Vehicle battery charging system based on external sensing data

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle battery charging system based on external sensed data. A charging system for a vehicle includes: a power source; an in-vehicle charging module configured to recharge the selected one or more of the power sources; and a control module. The control module is configured to: determine whether the vehicle is decelerating; in response to determining that the vehicle is decelerating, acquiring external sensor data from the sensor; determining whether the vehicle is in a dense ambient environment based on the external sensor data; and enabling recharging of the selected one or more of the power sources based on whether the vehicle is in the dense ambient environment.

Description

[0001] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the background of this disclosure. The work of the currently attributed inventors, to the extent described in this section, and in respect of aspects that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, is neither expressly nor implied to be in conflict with the prior art of this disclosure. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to charging systems for low-voltage and high-voltage sources used in rechargeable energy storage systems. Background Technology

[0003] Electric vehicles (such as all-electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and hybrid electric vehicles including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)) include high-voltage (HV) battery packs. The HV battery packs supply power to HV DC loads and an auxiliary power module that converts the high voltage to a low voltage to charge a low-voltage (LV) power source (or battery). The LV power source powers the LV DC loads. HV loads may include motors for propulsion purposes and other HV loads. LV loads may include, for example, headlights, window and seat motors, door locks, infotainment system units, etc. The HV battery pack may have terminals at, for example, 400V or 800V. The LV power source may have terminals at, for example, 12V or 48V. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A charging system for a vehicle is disclosed. The charging system includes: a power source; an on-board charging module configured to recharge one or more selected power sources; and a control module. The control module is configured to: determine whether the vehicle is decelerating; acquire external sensor data from sensors in response to determining that the vehicle is decelerating; determine whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment based on the external sensor data; and, based on whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, perform recharging of one or more selected power sources.

[0005] Among other features, the control module is configured to: determine whether the differential braking force is greater than a set differential threshold; and acquire external sensor data in response to the differential braking force being greater than the set differential threshold.

[0006] Among other features, the control module is configured to: determine whether the vehicle differential is negative and whether its magnitude is greater than a set differential threshold; and acquire external sensor data in response to the differential being negative and greater than the set differential threshold.

[0007] Among other features, the control module is configured to: capture images via one or more outward-facing cameras; perform image recognition on the captured images; and determine that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment based on the number and type of objects detected in the captured images.

[0008] Among other features, the control module is configured to: generate a point cloud based on the output of one or more lidar sensors; determine the density of the point cloud; determine the signal-to-noise ratio based on the density; and determine that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment based on the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0009] Among other features, the control module is configured to: generate a data map based on the output of one or more radar sensors; detect one or more structural objects based on the data map; determine the signal-to-noise ratio based on the detection of one or more structural objects; and determine that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment based on the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0010] Among other features, the control module is configured to: receive navigation data; extract metadata from the navigation data; determine, based on the metadata, whether the vehicle is in a construction zone; and, in response to determining that the vehicle is in a construction zone, determine that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0011] Among other features, the control module is configured to: wait for a predetermined period of time in response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment; and, after the predetermined period of time has expired, to recharge one or more selected power sources.

[0012] Among other features, the control module is configured to: wait for a first predetermined time period in response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment; verify that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment in response to the expiration of the first predetermined time period; wait for a second predetermined time period in response to determining that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment; and, after the expiration of the second predetermined time period, perform recharging of one or more selected power sources.

[0013] Among other features, the power supply includes at least one of a high-voltage power supply and a low-voltage power supply. The high-voltage power supply provides a voltage greater than or equal to 200V. The low-voltage power supply provides a voltage less than or equal to 48V.

[0014] Among other features, a charging method for charging a vehicle's power source is disclosed. The charging method includes: determining whether the vehicle is decelerating; in response to determining that the vehicle is decelerating, acquiring external sensor data from multiple sensors; determining, based on the external sensor data, whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment; and, based on whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, recharging one or more selected power sources via an onboard charging module.

[0015] Among other features, the charging method further includes: determining whether the differential braking force is greater than a set differential threshold; and acquiring external sensor data in response to the differential braking force being greater than the set differential threshold.

[0016] Among other features, the charging method also includes: determining whether the vehicle differential is negative and whether its magnitude is greater than a set differential threshold; and acquiring external sensor data in response to the differential being negative and its magnitude being greater than the set differential threshold.

[0017] Among other features, the charging method also includes: capturing images via one or more outward-facing cameras; performing image recognition on the captured images; and determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment based on the number and type of objects detected in the captured images.

