Electrically powered vehicle internal generator

Abstract

An apparatus of the subject technology includes a battery pack configured to provide power for an electric vehicle (EV), and a motor powered by fuel supplied from a fuel tank and configured to provide mechanical power for one or more electric machines. The one or more electric machines are configured to generate direct current (DC) voltage for keeping the battery pack fully charged, and the battery pack, the motor, and the one or more electric machines are enclosed in a battery system enclosure.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This disclosure is pursuant to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 600,539, entitled “Electric Vehicle Internal Generator,” filed November 17, 2023, by Ahmed Naveed Fazil, 35 USC § 119(e), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to batteries that power electric vehicles (EVBs), and more specifically, to generators housed within an EVB housing, wherein fuel is delivered from a vehicle's fuel tank to the generator. Background Technology

[0004] In many countries, EVs and hybrid vehicles are gaining popularity as strong competitors to gasoline-powered vehicles. Key concerns for EV owners include range, temperature, fire, and charging time. When it comes to EVs, the biggest worry often relates to so-called "range anxiety"—the fear that the EV will run out of power before a suitable place to recharge the battery can be found. Regarding battery temperature, EV batteries are sensitive to extreme heat and cold. Extreme heat can accelerate the degradation of the EV battery pack, while extreme cold can negatively impact the vehicle's range. Charging time is also considered a major drawback of EVs. Filling the tank of a typical ICE vehicle takes only a few minutes, while charging an EV can take much longer, ranging from 15 minutes to 48 hours, depending on the type of charger used (Level 1 AC trickle charging using a household outlet, Level 2 AC fast charging, or Level 3 DC fast charging). The most significant charging issue is the lack of suitable charging locations, which is even more rare in rural areas.

[0005] EV battery fires are another worrying issue because firefighters find extinguishing EV battery fires far more challenging and difficult than fires involving ICE vehicles, often requiring large amounts of water or even specialized fire extinguishers for effective suppression. Furthermore, EVs are not as environmentally friendly as people imagine or companies claim. While EVs are almost certainly better for the environment with zero emissions, this doesn't mean they are 100% carbon neutral. This is because, unless charged using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power, using electricity generated by power plants results in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from those plants. Moreover, the mining and manufacturing of EV batteries is an extremely dirty and carbon-intensive process.

[0006] On the other hand, hybrid vehicles are new and expensive because the technology that powers them is still new and complex. This makes them difficult to repair and maintain, and parts can be expensive. Many drivers are more comfortable with the simpler technology of traditional gasoline cars. Like any new technology, hybrid vehicles have their own set of potential problems. One such problem is increased maintenance costs because hybrid vehicles have two infrastructures and motors (gasoline and electric), so more parts are likely to fail and require repair. This means hybrid vehicle owners may have to pay more for routine maintenance and more frequent breakdowns, and repair costs may be higher than for owners of traditional gasoline-powered cars. A major problem that hybrid vehicle owners may face is that battery life is not as long as that of electric vehicle batteries. This means that hybrid vehicle owners must replace batteries more frequently, which can be expensive. The limited efficiency of regenerative braking systems is another problem with hybrid vehicles. Regenerative braking systems are designed to charge the battery by converting the vehicle's kinetic energy into electrical energy during braking. However, this system is not very efficient because it can only capture a small amount of available energy. As a result, the battery is not charged as much as possible, which reduces the vehicle's fuel efficiency. Hybrid vehicles typically have less trunk space than traditional gasoline-powered cars. This is because the battery pack takes up a significant amount of trunk space. This can be a problem if you need to transport a lot of items, as there may not be enough room. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to some embodiments, the device of this subject matter includes a battery pack configured to power an EV using a generator or motor, the motor being powered by fuel supplied from a fuel tank and configured as one or more motors to provide mechanical power. The one or more motors are configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage to maintain the battery pack fully charged, and the battery pack, the motor, and the one or more motors are enclosed within a battery system housing. Because fuel can be supplied from the fuel tank to the generator, no external charging option is required.

