Inter-vehicle charging

Abstract

The present disclosure provides "inter-vehicle charging". A method for inter-vehicle charging includes identifying a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to charge based on determining that an engine of the PHEV will start before a battery of the PHEV is charged from an external power source. The method may include identifying a battery electric vehicle (BEV) to provide charging to the identified PHEV; and transmitting the location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to a location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV. An electrical connection between the BEV and the PHEV is verified, and a BEV-to-PHEV charging process is actuated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure provides techniques for actuating a charging process in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) uses a battery to power an electric motor for operation in various scenarios, such as city driving, and uses an internal combustion engine in certain scenarios when the battery charge is low, such as to power the vehicle to achieve rapid speed changes and / or to compensate for heating and air conditioning loads. A PHEV can charge its battery from the grid, much like a battery electric vehicle (BEV). Using electricity from the battery to operate a PHEV can reduce fuel use and / or produce lower levels of emissions compared to an internal combustion engine. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides a technique for actuating a charging process when a PHEV is identified for charging based on a determination that the PHEV's engine would otherwise begin providing charging. A BEV can be identified as providing charging to the identified PHEV, thereby preventing the PHEV's engine from starting. Running a PHEV on power from a battery can reduce fuel use and / or produce lower levels of emissions. Most gaseous emissions from a typical trip or driving phase occur immediately after the internal combustion engine is started while the catalytic converter warms up to a temperature that initiates the catalytic reaction. The disclosed technique helps prevent the internal combustion engine of a PHEV from starting, thereby generally reducing emissions and / or increasing the range that the PHEV can travel on battery power.

[0004] Disclosed herein is a method for inter-vehicle charging, the method comprising identifying a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) for charging based on determining that the PHEV's engine will be started before the PHEV's battery is charged from an external power source. The method further comprises identifying a battery electric vehicle (BEV) to provide charging to the identified PHEV to prevent the PHEV's engine from starting. Location information may be transmitted to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV. An electrical connection between the BEV and the PHEV is verified, and a BEV-to-PHEV charging process is initiated.

[0005] The method may include determining that an engine of the PHEV is to be started based on a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV and an ambient temperature.

[0006] Determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started may include determining that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when the ambient temperature is outside of a specified range.

[0007] Determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started may include determining that a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV provides a cruising range that is less than a distance to the external power source.

[0008] Determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started may include that a battery thermal management system is to be activated when a temperature of a battery of the PHEV is outside of a specified range.

[0009] The method may include monitoring the charging process to determine an amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV.

[0010] The method may include determining an additional electric-only vehicle range based on an amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV.

[0011] Identifying the BEV may include identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV.

[0012] Identifying the BEVs may include identifying the BEVs based on proximity and / or travel time to a common destination with the PHEVs.

[0013] The method may include displaying a notification on a graphical user interface of the PHEV regarding the location of BEVs available for charging.

[0014] Disclosed herein is a system including a vehicle computer comprising a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions executable by the vehicle computer to: determine that a PHEV requires charging based on determining that the PHEV's engine will be started before the PHEV's battery is charged from an external power source, and verify an electrical connection between a BEV and the PHEV. The system also includes a server computer comprising a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions executable by the server computer to: identify a BEV to provide charging to the PHEV, transmit location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV, and initiate a BEV-to-PHEV charging process.

[0015] The instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started may include instructions for determining that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when the ambient temperature is outside of a specified range.

[0016] The instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started may include instructions for determining that a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV provides a cruising range that is less than a distance to the external power source.

[0017] The instructions for identifying the BEV may include instructions for identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV.

[0018] The instructions for identifying the BEV may include instructions for identifying the BEV based on proximity and / or travel time to a common destination with the PHEV.

[0019] The instructions for transmitting the location information may include instructions for displaying a notification on a graphical user interface of the PHEV regarding the location of the BEV available for charging.

[0020] Disclosed herein is a system including a vehicle computer comprising a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions executable by the vehicle computer to verify an electrical connection between a BEV and a PHEV and to initiate a BEV-to-PHEV charging process. The system also includes a server computer comprising a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions executable by the server computer to: identify a PHEV for charging based on a determination that the PHEV's engine will be started before the PHEV's battery is charged from an external power source, identify a BEV to provide charging to the identified PHEV, and transmit location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV.

