Dynamic Distance Until Charge Estimation for PHEV Battery Control
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) optimize fuel economy by using a fixed default distance for battery usage, which does not adapt to actual driving patterns, leading to suboptimal fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that dynamically control battery usage based on the estimated or user-provided 'Distance Until Charge' (DUC) value, utilizing historical data and navigation information to optimize battery depletion and charging strategies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed default distance is used for battery usage control, then the control system is simple and easy to operate, but fuel economy is suboptimal because it does not adapt to actual driving patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static fixed default distance into a dynamic Distance Until Charge (DUC) value that automatically adapts to actual driving patterns. The system continuously monitors driving behavior and updates the DUC value accordingly, allowing the battery usage control to respond dynamically to real-world conditions while maintaining automated operation without requiring manual user input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs historical distance between charges (DBC) data to automatically determine the initial DUC value without requiring manual user input. The controller self-adjusts battery usage parameters based on accumulated driving pattern data, enabling the system to optimize fuel economy autonomously while maintaining ease of operation.
2Use of energy by moving object
If battery usage is optimized for exact driving distance, then fuel economy is maximized, but the system complexity increases due to dynamic determination and update mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback loops where the controller continuously monitors actual driving distance and compares it with the DUC value. Based on this feedback and historical DBC data, the system automatically updates the DUC value for future charging decisions. This feedback mechanism enables precise fuel economy optimization while managing complexity through automated adaptive algorithms rather than complex manual control systems.
3Use of energy by moving object
If historical data is used to estimate DUC value, then the system adapts to actual driving patterns improving fuel economy, but the system requires additional data collection and processing capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary data collection and processing by maintaining historical DBC values in memory before they are needed for optimization. The controller pre-processes this historical data to establish baseline driving patterns, which then inform the initial and subsequent DUC value determinations. This preliminary action approach allows the system to adapt to driving patterns efficiently without requiring complex real-time data processing during vehicle operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric vehicle such as a PHEV or a BEV and a method of control includes receiving from a user of the vehicle, at an interface of the vehicle, a distance until charge (DUC) value indicative of the distance from a current position that the vehicle is intended to be driven before the vehicle is recharged. Battery usage of the vehicle is controlled as a function of the DUC value. An initial estimate of the DUC value may be made by obtaining historical distance between charges (DBC) values indicative of the distance the vehicle has been driven between each of one or more pairs of consecutive charges of the vehicle. The estimated DUC value is based on the DBC values.