[0008] According to other embodiments, the EV of this subject art includes a battery system comprising a battery pack configured to power a first electric motor and a second motor configured to be powered by fuel supplied from a fuel tank and to provide mechanical power to one or more motors, wherein the one or more motors are configured to generate a DC voltage for maintaining the battery pack fully charged. A battery management system is configured to manage the operation of the second motor. The battery system is enclosed in a battery system housing.

[0009] According to other embodiments, the method of this subject art includes: providing a battery pack for supplying a first DC voltage to a traction motor of an EV, and electrically connecting the battery pack to the output of one or more motors to generate a second DC voltage for maintaining the battery pack fully charged. The method further includes mechanically connecting an ICE (electrical circuit) to the one or more motors; and connecting a fuel tank comprising liquid fuel and located inside the EV to the ICE. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate the disclosed embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a high-level block diagram illustrating an example of an internally generated electric vehicle (IGEV) based on some aspects of the technology in this subject matter.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example structure of an IGEV based on some aspects of the technology in this subject matter.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an example architecture of an EV Internal Generator (EVIG) system based on some aspects of the technology in this subject matter.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a single-stroke engine and corresponding features that can be used in the EVIG of this subject matter.

[0015] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of a single-stroke engine, as well as a scaled-up version of the engine and its corresponding features.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a table that demonstrates an example of EVIG technology in this topic and compares the feature vectors of a typical ICE vehicle and a conventional EV.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a table that demonstrates examples of EVIGs using the technology in this topic and compares them with components of typical ICE vehicles and conventional EVs.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a table that compares the feature vectors of an example of an internally generated light truck using the technology in this subject with those of a typical ICE light truck.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a table showing a comparison between an example of an internal generator semi-truck battery system demonstrating the technology of this topic and the feature vectors of a typical electric semi-truck battery.

[0020] Figure 10 This is a table that compares the feature vectors of an example of an internally generatored heavy-duty truck using the technology in this subject with those of a typical electric heavy-duty truck.

[0021] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a manufacturing method for an internal generator system for an EVIG, based on some aspects of the technology in this subject matter.

[0022] In one or more embodiments, not all components depicted in each figure are required, and one or more embodiments may include additional components not shown in the figures. Variations in the arrangement and type of components may be made without departing from the scope of this subject matter disclosure. Within the scope of this subject matter disclosure, additional components, different components, or fewer components may be utilized. Detailed Implementation

[0023] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of this disclosure can be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure this disclosure.

[0024] In some aspects, this subject matter relates to an internal generator in an EV. The internal generator of this subject matter comprises a battery system. The disclosed battery system includes a battery pack, an ICE (Integrated Electric Vehicle), one or more motors (e.g., two), and a battery management system enclosed in a battery system housing. The ICE is a small (e.g., 4'' × 4'' × 18'') single-stroke ICE that provides mechanical power to the one or more motors. The ICE is powered by liquid fuel supplied from a fuel tank located in a compartment of the EV (e.g., the trunk). The one or more motors are configured to generate DC voltage to keep the battery pack fully charged. The battery management system is used to manage the operation of the ICE. In some embodiments, the EV can be any transportation vehicle and is not limited to automobiles, trucks, boats, ships, or aircraft.

[0025] The battery pack provides power to the EV's electric motor (e.g., traction motor). The battery pack does not need to be plugged into an external charger, such as a supercharger or any other external charger. The fuel carried in the fuel tank is the EV's sole power source. The fuel can be a liquid fuel, including but not limited to compressed natural gas (CNG), gasoline, diesel, propane, or hydrogen.

[0026] The disclosed EV equipped with the battery system of this subject matter technology eliminates the need for an external engine, transmission, oil pump, and other costs associated with manufacturing hybrid vehicles. The disclosed EV mitigates the problems faced by existing hybrid and conventional EVs, as described above in the background section.