[0021] The instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started may include instructions for determining that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when the ambient temperature is outside of a specified range.

[0022] The instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started may include instructions for determining that a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV provides a cruising range that is less than a distance to the external power source.

[0023] The instructions for identifying the BEV may include instructions for identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example vehicle system.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of inter-vehicle charging.

[0026] Figure 3 is a flow chart of an example process for inter-vehicle charging. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Figure 1is a diagram of an example system 100. System 100 includes a vehicle 110 that can be operated by a user and / or under the control of a computing device 115, which may include one or more vehicle electronic control units (ECUs) or computers, such as are known in the art, which may include additional hardware, software, and / or programming, as described herein. Computing device 115 can receive data regarding the operation of vehicle 110 from sensors 116. Computing device 115 can operate vehicle 110 or components thereof in lieu of, or in combination with, control by a human user. System 100 can also include a remote (i.e., external to) server computer 120 that can communicate with vehicle 110 via network 130.

[0028] The computing device 115 may include one or more processors and one or more memory devices, such as are known in the art. Furthermore, the memory may include one or more forms of computer-readable media and store instructions that are executable by the processor to perform various operations (including the operations disclosed herein). For example, the computing device 115 may include programming to operate one or more of vehicle braking, propulsion (e.g., controlling the speed of the vehicle 110 by controlling one or more of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a hybrid engine, etc.), steering, climate control, interior lights, and / or exterior lights, etc.

[0029] The computing device 115 may include more than one computing device, such as a controller, ECU, or the like included in the vehicle 110 for monitoring and / or controlling various vehicle subsystems (e.g., the propulsion subsystem 112, the braking subsystem 113, the steering subsystem 114, etc.), or may be communicatively coupled to the more than one computing device, such as via a vehicle communication bus as further described below. The computing device 115 is typically arranged to communicate on a vehicle communication network (e.g., including a bus in the vehicle 110, such as a controller area network (CAN), etc.). The vehicle network may additionally or alternatively include known wired or wireless communication mechanisms, such as Ethernet or other communication protocols.

[0030] The computing device 115 can transmit messages to and / or receive messages from various devices in the vehicle (e.g., controllers, actuators, sensors (including sensor 116), etc.) via the vehicle network. Alternatively or additionally, where the computing device 115 includes multiple devices, the vehicle communication network can be used for communication between the devices represented in this disclosure as computing device 115. Furthermore, as mentioned below, various controllers or sensing elements (such as sensor 116) can provide data to the computing device 115 via the vehicle communication network.

[0031] Additionally, the computing device 115 may be configured to communicate with a remote server computer 120 (such as a cloud server) via a network 130 through a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V-to-I) interface, as described below, which includes hardware, firmware, and software that permits the computing device 115 to communicate with a remote server computer 120 (such as a cloud server) via a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V-to-I) interface, such as a wireless Internet connection. The V2X interface 111 may thus include a computer configured to communicate with the remote server computer 120 using various wired and / or wireless networking technologies (e.g., cellular, The computing device 115 may include a processor, memory, transceiver, and the like, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), peer-to-peer communication, UWB-based radar, IEEE 802.11, and / or other wired and / or wireless packet networks or technologies. The computing device 115 may be configured to communicate with other vehicles via a V2X (vehicle-to-everything) interface 111 using, for example, a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) network formed between nearby vehicles 110 on a mobile ad hoc basis or via an infrastructure-based network (e.g., based on cellular communication (C-V2X) wireless communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), and / or similar communications). The computing device 115 may also include a non-volatile memory, such as is known in the art. The computing device 115 may record data by storing it in the non-volatile memory for later retrieval and transmission to a server computer 120 or a user's mobile device via the vehicle communication network and the vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) interface 111.

[0032] As already mentioned, the instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor of the computing device 115 generally include programming for operating one or more vehicle 110 components (e.g., braking, steering, propulsion, etc.). Using data received at the computing device 115 (e.g., sensor data from sensors 116, server computer 120, etc.), the computing device 115 can make various determinations and / or control various vehicle 110 components and / or operations.

[0033] Each of the subsystems 112, 113, 114 may include a corresponding processor and memory and / or one or more actuators. The subsystems 112, 113, 114 may be programmed and connected to a vehicle 110 communication bus, such as a controller area network (CAN) bus or a local interconnect network (LIN) bus, to receive instructions from the computing device 115 and control the actuators based on the instructions.

