Regenerative braking control system

Abstract

The regenerative braking control system of the vehicle may include one or more user interface elements located within a cabin of the vehicle. The user interface elements may correspond to a plurality of regenerative braking settings. Each of the regenerative braking settings may correspond to a different amount of regenerative braking torque to apply to the wheels of the vehicle. The system may include a processor operatively connected to the user interface elements. The processor may be configured to detect a condition that is at least one of a weight of the vehicle, a center of gravity of the vehicle, a weight of a trailer operatively connected to the vehicle, and a center of gravity of a trailer operatively connected to the vehicle. The processor may be configured to effect a condition-based adjustment to an amount of regenerative braking torque for the regenerative braking settings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter described herein generally relates to regenerative brakes, and more specifically to adjusting the regenerative brake characteristics of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Heavy vehicles can be equipped with various braking systems. For example, a heavy vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine can use an engine braking system (also referred to as an "exhaust brake" system, a "jake brake" system, or a "jacobs brake" system) in addition to a conventional friction brake system or a hydraulic brake system. The engine braking system can slow down the vehicle by opening the exhaust valve of the cylinder after the compression cycle to release the compressed air trapped in the cylinder. The engine braking system can have engine brake settings that are selectable by the user. Each setting can correspond to applying a different amount of engine brake torque to the vehicle's wheels. Thus, the operator of the vehicle can choose when to assist the friction brake or the hydraulic brake using the engine brake and can also select a specific amount of engine brake torque.

[0003] In recent years, the number of heavy vehicles equipped with an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine has been increasing. Due to the power supply by the electric motor, such vehicles including electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles can adopt a friction brake system and a regenerative brake system. The regenerative brake system can assist the friction brake system and can also be used to recover energy from the moving wheels of the vehicle to charge one or more battery drive systems of the vehicle.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a regenerative braking control system for a vehicle. The regenerative braking control system may include one or more user interface elements. One or more user interface elements may be located inside the vehicle's cabin. One or more user interface elements may correspond to a plurality of regenerative braking settings. Each of the plurality of regenerative braking settings may correspond to a different amount of regenerative braking torque applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle. The regenerative braking control system may include a processor. The processor may be operably connected to the user interface elements. The processor may be configured to detect a state. The state may be at least one of the vehicle's weight, the vehicle's center of gravity, the weight of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle, and the center of gravity of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle. In response to the detection of a state, the processor may be configured to bring about a state-based adjustment to the amount of regenerative braking torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative braking settings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0005] [Figure 1] This is an example diagram of a vehicle's regenerative braking control system. [Figure 2A] This is an example diagram of one or more user interface elements of a regenerative braking control system. [Figure 2B] This is an example diagram of one or more user interface elements of a regenerative braking control system. [Figure 2C] This is an example diagram of one or more user interface elements of a regenerative braking control system. [Figure 3] This is an example diagram of a method for controlling regenerative braking in a vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0006] In heavy vehicles equipped with a regenerative braking system, the engine braking system cannot be used because the vehicle does not have an internal combustion engine. Furthermore, user-selectable regenerative braking settings, even if implemented in electric vehicles, may not provide the same amount of regenerative braking torque as engine braking torque, and / or may not be as user-friendly to the operator as user-selectable engine braking settings.

[0007] Accordingly, the mechanism described herein relates to a system and method that provides a user-selectable regenerative braking setting for an electric vehicle, which replicates the effect of a user-selectable engine braking setting, thereby enabling the operator of the electric vehicle to continue using driving habits and behaviors related to their experience driving conventional diesel engine vehicles. One or more user interface elements can be used to select a regenerative braking setting, each of which may correspond to a different amount of regenerative braking torque applied to the vehicle's wheels. In some cases, the vehicle's weight and / or center of gravity may affect the effectiveness of the regenerative braking. Furthermore, if the vehicle is equipped with a trailer, the weight and / or center of gravity of the trailer, and / or the combined weight and / or center of gravity of the trailer and vehicle, may affect the effectiveness of the regenerative braking. The regenerative braking settings can be adjusted, for example, by increasing or decreasing the amount of regenerative braking torque for one or more of the regenerative braking settings. As described herein, a regenerative braking control system may adjust the amount of regenerative braking torque for one or more of the regenerative braking settings based on at least one of the vehicle weight, the vehicle's center of gravity, the weight of a trailer operably attached to the vehicle, and the center of gravity of a trailer operably attached to the vehicle.

