determination of the range for a motor vehicle depending on the sustainability properties

Abstract

A method for operating a motor vehicle (1) comprising a storage device (2) for an operating medium, characterized in that the filling of the storage device (2) with an amount of at least one operating medium (3, 4) is determined, wherein the operating medium (3, 4) is associated with a value of a sustainability characteristic, and the range of the motor vehicle (1) for an operation with the amount of the operating medium (3, 4) is determined in dependence on the value of the sustainability characteristic.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The sustainability of a motor vehicle's operation depends primarily on the sustainability of the energy used to power it. For example, motor vehicles powered by internal combustion engines can operate using fossil fuels derived from oil or natural gas. However, the sustainability of fossil fuels is considered less sustainable, especially due to the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted directly from the combustion of such fuels. On the other hand, there are viable options for operating motor vehicles with internal combustion engines using renewable fuels (so-called e-fuels), which are synthesized from water and carbon dioxide when electricity is used. If the necessary electricity comes from renewable sources (e.g., through the use of wind and solar power), motor vehicles operating on such renewable fuels can operate with low or even CO2-neutral emissions and thus sustainably. Another example of sustainable fuels is fuels made and obtained from renewable raw materials such as plants. These plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during their growth and thus exhibit significantly better sustainability compared to fossil fuels.

[0003] Similar considerations apply to the operation of electric motor vehicles, which depend on the source of the electrical energy used to power them.

[0004] Restrictions on the unsustainable or only partially sustainable operation of motor vehicles have been widely discussed. These discussions also include potential restrictions on the operation of motor vehicles with internal combustion engines that run on fossil fuels in urban areas.

[0005] US 6,494,190 B1 discloses an internal combustion engine that can operate by means of liquid fuel and gaseous fuel, wherein the two forms of fuel are stored in the same fuel tank and supplied to the engine via the same supply device. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention is based on the objective of demonstrating a feasible solution for the relatively sustainable operation of motor vehicles.

[0007] This task is solved in the case of the method according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of this method are the subject of further patent claims and are derived from the following description of the invention.

[0008] A method for operating a motor vehicle including at least one operating medium storage device is characterized by the following: the amount of the operating medium storage device is determined to be filled with at least one operating medium, wherein the operating medium is associated with a value of a sustainability characteristic, and the driving range of the motor vehicle is determined for operation with respect to the amount of the operating medium depending on the value of the sustainability characteristic.

[0009] According to the invention, the driving range for a motor vehicle can be determined based on the sustainability characteristics of the operating medium storage device, which is filled and thus enables the operation of the motor vehicle. This driving range can be distinguished from the actual driving range that the motor vehicle can physically achieve with existing operating media. Here, the driving range determined based on sustainability characteristics can, for example, also be zero, which may lead to the possibility of automatically preventing or limiting the operation of the motor vehicle (e.g., given the maximum available power), even though (unrestricted) operation of the motor vehicle is physically possible.

[0010] In this context, a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention can be configured such that a limit value for the sustainability characteristic is defined, wherein a driving range with respect to the amount of operating medium is applied when the determined value is better than the limit value. Whether a better value is greater than or less than the limit value in comparison depends particularly on the form or definition of the sustainability characteristic.

[0011] Preferably, sustainability characteristics can be defined as greenhouse effect potential (especially over a 100-year timeframe), or as CO2 equivalent, or, however, as CO2 emission reduction rate (with respect to the defined reference operating medium, such as any fossil fuel (e.g., gasoline, diesel, or natural gas)). Sustainability characteristics can also be defined, for example, as values ​​relating to production standards. Such production standards may include defined working conditions and / or regulations for cultivating plants and / or algae used to produce the operating medium. Regulations for the cultivation of plants and / or algae may include, for example, regulations governing crop rotation sequences and / or the type and / or quantity of fertilizers used and / or water and / or land requirements. Furthermore, such production standards for electricity may include defined working conditions and / or regulations for the site, and the form and manner of connection of electricity generation to (distribution) power grids and / or power processing facilities (e.g., water electrolysis facilities). For example, regulations may apply to wind turbines that are responsible for minimizing the impact on the bird world through their deployment. Similarly, regulations describing the environment being loaded with electromagnetic fields apply in the case of connections to power grids or power processing facilities.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the limit value can be determined based on the location of the vehicle. Therefore, the limit value may also change due to variations in the vehicle's location. Thus, it can be configured such that a limit value, which may limit the driving range or the vehicle's operation if necessary, is used at a specific location (e.g., an urban area), while this limit value is inapplicable to other locations or is applied with a different limit value. Additionally or alternatively, the limit value can be manually (i.e., based on direct human interaction) associated with the vehicle.

