METHOD FOR MANAGING AN ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE LEVEL IN A VEHICLE'S TRACTION BATTERY

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a method 100 for managing the electrical energy storage level of a traction battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle, said method 100 comprising the steps of: Selecting 101 a destination; Selecting 102 a minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery to be maintained at the destination; Determining 105 a route between the position of said vehicle and said selected destination, said determined route comprising a number of charging points necessary to maintain said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery at the destination; Displaying 106 said determined route, said displayed route comprising at least one charging point necessary to maintain said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery at the destination. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR MANAGING AN ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE LEVEL OF A TRACTION BATTERY OF A VEHICLE

[0001] The technical field of the invention relates to motor vehicles, in particular of the electric or hybrid type, comprising at least one traction battery.

[0002] One aspect of the invention relates more particularly to a method for managing a level of electrical energy storage of a traction battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle.

[0003] Electric vehicles are known which are equipped with a system for managing the recharging of the traction battery according to a programmed route. When a route is programmed on the system by the driver, the system determines, according to the destination desired by the customer, the number of stages necessary to recharge the electric vehicle so that it can reach the final destination.

[0004] Also known from document FR-A1-2942602 is a method for managing the state of charge of a traction battery making it possible to define a maximum state of charge below which the traction battery of the vehicle must be when the vehicle arrives at its destination and is stationary for a long period. To this end, the method increases the contribution of the electric motor at the end of the journey, i.e. before the final destination is reached, so that the traction battery is below this maximum state of charge.

[0005] In both situations presented above, when the vehicle arrives at its destination, it is possible that the charge state of the traction battery does not allow the vehicle to reach the first charging station during the next journey.

[0006] The aim of the invention is in particular to propose a method for managing a level of electrical energy storage of a traction battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle making it possible to ensure that the driver will be able to reach a charging point when he has arrived at his destination.

[0007] In this context, the invention thus relates, in its broadest acceptance, to a method for managing a level of electrical energy storage of a traction battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: • Selecting, via selection means, a destination; • Select, via the selection means, a minimum level of electrical energy storage of the traction battery to be kept at the destination (i.e. on arrival); • Determine, via control means, a path between the position of the vehicle and the selected destination, the determined route including a number of charging points necessary to respect the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery to be kept at the destination; • Display, via display means, the determined route, the displayed route including at least one charging point necessary to comply with the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery to be kept at the destination.

[0008] Thanks to the invention, the driver has the possibility of providing a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery to be kept at the destination. Equipped with this information, the control means are able to determine a route comprising a number of charging points allowing this minimum electrical energy storage level to be kept on arrival. Thus, upon arriving at the destination, the traction battery has this minimum electrical energy storage level allowing the driver to go to the next charging station.

[0009] In addition to the characteristics which have just been mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the method according to the invention may have one or more complementary characteristics among the following, considered individually or according to all technically possible combinations.

[0010] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery to be kept at the destination is selected for the selected destination.

[0011] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery to be kept at the destination is selected for at least two future destinations.

[0012] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, the method further comprises a step of: • Select, via the selection means, a minimum level of electrical energy storage of the traction battery to be maintained at each charging point; • The determining step then determines, via the control means, a route between the position of the vehicle and said selected destination comprising a number of charging points necessary to respect said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery to be kept at each charging point and at destination; • The display step then displays, via the display means, said determined route, said displayed route comprising at least one recharging point necessary to comply with said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery to be maintained at each recharging point and at destination.

[0013] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery to be kept at each charging point is selected for the selected destination.

[0014] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery to be kept at each charging point is selected for at least two future destinations.

[0015] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, the minimum electrical energy storage level to be maintained in the traction battery corresponds to a minimum state of charge to be maintained in said traction battery.

[0016] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, when a minimum electrical energy storage level of the selected traction battery to be preserved is greater than a maximum threshold, the method comprises a step of displaying, via the display means, information reflecting that the minimum electrical energy storage level of said selected traction battery to be preserved may not be respected.

[0017] According to a non-limiting aspect of the invention, the maximum threshold is greater than or equal to 30% of electrical energy stored by the traction battery.

[0018] Another aspect of the invention relates to an electric or hybrid vehicle constructed and arranged to carry out the steps of the method according to any of the aforementioned aspects of the invention.

[0019] The invention and its various applications will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the accompanying figures.

[0020] [Fig-1] illustrates, in a schematic manner, the steps of a method for managing a level electrical energy storage of a traction battery of an electric vehicle.

[0021] [Fig.2] illustrates, schematically, a vehicle constructed and arranged to perform the steps of the process as illustrated in [Fig.l].

[0022] The figures are presented for information purposes only and in no way limit the invention.

[0023] Reference is made to Figures 1 and 2 for the remainder of the description.

[0024] [Fig. 1] illustrates a method 100 for managing an electrical energy storage level of a traction battery of an electric vehicle. [Fig. 2] illustrates a vehicle 1 constructed and arranged to carry out the steps of the method.

