FR3138360A1 - Method and device for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of its battery - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle. If a transformer of a charge controller is not detected (31) as being positioned in a housing of a rear spoiler of the electric vehicle and if a start request (32) is detected then a message is displayed (34, 35, 36) warning a user that the transformer must be positioned in its housing for the electric vehicle to start. Figure for abstract: Figure 3

Description

Method and device for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of its battery

The present invention relates to methods and devices for starting an electric vehicle, in particular an autonomous vehicle.

Technology background

Battery charging of electric vehicles can be carried out according to types of charging which are chosen by users from three modes 2, 3 and 4.

In mode 2, the maximum electrical power is 11 kW and charging is carried out with alternating current. To recharge a vehicle battery in mode 2, you must use an electronic box integrated into the charging cable, and connect it to a standard domestic outlet.

In mode 3, the maximum electrical power is 22 kW and charging is carried out with alternating current. To recharge a vehicle battery in mode 3, you must use a dedicated cable equipped with Type 2 connectors and connect it to a charging station. This charging station integrates control, security and charging regulation/programming functionalities.

In mode 4, the maximum electrical power is 350 KW and charging is carried out using direct current. Mode 4 is achieved using fast and very fast charging stations that deliver direct current at a very high power level. These terminals have a charging cable with a specific connector (Type 2 CCS Combo in Europe).

To enable these battery recharges, electric vehicles are equipped with an Electronic Charging Port Box (BEPR) compatible with mode 2, 3 and 4 charging as well as mode 2 and mode 3 charging cables (sometimes optional for mode 3).

For mode 2, a user must handle a charging cable, namely take it out of its storage, unwind it then connect it on the one hand to the BEPR and on the other hand to the domestic socket.

The mode 2 charging cable currently offered is made up of a domestic socket, a voltage controller and a type 2 socket.

It is known to integrate a charge controller in a housing located in a rear spoiler of an electric vehicle. This charge controller includes a transformer and an indicator light, for example in the form of an LED (Light Emitting Diode in English). This light is used as an additional brake light. When recharging the vehicle battery, the transformer is removed from its housing in the rear spoiler of the vehicle by a user. This transformer is repositioned by the user in its housing as soon as battery charging is complete to take advantage of the charge controller indicator light as an additional brake light.

However, users may forget to reposition this transformer in its housing following recharging and the electric vehicle therefore no longer benefits from this additional brake light.

Summary of the present invention

An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method of starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle, the method being implemented by a computer, the method comprising the following steps: detection of a presence of a transformer of a charge controller positioned in a housing of a rear spoiler of the electric vehicle; triggering a first request to start the electric vehicle; if the transformer is detected as being positioned in its housing, starting of an electric vehicle motor; if the transformer is not detected as being positioned in the housing, generation and transmission of a signal carrying information indicating that the transformer is not present in its housing; reception of the signal transmitted by a display device; and displaying a message by the display device, the message being formed from the received signal.

The generation of a signal when the transformer is not detected as being positioned in the housing provided for this purpose makes it possible to alert the vehicle user of forgetting to put the transformer back into position following recharging of the vehicle . This improves vehicle safety by preventing the additional light from being reset.

According to a variant, if a transformer is not detected as being positioned in the housing and a second start request is triggered, then a motor of the electric vehicle is started.

According to one variant, the first or second start request is triggered by pressing a start button.

According to one variant, the display device is housed in a dashboard of the electric vehicle.

According to a variant, the presence of the transformer is detected from a contact sensor.

Alternatively, the message is displayed until the engine starts.

According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a device for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to an electric vehicle comprising a device according to the second aspect of the present invention.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted for the execution of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

Such a computer program can use any programming language, and be in the form of a source code, an object code, or an intermediate code between a source code and an object code, such as in partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM memory, a CD-ROM or a ROM memory of the microelectronic circuit type, or even a magnetic recording means or a hard disk.

On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or terrestrial radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other ways. The computer program according to the present invention can in particular be downloaded onto an Internet type network.

Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in executing the method in question.