[0018] Among other features, the charging method also includes: generating a point cloud based on the output of one or more lidar sensors; determining the density of the point cloud; determining the signal-to-noise ratio based on the density; and determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment based on the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0019] Among other features, the charging method also includes: generating a data map based on the output of one or more lidar sensors; detecting one or more structural objects based on the data map; determining the signal-to-noise ratio based on the detection of one or more structural objects; and determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment based on the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0020] Among other features, the charging method also includes: receiving navigation data; extracting metadata from the navigation data; determining, based on the metadata, whether the vehicle is in a construction zone; and determining, in response to determining that the vehicle is in a construction zone, that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0021] Among other features, the charging method further includes: waiting for a predetermined period of time in response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment; and recharging one or more selected power sources after the predetermined period of time has expired.

[0022] Among other features, the charging method further includes: waiting for a first predetermined time period in response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment; verifying that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment in response to the expiration of the first predetermined time period; waiting for a second predetermined time period in response to determining that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment; and recharging one or more selected power sources after the expiration of the second predetermined time period.

[0023] Among other features, the power supply includes at least one of a high-voltage power supply and a low-voltage power supply. The high-voltage power supply provides a voltage greater than or equal to 200V. The low-voltage power supply provides a voltage less than or equal to 48V.

[0024] Further applications of this disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0025] This disclosure also includes the following technical solutions:

[0026] 1. A charging system for a vehicle, the charging system comprising:

[0027] Multiple power supplies;

[0028] An on-board charging module configured to recharge one or more selected of the plurality of power sources; and

[0029] The control module is configured as follows:

[0030] Determine if the vehicle is decelerating.

[0031] In response to determining that the vehicle is decelerating, external sensor data is acquired from multiple sensors.

[0032] Based on the external sensor data, it is determined whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, and

[0033] Based on whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, one or more selected power sources can be recharged from the plurality of power sources.

[0034] 2. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0035] Determine whether the differential braking force is greater than the set differential threshold; and

[0036] The external sensor data is acquired in response to the differential braking force being greater than the set differential threshold.

[0037] 3. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0038] Determine whether the differential speed of the vehicle is negative and whether its magnitude is greater than a set differential threshold; and

[0039] The external sensor data is acquired in response to the differential being negative and its magnitude being greater than the set differential threshold.

[0040] 4. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0041] Images are captured via one or more outward-facing cameras;

[0042] Perform image recognition on the captured image; and

[0043] Based on the number and type of objects detected in the captured images, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0044] 5. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0045] Point clouds are generated based on the output of one or more lidar sensors;

[0046] Determine the density of the point cloud;

[0047] The signal-to-noise ratio is determined based on the density; and

[0048] Based on the signal-to-noise ratio, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0049] 6. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0050] Data maps are generated based on the output of one or more radar sensors;

[0051] Detect one or more structural objects based on the data map;

[0052] The signal-to-noise ratio is determined based on the detection of the one or more structural objects; and

[0053] Based on the signal-to-noise ratio, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0054] 7. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0055] Receive navigation data;

[0056] Extract metadata from the navigation data;

[0057] Based on the metadata, determine whether the vehicle is in the construction zone; and

[0058] In response to determining that the vehicle is in the construction area, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0059] 8. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0060] In response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a predetermined period of time; and

[0061] After the predetermined time period expires, one or more selected power sources are recharged.

[0062] 9. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein the control module is configured to:

[0063] In response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a first predetermined time period;

[0064] In response to the expiration of the first predetermined time period, verify that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment;

[0065] In response to determining that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a second predetermined period of time; and

[0066] After the second predetermined time period expires, one or more of the selected power sources are recharged.

[0067] 10. The charging system according to Scheme 1, wherein:

[0068] The plurality of power sources includes at least one of a high-voltage power source and a low-voltage power source;

[0069] The high-voltage power supply provides a voltage greater than or equal to 200V; and

[0070] The low-voltage power supply provides a voltage of less than or equal to 48V.

[0071] 11. A charging method for charging multiple power sources of a vehicle, the charging method comprising:

[0072] Determine whether the vehicle is decelerating;

[0073] In response to determining that the vehicle is decelerating, external sensor data is acquired from multiple sensors;

[0074] Based on the external sensor data, determine whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment; and

[0075] Depending on whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, one or more of the selected power sources can be recharged via the on-board charging module.

[0076] 12. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0077] Determine whether the differential braking force is greater than the set differential threshold; and

[0078] The external sensor data is acquired in response to the differential braking force being greater than the set differential threshold.

[0079] 13. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0080] Determine whether the differential speed of the vehicle is negative and whether its magnitude is greater than a set differential threshold; and

[0081] The external sensor data is acquired in response to the differential being negative and its magnitude being greater than the set differential threshold.

