on one or more of the vehicle location 204 and the vehicle mode 208. For example, the vehicle owner or other user can communicate to the server 300 a desire to move the vehicle 10 to the transport mode. In addition, in other examples, the server 300 can be notified by a third-party application of the desire to move the vehicle 10 to the transport mode, such as through a dealer portal. In addition, in other examples, the server 300 can be configured to determine whether the transport mode is desired based on the current location, route information, or other information related to the vehicle location 204. More specifically, the server 300 can use route information including data indicating the transportation of the vehicle along the route to determine that the transport mode should be activated.

[0040] In addition, the server 300 is further configured to determine whether the current vehicle battery life is above the state of charge limit based on the vehicle event data 206. For example, the server 300 can use the vehicle data 202 including the current vehicle battery life information and the information about the state of charge limit to determine whether the vehicle battery 12 is within the state of charge limit. The state of charge limit can be predetermined, input by the user, obtained from a third-party application, or determined by the server 300 based on the chemical properties of the vehicle battery 12. In addition, the server 300 is further configured to notify the user that the transport mode cannot be activated if the server 300 determines that the current vehicle battery life is above the state of charge limit.

[0041] In addition, if the current vehicle battery life is above the state of charge limit, the server 300 is configured to prompt the user to decide whether they want to release excess energy from the vehicle battery 12. Releasing excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 may include: if the vehicle 10 is connected to a vehicle charger, unloading excess energy back to the energy grid, and / or if it is not connected to the vehicle charger, initiating a battery depletion operation. The battery depletion operation may include one or more of the following: enabling a maximum accessory load including one or more of an increase in cooler operation, an increase in coolant flow, additional vehicle imaging, activating vehicle sensors to a high load mode, activating the discharge of a cell group by activating a cell balancing resistor, and activating inefficient operation of vehicle components including one or more of a vehicle motor or a vehicle inverter. In addition, in some examples, the user may choose between unloading excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 back to the energy grid and activating a battery depletion operation. In other examples, the server 300 may be configured to determine whether the vehicle 10 is connected to a vehicle charger, so that unloading excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 back to the energy grid is an available option. If not, the battery depletion operation may be activated. Additionally or alternatively, if the vehicle 10 is coupled to a vehicle charger, the server 300 may begin offloading excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 to the energy grid if desired by the user.

[0042] In addition, the server 300 may be configured to determine the time it takes for the current vehicle battery life to be less than the state of charge limit. For example, the server 300 may determine the time it takes for the vehicle 10 to unload excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 back to the energy grid, the time it takes to unload excess energy by activating a battery depletion operation, and the time it takes to unload excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 by sending the unloaded energy back to the energy grid and activating a battery depletion operation at the same time.

[0043] In addition, the server 300 can be configured to notify the user (i.e., issue a notification) of the time it takes for the vehicle battery life to be less than the state of charge limit. For example, the server 300 can notify the user of one or more of the time it takes for the vehicle 10 to unload excess energy back to the energy grid, the time it takes to unload excess energy by activating a battery depletion operation, and the time it takes to unload excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 by sending the unloaded energy back to the energy grid and activating a battery depletion operation at the same time. In addition, the user can then decide which method they want to use to unload excess energy from the vehicle battery 12. In addition, it is contemplated that the server 300 can automatically select the unloading method that takes the shortest amount of time without input from the user.

[0044] Additionally, once the current vehicle battery life is below the state of charge limit, the server 300 may be configured to activate the transport mode. For example, a user may wish to activate the transport mode via user input. When the server 300 detects the user input, the server 300 will check the current vehicle battery life and determine whether the vehicle battery life is above the state of charge limit. If not, the server 300 will prompt the user to select a method for unloading excess energy. Once the current vehicle battery life is below the state of charge limit, the server 300 will activate the transport mode.

[0045] In addition, the server 300 can determine whether the remote connection is activated based on the vehicle event data 206. The remote connection may be lost due to inaccessibility to Wi-Fi, or other means of connection in a remote location or building type. When the remote connection is lost, the vehicle 10 cannot notify the user of a potentially dangerous battery condition, such as exceeding the state of charge limit of the transport mode and / or a dangerous low vehicle battery life. In this way, if the remote connection becomes inactive, the server 300 can notify the user of the lost connection, so the user can take manual action to prevent a potentially dangerous battery condition. In addition, if the current remote connection is not activated, the server 300 can notify the user that the transport mode cannot be activated. In addition, the server 300 can be configured to notify the user whether the remote connection has become activated and / or whether the transport mode can be activated now. In addition, in some examples, the server 300 can be configured to automatically activate the transport mode once the remote connection becomes activated and the current vehicle battery life is within the state of charge limit.

[0046] Additionally, if the server 300 determines that the remote connection is active, the server 300 may be configured to discharge the vehicle battery 12 if the current vehicle battery life is above the state of charge limit. However, if it is determined that the remote connection is active and the current vehicle battery life is within the state of charge limit, the server 300 may be configured to activate the transport mode without further input from the user.