[0013] The determined driving range is preferably applied in such a way that it is communicated to a person via any MMI (Human Machine Interface) and displayed, for example, on the vehicle's display screen or output via other forms of output device. The driving range can be displayed, for example, as a circle of appropriate design size in a map of the vehicle's navigation system and / or as numbers and / or as bars and columns in a (bar or column) chart. Furthermore, the determined driving range can be applied in a way that automatically makes the vehicle's operation possible only within the determined driving range. Similarly, the application of the determined driving range can include automatically creating or matching a route calculation based on the driving range. The route calculation can then preferably be created or matched such that the determined driving range enables passage through at least one restricted area where the limit value applies, as broadly as possible. Additionally or alternatively, the matching of the route calculation can include the inclusion of a supply station that provides a value of better sustainability characteristics than the limit value associated with its operating medium.

[0014] Because the operating medium storage of a motor vehicle is typically not completely emptied, when the operating medium is refilled, it can be concluded that the operating medium storage includes, in addition to the amount of the first operating medium, at least one amount of the second operating medium, and if necessary, additional amounts of other operating media, whose values ​​differ due to their respective associations with sustainability characteristics. In this context, it may be advantageous to perform the process of characterizing the method according to the invention for at least one, preferably multiple, and particularly preferably all of these operating media contained in the (same) operating medium storage. Therefore, it can be at least set up such that the filling of the (same) operating medium storage with one amount of each of at least two operating media (i.e., at least the first and second operating media) is determined, wherein each of the operating media is associated with a (first, second) value of sustainability characteristics, and the driving range of the motor vehicle depends on the sustainability characteristics for operation with the corresponding amount of (first or second) operating media. If the operating media have different values ​​of sustainability characteristics, this may result in different driving ranges for the motor vehicle determined depending on the sustainability characteristics. These different determined driving ranges can be applied cumulatively or individually. In particular, it can be configured such that a defined range for the amount of operating medium (which is better than the limit value) is applied cumulatively, while a defined range for the amount of operating medium in which this is not the case is applied separately.

[0015] If the set driving route includes multiple restricted zones that are distinguished by the limits in which they apply, the driving route calculation can preferably be created or matched such that the associated values ​​for the amount and sustainability characteristics of different operating media can be used to drive through the multiple restricted zones as completely as possible.

[0016] Since the various operating media considered within the scope of the method according to the invention may be of different types, it may also be advantageous to store these operating media in different operating media memories and execute the method according to the invention accordingly.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the value of the sustainability characteristic is altered to determine the modified driving range of the motor vehicle for operation on that medium. This can be achieved, for example, by linking the value of the sustainability characteristic to a defined sustainability certificate. For this purpose, it is possible to obtain a corresponding sustainability certificate, thereby improving the value of the sustainability characteristic. Obtaining a sustainability certificate may include through a paid purchase. The sustainability certificate may be an official digital certificate with a credit line (Guthaben, sometimes also called a balance) regarding the sustainability characteristic, wherein the credit line may be linked to the operating medium to improve the value of the sustainability characteristic.

[0018] Similarly, it can be configured such that changes in the value of the sustainability characteristic of at least one operating medium are stored as sustainability differences. Therefore, it can be configured, for example, that improving the value of the sustainability characteristic and thus also improving the range achievable for this associated operating medium in such a way that the corresponding sustainability difference is negatively recorded. Such negative recording may result in a reduction of previously established sustainability credit or lead to sustainability liabilities, which are subsequently balanced, for example, by filling the operating medium storage with another operating medium having a better value of sustainability characteristics, the value of which is degraded to balance the sustainability liabilities.

[0019] Furthermore, it can be configured such that the value of the sustainability characteristic is changed in the case of only one portion of the quantity of at least one operating medium, or in the case of multiple portions (and then in different ways (i.e., improved or deteriorated) and / or to different degrees). For example, it can be configured such that the value of the sustainability characteristic of only one portion of the operating medium, measured to be of such a large size, is improved by, for example, by association with a sustainability certificate or by a proportionally corresponding change in the value of a second portion, such that the value of the first portion is better than the limit value and that a sufficiently large range can be obtained with the first portion to allow passage through the restricted area in which the limit value applies. Thus, it can also be configured such that the operating medium is computationally divided into at least two portions, one of which obtains an improved value of the sustainability characteristic and the other obtains a deteriorated value of the sustainability characteristic.