[0008] While detailed embodiments are disclosed herein, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended merely as examples. Accordingly, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as restrictive, but rather as representative grounds for the claims and for teaching those skilled in the art to employ various aspects of the embodiments herein in substantially any suitable detailed structure. Furthermore, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be restrictive, but rather to provide an understandable description of possible implementations. Various embodiments are shown in Figures 1 to 3, but these embodiments are not limited to the structures or uses shown.

[0009] For the purpose of simplifying and clarifying the illustrations, reference numbers are repeated as appropriate between different figures to indicate corresponding or similar elements. In addition, many specific details are given to provide a complete understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described herein can be carried out without these specific details.

[0010] Referring to Figure 1, at least a partial example of the regenerative braking control system 100 of a vehicle 10 is shown. The regenerative braking control system 100 can be implemented in any suitable vehicle 10. For example, the regenerative braking control system 100 can be implemented in an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), or a fuel cell vehicle (FCV).

[0011] In some mechanisms, the vehicle 10 may include a trailer 11. The trailer 11 can be any type of trailer. For example, the trailer 11 may be a flatbed trailer, a van trailer, a cargo semi-trailer, or any other type of trailer. The trailer 11 may be operably connected to the vehicle 10 in any preferred way that is currently known or may be developed in the future. As used herein, the term “operably connected” includes direct or indirect connections, and may include connections that do not involve direct physical contact. The operable connection between the trailer 11 and the vehicle 10 may include mechanical and / or electrical connections.

[0012] The vehicle 10 and / or trailer 11 may include a body 12, a passenger compartment 14, a luggage compartment 16, and a drivetrain system 18. In some configurations, the luggage compartment 16 may be the trailer 11. The drivetrain system 18 may include wheels 20, one or more motors 22, one or more power sources 24, one or more pedals 26, a dashboard 28, and an instrument panel 30. The wheels 20 can be configured to support the vehicle 10 and / or trailer 11, and the motors 22 can be configured to propel or decelerate the wheels 20. The power sources 24 may include one or more batteries and / or one or more fuel cells that supply power to the motors 22. The pedals 26 may include a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal. The dashboard 28 may be located within the passenger compartment 14. In some configurations, the instrument panel 30 may be part of the dashboard 28.

[0013] The drivetrain system 18 may include a friction brake system 32. The friction brake system 32 may include a plurality of friction brake units 34. Each friction brake unit 34 may be operably connected to one of the wheels 20. The friction brake units 34 may include any system, component, device, etc., of any type of friction brake system currently known or to be developed in the future. For example, each friction brake unit 34 may include a brake disc, a brake caliper, and a brake pad. Each friction brake unit 34 may be operably connected to a brake pedal. When the operator of the vehicle 10 acts on the brake pedal, the brake caliper may pressurize to bring the brake pad into contact with the brake disc, thereby slowing down the wheel 20.

[0014] The drivetrain system 18 may also include a regenerative braking system 36. The regenerative braking system 36 may include one or more regenerative braking units 38. The regenerative braking unit 38 may include any system, component, device, etc. of any type of regenerative braking system currently known or to be developed in the future. For example, the regenerative braking unit 38 may include the wheels 20, motor 22, and power source 24 of the drivetrain system 18. The regenerative braking unit 38 may be operably connected to a pedal 26, for example, a brake pedal and / or an accelerator pedal. The regenerative braking system 36 may also include one or more inverters. When the operator of the vehicle 10 releases the accelerator pedal or acts on the brake pedal, the inverter may be configured to stop the magnetic field generated in the coil of the motor 22. As a result, the motor 22 no longer drives the wheels 20. Instead, the motor 22 is driven by the rotation of the wheels 20. For this reason, the motor 22 may begin to function as a generator that produces electrical energy. Therefore, the motor 22 may be configured to supply the generated energy to the battery, power source 24, and / or power supply 40. The wheels 20 are then decelerated by the friction acting between the wheels 20 and the road, thereby slowing down the vehicle 10.