Brief description of the figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description of the particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 3, in which:

illustrates an example of an electric vehicle 1 according to a particular and non-limiting example of the present invention.

schematically illustrates a device 2 for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; And

illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a method 3 of starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the implementation examples

A method and a device for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle will now be described in what follows with reference jointly to Figures 1 to 3. The same elements are identified with the same signs reference throughout the description which follows.

According to a particular and non-limiting example of embodiment of the present invention, it is detected if a transformer of a charge controller is positioned in a housing of a rear spoiler of an electric vehicle. Following a start request initiated by a user and if the transformer is not positioned in its housing then a message is displayed by a display device reminding the user that he must position the transformer in its housing before starting. start the electric vehicle engine.

illustrates an example of an electric vehicle 1 according to a particular and non-limiting example of the present invention.

The electric vehicle 1 comprises a battery (not shown), a transformer 10 of a charge controller positioned in a housing of a rear spoiler of the electric vehicle 1. The charge controller comprises an indicator light 11 and is associated with a sensor of contact (not shown) whose role is to emit a signal indicating whether the transformer 10 is positioned or not in its housing.

The electric vehicle 1 also includes a BEPR and a device 3 for starting the electric vehicle 1 (not shown). The contact sensor 11 is adapted to communicate with the device 3.

At the end of recharging the battery of the electric vehicle 1, the device 3 establishes that the electric vehicle 1 is in a waiting state (stand-by in English).

In a first operation, the contact sensor detects whether the transformer 10 is positioned in its housing.

In a second operation, a first start request is triggered. The state of the electric vehicle 1 then passes into a so-called activated state.

If the transformer 10 is detected as being positioned in its housing, in a third operation, the device 3 triggers the starting of a motor of the electric vehicle 1. The state of the electric vehicle 1 then passes into a so-called operating state (run in English).

If the transformer 10 is not detected as being positioned in the housing, in a fourth operation, the device 3 generates and emits a signal carrying information indicating that the transformer 10 is not present in its housing. In a fifth operation, a display device receives the transmitted signal and, in a sixth operation, the display device displays a message formed from the received signal.

According to a variant, if the transformer 10 is not detected as being positioned in the housing and a second start request is triggered then in a seventh operation, the device 3 triggers the starting of a motor of the electric vehicle 1. The state of the electric vehicle 1 then goes into a so-called operating state (run in English).

According to one variant, the first or second start request is triggered by pressing a start button.

According to a variant, the first or second start request is triggered by pressing a start button and pressing a pedal, for example the brake pedal.

According to one variant, the first or second start request is triggered electronically, for example by reception of a signal by the device 3.

According to one variant, the display device is housed in a dashboard of the electric vehicle.

According to one variant, the display device comprises a screen.

According to a variant, the message is displayed until the engine of the electric vehicle 1 starts.

According to a variant, the message indicates that the transformer 10 must be positioned in its housing for the motor of the electric vehicle 1 to start.

schematically illustrates a device 2 for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a vehicle battery, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds for example to a device on board the vehicle 1, for example a computer.

The device 2 is for example configured for the implementation of the operations described with regard to the , and/or steps of the process described with regard to the . Examples of such a device 2 include, without being limited to, on-board electronic equipment such as an on-board computer of a vehicle, an electronic computer such as an ECU (“Electronic Control Unit”), a telephone smart phone, tablet, laptop. The elements of device 2, individually or in combination, can be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and/or into discrete components. Device 2 can be produced in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or even a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

The device 2 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 20 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and/or for executing the instructions of the software(s) embedded in the device 2. The processor 20 may include integrated memory, an input/output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 2 further comprises at least one memory 21 corresponding for example to a volatile and/or non-volatile memory and/or comprises a memory storage device which may comprise volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM , PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

The computer code of the embedded software(s) comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on memory 21.

According to different particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment, the device 2 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and/or with communication devices, for example a TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit” or in French “Telematic Control Unit”), for example via a communications bus or through dedicated input/output ports.

