DE102022203920A1 - Method for increasing the range of a battery-electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for increasing the range of a battery-electric vehicle with an on-board computer 5, in which electrical consumers 1 are recorded and assigned to prioritization groups that are subordinate to a predetermined operational safety of the vehicle. Furthermore, the distance to a destination, the existing state of charge of the vehicle battery, environmental conditions and current energy consumption or consumption-oriented operating mode 2 of each electrical consumer 1 are determined and a defined operating mode 2 is selected for each electrical consumer 1 depending on the determined parameters of the respective electrical consumer 1 . In the following, a total energy consumption of the electrical consumers 1 is regulated, with the on-board computer 5 reducing the energy consumption of individual electrical consumers 1 in a staggered manner based on the determined current energy consumption or the consumption-oriented selected operating mode 2 of each electrical consumer 1 and primarily reducing the energy consumption of electrical consumers 1 in a lower priority group is reduced to increase the range.

Description

The invention relates to a method for increasing the range of a battery-electric vehicle with an on-board computer.

The importance of battery-electric vehicles (BE vehicles for short) has increased significantly in the wake of the energy and transport transition, as the need for vehicles that do not use fossil fuels has increased. The range of BE vehicles is limited by the capacity of vehicle batteries. Increasing the range is a key aspect in the further development of BE vehicles.

In order to increase the range of a BE vehicle, its vehicle battery capacity can be increased. However, this is not possible at will, as the installation space for vehicle batteries is limited and additional vehicle batteries increase the weight and thus the total energy consumption of the BE vehicle.

Additionally or alternatively, as in the US 8,302,724 B2 disclosed, so-called regenerative braking can be used to increase the range. Regenerative braking describes the braking of the motor, whereby electrical energy is generated through braking. In the disclosed BE vehicle, a driving mode input, which is connected to an electronic controller, is provided in order to be able to operate the BE vehicle in different driving modes. The driving modes differ in the amount or force with which the engine is braked. The controller can select the driving mode based on a target speed.

Another way to increase range is to control the acceleration and speed of a BE vehicle, as shown by the US 2015/0066327 A1 disclosed. For this purpose, an operating mode and a target speed are received and an acceleration of the BE vehicle is calculated based on the operating mode, a current speed, the target speed and road conditions. The operating mode can in particular be an ECO operating mode in which the acceleration of the BE vehicle is limited.

Even if the procedures described increase the range of the BE vehicle, they do not take into account the energy consumption by electrical consumers that are not used to drive the BE vehicle.

It is the object of the invention to provide a method for increasing the range of a battery-electric vehicle, in which energy consumption of electrical consumers of the battery-electric vehicle is reduced.

The object is achieved according to the invention in a method for increasing the range of a battery-electric vehicle with an on-board computer by detecting electrical consumers that, in addition to a drive unit, take portions of electrical energy from a vehicle battery, the electrical consumers are assigned to prioritization groups, with each electrical consumer one of at least two different prioritization groups is assigned, which are subordinate to a predetermined operational safety of the vehicle, a distance to a destination and an existing charge status of the vehicle battery are determined, environmental conditions and a current energy consumption or a consumption-oriented operating mode of each electrical consumer are determined, a defined Operating mode for each electrical consumer is selected depending on the distance to the destination, the environmental conditions, the current energy consumption and the prioritization group of the respective electrical consumer using the on-board computer, and the total energy consumption of the electrical consumers is regulated in order to adapt the range to the selected destination or to increase the range if detours or other unforeseeable factors that increase consumption have occurred or if the range is to be increased for other reasons, whereby the on-board computer reduces the energy consumption of individual electrical consumers in a staggered manner based on the determined current energy consumption or the consumption-oriented selected operating mode of each electrical consumer and primarily the energy consumption of electrical consumers in lower priority groups is reduced.

It is essential to the invention that the energy consumption of electrical consumers in the lower priority group is primarily or mainly reduced by the method. In order to reduce the overall energy consumption, the energy consumption of electrical consumers in the lower priority group is largely reduced. It is advantageous that the energy consumption of electrical consumers of the essential prioritization group is only reduced when the energy consumption of electrical consumers of lower priority groups is reduced or has been reduced.