[0027] Now turn to the attached image. Figure 1 This is a high-level block diagram illustrating an example of an IGEV 100 based on some aspects of the technology described herein. An IGEV 100 (e.g., a car, truck, boat, chip, or aircraft) includes a fuel tank 110, an EVIG 120, an electric motor 130, and wheels 140. The fuel tank 110 contains stored chemical energy from fuels (e.g., liquid fuels) in the form of a list including, but not limited to, CNG, gasoline, diesel, propane, or hydrogen. The fuel tank 110 may be housed within a compartment of the IGEV 100, for example, in the trunk of a car. The EVIG 120 is a system enclosed in a battery system housing that converts the stored chemical energy into electrical energy and includes an ICE, one or two motors (e.g., an alternator), a battery pack, a battery management system (BMS), and other components, as described in more detail herein. Electric motor 130 is the traction motor of IGEV 100. It is powered by EVIG 120 and converts electrical energy into mechanical energy (rotational energy) that makes the wheels 140 of IGEV 100 rotate, which in turn converts rotational energy into motion.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example structure of an IGEV 200 according to some aspects of the technology of this subject matter. The IGEV 200 includes a power system consisting of a fuel tank 210, an EVIG 220, an electric motor 230, and wheels 240. The fuel tank 210 is located in a compartment of the IGEV 200 (e.g., the trunk of a car) and contains liquid fuel such as CNG, gasoline, diesel, propane, or hydrogen. The EVIG 220 includes, but is not limited to, a motor 222, one or more motors 224 (e.g., a DC alternator), a BMS 226, a heat shield 227, and a battery pack 228. The motor 222 is an ICE (Integrated Circuit) fueled by the fuel tank 210, such as a single-stroke ICE. The motor 222 provides mechanical energy to the motor 224, which converts this mechanical energy into electrical energy for charging the battery pack 228. The electric motor 230 is a traction motor that is powered by the battery pack 228 and drives the wheels 240, thereby causing the IGEV 200 to move. The heat shield 227 isolates the battery 228 from the rest of the EVIG 220 components.

[0029] Figure 3This is a block diagram illustrating an example architecture of an EVIG system 300 according to some aspects of the subject matter. The EVIG system 300 includes a fuel tank 310, an ICE 320 (e.g., a single-stroke engine), an alternator 330, a battery pack (stack) 340, a BMS 350, and cooling fins 360, all enclosed in an insulating housing 312 (also referred to as the battery system housing). The insulating housing 312 has two compartments separated by a heat shield 318, which isolates the battery pack 340 and BMS 350 from the rest of the assembly. The heat shield 312 further includes an exhaust fan 314, an intake fan 315, a cooling fan 316, and a fresh air intake valve 240. The intake fan 315 blows in cool air to cool the ICE 320. The main exhaust from the single-stroke ICE 320 passes through a catalytic converter 322 and is exhausted by the exhaust fan 314. Other exhaust fans 314 blow hot air from the cooling fins 360, battery pack 340, and BMS 350. Cooling fan 316 blows fresh air from the external environment to help cool the components inside the insulating housing 312.

[0030] The ICE 320 is powered by a fuel such as CNG (e.g., a liquid fuel) or other suitable fuel stored in a fuel tank 310. An alternator 330 is mechanically coupled to the ICE 320 via a crankshaft 324, which causes rotation of the alternator 330's armature to generate a DC voltage for charging the battery pack 340 via a charging connection (e.g., copper wire) 332. A BMS 350 is an electronic control module, such as a microcontroller or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), which can be programmed to control the operation of the ICE 320 to maintain the battery pack always fully charged (e.g., within 98% to 100% of the battery pack's maximum charge capacity). For example, the BMS 350 can send a stop / start command 352 to the ICE 320 to control its start and stop. In some embodiments, the BMS 350 can also control the operation of an exhaust fan 314, an intake fan 315, and a cooling fan 316.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram 400 illustrating an example of a single-stroke engine 420 and corresponding features that can be used in EVIGs of the subject matter. The single-stroke engine 420 (e.g., an ICE) and... Figure 3The EVIG system 300 uses the same ICE 320. The disclosed technology can reduce GHG pollution (CO2) by one-third using today's globally available built infrastructure, while costing less than half that of comparable existing engines (e.g., four-stroke). More specifically, the single-stroke engine offers superior characteristics compared to four-stroke engines commonly used in gas and hybrid vehicles. For example, the single-stroke engine 420 is 70% more efficient, produces 80% less pollutants (e.g., 33% less greenhouse gas (GHG)), has 50% lower construction costs, and 33% lower operating costs. Other beneficial characteristics of the single-stroke engine 420 include light weight and high power (e.g., 80% lighter for the same power output), less complexity (90% fewer components), and the ability to use alternative fuels such as CNG, gasoline, diesel, propane, hydrogen, or other liquid fuels.