[0082] 14. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0083] Images are captured via one or more outward-facing cameras;

[0084] Perform image recognition on the captured image; and

[0085] Based on the number and type of objects detected in the captured images, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0086] 15. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0087] Point clouds are generated based on the output of one or more lidar sensors;

[0088] Determine the density of the point cloud;

[0089] The signal-to-noise ratio is determined based on the density; and

[0090] Based on the signal-to-noise ratio, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0091] 16. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0092] Data maps are generated based on the output of one or more lidar sensors;

[0093] Detect one or more structural objects based on the data map;

[0094] The signal-to-noise ratio is determined based on the detection of the one or more structural objects; and

[0095] Based on the signal-to-noise ratio, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0096] 17. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0097] Receive navigation data;

[0098] Extract metadata from the navigation data;

[0099] Based on the metadata, determine whether the vehicle is in the construction zone; and

[0100] In response to determining that the vehicle is in the construction area, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

[0101] 18. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0102] In response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a predetermined period of time; and

[0103] After the predetermined time period expires, one or more selected power sources are recharged.

[0104] 19. The charging method according to Scheme 11 further includes:

[0105] In response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a first predetermined time period;

[0106] In response to the expiration of the first predetermined time period, verify that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment;

[0107] In response to determining that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a second predetermined period of time; and

[0108] After the second predetermined time period expires, one or more of the selected power sources are recharged.

[0109] 20. The charging method according to Scheme 11, wherein:

[0110] The plurality of power sources includes at least one of a high-voltage power source and a low-voltage power source;

[0111] The high-voltage power supply provides a voltage greater than or equal to 200V; and

[0112] The low-voltage power supply provides a voltage of less than or equal to 48V. Attached Figure Description

[0113] This disclosure will be understood more fully from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0114] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram of an example charging system for a vehicle including a vehicle integrated control module, according to this disclosure;

[0115] Figure 2 According to this disclosure, it includes a vehicle integrated control module. Figure 1A functional block diagram of a portion of the vehicle; and

[0116] Figures 3A-3C The illustration shows a charging method according to this disclosure.

[0117] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals may be used repeatedly to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0118] Electric and hybrid vehicles may include large battery packs comprising battery pack modules with numerous battery cells. The battery cells in each of these modules may be connected in series and / or in parallel. Battery pack modules may also be connected in series or in parallel to provide various output voltages (such as 12V and 48V) to power low-voltage loads (such as 12V and 48V loads). Battery pack modules may also be connected in series or in parallel to obtain higher voltages, such as 400V, 800V, and voltages above 800V. Individual and designated battery packs may be provided for both low-voltage and high-voltage loads.

[0119] During operation, parameters such as voltage, current, and temperature of the battery pack modules and battery cells can be monitored to determine their SOX values. The acronym "SOX" stands for State of Charge (SOC), State of Health (SOH), State of Power (SOP), and / or State of Function (SOF). The SOC of a battery cell and / or battery pack module refers to the voltage, current, and / or available charge stored in the battery cell and / or battery pack module. The SOH of a battery cell and / or battery pack module can refer to: years of service (or operating hours); the presence of short circuits; the presence of loose wires or poor connections; the temperature, voltage, power levels, and / or current levels supplied to or derived from the battery cell and / or battery pack module during certain operating conditions; and / or other parameters describing the health status of the battery cell and / or battery pack module. The SOF of a battery cell and / or battery pack module may refer to the current temperature, voltage and / or current levels supplied to or derived from the battery cell and / or battery pack module, and / or other parameters describing the current functional state of the battery cell and / or battery pack module.

[0120] The implementation methods disclosed herein can be applied to all-electric vehicles, BEVs, hybrid electric vehicles including PHEVs, partially or fully autonomous vehicles, and other types of vehicles.

[0121] As used herein, the term "power source" can refer to a battery pack, a battery module of a battery pack, one or more battery cells of a battery module of a battery pack, a battery, and / or other rechargeable power source. A battery pack may include multiple battery modules, each of which may further include hundreds of battery cells. Therefore, a power source may include multiple power sources. A power source may also include cooling circuitry, sensors, switches, terminals, control modules, etc.

[0122] The examples described in this article include charging systems for charging the high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) battery packs of a vehicle. Charging is performed based on data from external sensors such as cameras, lidar sensors, radar sensors, and navigation systems. The charging system utilizes reliable data points from externally oriented sensor modules to drive charging efficiency management. Charging efficiency management includes regenerative strategies that involve charging the HV and LV battery packs while supporting vehicle operations using HV and LV power.