[0020] If the running medium storage includes at least two running media, it can be further configured such that the difference between a determined value and a changed value of one type of running medium is associated with the other type of running medium, so that, in calculation, an improvement in the value of the sustainability characteristic of one running medium can be obtained by a proportional degradation of the value of the other running medium.

[0021] The operating medium used or considered within the scope of the method according to the invention is preferably fuel. The fuel may be, in particular, liquid or gaseous. Here, fuel is considered a kinetic fuel (Brennstoff) configured and designed to convert its chemical energy in a power engine into mechanical energy. The operating medium storage device can then be a fuel tank. The operating medium can also be other kinetic fuels (e.g., kinetic fuels for operating fuel cells). The operating medium storage device can then be a kinetic fuel tank. The operating medium can also be electrical energy, which can be stored by filling the operating medium storage device of the motor vehicle in the form of an electrochemical energy storage device (especially a battery, preferably a traction battery). These operating media may be particularly configured to enable the driving of the motor vehicle and are therefore energy for the operation of at least one drive motor (internal combustion engine or electric traction motor) of the motor vehicle.

[0022] Furthermore, it is possible that the operating medium is any operating material, that is, any material necessary for the operation of the motor vehicle and consumed in connection with the vehicle's increased range. Such an operating material could be, for example, a reducing agent, which is quantitatively introduced into the exhaust gases emitted by the motor vehicle's internal combustion engine to be effective in reducing at least one harmful component of the exhaust gases (e.g., nitrogen oxides). Another example of a reducing agent could be ammonia. It is also conceivable that the reducing agent could be natural gas, methane, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, methanol, or ethanol.

[0023] The amount of operating medium filling the operating medium reservoir can be determined by means of suitable internal (i.e., as part of the vehicle) or external (i.e., not part of the vehicle) sensors, such as flow sensors or ammeters, or based on changes in measurements of the liquid level in the operating medium reservoir. In the case where the determination is made by means of an external sensor, data transmission can be made from the external sensor to a control device that controls the execution of the method according to the invention, wherein such data transmission can be made automatically (preferably wirelessly) or equally manually (e.g., by manual input).

[0024] The correlation between sustainability characteristics and the quantity of the operating medium can also be achieved internally or externally. This can be achieved, for example, by using internal or external sensors to identify the properties, particularly chemical or physical properties, of liquid or gaseous fuels / operating materials, and based on this, by associating sustainability characteristics pre-associated with those chemical or physical properties with the operating medium. Such sensors can be, for example, optical sensors, acoustic sensors, or sensors used to determine dielectric constants. Here, the chemical or physical properties to be identified can be, in particular, based on the addition of appropriate additives (“chemical or physical markers”) to the fuel / operating materials. An example of an additive is a dye, the color of which differs from the primary color of the operating medium used, and which can be acquired by means of an optical sensor. It is understood that a dye is an example for a substance with optical properties in the visible range. Obviously, dyes with properties outside the visible range can also be used. Accordingly, the optical properties of the substance outside the visible range differ from the optical properties of the operating medium.

[0025] The determination of at least one quantity and / or sustainability characteristic of the operating medium can also be achieved by considering a digital image of the operating medium. Data transfer of the quantity and / or sustainability characteristics of the operating medium can also be achieved using a dataset in the form of a digital image. Such a digital image can also be referred to as a digital twin. Therefore, in the case of manufacturing the operating medium, its characteristics can be determined and associated with the operating medium, especially considering sustainability characteristics (particularly computationally). In the case of filling the operating medium's storage, this information can then be exchanged between an external supply station and a control device, which includes the digital image of the operating medium, including its quantity and / or sustainability characteristics. Other characteristics of the operating medium can also be transmitted. It can be configured such that the supply station first informs external intermediaries and / or processing points of the operating medium filling process, and these external intermediaries and / or processing points then transmit the data to the vehicle's control device.

[0026] The quantity of the operating medium can preferably be determined as an energy quantity. Advantageously, it can also be determined based on volume and / or mass and / or pressure level and / or temperature level and / or density. In this case, the corresponding values ​​can be converted to their corresponding values ​​for the energy quantity.