[0034] Sensors 116 may include various devices, such as those known in the art, to provide data via the vehicle communication bus. For example, a radar mounted on the front bumper (not shown) of vehicle 110 may provide the distance from vehicle 110 to the next vehicle in front of vehicle 110, or a GNSS sensor disposed in vehicle 110 may provide the geographic coordinates of vehicle 110. The distances provided by radar and / or other sensors 116 and / or the geographic coordinates provided by the GNSS sensor may be used by computing device 115 to operate vehicle 110.

[0035] Vehicle 110 is typically a land-based vehicle 110 having three or more wheels, such as a passenger car, light truck, etc. Vehicle 110 includes one or more sensors 116, a V2X interface 111, a computing device 115, and one or more subsystems 112, 113, and 114. Sensors 116 can collect data related to vehicle 110 and the operating environment of vehicle 110. By way of example and not limitation, sensors 116 can include, for example, altimeters, cameras, lidars, radars, ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, pressure sensors, gyroscopes, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, Hall sensors, optical sensors, voltage sensors, current sensors, mechanical sensors (such as switches), and the like. Sensors 116 can be used to sense the operating environment of vehicle 110. For example, sensors 116 can detect phenomena such as weather conditions (rainfall, external ambient temperature, etc.), road grade, road position (e.g., using road edges, lane markings, etc.), or the location of target objects (such as neighboring vehicles). Sensors 116 can also be used to collect data, including dynamic vehicle data related to the operation of vehicle 110, such as speed, yaw rate, steering angle, engine speed, brake pressure, oil pressure, power levels applied to subsystems 112, 113, 114 in vehicle 110, connectivity between components, and accurate and timely performance of components of vehicle 110.

[0036] The server computer 120 generally has features in common with the V2X interface 111 and computing device 115 of the vehicle 110, such as a computer processor and memory and a configuration for communicating via the network 130, and therefore these features will not be described further. The server computer 120 can be used to develop and train software that can be transferred to the computing device 115 in the vehicle 110.

[0037] refer to Figure 2 PHEV 200 may include a battery 206 to power electric motor 204. PHEV 200 may also include an internal combustion engine 202 to power the vehicle when battery 206 is low, for example, to enable rapid speed changes and / or to compensate for heating and air conditioning loads. The PHEV may charge its battery 206 from the grid and / or using internal combustion engine 202.

[0038] Running the vehicle on electricity from battery 206 can reduce fuel use and also produce lower levels of emissions. Most gaseous emissions from a single, typical drive occur immediately after the internal combustion engine is started, while the catalytic converter warms up to the temperature that initiates the catalytic reaction. The disclosed technology helps prevent the PHEV's internal combustion engine 202 from starting, thereby reducing emissions and increasing the range the PHEV can travel on battery power, i.e., the electric vehicle range (eVMT).

[0039] PHEV 200 can also be charged via inter-vehicle charging. For example, PHEV 200 can be charged by BEV 230. BEV 230 includes a battery 234 to power electric motor 232. BEVs typically have a larger battery capacity than PHEVs and may have excess range relative to daily activities, for example, in urban environments where there is an opportunity for regenerative braking when the BEV decelerates, which recharges the battery. For example, this excess range can provide energy that can be used to charge the PHEV. BEV 230 can charge PHEV 200 using a charging cable 216 connected to the PHEV's charging port 214 and the BEV's charging port 236.

[0040] The need for charging of a PHEV can be identified based on a determination that the PHEV's engine will start before the PHEV's battery is charged from an external power source. For example, if the distance 252 to the PHEV's next charging location (e.g., a home charging station 250) exceeds the range that its battery 206 can provide given its current state of charge, it can be determined that the PHEV's engine 202 will start to propel the vehicle and / or charge the battery 206. In an example, the vehicle computing device 115 of the PHEV 200 can determine the distance 252 to the next charging location based on its current location and a known destination (such as the home charging station 250). The PHEV 200 can also calculate an estimated range based on the state of charge of the battery 206. Alternatively or in addition, the server computer 120 can receive location, destination, and state of charge information from the PHEV to perform these calculations. In the context of this application, an external power source refers to a power source other than the PHEV's internal combustion engine 202, such as a home-based charging station 250 and a public charging station connected to, for example, the power grid.