[0123] Charging systems can operate based on vehicle dynamics (such as vehicle speed and braking mode) along with calibrations for charging efficiency management. However, such charging systems can be inefficient. The charging system disclosed herein operates based on preprocessed sensor data of vehicle dynamics, current braking operation, and external perception to achieve additional enhancements in charging efficiency, thereby leading to battery repair management and extended battery life. In an embodiment, real-time analysis is performed on sensor data of the environment surrounding the main vehicle, and based on this real-time analysis, charging of the HV and LV battery packs is implemented to improve charging efficiency.

[0124] Figure 1 A charging system 100 is shown, which may include an off-board charging station 102, a charging socket 104 for a vehicle 106, an on-board charging module (OBCM) 108, a vehicle integrated control module (VICM) 110, and a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) 112. The OBCM 108 includes an AC-DC converter 113 that converts HV AC to HV DC. The OBCM 108 controls the amount of current and charge on the HV DC bus 124, a portion of which is brought to the RESS 112 during charging. The OBCM 108 receives AC voltage from the off-board charging station 102 and reports the AC voltage to the VICM 110. The OBCM 108 can regulate the voltage on the HV DC bus 124. The OBCM 108 may also be part of a regenerative braking system used to recharge the power source during vehicle braking.

[0125] VICM 110 communicates with off-board charging station 102 via communication line 114 and controls charging of RESS 112 as follows: i) directly via first HV DC line 116 and second HV DC line 118, or ii) indirectly via HV AC line 120, OBCM 108, line 122 between charging socket 104 and OBCM 108, and HV DC bus 124. Communication may include determining the charging capacity of off-board charging station 102 and may include instructions for setting the power output of off-board charging station 102. HV DC line 118 may be connected to HV DC bus 124. VICM 210 implements charging application 130 based on calibration values ​​stored in memory 134, at least some of which are mentioned herein. RESS 112 may include one or more HV battery packs 136, which may be connected in series and / or in parallel.

[0126] Vehicle 106 also includes an auxiliary power module (APM) 140, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 144, a propulsion system 146, and / or other HV power sources. APM 140 converts HV DC on HV DC bus 124 to LV DC and supplies LV DC to LV power source 142 (e.g., a 12V battery, a multi-output dynamically adjustable capacity system (MODACS), a 48V power source, etc.). LV power source 142 may have one or more positive terminals at one or more positive voltage potentials (e.g., 12V and 48V). LV power source 142 supplies power to LV systems and / or devices 143, such as lighting systems, infotainment systems, navigation systems, object detection and / or collision avoidance systems, seat heaters and / or motors, window motors, door locks, etc. Although a single LV DC bus 145 is shown, more than one LV DC bus may be included. HVAC system 144 may include a coolant electric heater (CEH) 147 and an air compressor electric compressor (ACEC) 149. The propulsion system 146 may include one or more motors 148 and may include an internal combustion engine 150, the one or more motors 148 and the internal combustion engine for driving one or more axles and corresponding wheels of the vehicle 106.

[0127] A “charging event” can refer to each time the vehicle 106 plug is inserted into a charging station (such as off-board charging station 102) or when the VICM 110 recharges one or more of the power sources (such as battery pack 136 and LV power source 142).

[0128] Off-board charging station 102 can be an L1, L2, or L3 type charging station. VICM 110 can implement recharging events based on information collected from sensor 160, GPS receiver 162, and MAP module 164. Sensor 160 may include voltage sensors, current sensors, temperature sensors, external sensors, etc. External sensors may include cameras, lidar sensors, radar sensors, and navigation systems, and these sensors may include GPS receiver 162 and MAP module 164.

[0129] The current and voltage sensors can detect the current and / or voltage of the load (e.g., loads 143, 147, 149, etc.), HV DC bus 124, LV DC bus 145, etc. The current and voltage sensors can also detect the current supplied to RESS 112 and / or the voltage supplied to RESS 112. Furthermore, the current and voltage sensors can detect the current drawn from the off-board charging station 102 and / or the voltage supplied by the off-board charging station 102.

[0130] GPS receiver 162 can provide vehicle location information. MAP module 164 can provide map information and / or charging station information, such as: charging station type information for the location of off-board charging station 102; whether the charging station is a public charging station; and / or whether the charging station has time-based charging costs. The map information may also, or alternatively, indicate whether vehicle 106 and / or off-board charging station 102 are located within a parking structure. VICM 110 can use this information to determine when to recharge the power source and / or to determine the type of off-board charging station 102. As an example, if the off-board charging station is located within a parking structure, it can be identified as a public charging station with time-based charging costs. Alternatively, VICM 110 can determine the type and / or characteristics of off-board charging station 102 through communication with the off-board charging station and / or another network device. This may include whether off-board charging station 102 is a public or private charging station, and / or whether off-board charging station 102 has time-based charging costs.