The lower the prioritization group of an electrical consumer, the lower it is its importance for the operational safety of the BE vehicle.

In the following, electrical consumers are referred to as electrical consumers that, in addition to a drive unit, draw portions of electrical energy from a vehicle battery, but not the drive unit and its immediate control components themselves. The consumption of systems essential for the operation of the BE vehicle, such as braking systems or Steering systems are not reduced.

No additional hardware is required to carry out the method according to the invention, since conventional BE vehicles already have on-board computers and many electrical consumers already have economy or ECO modes.

Depending on the duration of the journey, the procedure can be carried out repeatedly at regular intervals, or it can be triggered by unplanned changes to individual measured variables, such as the charge level of the battery or environmental conditions.

The overall energy consumption of electrical consumers can advantageously be reduced by switching off individual electrical consumers.

If individual electrical consumers have more than one operating mode, the total energy consumption of electrical consumers can be reduced by gradually switching the individual electrical consumers to a more energy-saving state.

It is advantageous if electrical consumers with only one operating mode are only switched off when the energy consumption of electrical consumers with more than one operating mode has been reduced, the reduction in energy consumption being achieved by switching to a more energy-saving state by at least one level of the consumption-oriented operating modes .

Advantageously, there are exactly two prioritization groups and the electrical consumers are divided into a prioritization group that is essential for the operation of the BE vehicle and a prioritization group that is not essential for the operation of the BE vehicle.

The electrical consumers can be communication systems (e.g. WiFi routers or adapters, positioning systems such as GPS or GSM, Bluetooth, DSRC systems), infotainment systems (e.g. radio, media systems, HDMI, USB ports, buzzers or speakers), auxiliary systems (e.g. 12V connections, air conditioning, seat heaters, vehicle horn, windshield wipers) and/or lighting systems (e.g. cabin lights, interior lights, dashboard lights, front lights, fog lights, rear fog lights, side lights, tail lights, license plate lights).

For example, horns, windshield wipers, headlights, fog lights and taillights can be essential for the operational safety of a BE vehicle.

For example, Bluetooth interfaces, communication systems, media systems, USB ports or seat heating may not be essential for the operational safety of BE vehicles.

There are different options for determining the order in which the energy consumption of individual electrical consumers is reduced.

One possibility is to only switch off defined electrical consumers of a lower prioritization group when electrical consumers with several operating modes from the essential prioritization group have already been switched by at least one level to a more energy-saving state.

Alternatively, defined electrical consumers of a lower prioritization group can only be switched off when electrical consumers of all prioritization groups have already been switched to a most energy-saving operating mode.

Another possibility is to switch off defined electrical consumers of a lower prioritization group before electrical consumers of at least the prioritization group that is essential for the operation of the BE vehicle have been switched to at least one more energy-saving state.

It is also possible to switch off defined electrical consumers of a lower prioritization group before electrical consumers of at least the prioritization group essential for operation of the battery-electric vehicle have been switched to a most energy-saving state.

The environmental conditions advantageously include at least one from the group of ambient temperature, wind strength and direction and solar radiation.

When selecting the operating modes of the electrical consumers, the location or distance to charging stations can also be taken into account become. This can reduce travel time by preventing avoidable loads.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung der Auswahl eines Betriebsmodus für elektrische Verbraucher mit einem Bordcomputer bei einem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren zum Erhöhen der Reichweite eines batterieelektrischen Fahrzeugs,
• 2 eine beispielhafte Übersicht möglicher Priorisierungsgruppen und zugehöriger elektrischer Verbraucher.

It is advantageous to notify the driver of the result of the procedure and in particular of a resulting range so that the driver has certainty that a destination can be reached.
The invention will be described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to drawings. Show this:

• 1 a schematic representation of the selection of an operating mode for electrical consumers with an on-board computer in a method according to the invention for increasing the range of a battery-electric vehicle,
• 2 an exemplary overview of possible prioritization groups and associated electrical consumers.

