Hybrid Vehicle Controller Charging Traction Battery During Non-Drive Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrified vehicles face challenges in maintaining sufficient battery charge levels during non-drive cycles to ensure the internal combustion engine can be started, particularly in scenarios where starting the engine is undesirable, such as enclosed spaces.
Innovation Solution
A charging system that uses a controller to autonomously wake and charge the traction battery using the internal combustion engine during non-drive cycles, ensuring the battery state of charge remains above a threshold, while avoiding engine startup in enclosed spaces and adjusting charging based on fuel availability and operational modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the internal combustion engine is started to charge the battery during a non-drive cycle, then the battery state of charge is maintained above a threshold level, but the vehicle may be in an enclosed space causing emissions and user inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary assessment of the vehicle's location (enclosed vs. open space) before initiating engine startup for battery charging. By checking GPS coordinates against known enclosed space databases beforehand, the system prevents harmful emissions in enclosed spaces while ensuring battery charge adequacy for future drive cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors battery state of charge levels and uses this feedback to determine when engine charging is necessary. The controller adjusts charging behavior based on real-time battery status, fuel availability, and predicted drive cycle requirements, optimizing the balance between maintaining battery crankability and avoiding unnecessary engine operation in enclosed spaces
2Reliability
If the controller continuously monitors battery state of charge during non-drive cycles, then the battery charge level is maintained, but the controller consumes power and increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The controller enters sleep mode during non-drive cycles and periodically wakes up to monitor battery state of charge levels. This periodic monitoring approach maintains battery charge assurance while significantly reducing controller power consumption and operational complexity compared to continuous monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's existing GPS and database resources to determine enclosed space locations without requiring additional specialized sensors or complex hardware. The controller leverages available infrastructure to make intelligent charging decisions
3Reliability
If the engine is started to charge the battery, then sufficient power is available for the next drive cycle, but fuel is consumed during the non-drive cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The controller dynamically adjusts engine charging behavior based on real-time assessment of multiple factors including current battery state of charge, predicted drive cycle requirements, available fuel levels, and vehicle location. This dynamic decision-making optimizes fuel consumption while ensuring adequate battery power availability for upcoming drive cycles
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively maintains battery charge levels to ensure engine crankability during subsequent drive cycles, while preventing unnecessary engine startups in enclosed spaces, thus avoiding emissions and user alerts to relocate the vehicle for charging.
Implementation Method 1
charging the battery using an internal combustion engine
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary electrified vehicle charging method includes waking a portion of an electrified vehicle, reading a state of charge for a battery of the electrified vehicle during the waking, charging the battery using an internal combustion engine in response to the reading if the electrified vehicle is in an open space, and disabling the charging if the electrified vehicle is in an enclosed space.