[0131] Figure 2 A vehicle 106 is shown that includes an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) 200, which includes a Vehicle Control Module (VICM) 110. The VICM may be implemented by a vehicle control module 204 or may be a standalone module. The vehicle 106 may include a power supply 202 with a battery pack 203 and control circuitry 207. The battery pack 203 may include, for example... Figure 1 The vehicle 106 also includes a battery pack 136 and an LV power supply 142. The vehicle 106 also includes an infotainment module 206 and other control modules 208. The control circuitry 207 may be implemented as part of the power supply 202 or separately from it.

[0132] Modules 204, 206, and 208 can communicate with each other via one or more buses 210 (such as a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus) and / or other suitable interfaces. Vehicle control module 204 controls the operation of the vehicle system. Vehicle control module 204 may include mode selection module 212, parameter adjustment module 214, and other modules. Mode selection module 212 can select a vehicle operating mode, such as one of the vehicle operating modes described above. Parameter adjustment module 214 can be used to adjust the parameters of vehicle 106.

[0133] Vehicle 106 may also include: memory 134; display 220; audio system 222; one or more transceivers 223; and sensors 160, including a navigation system 227 with a GPS receiver 162 and a MAP module 164. Sensor 160 may include cameras, lidar sensors, radar sensors, object detection sensors, temperature sensors, accelerometers, vehicle speed (or velocity) sensors, and / or other sensors. GPS receiver 162 can provide vehicle speed and / or direction (or heading) and / or global clock timing information.

[0134] Memory 134 may store sensor data 230 and / or vehicle parameters 232, applications 236 (e.g., charging application 130), and calibration values ​​234. Application 236 may include applications executed by modules 110, 204, 206, and 208. Although memory 134 and vehicle control module 204 are shown as separate devices, memory 134 and vehicle control module 204 may be implemented as a single device.

[0135] VICM 110 monitors the status of sensor 160, power supply 202, and braking system 258, and controls the timing and duration of recharge events for power supply 202 based on this information. This can be based on the charging state of power supply 202. In an embodiment, each power supply has a corresponding set threshold indicating whether the corresponding power supply has a low charging state. As an example, when the charging state of a first power supply is below a first set threshold indicating a low charging state of the first power supply and the charging state of a second power supply is not below a second set threshold indicating a low charging state of the second power supply, VICM 110 recharges the first power supply and avoids recharging the second power supply. In an embodiment, when the HV power supply and LV power supply are charged to above their respective set thresholds, the HV power supply is charged during a recharge event. This is further described below.

[0136] The vehicle control module 204 can control the operation of the engine 240, converter / generator 242, transmission 244, braking system 258, electric motor 260, and / or steering system 262 according to parameters set by modules 110, 204, 206, and 208. The braking system 258 may be a regenerative braking system that supplies power to, for example... Figure 1 The on-board charging module 108 is used to recharge the power source 202. The vehicle control module 204 can set some of the parameters based on signals received from the sensor 160. The vehicle control module 204 can receive power from the power source 202, which can be supplied to the engine 240, converter / generator 242, transmission 244, braking system 258, electric motor 260, and / or steering system 262, etc. Some of the vehicle control operations may include activating the fuel and spark of the engine 240, starting the electric motor 260, supplying power to any of the systems 258, 262, and / or performing other operations as further described herein.

[0137] The engine 240, converter / generator 242, transmission 244, braking system 258, electric motor 260, and / or steering system 262 may include actuators controlled by the vehicle control module 204 to, for example, adjust fuel, spark, airflow, brake pressure, steering wheel angle, throttle position, pedal position, etc. This control may be based on the outputs of sensors 160, navigation system 227, GPS receiver 162, and the data and information stored in memory 134 as described above.

[0138] The vehicle control module 204 can determine various parameters, including vehicle speed, engine speed, engine torque, gear status, accelerometer position, brake pedal position, regenerative (charging) capacity, boost (discharging) capacity, automatic start / stop discharge capacity, and / or other information such as the priority level of the power source terminals of power supply 202; the power, current, and voltage requirements of each source terminal; etc. The vehicle control module 204 can share this information and vehicle operating mode with the control circuit 207. Control circuit 207 can determine other parameters, such as: the charge capacity at each source terminal; the discharge capacity at each source terminal; the maximum and minimum potential energy at the battery cells, battery blocks, battery packs, and / or battery groups; the maximum and minimum voltage at the source terminals; the maximum and minimum voltage at the power rails, battery cells, battery blocks, battery packs, and / or battery groups; the SOX value of the battery cells, battery blocks, battery packs, and / or battery groups; the temperature of the battery cells, battery blocks, battery packs, and / or battery groups; the current value of the battery cells, battery blocks, battery packs, and / or battery groups; and the power value of the battery cells, battery blocks, battery packs, and / or battery groups. Control circuit 207 can determine the connection configuration of the battery cells and the corresponding switching states based on the parameters determined by vehicle control module 204 and / or control circuit 207, as described herein.

