FR3100196A1 - Vehicle battery recharging control method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for managing the recharging of the battery of one or more vehicles with an internal combustion engine. For this purpose, a first charge level of the battery of each vehicle of a set of vehicles (10, 11, 12) whose engine is stopped is determined. The set of vehicles (10, 11, 12) comprises one or more immobilized vehicles. For the vehicle (s) having a first charge level below a threshold, a remote start command for the engine of this or these vehicle (s) is transmitted to this or these vehicle (s). Engine start-up is programmed for a fixed period to recharge the battery of the vehicle (s) concerned. Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Vehicle battery charging control method and device

The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the charging of the battery of one or more vehicles, in particular automobiles.

Technology background

Internal combustion engine vehicles and hybrid vehicles each carry a battery corresponding to an electric accumulator designed to supply electrical energy to the vehicle, in particular to start the engine.

The batteries used in contemporary vehicles are, for example, lead or lead-acid batteries or even nickel-aluminum hydride batteries, these batteries being designed to quickly supply a large quantity of current and to be quickly recharged.

Due to certain residual current losses, the batteries of vehicles that have been immobilized for a fairly long period of time, for example a few weeks or a few months, can become discharged. If the battery discharges too much, the vehicle engine can no longer be started, which can be inconvenient for the user or the vehicle manufacturer who has left the vehicle immobilized for too long.

An object of the present invention is to propose a solution making it possible to prevent an immobilized vehicle from ending up with a discharged battery.

Another object of the present invention is to manage the charging of the battery of one or more vehicles, in particular when the latter are immobilized.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for managing combustion engine vehicle battery charging, the method comprising the following steps:

- determination of a first charge level of a battery of each vehicle of a set of vehicles comprising at least one vehicle, the engine of each vehicle of the set being stopped;

- transmission, to each vehicle of the set having a first level of charge lower than a threshold, of a remote start command for the engine of each vehicle for a determined duration, according to a verification of a set of conditions, to recharge the battery of each vehicle.

Alternatively, said set of conditions includes one or more of the following conditions:

- fuel level in the tank above a threshold;

- engine in working condition;

- the vehicle is locked;

- the ignition key is not present in the vehicle;

- the bonnet of the vehicle is locked;

- the vehicle is stationary;

- the gearbox is in park;

- absence of being alive in the vehicle;

- absence of living beings around the vehicle;

- the vehicle is in a ventilated environment.

According to another variant, the remote start is implemented at a determined instant.

According to an additional variant, the method further comprises a step of determining a second battery charge level of each vehicle whose engine has been started to recharge the battery.

According to yet another variant, the determination of the second level of charge is implemented at the end of the determined duration when the engine is in operation or after the expiry of the determined duration when the engine is stopped.

According to an additional variant, the starting of the engine is triggered by a device on board the vehicle.

According to another variant, the starting of the engine is triggered via a device dismounted from the vehicle.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a combustion engine vehicle battery charging management device, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for the implementation of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a combustion engine vehicle battery charging management system, the vehicle comprising the device as described above according to the second aspect of the invention in communication with the vehicle.

According to a fourth aspect, the 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 invention, this 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 source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for the execution of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the 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 hertzian radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other ways. The computer program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded from 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 the execution of the method in question.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description of the non-limiting embodiments of the invention below, with reference to the appended figures 1 to 3, in which:

schematically illustrates a communication environment between a device and a vehicle assembly, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

schematically illustrates a device for managing the recharging of the battery of at least one vehicle of FIG. 1, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method for managing the recharging of the battery of a vehicle of FIG. 1, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

A method and a device for managing the recharging of the battery of a vehicle with a combustion engine will now be described in the following with reference in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 3. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the following description.

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a method for managing the recharging of the battery of one or more vehicles with an internal combustion engine comprises the determination of a first level of charge of the battery of each vehicle of a combination of vehicles whose engine is stopped. The combination of vehicles includes one or more immobilized vehicles, i.e. with the engine switched off. For the vehicle or vehicles having a first level of charge below a threshold, a remote start command for the engine of this or these vehicles is transmitted to this or these vehicles. The starting of the engine is programmed for a determined duration to recharge the battery of the vehicle(s) concerned. The transmission of the command (or the starting of the engine) is conditioned by the result of the verification of a set of conditions, in particular a set of conditions associated with the environment of the vehicle or vehicles concerned.

Controlling the remote starting of the engine of immobilized vehicles whose battery has a level of charge below a threshold makes it possible to automatically recharge the battery of each vehicle concerned by using the combustion engine of these vehicles. Thus, no manual intervention is necessary to maintain the battery of these vehicles. This can be particularly useful when the number of stationary vehicles is large (for example a storage area for vehicles produced by a manufacturer) or when the owner of a vehicle wants to be insured, for example remotely, that his vehicle will be able to start after a period of immobilization.

schematically illustrates a communication environment 1 between a device 11 and a set of vehicles, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

The set of vehicles shown in Figure 1 comprises 3 vehicles 10, 11, 12, each of these vehicles 10, 11, 12 being equipped with an internal combustion engine (also called heat engine) and potentially one or more electric motors for one or more of these vehicles 10, 11, 12 (vehicle(s) called hybrid(s)). Of course, the number of vehicles in the set is not limited to 3 but extends to any number, for example 1, 10, 100, 1000 or more vehicles.