[0015] In addition to the elements described above, the regenerative brake control system 100 may also include one or more power supplies 40, one or more user interfaces 42, one or more user interface elements 44, one or more regenerative brake settings 46, one or more sensors 48 including one or more weight sensors 48W and one or more center of gravity sensors 48C, one or more data stores 50, one or more processors 52, one or more modules 54, and one or more regenerative brake control modules 56.

[0016] It will be understood that it is not essential for the regenerative braking control system 100 to have all of the elements shown in Figure 1 or described herein. The regenerative braking control system 100 may have any combination of the various elements shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the regenerative braking control system 100 may have additional elements beyond those shown in Figure 1. In some mechanisms, the regenerative braking control system 100 may not include one or more of the elements shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the elements shown may be physically separated by long distances. Some of the possible elements of the regenerative braking control system 100 are shown in Figure 1 and described herein.

[0017] Various elements of the regenerative braking control system 100, such as the drivetrain system 18, friction brake system 32, regenerative braking system 36, power supply 40, user interface 42, user interface element 44, sensor 48, weight sensor 48W, center of gravity sensor 48C, data store 50, processor 52, and / or module 54, may be linked communicatively to each other or to one or more other elements through one or more communication networks. As used herein, the term “communicatively linked” may include direct or indirect connections through communication channels, buses, routes, or other components or systems. As used herein, the term “communication network” means one or more components designed to transmit and / or receive information from one source to another. The elements of the vehicle include and / or can run suitable communication software, which enables the various elements to communicate with each other through the communication network to perform the functions disclosed herein.

[0018] A communication network may be implemented as, or may include, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a virtual private network (VPN), the Internet, a hardwired communication bus, and / or one or more intranets, but is not limited to these. The communication network may be implemented as one or more wireless networks, or may include one or more wireless networks, regardless of whether it is a short-range (e.g., a local wireless network constructed using Bluetooth® or one of the IEEE 802 wireless communication protocols, e.g., 802.11a / b / g / I, 802.15, 802.16, 802.20, or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA or WPA2)) or a long-range (e.g., mobile, cellular, and / or satellite-based wireless networks, GSM, TDMA, CDMA, WCDMA® networks, or similar). The communication network may include wired communication links and / or wireless communication links. The communication network may include any combination of the above networks and / or other types of networks.

[0019] As described above, the regenerative braking control system 100 may include one or more power sources 40. The power source 40 may be any power source that can and / or is configured to energize the vehicle 10 and / or trailer 11 and the elements of the vehicle 10 and / or trailer 11. For example, the power source 40 may include one or more batteries, one or more fuel cells, one or more generators, one or more alternators, one or more solar cells, and combinations thereof. In one mechanism, the power source 40 may be the power source 24 of the vehicle 10 and / or trailer 11.

[0020] As described above, the regenerative braking control system 100 may include one or more user interfaces 42. The user interface 42 may be provided to and operably connected to the vehicle 10 at any preferred location. For example, the user interface 42 may be part of the dashboard 28 and / or instrument panel 30.

[0021] Referring to Figures 2A to 2C, the user interface 42 may include one or more user interface elements 44. The user interface element 44 may be any suitable manual user interface element. For example, as shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the user interface element 44 may be one or more switches. In other examples, the user interface element 44 may be one or more buttons, one or more dials, one or more levers, one or more knobs, one or more keys, one or more selectors, one or more actuators, any other suitable user interface elements, and / or any combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the user interface element 44 may be any suitable digital or graphical user interface element. For example, the user interface element 44 may be one or more screens or one or more touchscreens.