In a method according to the invention, all electrical consumers 1 that draw relevant portions of electrical energy from a vehicle battery in addition to a drive unit (electric motor) are first recorded. Such electrical consumers 1 can, for example, communication systems (e.g. WiFi routers or adapters, positioning systems such as GPS or GSM, Bluetooth, DSRC systems), infotainment systems (e.g. radio, media systems, HDMI, USB ports, buzzers or speakers) , auxiliary systems (e.g. 12V connections, air conditioning, seat heaters, vehicle horn, windshield wipers) or lighting systems (e.g. cabin lights, interior lights, dashboard lights, front lights, fog lights, rear fog lights, side lights, tail lights, license plate lights). The detected electrical consumers 1 are then assigned to prioritization groups. The number of prioritization groups is between two and the number of recorded electrical consumers 1. The prioritization groups are determined according to the importance of the electrical consumers 1 they contain for the operational safety of the battery-electric vehicle (BE vehicle for short), with the electrical consumers 1 being the highest Prioritization group or the prioritization group essential for the operation of the BE vehicle have the greatest importance for the operational safety of the BE vehicle.

Following the assignment of the electrical consumers 1 to the prioritization groups, a distance to a destination, an existing state of charge of the vehicle battery, environmental conditions and a current energy consumption or a consumption-oriented operating mode 2 are determined for each electrical consumer 1. The destination is determined by a driver or another vehicle passenger. A consumption-oriented operating mode 2 has a predetermined energy consumption, so that by determining the consumption-oriented operating mode 2, the current energy consumption of an electrical consumer 1 is simultaneously known.

As soon as the distance to a destination, the state of charge of the vehicle battery, environmental conditions and a current energy consumption or a consumption-oriented operating mode 2 have been determined for each electrical consumer 1, an operating mode 2 is selected for each electrical consumer 1 using an on-board computer 5. A schematic representation of a selection of operating mode 2 for electrical consumers 1 is shown in 1 shown. The illustration shows the parameters (ie determined influencing variables) that are included in the selection of operating mode 2 for an electrical consumer 1. The algorithm for selecting the operating mode 2 is carried out by the on-board computer 5. The algorithm is in 1 called ARex (abbreviation for Adaptive Range extender). The ARex algorithm selects an operating mode 2 for the electrical consumers 1 based on the parameters included.

Subsequently, the total energy consumption of electrical energy of the electrical consumers 1 is regulated by the on-board computer 5 based on the determined current energy consumption and the selected operating mode 2 of each electrical consumer 1, if/to the extent that this is necessary for the predicted range of the BE vehicle due to the energy requirement of the drive unit . The energy consumption of individual or all electrical consumers 1 is reduced, with primarily the energy consumption of electrical consumers 1 of a lower prioritization group being reduced. The aim of the regulation is to adapt the range of the BE vehicle or the remaining charge of the vehicle battery to the route to the selected destination or to increase the range by reducing the overall energy consumption of the electrical consumers 1. This is particularly useful if detours or other Unforeseeable factors that increase consumption, such as traffic jams or sudden changes in weather conditions, have occurred.

The order in which the energy consumption of the electrical consumers 1 is reduced depends on the prioritization groups of the electrical consumers 1. There are various approaches to reducing the overall energy consumption of electrical energy Consumer 1. In principle, an electrical consumer 1 can either be switched off to reduce the overall energy consumption or the energy consumption of the electrical consumer 1 can be reduced gradually. For electrical consumers 1 with only one operating mode 2, only switching off the electrical consumer 1 comes into question. Individual electrical consumers 1, in particular those with only one operating mode 2, can be switched off or put into a standby state to reduce the overall energy consumption, while the energy consumption of other electrical consumers 1, in particular those with more than one operating mode 2, is initially gradually reduced, before these are also switched off.