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram 500 illustrating an example of a single-stroke engine 520, a scaled-up version of the engine 522, and corresponding features. The single-stroke engine 520 could be a 10 kW engine used in smaller vehicles, but for larger vehicles such as trucks, ships, and other large vehicles, it could be scaled up to, for example, 500 kW. Figure 5 The advantages and characteristics of the 520 single-stroke engine presented are similar to those mentioned above. Figure 4 Those described.

[0033] Figure 6 Table 600 illustrates a comparison between the EVIG of this subject matter technology and the eigenvectors 610 of a typical ICE vehicle and a conventional EV. Table 600 includes columns 620, 630, and 640 listing the values ​​of the eigenvectors 610 for ICE vehicles, EVs, and EVIGs, respectively. The eigenvectors 610 include power source weight, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) engine / battery costs, fuel consumption, manufacturing costs, charging / refueling time, OEM warranty costs, annual CO2 and GHG emissions, and carbon footprint. A review of Table 600 shows that, for almost all characteristics, the EVIG of this subject matter technology outperforms both ICE vehicles and EVs. For example, EVIGs are lighter and cheaper, have greater or comparable mileage, lower manufacturing costs, shorter refueling times, and are significantly better in terms of carbon footprint.

[0034] Figure 7Table 700 illustrates a comparison between an example of the EVIG technology of this subject matter and components 710 of a typical ICE vehicle and a conventional EV. Table 700 includes columns 720, 730, 740, and lists of components 710 for ICE-powered vehicles, EVs, and EVIGs respectively, as well as columns 750 and 760 listing additional costs for ICE vehicles and EVIGs. Components 710 include an engine, fuel pump and tank, water management, fuel tank, battery weight and cost, recharge cost, regenerative braking system, and kinetic energy recovery system. A review of Table 700 shows that the EVIG of this subject matter technology has fewer components than an ICE vehicle and a lower battery weight compared to an EV.

[0035] Figure 8 Table 800 illustrates a comparison between the eigenvectors 810 of an example IG light truck demonstrating the technology of this subject and a typical ICE light truck. Table 800 includes columns 820 and 830 listing the values ​​of the eigenvectors 810 for the ICE and IG light trucks, respectively. The eigenvectors 810 include vehicle weight, battery weight, battery cost, fuel consumption per mile, vehicle manufacturing cost, refueling time, OEM warranty cost, CO2 emissions, and carbon footprint. A review of Table 800 shows that, for almost all characteristics, the IG light truck of this subject technology outperforms the ICE light truck.

[0036] Figure 9 Table 900 illustrates a comparison between an example of the IG semi-truck battery system of the subject matter technology and the characteristic vector 910 of a typical electric semi-truck battery. Table 900 includes columns 920 and 930 listing the values ​​of the characteristic vector 910 for ICE and EVIG semi-trucks, respectively. The characteristic vector 910 includes size, weight, CNG range on a single charge / tank, required fuel, approximate price for consumers, charging / refueling time, infrastructure requirements, additional cargo carrying capacity, and carbon footprint. A review of Table 900 shows that, for almost all characteristics, the EVIG semi-truck of the subject matter technology has better / comparable characteristics to the ICE light truck. For example, the IG semi-truck battery system is lighter and cheaper, has comparable range, is cheaper for consumers, has shorter refueling times, and has a better carbon footprint.

[0037] Figure 10Table 1000 illustrates a comparison between the feature vectors 1010 of an example IG heavy-duty truck demonstrating the technology of this subject and a typical EV heavy-duty truck. Table 1000 includes columns 1020 and 1030 listing the values ​​of the feature vectors 1010 for EV and IG heavy-duty trucks, respectively. Feature vector 1010 includes semi-trailer weight, battery weight, battery cost, mileage, required charging, semi-trailer manufacturing cost, charging time, OEM warranty cost, CO2 emissions, and carbon footprint. A review of Table 1000 shows that, for almost all characteristics, the IG heavy-duty truck of this subject technology has better features compared to the EV heavy-duty truck. For example, IG heavy-duty truck batteries are lighter and cheaper, have comparable mileage, lower OEM warranty costs, shorter refueling times, and a better carbon footprint.