According to a particular and non-limiting example of embodiment, the device 2 comprises a block 22 of interface elements for communicating with external devices, for example a remote server or the “cloud”, other nodes of the ad hoc network. The interface elements of block 22 include one or more of the following interfaces:

- RF radio frequency interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the band frequency at 2.4 GHz, or Sigfox type using UBN radio technology (from English Ultra Narrow Band, in French ultra narrow band), or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, LTE (from English “ Long-Term Evolution” or in French “Long-Term Evolution”), LTE-Advanced (or in French LTE-advanced);

- USB interface (from the English “Universal Serial Bus” or “Bus Universel en Série” in French);

- HDMI interface (from the English “High Definition Multimedia Interface”, or “Interface Multimedia Haute Definition” in French);

- LIN interface (from English “Local Interconnect Network”, or in French “Réseau interconnecté local”).

Data, such as for example a start request, are for example loaded to the device 2 via the interface of the block 22 using a Wi-Fi® network such as according to IEEE 802.11, an ITS G5 network based on IEEE 802.11p or a mobile network such as a 4G (or 5G) network based on the LTE (Long Term Evolution) standard defined by the 3GPP consortium, in particular an LTE-V2X network.

According to another particular and non-limiting example of embodiment, the device 2 comprises a communication interface 23 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices (such as other computers of the on-board system) via a communication channel 24. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data via the communication channel 24 such as start requests, a signal carrying an indication of presence or absence of the charge controller in its housing or a signal carrying information indicating that the charge controller is not present in its housing. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a wired network of the CAN type (from the English “Controller Area Network” or in French “Réseau de controllers”), CAN FD (from the English “Controller Area Network Flexible Data- Rate” or in French “Flexible data rate controller network”), FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458) or Ethernet (standardized by ISO/IEC 802-3).

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 25, touchscreen or not, one or more speakers 26 and/or other peripherals 27 (contact sensor) via output interfaces 28, 29 and 30 respectively. According to a variant, one or the other of the external devices is integrated into the device 2.

illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a method of starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method is for example implemented by a device on board the vehicle 1 or by the device 2 of the .

In a first step 31, the presence of the transformer 10 of the charge controller positioned in a housing of a rear spoiler of the electric vehicle 1 is detected.

In a second step 32, a first request to start the electric vehicle 1 is triggered.

If the transformer 10 is detected as being positioned in its housing, in a third step 33, a motor of the electric vehicle 1 is started.

If the transformer 10 is not detected as being positioned in the housing, in a fourth step 34, a signal carrying information indicating that the transformer 10 is not present in its housing is generated and emitted. In a fifth step 35, the transmitted signal is received and in a sixth step 36, a message formed from the received signal is displayed.

According to a variant, if the transformer 10 is not detected as being positioned in the housing and a second start request is triggered then in a seventh step 37, the device 3 triggers the start of a motor of the electric vehicle 1 The state of the electric vehicle 1 then goes into a so-called operating state (run in English).

According to a variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to the apply to the stages of the process of .

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above but extends to a method of starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a vehicle battery which would include secondary steps without this beyond the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured to implement such a process.

The present invention also relates to an electric vehicle 1, for example an automobile or more generally an autonomous vehicle with a land engine, comprising the device 2 of the .

Claims (10)

Method for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle, said method being implemented by a computer, said method comprising the following steps:
- detection (31) of the presence of a transformer of a charge controller positioned in a housing of a rear spoiler of the electric vehicle;
- triggering (32) of a first request to start the electric vehicle;
- if the transformer is detected as being positioned in its housing, starting (33) of a motor of the electric vehicle;
- if the transformer is not detected as being positioned in the housing,
- generation and transmission (34) of a signal carrying information indicating that the transformer is not present in its housing;
- reception (35) of the signal transmitted by a display device; And
- display (36) of a message by the display device, said message being formed from the signal received. Method according to claim 1, wherein if the transformer is not detected as being positioned in the housing and a second start request is triggered then starting (33) of a motor of the electric vehicle. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first or second start request is triggered by pressing a start button. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the display device is housed in a dashboard of the electric vehicle. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the presence of the transformer is detected from a contact sensor. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the message is displayed until the engine starts. Device (2) for starting an electric vehicle following recharging of a battery of the electric vehicle, said device (2) comprising a memory (21) associated with at least one processor (20) configured for implementing the steps of the process according to any one of claims 1 to 6. Electric vehicle (1) comprising the device (2) according to claim 7. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 6, when these instructions are executed by a processor. Computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the method according to one of claims 1 to 6.