[0139] Figures 3A-3C A charging method is shown, which can be, for example, Figure 1 The charging system 100 and Figure 1-2 The corresponding modules, devices, and systems are used to implement this method. The operation of this charging method can be performed iteratively. Although these operations are primarily described as being carried out by... Figure 1-2 The VICM 110 performs these operations, but one or more of these operations can be performed by another module (such as...). Figure 1 On-board charging module 108 and / or Figure 2 The vehicle control module 204) performs the operation. Some of the following operations mention thresholds and predetermined distances, which can each be adjustable and calibrable values.

[0140] At 300, the VICM 110 acquires vehicle status information and sensor data. Vehicle status information may include indications of whether the vehicle is running, stationary, or moving. Sensor data may include data from any of the sensors mentioned herein, including vehicle speed data and braking system data. Braking system data may include the requested braking force value, the actual applied braking force value, the total applied braking force, etc. Braking force values ​​may be provided for the entire braking system or for each brake in the braking system, such as the braking force values ​​at the wheels of the main vehicle.

[0141] At 302, VICM 110 determines whether the master vehicle is in propulsion mode. Propulsion mode refers to the mode when the master vehicle is moving (i.e., not stationary). If it is in propulsion mode, operation 304 can be executed; otherwise, the method returns to operation 300.

[0142] At 304, VICM 110 can determine the differential braking force over a set time period. The differential braking force refers to the difference between a first braking force magnitude at a first time and a second braking force magnitude at a second time. The second time occurs after the first time. The differential braking force is equal to the second braking force magnitude minus the first braking force magnitude. In one embodiment, the differential braking force refers to the difference in total braking force magnitude. In another embodiment, the braking pattern of the master vehicle is monitored, and the change in braking force magnitude is calculated. The differential braking force may be based on the number of brakes applied to each wheel of the master vehicle and / or the braking force magnitude applied to each wheel.

[0143] At point 306, VICM 110 determines the differential speed over a set time period. The differential speed refers to the speed difference between a first speed at a first time point and a second speed at a second time point. The second time point occurs after the first time point. The differential speed equals the second speed minus the first speed.

[0144] At 308, VICM 110 determines whether the differential braking force is greater than a first-set differential threshold. VICM 110 monitors the vehicle's braking pattern, including the magnitude of the braking force applied to each wheel of the vehicle. If not, operation 310 is executed; otherwise, operation 307 is executed.

[0145] At 310, VICM 110 can determine whether the differential vehicle speed is greater than a second set differential threshold. If not, operation 300 can be executed; otherwise, operation 307 can be executed. In this embodiment, operation 311 is executed only if the differential braking force is greater than a first differential threshold independent of the differential vehicle speed.

[0146] At 311, VICM 110 can initialize a wait counter. For example, the wait counter can be set to equal 1, indicating that this is the first iteration of operations 312, 314, 316, 318, 320, 322, 323, 324, 326, 328, 330, 331, 332, 334, and therefore the wait period for operation 334 is the first implementation.

[0147] At 312, VICM 110 acquires sensor data via ADAS system sensors (such as cameras, LiDAR, radar sensors, and navigation systems). This may include: capturing images via an externally facing camera of the main vehicle; generating and acquiring point clouds via one or more LiDAR sensors; acquiring radar data and generating a data map based on the radar data; and collecting navigation system metadata layer by layer. Navigation system metadata may be separate from other navigation system data. Metadata is data that provides information about other navigation data. In an embodiment, sensor data is prioritized and used in subsequent operations to determine a charging strategy based on this priority. In an embodiment, sensor data is processed independently.

[0148] At point 314, the VICM 110 performs object recognition based on the captured images, including identifying objects around or within a predetermined distance (e.g., 100-1500 meters) of the primary vehicle. This includes detecting construction cones, other vehicles, construction barriers, construction signs, etc. Obstacle data for the objects is collected and analyzed. Each detected object can be graded based on a confidence level regarding its type and location. The grading can further indicate whether the primary vehicle will brake over an extended time period based on the relevance of each object to whether it is in an object-dense environment. An object-dense environment can refer to an environment within a predetermined distance of the primary vehicle where: more than a predetermined number of objects exist; more than a predetermined number of objects of a certain type exist; and / or more than each predetermined number of objects of certain types exist.