[0022] The user interface element 44 may correspond to one or more regenerative braking settings 46. Each of the regenerative braking settings 46 may be selectable by the user. Each of the regenerative braking settings 46 may correspond to a different predetermined amount of regenerative braking torque applied to the wheel 20. In one or more mechanisms, the regenerative braking control system 100 may include three regenerative braking settings 46. In such a mechanism, the first (LOW) regenerative braking setting 46 may correspond to a small amount of regenerative braking torque, the second (MEDIUM) regenerative braking setting 46 may correspond to an intermediate amount of regenerative braking torque, and the third (HIGH) regenerative braking setting 46 may correspond to a large amount of regenerative braking torque. In some mechanisms, a small amount of regenerative braking torque may correspond to a braking force reduction of about 10%, an intermediate amount of regenerative braking torque may correspond to a braking force reduction of about 15%, and a large amount of regenerative braking torque may correspond to a braking force reduction of about 20%. In other or more mechanisms, the regenerative brake setting 46 may correspond to any suitable amount of regenerative brake torque and / or any suitable amount of reducing brake force. In some mechanisms, the user interface element 44 may correspond to any number of suitable regenerative brake settings 46. In some mechanisms, the regenerative brake setting 46 may represent a range. The ranges may or may not overlap with each other. In some mechanisms, the regenerative brake setting 46 may correspond to a range of regenerative brake torque between the lowest regenerative brake setting 46 and the highest regenerative brake setting 46.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, the user interface element 44 can include any suitable number of user interface elements 44 for controlling the regenerative brake setting 46. In some mechanisms, the user interface element 44 can include an on / off switch 60. The on / off switch 60 can be configured to selectively enable and / or disable applying the regenerative brake torque to the wheel 20. In some mechanisms, the user interface element 44 can include one or more level selector switches 62. The level selector switch 62 can be configured to change the amount of regenerative brake torque applied to the wheel 20.

[0024] The user interface element 44 can include any suitable combination of the on / off switch 60 and / or the level selector switch 62. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the user interface element 44 can include one on / off switch 60 and one level selector switch 62. The level selector switch 62 can have three positions (LOW, MEDIUM, and HIGH) corresponding to three regenerative brake settings 46. In another example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the user interface element 44 can include one on / off switch 60 and a plurality of level selector switches 62. In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the level selector switch 62 can be three level selector switches. Each level selector switch can correspond to three regenerative brake settings 46. In another example, as shown in FIG. 2C, the user interface element 44 may include a combined on / off and level selector switches 60, 62, where the switch has four positions (off, LOW, MEDIUM, and HIGH) corresponding to the off setting and three regenerative brake settings 46. Of course, the mechanisms shown in FIGS. 2A-2C are merely examples, and it will be understood that other mechanisms are possible.

[0025] The regenerative brake setting 46 can provide various levels of regenerative brake torque applied to the wheel 20. Thus, the operator can control the feel of the braking system according to his or her driving style. However, in some mechanisms, the weight and / or center of gravity of the vehicle 10, and / or the weight and / or center of gravity of the trailer 11 operatively connected to the vehicle 10 can affect the effectiveness of the regenerative brake.

[0026] Accordingly, a predetermined amount of regenerative brake torque corresponding to the regenerative brake setting 46 can be adjusted. As described herein, the predetermined amount of regenerative brake torque for the regenerative brake setting 46 can be adjusted based on at least one of the weight of the vehicle, the center of gravity of the vehicle, the weight of the trailer operatively connected to the vehicle, and the center of gravity of the trailer operatively connected to the vehicle. The adjustment can be automatically performed by the regenerative brake control system 100. The adjustment can be performed dynamically in real time during operation of the vehicle or during a number of driving events.

[0027] Referring back to FIG. 1, the regenerative brake control system 100 can include one or more sensors 48. As used herein, the term "sensor" can include any device, component, and / or system capable of detecting, determining, evaluating, monitoring, measuring, quantifying, acquiring, and / or sensing something. The sensor 48 can detect, determine, evaluate, monitor, measure, quantify, acquire, and / or sense in real time. As used herein, the term "real time" can mean a level of processing responsiveness that a user or system perceives as being fast enough for a particular process or decision to be made, or a level of processing responsiveness that enables a processor to keep up with some external process. The sensor 48 can be operatively connected to the user interface 42, user interface element 44, data store 50, processor 52, and / or other elements of the vehicle 10.

[0028] The sensor 48 may include any preferred type of sensor. The sensor 48 may detect, determine, evaluate, monitor, measure, quantify, and / or sense information about the vehicle 10 itself (e.g., position, orientation, speed, etc.). The sensor 48 may also detect, determine, evaluate, monitor, measure, quantify, acquire, and / or sense data or information about the external environment in which the vehicle 10 is located or one or more parts thereof.