[0038] Figure 11 This demonstrates some aspects of the technology based on this topic for use in EVs (e.g., Figure 2 A flowchart of an example of a manufacturing method 1100 for an IG system (200). Method 1100 includes steps 1110, 1120, 1130 and 1140.

[0039] In step 1110, a traction motor for supplying power to the EV is provided (e.g., Figure 2 The battery pack (e.g., 230) supplies the first DC voltage. Figure 2 (228 in the middle).

[0040] In step 1120, the battery pack is electrically connected to one or more motors ( Figure 2 The output of 224) is used to generate a second DC voltage to keep the battery pack fully charged.

[0041] In step 1130, the ICE (e.g., Figure 2 222) is mechanically connected to the one or more motors.

[0042] In step 1140, a fuel tank (e.g., containing liquid fuel and located inside the EV) is included. Figure 2 (210) is connected to ICE.

[0043] One aspect of this subject matter relates to an apparatus comprising a battery pack configured to power an EV, and a motor powered by fuel supplied from a fuel tank and configured to provide mechanical power as one or more motors. The one or more motors are configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage to maintain the battery pack fully charged, and the battery pack, the motor, and the one or more motors are enclosed within a battery system housing.

[0044] In some implementations, the motor comprises a single-stroke internal combustion engine (ICE).

[0045] In one or more embodiments, the one or more motors include one or more alternators, and the DC voltage is regulated to match the nominal voltage of the battery pack.

[0046] In some embodiments, the fuel comprises a liquid fuel, which includes one of the following: compressed natural gas (CNG), gasoline, diesel, propane, or hydrogen.

[0047] In one or more embodiments, the fully charged battery pack contains a level in the range of approximately 98% to 100% of the maximum permissible charge level associated with the battery pack.

[0048] In some implementations, the fuel tank is carried by the EV in a compartment inside the EV.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, the battery system housing further includes an internal heat shield arranged to shield the battery compartment, which includes the battery pack, from other components in the battery system housing.

[0050] In some embodiments, the battery system housing further includes a battery management system configured to control the operation of the motor, thereby keeping the battery pack always fully charged.

[0051] In some embodiments, the battery system housing further includes one or more vents configured to open automatically to allow filtered fresh air in the EVIG to cool at a threshold speed of 25 miles per hour (mph).

[0052] In one or more embodiments, the EV includes one of the following: a car, a truck, a boat, a ship, or an aircraft.

[0053] In some embodiments, the battery system housing further includes cooling fins made of a thermally conductive material.

[0054] In one or more embodiments, the battery system housing further includes a plurality of exhaust fans configured to remove hot air from the compartments of the battery system housing.

[0055] In some embodiments, the battery system housing further includes a plurality of cooling fans configured to blow fresh air into the compartments of the battery system housing.

[0056] Another aspect of this subject matter relates to an EV including a battery system comprising a battery pack configured to power a first electric motor and a second motor configured to be powered by fuel supplied from a fuel tank and to provide mechanical power to one or more motors, wherein the one or more motors are configured to generate a DC voltage for maintaining the battery pack fully charged. A battery management system is configured to manage the operation of the second motor. The battery system is enclosed in a battery system housing.

[0057] In some implementations, the battery management system is configured to manage the operation of the second motor to always keep the battery pack fully charged.

[0058] In one or more embodiments, the first electric motor includes a traction motor, and the second motor includes a single-stroke ICE.

[0059] In some embodiments, the fuel tank contains liquid fuel, which includes one of the following: CNG, gasoline, diesel, propane, or hydrogen.

[0060] In one or more embodiments, the battery system housing further includes cooling fins made of a thermally conductive material.

[0061] In some embodiments, the battery system housing further includes a plurality of exhaust fans configured to remove hot air from the compartments of the battery system housing.

[0062] In one or more embodiments, the battery system housing further includes a plurality of cooling fans configured to blow fresh air into the compartments of the battery system housing.