[0027] The motor vehicle that operates or is operable according to the present invention may be, in particular, a wheel-based and non-rail-related motor vehicle (preferably a car or truck). Attached Figure Description

[0028] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Simplified illustrations are correspondingly used in the drawings: Figure 1The illustration shows a motor vehicle according to a first design form that is operable according to the invention; and Figure 2 This shows a motor vehicle that can operate according to the invention based on a second design form. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1 A motor vehicle 1, operable according to the invention or usable within the scope of the method according to the invention, is shown, equipped with a range determination system. The range determination system includes an operating medium storage 2, in which the amounts of a first operating medium 3 and a second operating medium 4 are contained. Filling of the operating medium storage 2 is achieved via a filling pipe 5 with an interface to which a complementary interface of an external operating medium source (not shown) can be connected. During filling of the operating medium storage 2, the amounts of the supplied operating medium 3, 4 can be determined by means of a first acquisition unit 6 in the form of a flow sensor. Furthermore, the sustainability characteristics of the operating medium 3, 4 can be determined by means of a second acquisition unit 7, designed, for example, in the form of an optical sensor. The data determined by the acquisition units 6, 7 is transmitted to a control device 8, which evaluates the data. Here, for the different amounts of operating medium 3, 4 contained in the operating medium storage 2, the range of the motor vehicle 1 for operation with these operating mediums 3, 4 is determined according to the corresponding value of the sustainability characteristics. The determination result is communicated or displayed by means of, for example, an MMI 9 with a display screen.

[0030] exist Figure 2 The driving range determination system for vehicle 1 shown in the image differs from the system based on the following: Figure 1 That is, where no internal acquisition units 6 and 7 are provided, but instead data determined by an external acquisition unit (not shown) is wirelessly transmitted to the corresponding receiving unit 10 via, for example, any wireless communication protocol. Furthermore, in Figure 2 The working principle of the vehicle range determination system shown in the image is similar to... Figure 1 That matches.

[0031] List of reference numerals 1 Motor vehicles 2. Operating medium storage 3 First operating medium 4 Second operating medium 5. Filling the pipe 6 First Acquisition Unit 7 Second Acquisition Unit 8. Control device 9 MMI 10 Receiving Unit

Claims

1. A method for operating a motor vehicle (1) including a running medium storage (2), characterized in that, The operating medium storage (2) is determined to be filled with an amount of at least one operating medium (3,4), wherein the operating medium (3,4) is associated with a value of sustainability characteristics, and the driving range of the motor vehicle (1) is determined for operation with respect to the amount of the operating medium (3,4) depending on the value of sustainability characteristics.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limits of sustainability characteristics are defined, wherein the range of driving range is applied to the amount of the operating medium (3,4) when the determined value is better than the limits.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The limit value depends on whether the position of the motor vehicle (1) is determined or manually associated with the motor vehicle (1).

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The application of the driving range is or includes the creation or matching of the driving range by means of communication of the MMI (9) and / or the limitation of the operation of the motor vehicle (1) and / or the calculation of the driving route.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The driving route calculation is matched such that the determined driving range is as wide as possible to enable driving through the restricted areas in which the limit value applies.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The matching of the driving route calculation includes the inclusion of supply stations that provide operating media with values ​​associated with the sustainability characteristics that are better than the limit value.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The value of the sustainability characteristic of the operating medium (3,4) is changed, wherein the value is associated with a sustainability certificate or the change is stored as a sustainability difference.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The value of the sustainability characteristic is changed in the case of only one portion or in the case of multiple portions of the amount of the operating medium (3,4).

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The operating medium storage (2) or multiple operating medium storage (2) is determined to be filled with at least one amount of each of two operating media (3,4), wherein each of the operating media (3,4) is associated with a value of the sustainability characteristic, and the driving range of the motor vehicle (1) depends on the sustainability characteristic for operation with respect to the corresponding amount of each of the operating media (3,4).

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The values ​​of the sustainability characteristics of the at least two operating media (3,4) are changed, wherein the difference between a determined value and a changed value of one of the operating media (3,4) is associated with the other of the operating media (3,4).

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The at least one operating medium (3,4) is fuel, operating material or electrical energy.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sustainability characteristic is defined as a CO2 equivalent or a value related to production standards.

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