[0029] Sensor 48 may be configured to detect and / or acquire data relating to the weight and / or center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or trailer 11. Therefore, sensor 48 may include one or more weight sensors 48W and / or one or more center of gravity sensors 48C. Weight sensor 48W may be configured to detect and / or acquire data relating to the weight of vehicle 10, the weight of trailer 11, or the combined weight of vehicle 10 and trailer 11. Similarly, center of gravity sensor 48C may be configured to detect and / or acquire data relating to the center of gravity of vehicle 10, the center of gravity of trailer 11, or the combined center of gravity of vehicle 10 and trailer 11. In some mechanisms, center of gravity sensor 48C may be configured to acquire data that can be used to determine the center of gravity of vehicle 10, trailer 11, and / or both vehicle 10 and trailer 11.

[0030] As described above, the regenerative braking control system 100 may include one or more data stores 50. The data stores 50 may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Examples of suitable data stores include RAM (random access memory), flash memory, ROM (read-only memory), PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), registers, magnetic disks, optical disks, hard drives, or any other suitable storage medium, or any combination thereof. The data store 50 may be a component of the processor 52, or the data store 50 may be operably connected to the processor 52 for use by the processor 52. The data store 50 may be configured to store data from the sensor 48.

[0031] As described above, the regenerative braking control system 100 may include one or more processors 52. The term “processor” as used herein may mean any component or group of components configured to execute any of the processes described herein, or any form of instructions that execute such processes or cause such processes to execute. The processors 52 may be implemented as one or more general-purpose processors and / or one or more dedicated processors. Examples of suitable processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, DSP processors, and other circuits capable of executing software. Further examples of suitable processors include, but are not limited to, central processing units (CPUs), array processors, vector processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic circuits, and controllers. The processors 52 may include at least one hardware circuit (e.g., an integrated circuit) configured to execute instructions contained within program code. In a system with multiple processors 52, the processors 52 may function independently of each other, or one or more processors 52 may function in combination with each other. The processor 52 may be configured to receive data from the sensor 48 and / or the data store 50.

[0032] As described above, the regenerative braking control system 100 may include one or more modules 54. Module 54 may be implemented as computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor 52, implements one or more of the various processes described herein. Module 54 may be a component of the processor 52, or it may run on and / or be distributed among other processing systems to which the processor 52 is operationally connected. Module 54 may include instructions (e.g., program logic) that can be executed by the processor 52. Alternatively or additionally, the data store 50 may include such instructions. In one or more mechanisms, the modules 54 described herein may include artificial intelligence elements or computational intelligence elements, such as neural networks, fuzzy logic, or other machine learning algorithms. Furthermore, in one or more mechanisms, modules 54 may be distributed among multiple modules 54. In one or more mechanisms, two or more of the modules 54 described herein may be combined into a single module.

[0033] As part of module 54, the vehicle may include one or more regenerative braking control modules 56. The regenerative braking control modules 56 may include profiles and logic for analyzing data from sensors 48 and / or data stores 50. The regenerative braking control modules 56 may be configured to detect a state based on the data. For example, the regenerative braking control modules 56 may be configured to detect at least one of the following: the weight of the vehicle, the center of gravity of the vehicle, the weight of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle, and the center of gravity of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle. State detection may occur continuously, periodically, irregularly, or even randomly.

[0034] The regenerative braking control module 56 may include a profile and logic that adjusts the amount of regenerative braking torque for the regenerative braking setting 46 based on the state. The regenerative braking control module 56 may adjust the amount of regenerative braking torque for the regenerative braking setting 46 in any preferred way. In one example, the regenerative braking control module 56 may continuously adjust the amount of regenerative braking torque for the regenerative braking setting 46 while the vehicle is in use. In another example, the regenerative braking control module 56 may adjust the amount of regenerative braking torque for the regenerative braking setting 46 using only one calibration.