[0149] At position 316, the VICM 110 determines the density of the point cloud to generate obstacle data associated with one or more objects. Point cloud density is the number of point coordinates collected per unit area. The higher the density, the more likely an object (such as another vehicle) is present. At position 318, the VICM 110 determines a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) based on the point cloud density.

[0150] At 320, the VICM 110 uses a data map generated from radar data to detect tunnels, accidents, bridges, metallic objects, or other nearby structures. A structure is one that typically brings vehicles and other objects close together and causes them to slow down or decelerate, thus causing the main vehicle to brake and decelerate.

[0151] At 322, the VICM 110 determines the second SNR based on a data map of radar data associated with the detected structure. The second SNR of the radar data can be calculated on a per-pulse basis, and then this value is multiplied by the integrated number of pulses to obtain the second SNR over a given target illumination duration.

[0152] At location 323, VICM 110 can collect information on construction zones, congestion (or traffic) details, accident information, and driving information (e.g., vehicle travel time) based on navigation system data and metadata.

[0153] At point 324, VICM 110 determines whether there are more than a predetermined number of objects (e.g., 10-30 objects) within a predetermined distance of the master vehicle. As an example, objects may include other vehicles, construction or traffic cones, pedestrians, etc. If not, operation 326 can be performed; otherwise, operation 332 can be performed.

[0154] At 326, VICM 110 determines whether the first SNR is greater than a first SNR threshold (e.g., 15-30 dB). If not, operation 328 can be performed; otherwise, operation 332 can be performed.

[0155] At 328, VICM 110 determines whether the second SNR is greater than a second SNR threshold (e.g., 10-20 dB). If not, operation 330 can be performed; otherwise, operation 332 can be performed.

[0156] At point 330, VICM 110 determines whether the main vehicle is in the construction zone. If not, operation 331 can be performed; otherwise, operation 332 can be performed. At point 331, VICM 110 can set a sign indicating that the main vehicle is not in a densely populated surrounding environment. After operation 331, VICM 110 can then return to operation 300.

[0157] At 332, VICM 110 can be configured to indicate that the host vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment. In an embodiment, this occurs when the data collected above is confirmed. This may occur when the result of one or more of operations 324, 326, 328, and 330 is yes (or true).

[0158] At 334, VICM 110 waits for a predetermined time period (e.g., 1-5 minutes). The predetermined time period may be based on the vehicle's speed. As an example, the predetermined time period may be a time amount for a first speed and a time amount for a second speed. The first speed is greater than the second speed, and the second time amount is greater than the first time amount. VICM 110 waits for the predetermined time period (or a calibrable duration) to improve the reliability of the indication that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment. In an embodiment, the predetermined time period is different for each setting of the wait counter. As an example, it is a first predetermined time period (e.g., five minutes) for the first iteration of operation 334, and a second predetermined time period (e.g., 2 minutes) for the second iteration of operation 334. Each subsequent iteration may have a further shortened predetermined time period (or waiting period).

[0159] At 336, VICM 110 determines whether the wait counter is greater than a predetermined threshold. If not, operation 338 can be performed; otherwise, operation 340 can be performed. The predetermined threshold can be an integer (e.g., 1-3).

[0160] At position 338, VICM 110 will wait for the counter to increment.

[0161] At 340, the VICM 110 enables a regeneration strategy to recharge one or more battery packs from one or more power sources (such as any of the power sources mentioned herein). As an example, a battery pack can be charged when its SOC is less than 78%. In one embodiment, the battery pack with the lowest SOC is charged. In another embodiment, the HV battery pack is charged when both the HV and LV battery packs are above their respective predetermined charging thresholds (e.g., 75-80%). The VICM 110 monitors the SOC of the HV and LV battery packs and selects one or more battery packs to charge.

[0162] This method can end after operation 340 (as shown) or return to operation 300.

[0163] The above operations are intended as illustrative examples. Depending on the application, these operations may be performed sequentially, synchronously, simultaneously, continuously, during overlapping time periods, or in different orders. Moreover, any of these operations may not be performed or may be skipped, depending on the implementation and / or order of the events.

[0164] In this embodiment, the activation of the regeneration strategy is implemented based on one or more calibration thresholds of a software stack related to the VICM 110. Parameters obtained from the output of external sensors are used to extend the battery pack's lifespan. Camera, LiDAR, and radar-based data about the vehicle's surrounding environment are used in real time to adaptively activate the regeneration strategy to improve the battery pack's lifespan.

[0165] In embodiments of the above methods, camera, lidar, and radar data are analyzed to process details of the area surrounding the primary vehicle in order to determine whether the primary vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment. A criterion is used to determine whether: the primary vehicle is experiencing stop-and-go traffic and is surrounded by 10 or more vehicles on its sides; whether the primary vehicle is in an identified construction zone; or whether the primary vehicle's speed is consistently below a threshold (e.g., 15 mph) for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 minutes). Data processed based on these criteria should be used to enable regenerative charging.