[0041] The ambient temperature surrounding PHEV 200 can influence whether engine 202 will start. If the ambient temperature is above a high temperature threshold, it can be determined that the vehicle's air conditioning will be activated via thermostat control or possibly by the user. Similarly, if the ambient temperature is below a low temperature threshold, it can be determined that the heater will be activated or by the user. In other words, if the ambient temperature is outside a specified range measured by vehicle temperature sensor 208, it can be determined that the PHEV's air conditioning or heater will be activated. Activating the air conditioning or heater requires energy from the battery, which may require starting the PHEV's engine 202 depending on the state of charge of battery 206 and the distance 252 to the next charging location 250. In an example, the high and low temperature thresholds can be determined empirically (e.g., by testing the vehicle at various ambient temperatures to determine when the air conditioning or heater is activated by the user and / or the thermostat). Alternatively or additionally, vehicle design parameters can be used, such as the temperature at which the thermostat is programmed to trigger activation of the air conditioning or heater.

[0042] In another example, a PHEV's battery thermal management system (BTMS) may need to be activated based on ambient temperature. The BTMS helps maintain battery 206 within its optimal temperature range. Low battery pack temperatures can reduce the charge / discharge capacity and power capacity of battery 206. Higher battery temperatures can also lead to performance degradation, including loss of capacity and power. If the ambient temperature is above a high temperature threshold or below a low temperature threshold, it can be determined that the BTMS will activate. In other words, if the ambient temperature is outside a specified range measured by vehicle temperature sensor 208, it can be determined that the PHEV's BTMS will activate. Activating the BTMS requires energy from the battery, which may require starting the PHEV's engine 202 depending on the state of charge of battery 206 and the distance 252 to the next charging location 250. In this example, the high and low temperature thresholds can be determined empirically (e.g., by testing the vehicle at various ambient temperatures to determine when the BTMS is activated, for example, by the thermostat). Alternatively or additionally, vehicle design parameters can be used, such as the battery temperature at which the thermostat is programmed to trigger activation of the BTMS.

[0043] In the example, when it is determined that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated, the estimated range that the battery 206 of the PHEV can provide given its current state of charge can be reduced, for example, according to any suitable technique for range estimation (such as according to an empirically determined factor, e.g., 20%). If the distance 252 to the next charging location of the PHEV (e.g., home charging station 250) exceeds the reduced range, it can be determined that the engine 202 of the PHEV is to be started.

[0044] To prevent the PHEV's engine 202 from starting, the PHEV 200 can charge using an available BEV 230. Available BEVs 230 can be identified based on the state of charge of the BEV's battery 234. In one example, the user of the BEV 230 can set a minimum state of charge threshold that can be used to charge other vehicles. Alternatively, the user can set a minimum excess range margin beyond the range required to reach the BEV's next charging location as a prerequisite for availability to charge other vehicles. Identifying available BEVs 230 can also include identifying BEVs based on their location (e.g., proximity and / or travel time to a common destination with the PHEV 200). For example, a maximum travel time threshold (e.g., 15 minutes) for traveling to the common destination can be set to help ensure that both vehicles will be in the same place at the same time. Once the PHEV 200 is identified for charging and the available BEV 230 is identified as providing charging, the system can transmit location information to the PHEV and / or BEV to facilitate navigation to the common location, such as a grocery store. The PHEVs and / or BEVs may transmit their current location and / or destination to a server computer 120, which matches the current location with a common location for charging. For example, the destination location of each vehicle may be input by a user of each vehicle as part of a trip. The location / navigation information may be provided to a human-machine interface (HMI) 212 in the PHEVs and / or BEVs.

[0045] The system can verify that an electrical connection has been established between the BEV and the PHEV, for example, via cable 216, and initiate the charging process from the BEV to the PHEV. The system can also monitor the charging process to determine the amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV. The system can determine the emission reduction and additional eVMT achieved by preventing the PHEV's engine from starting based on the amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV. In an example, the expected emission reduction can be considered when pairing the BEV and PHEV for charging. For example, residual emissions (e.g., CO2) and changes to the smart charging schedule can be considered.