[0035] To adjust the amount of regenerative braking torque for regenerative braking setting 46, the regenerative braking control module 56 may be configured to control the amount of energy supplied from the motor 22 to the battery, power source 24, and / or power supply 40. The amount of energy supplied may be controlled by an inverter. The amount of energy supplied from the motor 22 to the battery, power source 24, and / or power supply 40 affects the amount of regenerative braking torque. For example, if the regenerative braking control module 56 determines that the amount of regenerative braking torque for braking setting 46 should be increased, the regenerative braking control module 56 may be configured to increase the amount of energy supplied from the motor 22 to the battery, power source 24, and / or power supply 40. In another example, if the regenerative braking control module 56 determines that the amount of regenerative braking torque for braking setting 46 should be decreased, the regenerative braking control module 56 may be configured to decrease the amount of energy supplied from the motor 22 to the battery, power source 24, and / or power supply 40.

[0036] The regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to adjust the amount of regenerative brake torque for regenerative brake setting 46 based on at least one of the vehicle weight, the vehicle's center of gravity, the weight of the trailer operably connected to the vehicle, and the center of gravity of the trailer operably connected to the vehicle. In one or more mechanisms, the regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to detect the weight of the vehicle 10 and / or the weight of the trailer 11. If the regenerative brake control module 56 determines that the weight of the vehicle 10 and / or the weight of the trailer 11 is higher than a predetermined weight threshold, the regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to increase the amount of regenerative brake torque for regenerative brake setting 46. If the weight of the vehicle 10 and / or the weight of the trailer 11 is higher than a predetermined weight threshold, the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11 may require more braking force, and therefore the amount of regenerative brake torque may be increased. Similarly, if the regenerative brake control module 56 determines that the weight of the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11 is below a predetermined weight threshold, the regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to reduce the amount of regenerative brake torque for the regenerative brake setting 46. When the weight of the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11 is below a predetermined weight threshold, the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11 may not require much braking force, and therefore the amount of regenerative brake torque may be reduced. The predetermined weight threshold may be any preferred predetermined weight threshold. In one or more mechanisms, the regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to increase the amount of regenerative brake torque in proportion to the increase in the weight of the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11. Similarly, the regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to decrease the amount of regenerative brake torque in proportion to the decrease in the weight of the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11.

[0037] In one or more mechanisms, the regenerative brake control module 56 may detect the center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or the center of gravity of the trailer 11. If the regenerative brake control module 56 determines that the center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or the center of gravity of the trailer 11 is higher than a predetermined center of gravity threshold, the regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to reduce the amount of regenerative brake torque for the regenerative brake setting 46. If the center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or the center of gravity of the trailer 11 is higher than a predetermined center of gravity threshold, the amount of regenerative brake torque may be reduced because the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11 may not require much braking force. Similarly, if the regenerative brake control module 56 determines that the center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or the center of gravity of the trailer 11 is lower than a predetermined center of gravity threshold, the regenerative brake control module 56 may be configured to increase the amount of regenerative brake torque for the regenerative brake setting 46. If the center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11 is lower than a predetermined center of gravity threshold, the vehicle 10 and / or the trailer 11 may require more braking force, and therefore the amount of regenerative braking torque may be increased. The predetermined center of gravity threshold may be any suitable predetermined center of gravity threshold. In one or more mechanisms, the regenerative braking control module 56 may be configured to increase the amount of regenerative braking torque in proportion to the increase in the center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or the weight of the trailer 11. Similarly, the regenerative braking control module 56 may be configured to decrease the amount of regenerative braking torque in proportion to the decrease in the center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or the weight of the trailer 11.

[0038] Having described various possible systems, devices, elements, and / or components, we now describe a method that includes various possible steps of the method. While the described method may be applicable to the mechanisms described above, it should be understood that the method may be performed on other suitable systems and mechanisms. Furthermore, the method may include other steps not shown herein, and in fact, the method is not limited to including all the steps shown. The blocks shown herein as part of the method are not limited to a specific chronological order. In fact, some parts of the blocks may be performed in a different order than shown, and / or at least some parts of the blocks shown may occur simultaneously.