[0166] In one embodiment, a regenerative strategy is enabled to automatically channel unused excess energy generated by an auxiliary power module (which may be implemented as one or more generators) to meet the load on the LV grid within the main vehicle. Additionally, during this event, excess power stored in the RESS from the internal combustion engine and / or auxiliary power module is used to charge the LV power source (or LV battery) on the LV grid.

[0167] The foregoing description is illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or use in any way. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, although this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within the method can be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, although each of the embodiments described above is described as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if such combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the arrangement of one or more embodiments with each other remains within the scope of this disclosure.

[0168] Various terms (including “connection,” “joint,” “link,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and “set up”) are used to describe spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.). Unless explicitly described as “direct,” when describing the relationship between the first and second elements in the foregoing disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship where no other intervening elements exist between the first and second elements, or an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements exist (spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrases A, B, and C at least one should be interpreted as referring to the logic (AOR B OR C) using non-exclusive logic OR, and should not be interpreted as referring to “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0169] In the diagram, as indicated by the arrowheads, the direction of the arrows generally illustrates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest to the diagram. For example, when components A and B exchange various types of information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the diagram, the arrow may point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. Furthermore, for information sent from component A to component B, component B may send a request for or confirmation of receipt of that information to component A.

[0170] In this application (including the following limitations), the term "module" or "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuits; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuits; combinational logic circuits; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); processor circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; memory circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor circuitry; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or combinations of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0171] A module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module disclosed herein may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow for load balancing. In another example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0172] The term "code" as used above may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuitry" covers a single processor circuitry that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuitry" covers a processor circuitry that, in combination with additional processor circuitry, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuitry cover multiple processor circuitry on a discrete die, multiple processor circuitry on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuitry, multiple threads of a single processor circuitry, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuitry" covers a single memory circuitry that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuitry" covers a memory circuitry that, in combination with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0173] The term "storage circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" does not cover transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term "computer-readable medium" can be considered tangible and non-transient. Non-limiting examples of non-transient, tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0174] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be routinely translated into a computer program by a skilled technician or programmer.

[0175] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may encompass a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of a special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0176] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter; and (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler, etc. As an example only, source code can be written using syntax from languages ​​including: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, etc. Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th Edition), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and

Claims

1. A charging system for a vehicle, the charging system comprising: Multiple power supplies; An on-board charging module configured to recharge one or more selected of the plurality of power sources; as well as The control module is configured as follows: Determine whether the vehicle is decelerating. In response to determining that the vehicle is decelerating, external sensor data is acquired from multiple sensors. Based on the external sensor data, it is determined whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, and Based on whether the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, one or more selected power sources can be recharged from the plurality of power sources.

2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: Determine whether the differential braking force is greater than the set differential threshold; and The external sensor data is acquired in response to the differential braking force being greater than the set differential threshold.

3. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: Determine whether the differential speed of the vehicle is negative and whether its magnitude is greater than a set differential threshold; and The external sensor data is acquired in response to the differential being negative and its magnitude being greater than the set differential threshold.

4. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: Images are captured via one or more outward-facing cameras; Perform image recognition on the captured images; as well as Based on the number and type of objects detected in the captured images, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

5. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: Point clouds are generated based on the output of one or more lidar sensors; Determine the density of the point cloud; The signal-to-noise ratio is determined based on the density; and Based on the signal-to-noise ratio, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

6. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: Data maps are generated based on the output of one or more radar sensors; Detect one or more structural objects based on the data map; The signal-to-noise ratio is determined based on the detection of the one or more structural objects; as well as Based on the signal-to-noise ratio, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

7. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: Receive navigation data; Extract metadata from the navigation data; Based on the metadata, determine whether the vehicle is in the construction zone; as well as In response to determining that the vehicle is in the construction area, it is determined that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment.

8. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: In response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a predetermined period of time; and After the predetermined time period expires, one or more selected power sources are recharged.

9. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, The control module is configured to: In response to determining that the vehicle is in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a first predetermined time period; In response to the expiration of the first predetermined time period, verify that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment; In response to determining that the vehicle is still in a dense surrounding environment, wait for a second predetermined period of time; as well as After the second predetermined time period expires, one or more of the selected power sources are recharged.

10. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of power sources includes at least one of a high-voltage power source and a low-voltage power source; The high-voltage power supply provides a voltage greater than or equal to 200V; and The low-voltage power supply provides a voltage of less than or equal to 48V.

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