Battery Range Estimation With Route Segmentation and Speed Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accurately predicting the remaining range of a vehicle's battery charge is challenging, leading to driver anxiety and discouraging the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles, as existing methods fail to consider real-time environmental and driver behavior factors effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that estimate the remaining battery charge by identifying route characteristics, determining a vehicle energy consumption profile based on historical data, and calculating the estimated remaining charge, providing indications to the driver about the battery's state and suggesting optimal speed profiles to ensure the vehicle reaches its destination without depletion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional range estimation methods are used, then the system is simple to implement, but the measurement precision of remaining range is poor leading to driver anxiety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the route into multiple portions with different route characteristics (e.g., uphill, downhill, flat, curved sections). Each segment is evaluated separately using historical energy consumption data specific to that route characteristic, allowing for more precise overall range estimation while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and storing historical energy consumption data for various route characteristics before actual trip planning. This pre-processing of data enables the system to quickly and accurately estimate remaining range by comparing current trip conditions against pre-analyzed historical patterns, improving measurement precision without increasing real-time computational complexity.
2Measurement precision
If historical data and route characteristics are considered, then the measurement precision improves, but the loss of time for data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and storing historical energy consumption data for various route characteristics before actual trip planning. This pre-processing of data enables the system to quickly and accurately estimate remaining range by comparing current trip conditions against pre-analyzed historical patterns, improving measurement precision without increasing real-time computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using specific historical data corresponding to matching route characteristics for each segment rather than processing all historical data uniformly. This allows the system to quickly identify relevant data subsets and process only the necessary information, reducing overall data processing time while maintaining high estimation accuracy.
3Reliability
If accurate range prediction is implemented, then driver anxiety is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and processors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by using existing vehicle sensors and processors for multiple purposes: the same sensors that monitor basic vehicle operation also collect data for range estimation, and the existing processor handles both standard vehicle control tasks and the additional computational load of analyzing route characteristics and historical data. This approach improves reliability and driver confidence without requiring dedicated additional hardware components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by utilizing the vehicle's own existing infrastructure (sensors, processors, communication systems) to perform the enhanced range estimation function. Rather than adding separate dedicated systems, the patent makes the existing vehicle electronics serve the additional function of accurate range prediction, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for estimating a remaining range of a vehicle battery charge includes identifying at least one route characteristic of a portion of a selected route, determining a vehicle energy consumption profile for a vehicle, and determining a current state of charge of a vehicle battery of the vehicle. The method also includes determining, for the selected route, a route energy consumption profile and calculating an estimated remaining charge for the vehicle battery at an end of the selected route based on the state of charge of the vehicle battery and the route energy consumption profile. The method also includes, in response to a determination that the estimated remaining charge is less than a lower limit of the vehicle battery charge range, determining a target vehicle speed profile based on the at least one route characteristic, the vehicle energy consumption profile, and the state of charge of the vehicle battery.