[0039] Referring to Figure 3, an example of method 300 is shown. In block 310, a state may be detected. As described herein, the state may be at least one of the weight of the vehicle 10, the center of gravity of the vehicle 10, the weight of the trailer 11 operably connected to the vehicle 10, and the center of gravity of the trailer 11 operably connected to the vehicle 10. Detection may be performed by the processor 52 and / or the regenerative braking control module 56. Detection may be based on sensor data acquired by the sensor 48. Method 300 may continue to block 320.

[0040] In block 320, depending on the state detection, a state-based adjustment may be made to the amount of regenerative braking torque for the regenerative braking setting 46. This adjustment may be performed by the processor 52 and / or the regenerative braking control module 56. The method may return to block 310 or proceed to some other block.

[0041] The mechanisms described herein may provide electric vehicle operators with the benefit of user-selectable regenerative braking settings. Furthermore, the mechanisms described herein may provide the benefit of adjusting the regenerative braking settings based on the weight and / or center of gravity of the vehicle 10 and / or trailer 11 in order to optimize regenerative braking.

[0042] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions that implement a specified logical function. Note that in some alternative implementations, the functions described in a block diagram may occur regardless of the order in which they are shown in the diagram. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order depending on the related functions.

[0043] The systems, components, and / or processes described herein can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, and can be implemented in a centralized manner within a single processing system or in a distributed manner where different elements are spread across several interconnected processing systems. Any type of processing system or other device configured to perform the methods described herein is preferred. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a processing system having computer-readable program code that, when loaded and running, controls the processing system to perform the methods described herein. The systems, components, and / or processes may also be incorporated into computer-readable storage, such as a computer program product or other data program storage device, which is machine-readable and embodies a program of machine-executable instructions for performing the methods and processes described herein. These elements may also be incorporated into an application product which has all the features that enable the implementation of the methods described herein and, when loaded in a processing system, can perform the methods.

[0044] As used herein, the terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more. As used herein, the term “plural” is defined as two or more. As used herein, the term “another” is defined as at least a second or more. As used herein, the terms “including” and / or “having” are defined as “comprising” (i.e., open language). As used herein, the phrase “at least one of ... and ...” refers to and encompasses all possible combinations of one or more of the enumerated items relating to the enumeration. For example, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” includes A only, B only, C only, or any combination thereof (e.g., AB, AC, BC, or ABC).

[0045] As used herein, the terms “substantially” and / or “about” mean the term they modify and any slight variation therefrom. Therefore, “substantially parallel” means exact parallel and any slight variation therefrom. “Slight variation therefrom” may include ranges of 15 degrees / percent / unit or less, 14 degrees / percent / unit or less, 13 degrees / percent / unit or less, 12 degrees / percent / unit or less, 11 degrees / percent / unit or less, 10 degrees / percent / unit or less, 9 degrees / percent / unit or less, 8 degrees / percent / unit or less, 7 degrees / percent / unit or less, 6 degrees / percent / unit or less, 5 degrees / percent / unit or less, 4 degrees / percent / unit or less, 3 degrees / percent / unit or less, 2 degrees / percent / unit or less, or 1 degree / percent / unit or less. In some examples, “substantially” may include ranges of normal manufacturing tolerances.