[0046] Figure 3is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process 300 for activating a charging process when a PHEV is identified for charging based on a determination that the PHEV's engine is about to start and a BEV is identified to provide charging to the identified PHEV to prevent the PHEV's engine from starting. The process 300 may be implemented in a computing system including one or more vehicle computing devices 115 and / or a server computer 120 that communicates with the computing device 115 via a network 130. In the example, the vehicle computer or the server computer performs all steps. Other examples in which the steps are distributed between the two computers are possible. For example, although certain steps may be described as being performed by the server, it should be understood that they may alternatively be performed by the vehicle computer (or one of the vehicle computers), or vice versa. The process 300 includes multiple blocks that may be executed in the order shown. Alternatively or in addition, the process 300 may include more or fewer blocks, and / or include blocks that are executed in a different order.

[0047] Process 300 begins at block 302 when, for example, server computer 120 receives information about PHEV 200, including the state of charge of battery 206, a destination and / or location, battery temperature, and / or ambient temperature. The server may also receive information about BEV 230 that can be used to charge PHEV 200, including the state of charge of battery 234 and the distance and / or travel time to the PHEV's location or destination.

[0048] At block 310 , the server identifies that the PHEV 200 is to be charged based on determining that the PHEV's engine 202 will be started before the PHEV's battery 206 is charged from the external power source. In an example, block 310 may include blocks (or sub-blocks) 304 , 306 , and 308 .

[0049] At decision block 304, the vehicle computing device determines whether the temperature (e.g., ambient temperature and / or battery temperature) is outside a specified range (i.e., above a high temperature threshold or below a low temperature threshold). For example, as explained above, the specified range may be determined based on temperatures determined to be likely to cause activation of the vehicle's BTMS, air conditioning, and / or heater. If the ambient temperature, as determined, for example, by the vehicle's temperature sensor, is outside the specified temperature range, process 300 moves to block 306, where the estimated cruising range of the PHEV (i.e., the estimated cruising range is the estimated distance the vehicle can travel before depleting the stored power used to move the vehicle's electric motor) is adjusted. Otherwise, if the ambient temperature is within the specified temperature range, process 300 moves to decision block 308.

[0050] At box 306 , when it is determined that the PHEV's BTMS, air conditioning, and / or heater are to be activated, the estimated range that the PHEV's battery 206 can provide given its current state of charge may be reduced by, for example, an empirically determined factor, such as 20%.

[0051] At decision block 308, the vehicle computing device determines whether the distance 252 to the PHEV's next charging location (e.g., the home charging station 250) exceeds the range that the PHEV's battery 206 can provide given its current state of charge and any adjustments for the ambient temperature from block 306. If the distance 252 to the PHEV's next charging location exceeds the range that its battery 206 can provide, then it may be determined that the PHEV's engine 202 will be started to propel the vehicle and / or charge the battery 206, and the process 300 proceeds to block 312. Otherwise, if the distance 252 to the PHEV's next charging location is within the range that its battery 206 can provide, then it may be determined that the PHEV's engine 202 will not be started, and the process 300 returns to block 302 to further monitor whether the PHEV will require charging. Alternatively, although not shown in the diagram of process 300, process 300 may terminate upon a negative determination in block 308 and / or at some other suitable time, e.g., if user input to end the process is received, if the process is scheduled to run only at certain times, etc.

[0052] At box 312, the server computer identifies the BEV 230 to provide charging to the identified PHEV 200 to prevent the PHEV's engine from starting. Available BEVs 230 may be identified based on the state of charge of the BEV's battery 234. In an example, in some embodiments, the user of the BEV 230 may set a minimum state of charge threshold for enabling the BEV 230 to charge other vehicles. Alternatively or in addition, the user may be allowed or required to set a minimum additional range margin beyond the range required to reach the next charging location of the BEV as a prerequisite for the availability of charging other vehicles. Identifying available BEVs 230 may also include identifying BEVs based on proximity (i.e., distance) and / or travel time to a common destination for the PHEVs 200. For example, a maximum travel time threshold (e.g., 15 minutes) may be set for traveling to a common destination so that both vehicles are likely to be at the same place at the same time.

[0053] At block 314 , once an available BEV 230 is identified as providing charging, the server computer may transmit location information to the PHEV and / or BEV for navigation to a common destination, such as a parking lot or grocery store. In some examples, the location / navigation information may be provided to the HMI 212 in the PHEV and / or BEV.