[0063] Another aspect of this subject matter relates to a method comprising: providing a battery pack for supplying a first DC voltage to a traction motor of an EV; and electrically connecting the battery pack to the output of one or more motors to generate a second DC voltage for maintaining the battery pack fully charged. The method further comprises mechanically connecting an ICE (electrical circuit) to the one or more motors; and connecting a fuel tank comprising liquid fuel and located within the EV to the ICE.

[0064] In one or more embodiments, the battery pack, the ICE, and the one or more motors are enclosed in a battery system housing, wherein the battery system housing further includes cooling fins, a plurality of exhaust fans, and a plurality of cooling fans.

[0065] In some implementations, the method further includes providing a battery management system within the battery system housing to manage the operation of the ICE, thereby keeping the battery pack always fully charged.

[0066] In some implementations, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example," "instance," or "illustration." Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Phrases such as "an aspect," "the aspect," "another aspect," "some aspects," "one or more aspects," "an implementation," "the implementation," "another implementation," "some implementations," "one or more implementations," "an embodiment," "the embodiment," "another embodiment," "some embodiments," "one or more embodiments," "a configuration," "the configuration," "another configuration," "some configurations," "one or more configurations," "the subject matter," "the disclosure," "the present disclosure," and other variations thereof are provided for convenience and do not imply that disclosures associated with such phrases are essential to the subject matter or that such disclosures apply to all configurations of the subject matter. Disclosures associated with one or more of such phrases may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. Disclosures associated with one or more of such phrases may provide one or more instances. Phrases such as "an aspect" or "some aspects" may refer to one or more aspects, and vice versa, and this similarly applies to the other phrases above.

[0067] Unless otherwise specified, references to singular elements do not imply "one and only one," but rather "one or more." Male pronouns (e.g., his) include female and neutral genders (e.g., her and it), and vice versa. The term "some" refers to one or more. Underlined and / or italicized headings and subheadings are used for convenience only, do not limit the subject matter, and are not associated with an interpretation of the subject matter description. Relational terms such as "first" and "second" may only be used to distinguish one entity or action from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. All structural and functional equivalents of the various configurations of elements known or to be known hereafter by one of ordinary skill in the art throughout the description herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the subject matter. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be made public, whether or not such disclosure is expressly set forth in the foregoing description. Unless an element is explicitly described using the phrase “apparatus for…” or, in the case of a method clause, using the phrase “steps for…”, an element should not be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of 35 USC §112, paragraph 6.

[0068] While this specification contains numerous details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope that can be described, but rather as descriptions of particular embodiments of the subject matter. Certain features described in the context of independent embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments. Furthermore, although features may be described above as functioning in certain combinations, and even initially described in this way, in some cases one or more features from the described combinations may be removed from said combinations, and the described combinations may involve sub-combinations or variations thereof.

[0069] The subject matter of this specification has been described in light of specific aspects, but other aspects may also be implemented and are within the scope of the following clauses. For example, although operations are depicted in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as requiring such operations to be performed in the specific order shown or sequentially, or to perform all the operations shown, to achieve the desired result. The actions described in the clauses may be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired result. As an example, the flow depicted in the accompanying drawings does not necessarily require the specific order or sequential order shown to achieve the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Furthermore, the separation of the various system components in the aspects described above should not be construed as requiring such separation in all aspects, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or enclosed in multiple software products.

[0070] The title, background art, description of the accompanying drawings, and abstract and drawings are hereby incorporated in this disclosure and are provided as illustrative examples rather than limiting descriptions. This submission is made so that it will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the terms. Furthermore, in the detailed description, it can be seen that the embodiments provide illustrative examples and various features are combined together in various embodiments for the purpose of binding the disclosure together as a whole. The methods of this disclosure are not to be construed as reflecting an intention to require more features than expressly stated in each clause. Rather, as reflected in the clauses, the inventive subject matter lies in fewer than all the features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The clauses are thus incorporated into the detailed description, wherein each clause, in itself, represents a separate described subject matter.

[0071] Aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to achieve one or more of the following potential advantages. The described techniques can be implemented to support a range of benefits and significant advantages of the disclosed eye-tracking system. It should be noted that the subject matter techniques are capable of manufacturing depth-sensing devices that are all-solid-state devices with small size, low power consumption, and low cost.