[0046] The embodiments described herein may be embodied in other forms without departing from their spirit or essential attributes. Therefore, the following claims, rather than the above specification, should be used to describe the scope of the invention. The inventions disclosed herein include the following embodiments: [Aspect 1] A regenerative braking control system for a vehicle, One or more user interface elements located within the cabin of the vehicle, wherein each of the one or more user interface elements corresponds to a plurality of regenerative braking settings, and each of the plurality of regenerative braking settings corresponds to a different amount of regenerative braking torque applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle, A processor operably connected to the aforementioned user interface element, The processor is equipped with, The state is detected as being at least one of the following: the weight of the vehicle, the center of gravity of the vehicle, the weight of the trailer operably connected to the vehicle, and the center of gravity of the trailer operably connected to the vehicle. A regenerative brake control system configured to, in response to the detection of the aforementioned state, bring about an adjustment based on the state to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings. [Aspect 2] The system according to embodiment 1, wherein the one or more user interface elements are at least one switch. [Aspect 3] The regenerative brake control system according to embodiment 1, wherein providing a state-based adjustment to the amount of regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes providing a dynamic, real-time adjustment to the amount of regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings. [Aspect 4] The regenerative braking control system according to embodiment 1, further comprising a weight sensor, the weight sensor configured to detect at least one of the weight of the vehicle and the weight of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle. [Aspect 5] The regenerative brake control system according to Embodiment 1, wherein detecting the condition includes detecting that the weight of at least one of the vehicle and trailers operably connected to the vehicle is higher than a predetermined weight threshold, and bringing about a condition-based adjustment to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes bringing about an increase in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings. [Aspect 6] The regenerative brake control system according to Embodiment 1, wherein detecting the condition includes detecting that the weight of at least one of the vehicle and trailers operably connected to the vehicle is below a predetermined weight threshold, and bringing about a condition-based adjustment to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes bringing about a reduction in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings. [Aspect 7] The regenerative braking control system according to embodiment 1, further comprising a center of gravity sensor, the center of gravity sensor configured to detect at least one of the center of gravity of the vehicle and the center of gravity of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle. [Aspect 8] The regenerative brake control system according to Embodiment 1, wherein detecting the condition includes detecting that the center of gravity of at least one of the vehicle and / or trailer operably connected to the vehicle is higher than a predetermined center of gravity threshold, and bringing about a condition-based adjustment to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes bringing about a reduction in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings. [Aspect 9] The regenerative brake control system according to Embodiment 1, wherein detecting the condition includes detecting that the center of gravity of at least one of the vehicle and / or trailer operably connected to the vehicle is below a predetermined center of gravity threshold, and bringing about a condition-based adjustment to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes bringing about an increase in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings. [Aspect 10] The regenerative brake control system according to Embodiment 1, wherein providing a state-based adjustment to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes increasing the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings in proportion to an increase in at least one of the weight of the vehicle, the center of gravity of the vehicle, the weight of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle, and the center of gravity of a trailer operably connected to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A regenerative braking control system for a vehicle, One or more user interface elements located inside the cabin of the vehicle, wherein each of the one or more user interface elements corresponds to a plurality of regenerative braking settings, and each of the plurality of regenerative braking settings corresponds to a different amount of regenerative braking torque applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle, A center of gravity sensor configured to acquire data used to determine the combined center of gravity of the vehicle and a trailer operably connected to the vehicle, A processor operably connected to one or more user interface elements, The processor is equipped with, The state of the center of gravity of the vehicle and the trailer as a combination is detected, A regenerative brake control system configured to dynamically adjust, in real time, the amount of regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings based on the state, in response to the detection of the aforementioned state.

2. The regenerative braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more user interface elements are at least one switch.

3. The regenerative braking control system according to claim 1, further comprising a weight sensor, the weight sensor configured to detect the combined weight of the vehicle and the trailer.

4. The regenerative brake control system according to claim 1, wherein detecting the condition further includes detecting that the combined weight of the vehicle and the trailer is higher than a predetermined weight threshold, and bringing about an adjustment based on the condition to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings further includes bringing about an increase in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings.

5. The regenerative brake control system according to claim 1, wherein detecting the aforementioned state further includes detecting that the combined weight of the vehicle and the trailer is lower than a predetermined weight threshold, and bringing about an adjustment based on the aforementioned state to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings further includes bringing about a reduction in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings.

6. The regenerative brake control system according to claim 1, wherein detecting the aforementioned state includes detecting that the combined center of gravity of the vehicle and the trailer is higher than a predetermined center of gravity threshold, and bringing about an adjustment based on the aforementioned state to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes bringing about a reduction in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings.

7. The regenerative brake control system according to claim 1, wherein detecting the aforementioned state includes detecting that the combined center of gravity of the vehicle and the trailer is lower than a predetermined center of gravity threshold, and bringing about an adjustment based on the aforementioned state to the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes bringing about an increase in the amount of the regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings.

8. The regenerative brake control system according to claim 1, wherein providing state-based adjustments to the amount of regenerative brake torque for one or more of the plurality of regenerative brake settings includes increasing the amount of regenerative brake torque for one or more of the regenerative brake settings in proportion to the increase in the combined center of gravity of the vehicle and the trailer.

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