[0054] At block 316, the system verifies the electrical connection between the BEV 230 and the PHEV 200. Once the vehicles have navigated to a location close to each other, a cable can be connected between the vehicles' charging ports. For example, once the server verifies that the user is in the same location, the server can prompt them to plug in the cable via the vehicle's respective HMI. The vehicle's power electronics can sense that the cable is connected and provide this information to the system. This can be detected, for example, by the battery charge control module (BCCM).

[0055] At box 318, the system activates the BEV to PHEV charging process. The process may include transferring energy from the BEV to the PHEV until a specified maximum state of charge of the PHEV or a minimum state of charge of the BEV. The vehicles can authenticate / ID each other via communication between the two vehicles and the server computer 120, where authentication can be pre-approved once the two vehicles are matched. Once one vehicle approaches the other (e.g., the BEV 230 arrives in a parking spot next to the PHEV 200, or vice versa), the two vehicles can recognize each other through a variety of methods (Bluetooth, NFC, camera vision, or simply at a GPS-matched location), and because they are pre-authenticated, the arriving vehicle can plug in and power transfer begins. In another example, the plug-in may have a communication protocol similar to Plug and Charge (PnC), where authentication is completed through communication between the PHEV 200 and the BEV 230 upon plug-in, and then charging begins.

[0056] At block 320, the system monitors the charging process to determine the amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV. The system may also determine the distance the PHEV has traveled on electric power since the last charge (e.g., additional electric vehicle range) based on the state of charge (charge percentage) after the last charge and the amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV. In some examples, the system may determine the emission reduction achieved by preventing the PHEV's engine from starting based on the amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV.

[0057] Computing devices such as those described herein typically each include commands that can be executed by one or more computing devices such as those identified above and used to implement the blocks or steps of the processes described above. For example, the process blocks described above can be embodied as computer-executable commands.

[0058] The computer executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted by a computer program created using a variety of programming languages and / or technologies, including but not limited to the following, either singly or in combination: Java TM, C, C++, Python, Julia, SCALA, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, HTML, etc. Typically, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives commands, for example, from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these commands, thereby performing one or more processes including one or more of the processes described herein. A variety of computer-readable media can be used to store such commands and other data in files and to transmit such commands and other data. A file in a computing device is typically a collection of data stored on a computer-readable medium such as a storage medium, random access memory, or the like.

[0059] Computer-readable media (also known as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (i.e., tangible) media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. Instructions can be transmitted via one or more transmission media, including optical fiber, wires, wireless communications, including internal components that make up a system bus coupled to a processor of a computer. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

[0060] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary and customary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art. Specifically, unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary, use of singular articles such as "a," "an," "the," and "said" should be construed to recite one or more of the indicated elements.

[0061] The adverb “approximately” modifying a value or result means that the shape, structure, measurement, value, determination, calculation, etc. may deviate from the exactly described geometry, distance, measurement, value, determination, calculation, etc. due to imperfections in materials, machining, manufacturing, sensor measurement, calculation, processing time, communication time, etc.

[0062] In the accompanying drawings, the same candidate marks indicate the same elements. In addition, some or all of these elements can be changed. With respect to the media, processes, systems, methods, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps or frames of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a sequence in a specific order, such processes can be put into practice by performing the described steps in an order other than the order described herein. It should be understood that certain steps can be performed simultaneously, other steps can be added, or certain steps described herein can be omitted. In other words, the description of the process herein is provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments and should in no way be interpreted as limiting the claimed invention. Any use of "based on" and "in response to" herein (including with reference to the media, processes, systems, methods, etc. described herein) indicates a causal relationship, not just a temporal relationship.

[0063] According to the present invention, a method for inter-vehicle charging includes: identifying a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to be charged based on determining that the engine of the PHEV will be started before the battery of the PHEV is charged from an external power source; identifying a battery electric vehicle (BEV) to provide charging to the identified PHEV; transmitting location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV; verifying an electrical connection between the BEV and the PHEV; and actuating a BEV to PHEV charging process.

[0064] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes determining that an engine of the PHEV is to be started based on a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV and an ambient temperature.

[0065] In one aspect of the present invention, determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started includes determining that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when the ambient temperature is outside of a specified range.

[0066] In one aspect of the invention, determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started includes determining that a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV provides a cruising range that is less than a distance to the external power source.