[0025] The method 100 comprises a step of selecting 101, via first selection means 2, a destination. These selection means 2 can be formed by an area of ​​a touch screen of a GPS system included in the vehicle 1, a selection wheel (not shown) included in the vehicle 1 or a screen of a smartphone (not shown). Thus, during this step 101, the driver selects a destination where he wishes to go with his vehicle 1.

[0026] The method 100 also comprises a step of selecting 102, via the means selection 2, a minimum electrical energy storage level of a traction battery 3 of the vehicle 1 to be kept at the destination. In the illustrated example, this minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at the selected destination is 30%.

[0027] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at the destination corresponds to a minimum state of charge, called SoC (for State of Charge in English), to be kept at the destination.

[0028] According to a first embodiment, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at the destination is selected for the selected destination. In other words, for each new destination entered, the driver selects a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at the destination.

[0029] According to a second embodiment, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at the destination is selected for all destinations. In other words, the driver selects a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept once for all future destinations. This embodiment allows the driver not to waste time when entering a new destination.

[0030] The method 100 also comprises a step of selecting 103, via the selection means 2, a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at each charging point. In the example illustrated, this minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at each selected charging point is 10%.

[0031] According to a first embodiment, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at each charging point is selected for the selected destination. In other words, at each new destination entered, the driver selects a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at each charging point.

[0032] According to a second embodiment, the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at each charging point is selected for all destinations. In other words, the driver selects a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at each charging point once for all future destinations. This embodiment allows the driver not to waste time when entering a new destination.

[0033] According to a non-limiting embodiment, when a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at the destination and at each selected recharging point is greater than a maximum threshold, the method 100 comprises a step of displaying 104, via display means 4, information reflecting that the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at the destination and / or at each selected charging point may not be respected. According to a non-limiting embodiment, the maximum threshold is greater than or equal to 30% of electrical energy stored by the traction battery 3. These display means 4 can be formed by an area of ​​the touch screen of a GPS system that the vehicle 1 comprises

[0034] The method 100 according to the invention also comprises a step of determining 105, via control means 5, a route between the position of the vehicle 1 and the final destination. The determined route comprises a number of charging points necessary to comply with the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be maintained at each charging point and at the destination.

[0035] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the control means 5 are integrated into the vehicle 1 or into the smartphone and are constructed and arranged to communicate with the selection means 2 in order to collect all of the selected information, as well as with a computer 6 of the vehicle 1 in order to know the current state of the electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3. This computer 6 can for example be formed by a battery control system (better known by the acronym BMS for Battery Management System in English).

[0036] Once this route is determined, the method 100 comprises a step of displaying 106, via the display means 4, the determined route, the displayed route comprising at least one recharging station necessary to comply with the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be maintained at each recharging point and at the destination.

[0037] Thus, the method 100 optimizes the route and displays the location of the charging stations on the route where these recharges will have to be carried out in order to respect the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3 to be kept at each charging point and at the destination. Thus, if a charging station at a charging point has a large number of vehicles waiting to be recharged, the driver can decide to go, thanks to its minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3, to a neighboring charging station.

[0038] Furthermore, having arrived at the destination, the driver knows, thanks to the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery 3, that he will be able to go to a nearby charging station during his next journey.

Claims

Claims

1. Method (100) for managing an electrical energy storage level of a traction battery (3) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (1), said method (100) comprising a step of selecting (101), via selection means (2), a destination, said method (100) being characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: - Selecting (102), via said selection means (2), a minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery (3) to be kept at the destination; - Determining (105), via control means (5), a route between the position of said vehicle (1) and said selected destination, said determined route comprising a number of recharging points necessary to respect said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery (3) to be kept at the destination;- Display (106), via display means (4), said determined route, said displayed route comprising at least one recharging point necessary to comply with said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery (3) to be kept at the destination.;

2. Method (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery (3) to be kept at the destination is selected for the selected destination.

3. Method (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery (3) to be kept at the destination is selected for at least two future destinations.

4. Method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a step of: - Selecting (103), via the selection means (2), a minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery (3) to be kept at each recharging point; - The determining step (105) then determines, via the control means (5), a path between the position of the vehicle (1) and said selected destination comprising a number of recharging points necessary to respect said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery (3) to be kept at each recharging point and at destination; - The display step (106) then displays, via the display means (4), said determined route, said displayed route comprising at least one recharging point necessary to respect said minimum electrical energy storage level of said traction battery (3) to be kept at each recharging point and at destination.

5. Method (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery (3) to be kept at each charging point is selected for the selected destination.

6. Method (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the minimum electrical energy storage level of the traction battery (3) to be kept at each charging point is selected for at least two future destinations.

7. Method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the minimum electrical energy storage level to be maintained of the traction battery (3) corresponds to a minimum state of charge to be maintained of said traction battery (3).

8. Method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when a minimum electrical energy storage level of the selected traction battery (3) to be preserved is greater than a maximum threshold, the method (100) comprises a step of displaying (104), via the display means (4), information reflecting that the minimum electrical energy storage level of said selected traction battery (3) to be preserved may not be respected.

9. Method (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the maximum threshold is greater than or equal to 30% of electrical energy stored by the traction battery (3).

10. Electric or hybrid vehicle (1), characterized in that it is constructed and arranged to carry out the steps of the method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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