2 shows an example of electrical consumers 1 of the BE vehicle, divided according to functions. The listed electrical consumers 1 can be divided into prioritization groups. Electrical consumers 1 that are essential for the operational safety of the BE vehicle are preferably assigned to the highest of all prioritization groups or to the prioritization group 3 that is essential for the operation of the BE vehicle. Those that are essential for the operational safety of the BE vehicle
Electric consumers 1 include, for example, DSRC, GPS, GSM, speakers, horn, windshield wipers, dashboard lights, front lights, fog lights, side lights, license plate lights and tail lights. Electrical consumers 1, which have no influence on the operational safety of the BE vehicle, can be particularly advantageously assigned to the lowest of all prioritization groups. Electrical consumers 1 that have no influence on the operational safety of the BE vehicle include, for example, Bluetooth interfaces, media systems, USB ports or seat heating. Individual components, such as radio traffic information, buzzers or air conditioning or heating, can be excluded and assigned to another (medium) prioritization group. In this respect it is in 2 - for easier illustration - only an elementary assignment into a prioritization group 3, which is essential for the operation of the BE vehicle, and a lower prioritization group 4 are shown, which are indicated by dashed lines. The prioritization group 3, which is essential for the operation of the BE vehicle, can also only be defined for individual operating modes 2 of certain electrical consumers 1.

Reference symbols

1

electrical consumers

2

Operating modes

3

essential prioritization group

4

lower priority group

5

On-board computer

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 8302724 B2 [0004]
• US 2015/0066327 A1 [0005]

Claims (11)

Method for increasing the range of a battery-electric vehicle with an on-board computer, comprising the steps: - Detecting electrical consumers (1) which, in addition to a drive unit, take portions of electrical energy from a vehicle battery, - Assigning the electrical consumers (1) to prioritization groups, whereby each electrical consumer (1) is assigned to one of at least two different prioritization groups, which are subordinate to a predetermined operational safety of the vehicle, - Determining a distance to a destination and an existing charge level of the vehicle battery, - determining environmental conditions and a current energy consumption or a consumption-oriented operating mode (2) of each electrical consumer (1), - selecting a defined operating mode (2) for each electrical consumer (1) depending on the distance to the destination, the environmental conditions, the current energy consumption and the prioritization group of the respective electrical consumer (1), - Regulating the total energy consumption of the electrical consumers (1) in order to adapt the range to the selected destination or to increase the range if detours or unforeseeable factors that increase consumption have occurred or if the range is to be increased for other reasons, whereby the on-board computer (5) based on the determined current energy consumption or the consumption-oriented operating mode (2) of each electrical consumer (1), the energy consumption of individual electrical consumers (1) is reduced in a staggered manner and primarily the energy consumption of electrical consumers (1) of a lower priority group (4) is reduced. Procedure according to Claim 1 , whereby the total energy consumption of electrical consumers (1) is reduced by switching off individual electrical consumers (1). Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the total energy consumption of electrical consumers (1) is reduced by gradually switching individual electrical consumers (1) to a more energy-saving state. Procedure according to Claim 3 , with a further prioritization of the gradual reduction by assigning different operating modes (2) of infotainment systems with loudspeakers and fault signal generators, of auxiliary systems with air conditioning, seat heating, horn and windshield wipers as well as lighting systems with front, rear lights, side lights, fog lights and license plate lighting in different, preferably further prioritization groups are determined. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein electrical consumers (1) with only one operating mode (2) are only switched off when the energy consumption of electrical consumers (1) with more than one operating mode (2) has been reduced, the reduction being achieved by switching into a more energy-saving state by at least one level of the consumption-oriented operating modes (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein there are exactly two prioritization groups and the electrical consumers (1) are divided into a prioritization group (3) that is essential for the operation of the battery-electric vehicle and a lower priority group (4) for the operation of the battery-electric vehicle. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein defined electrical consumers (1) of a lower prioritization group (4) are only switched off when electrical consumers (1) with several operating modes (2) from the essential prioritization group (3) have already moved by at least one level have been switched to a more energy-saving state. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 - 6 , whereby defined electrical consumers (1) of a lower prioritization group (4) are only switched off when electrical consumers (1) of all prioritization groups have already been switched to a most energy-saving operating mode (2). Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 - 6 , wherein defined electrical consumers (1) of a lower prioritization group (4) are switched off before electrical consumers (1) of at least the prioritization group (3) essential for the operation of the battery-electric vehicle have been switched to at least one more energy-saving state. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 - 6 , wherein defined electrical consumers (1) of a lower prioritization group (4) are switched off before electrical consumers (1) of at least the prioritization group (3) essential for operation of the battery-electric vehicle have been switched to a most energy-saving state. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the environmental conditions include at least one of the group consisting of ambient temperature, wind strength and direction and solar radiation.

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