[0067] In one aspect of the present invention, determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started includes determining that a battery thermal management system is to be activated when a temperature of a battery of the PHEV is outside of a specified range.

[0068] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes monitoring the charging process to determine an amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV.

[0069] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes determining an additional electric-only vehicle range based on an amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV.

[0070] In one aspect of the invention, identifying the BEV includes identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV.

[0071] In one aspect of the invention, identifying the BEV includes identifying the BEV based on proximity and / or travel time to a common destination with the PHEV.

[0072] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes displaying a notification on a graphical user interface of the PHEV regarding the location of BEVs available for charging.

[0073] According to the present invention, a system is provided, comprising: a vehicle computer, the vehicle computer including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the vehicle computer to: determine that a PHEV requires charging based on determining that the PHEV's engine will start before the PHEV's battery is charged from an external power source; and verify an electrical connection between a BEV and the PHEV; and a server computer, the server computer including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the server computer to: identify the BEV to provide charging to the PHEV; transmit location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV; and actuate a BEV to PHEV charging process.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started include instructions for determining that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when the ambient temperature is outside of a specified range.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started include instructions for determining that a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV provides a cruising range that is less than a distance to the external power source.

[0076] According to an embodiment, the instructions for identifying the BEV include instructions for identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the instructions for identifying the BEV include instructions for identifying the BEV based on proximity and / or travel time to a common destination with the PHEV.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the instructions for transmitting the location information include instructions for displaying a notification on a graphical user interface of the PHEV regarding the location of the BEV available for charging.

[0079] According to the present invention, a system is provided, comprising: a vehicle computer, the vehicle computer including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the vehicle computer to perform the following operations: verifying an electrical connection between a BEV and a PHEV; and actuating a BEV to PHEV charging process; and a server computer, the server computer including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the server computer to perform the following operations: identifying a PHEV to be charged based on determining that the PHEV's engine will be started before the PHEV's battery is charged from an external power source; identifying a BEV to provide charging to the identified PHEV; and transmitting location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started include instructions for determining that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when the ambient temperature is outside of a specified range.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started include instructions for determining that a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV provides a cruising range that is less than a distance to the external power source.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the instructions for identifying the BEV include instructions for identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV.

Claims

1. A method for inter-vehicle charging, comprising: identifying a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to be charged based on determining that an engine of the PHEV will be started before a battery of the PHEV is charged from an external power source; Identifying a battery electric vehicle (BEV) to provide charging to the identified PHEV; transmitting location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV; verifying electrical connectivity between the BEV and the PHEV; as well as Actuate the BEV to PHEV charging process. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started based on a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV and an ambient temperature. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started includes determining that an air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when the ambient temperature is outside a specified range. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started comprises determining that the state of charge of the battery of the PHEV provides a cruising range that is less than a distance to the external power source. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started includes determining that a battery thermal management system is to be activated when a temperature of a battery of the PHEV is outside of the specified range. 6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the charging process to determine an amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV. 7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining an additional electric vehicle range based on the amount of energy transferred from the BEV to the PHEV. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the BEV comprises identifying the BEV based on proximity and / or travel time to a destination common to the PHEVs. 9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a notification on a graphical user interface of the PHEV regarding the location of BEVs available for charging.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein identifying the BEV comprises identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV.

11. A system comprising: A vehicle computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions executable by the vehicle computer to: determining that the PHEV requires charging based on determining that an engine of the PHEV will start before a battery of the PHEV is charged from an external power source; and Verifying electrical connections between the BEV and the PHEV; as well as A server computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions executable by the server computer to: identifying the BEV to provide charging to the PHEV; transmitting location information to at least one of the PHEV or the BEV to navigate to the location of the other of the PHEV or the BEV; and Actuate the BEV to PHEV charging process. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started include instructions for determining that the air conditioner or heater of the PHEV is to be activated when an ambient temperature is outside a specified range.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions for determining that the engine of the PHEV is to be started include instructions for determining that a state of charge of a battery of the PHEV provides a driving range that is less than a distance to the external power source.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions for identifying the BEV include instructions for identifying the BEV based on a state of charge of a battery of the BEV.

15. The system of any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the instructions for identifying the BEV include instructions for identifying the BEV based on proximity and / or travel time to a destination common to the PHEVs.

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