[0072] As used in this article, the phrase “at least one of…” preceding a series of items, separated by the terms “and” or “or”, modifies the list as a whole rather than each member of the list (i.e., each item).

[0073] With regard to the terms “comprising,” “having,” etc., used in the description or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “including,” since “including” is interpreted as a transitional word in the claims.

[0074] Unless otherwise specified, references to a singular element do not imply "one and only one," but rather "one or more." All structural and functional equivalents of elements in various configurations known to or to be learned by one of ordinary skill in the art throughout this disclosure are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the subject matter. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be made public, whether or not it is expressly stated in the foregoing description.

[0075] While this specification contains numerous details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims, but rather as descriptions of particular embodiments of the subject matter. Certain features described in the context of independent embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, the various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments. Furthermore, although the features described above may be described as operating in certain combinations and even initially stated so, in some cases one or more features of a claimed combination may be removed from the combination, and the claimed combination may refer to a sub-combination or a variation of a sub-combination.

Claims

1. A device comprising: A battery pack, configured to power an electric vehicle (EV); and A motor, which is powered by fuel supplied from a fuel tank and is configured as one or more electric motors to provide mechanical power. in: The one or more motors are configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage to maintain the battery pack fully charged; and The battery pack, the motor, and the one or more motors are enclosed in a battery system housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a single-stroke internal combustion engine (ICE).

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more motors comprise one or more alternators, and wherein the DC voltage is regulated to match the nominal voltage of the battery pack.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fuel comprises a liquid fuel, the liquid fuel including one of the following and others not mentioned herein: compressed natural gas (CNG), gasoline, diesel, propane, or hydrogen.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the fully charged battery pack contains a level in the range of about 98% to 100% of the maximum permissible charge level associated with the battery pack.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is carried by the EV in a compartment inside the EV.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery system housing further includes an internal heat shield arranged to shield the battery compartment comprising the battery pack from other components in the battery system housing.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery system housing further includes a battery management system configured to control the operation of the motor to keep the battery pack fully charged.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the EV comprises one of the following: a car, a truck, a boat, a ship, or an aircraft.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery system housing further comprises cooling fins made of a thermally conductive material.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery system housing further includes a plurality of exhaust fans configured to remove hot air from the compartments of the battery system housing.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery system housing further includes a plurality of cooling fans configured to blow fresh air into the compartments of the battery system housing.

13. An EV comprising: The battery system includes: A battery pack, configured to provide power to a first electric motor; A second motor is configured to be powered by fuel supplied from a fuel tank and to provide mechanical power to one or more motors, wherein the one or more motors are configured to generate a DC voltage for maintaining the battery pack fully charged; as well as A battery management system configured to manage the operation of the second motor. The battery system is enclosed in a battery system housing.

14. The EV of claim 13, wherein the battery management system is configured to manage the operation of the second motor to keep the battery pack fully charged.

15. The EV of claim 13, wherein the first electric motor comprises a traction motor and the second motor comprises a single-stroke ICE.

16. The EV of claim 13, wherein the fuel tank contains liquid fuel, the liquid fuel comprising one of: CNG, gasoline, diesel, propane or hydrogen.

17. The EV of claim 13, wherein the battery system housing further comprises: Cooling fins, said cooling fins being made of a thermally conductive material; Multiple exhaust fans are configured to remove hot air from the compartments of the battery system housing; Multiple cooling fans are configured to blow fresh air into the compartments of the battery system housing; as well as One or more ventilation openings are configured to open automatically to allow filtered fresh air in the EVIG to cool at a threshold speed, wherein the threshold speed is approximately 25 miles per hour (mph).

18. A method comprising: A battery pack is provided for supplying a first DC voltage to the traction motor of an EV; The battery pack is electrically connected to the output of one or more motors to generate a second DC voltage for keeping the battery pack fully charged; Mechanically connect the ICE to the one or more motors; and A fuel tank containing liquid fuel and located inside the EV is connected to the ICE.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the battery pack, the ICE, and the one or more motors are enclosed in a battery system housing, wherein the battery system housing further includes cooling fins, a plurality of exhaust fans, and a plurality of cooling fans.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing a battery management system within the battery system housing to manage the operation of the ICE, thereby keeping the battery pack fully charged.

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