[0047] Similarly, the server 300 can be configured to determine whether the vehicle is in airplane mode, which may affect the connectivity of the vehicle 10. When airplane mode is activated, the vehicle 10 cannot notify the user of potentially dangerous battery conditions, such as exceeding the state of charge limit of the transport mode and / or dangerously low vehicle battery life. Thus, if airplane mode is activated, the server 300 can notify the user of the lost connection so that the user can take manual action to prevent the potentially dangerous battery condition. In addition, the server 300 can be configured to automatically discharge the vehicle battery 12 to prevent the potentially dangerous battery condition if airplane mode is activated and the vehicle battery life is above the state of charge limit.

[0048] Reference now Figure 2 In the example shown, the vehicle system 100 starts at step 700. Then, at step 704, the server 300 determines whether the transport mode has been activated by the user. At step 702, the activation may be through a third-party application such as a dealer portal. Next, at step 706, the server 300 will attempt to enter the transport mode or an alternative mode such as airplane mode. At step 708, the server 300 determines whether the transport mode has been selected. Then, at step 710, the server 300 determines whether the current vehicle battery life is above the state of charge limit. If the current vehicle battery life is less than the state of charge limit, the server 300 activates the transport mode on the vehicle 10 in step 712 and ends at step 736. However, if the current vehicle battery life is greater than the state of charge limit, the server 300 determines at step 714 whether the remote connection is lost. If the remote connection is lost, the server 300 is configured to notify the user at step 716 that the remote connection is lost and the vehicle 10 cannot send a notification or request help for a problem with the vehicle battery 12. Additionally, the server 300 is configured to notify the user in step 718 that the vehicle battery 12 is not in a safe state to activate the desired mode.

[0049] Next, at step 720, the server 300 determines whether the vehicle 10 is plugged into the vehicle charger. If the vehicle 10 is not connected to the vehicle charger, the server 300 calculates the discharge time to reach the state of charge limit by operating the battery depletion operation at step 724. However, if the vehicle 10 is connected to the vehicle charger, at step 722, the server 300 calculates the time it takes to enter the state of charge limit by sending excess energy from the vehicle battery 12 back to the power grid. In addition, at step 726, the server 300 can notify the user of the discharge time and ask if they want to continue discharging. If the user does not want to continue, the server 300 can notify the customer at step 734 that the shipping mode is not activated due to the vehicle battery life, and the operation ends at step 736. If the user does want to continue the discharge of the vehicle battery 12, the server 300 is configured to discharge the vehicle battery 12 at step 728 and notify the customer that the vehicle 10 is not in the shipping mode until the discharge is completed. At step 730, the server 300 continuously checks the vehicle battery life during the discharge of the vehicle battery 12 to determine whether the current vehicle battery life is below the state of charge limit. When the current vehicle battery life is within the state of charge limit, the server 300 may notify the user of discharge completion at step 732. The server 300 then places the vehicle 10 in transport mode at step 712 before ending the operation at step 736.

[0050] Electric vehicles in transit typically have less than a maximum charge to comply with state of charge limits. While some vehicles include a mode that limits charging to a certain percentage after leaving the manufacturing plant, the charging limit is removed once the vehicle reaches its destination, such as a dealership. The vehicle system 100 as described herein ensures battery state of charge limit compliance before the vehicle 10 is placed in a transport mode at any point in the vehicle's life.

[0051] Many embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0052] The foregoing description is provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure. The individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but are interchangeable where applicable and can be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. It can also be varied in many ways. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle system for a vehicle, the vehicle system comprising: a vehicle processor for storing vehicle data including vehicle location, vehicle event data, and vehicle mode; as well as A server is communicatively coupled to the vehicle processor and is configured to: determining whether a transportation mode has been selected based on one or more of vehicle location, vehicle event data, or vehicle mode; determining whether a current battery charge is below a state of charge limit based on the vehicle event data; Determining the time it takes for the current battery charge to be below a charge state limit; notifying the user of the time the battery charge has spent below a charge state limit; activating discharge of the battery upon user activation; and Once the current battery charge is below the state of charge limit, the shipping mode is activated. 2 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein discharging the battery is accomplished by returning energy from the battery to a grid.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the discharging of the battery is accomplished by a battery depletion operation of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle system of claim 3, wherein the battery depletion operation comprises one or more of: enabling a maximum accessory load including one or more of increased cooler operation, increased coolant flow, additional vehicle imaging, activating vehicle sensors to a high load mode, activating discharge of a cell group by activating a cell balancing resistor, and activating inefficient operation of a vehicle component including one or more of a vehicle motor or a vehicle inverter. 5 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to determine whether the battery is connected to a charger. 6 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to prompt the user to select a discharge mode for the battery. 7 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to determine whether a remote connection is active based on the vehicle event data. 8 . The vehicle system of claim 7 , wherein the server is configured to notify the user that the transport mode cannot be activated if the current battery charge is above a state of charge limit or if the remote connection is not active. 9 . The vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the server is configured to notify the user if the remote connection becomes active.

10. A vehicle comprising the vehicle system according to claim 1.

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