Each of these vehicles 10, 11, 12 corresponds to an immobilized vehicle, that is to say a vehicle whose engine is stationary. This set of vehicles corresponds for example to a set of vehicles stored on a parking area, for example while waiting to be sold (for example storage area of a vehicle manufacturer, storage area of a dealer or a car dealer). When the vehicle set comprises only one vehicle, this vehicle corresponds for example to a vehicle parked in a private home (for example in a garage).

The device 100 corresponds for example to an electronic device configured to communicate with the set of vehicles 10, 11, 12. The device 100 corresponds for example to a computer, a server or to a mobile telecommunications device, for example a smart telephone or "smartphone", a tablet, a connected watch.

The device 100 is connected to the set of vehicles 10, 11, 12 via a radio link, either directly or via a land mobile network infrastructure, such as a cellular type network for example. The network infrastructure comprises one or more antennas 101. When the device 100 is in direct communication with the set of vehicles 10, 11, 12, the connection is for example of the Wifi® or Bluetooth® type. The land mobile network is for example of the LTE type (from English "Long Term Evolution" or in French "Evolution à long terme") 4G or 5G.

In a first operation, the device 100 determines a first level of charge (or SOC in English for “State of Charge” or “State of charge” in French) of the battery on board in each of the vehicles 10, 11, 12. The determination of the first level of charge corresponds for example to the reception of such information from each vehicle 10, 11, 12. The first level of charge of the battery of each vehicle 10, 11, 12 is for example received in response to a request sent by the device 100 to the set of vehicles 10, 11, 12. The determination of the first level of charge of each battery is for example implemented regularly, for example at regular time intervals (for example daily, weekly, monthly).

According to an optional variant embodiment, the determination is implemented after the expiry of a determined period during which the vehicles 10, 11, 12 have remained immobilized and not used, for example after a few weeks of immobilization.

In a second operation, the device 100 selects the vehicle or vehicles whose battery has a first level of charge lower than a determined threshold value, for example lower than 50%, 70% or 80% of the maximum state of charge (or maximum battery capacity). The threshold value depends for example on each battery (for example on the maximum capacity of the battery, this information being for example transmitted by each vehicle to the device 100). According to a variant, the threshold value is the same for the set of vehicles 10, 11, 12. The selection operation is optional, in particular in the case where the set of vehicles comprises only one vehicle, the selection being then implicit when the level of charge of the battery of this single vehicle is lower than the determined threshold value. The frequency at which the battery charge level is carried out depends for example on the climatic conditions in the area in which the vehicles 10, 11, 12 are parked. For example, the frequency of determining the charge level of the batteries depends on the temperature and is more frequent when the temperature decreases, for example below a threshold. Indeed, the batteries discharge faster when the temperatures are low, for example below – 5, 0 or 5 °C.

In a third operation, the device 100 transmits a command to each of the selected vehicles so that each of the selected vehicles starts its engine, to recharge the battery. The command includes, for example, information on the duration during which the motor must be in operation, for example 15, 20 or 30 minutes. According to a variant, the duration during which the engine must run depends on each vehicle selected, in particular depends on the level of charge of the battery of the selected vehicles. According to this variant, the lower the charge level, the longer the duration. The engine start is a remote start and triggered by the receipt of the command, the remote start being implemented by a device on board the vehicle or dismounted from the latter.

Advantageously, the transmission of the command is only carried out if a set of conditions is verified, the set of conditions including one of the following conditions or a combination of all or part of the following conditions:

- the fuel level in the tank of a vehicle receiving the order is above a determined threshold, for example above 5, 8 or 10 litres;

- the engine of a vehicle receiving the command is in a working condition, i.e. a set of operating parameters complies with a set of prerequisites (e.g. sufficient oil level);

- the vehicle of a vehicle receiving the command is locked, i.e. the openings are closed and locked;

- the ignition key is not present in the vehicle receiving the command;

- the vehicle hood of a vehicle receiving the command is locked;

- the vehicle receiving the command is stationary, i.e. its speed is zero;

- the gearbox of a vehicle receiving the command is in park position (also called neutral position) to prevent the car from moving when starting the engine;

- absence of living beings in the vehicle, i.e. no living beings are detected in the passenger compartment of a vehicle receiving the command;

- absence of living beings around the vehicle, that is to say that no living being is detected around the vehicle receiving the command, for example no living being is detected in an area having a determined radius (for example example 2, 5 or 10 meters) centered on the vehicle;

- the vehicle is in a ventilated environment, for example parked outside a building.

These conditions are for example transmitted by each vehicle to the device 100 and/or by one or more sensors (for example one or more cameras, one or more motion detectors, one or more infrared detectors) of the zone in which these vehicles are immobilized .

According to a variant embodiment, the command is transmitted to the selected vehicles regardless of the state of the above conditions. According to this variant, the starting of the engine is conditioned by one of the above conditions or by any combination of several of the above conditions. According to this variant, a vehicle receiving the engine start command to recharge its battery verifies the pre-requisite condition(s) before executing the vehicle start command.

According to variant embodiment, the remote start is implemented at a determined instant. The start command includes, for example, information representative of the instant (for example the date and/or time) at which the start of the engine must be implemented. This information depends, for example, on local legislation (for example a ban on running a vehicle engine when stationary at night) or on environmental constraints.

In a fourth optional operation, the device 100 determines a second battery charge level of each vehicle whose engine has been started to recharge the battery during the third operation. The second level of charge is for example transmitted to the device 100 at the end of the determined duration when the engine is still in operation or after the expiry of the determined duration when the engine is stopped. The transmission of the information of the second charge level by each vehicle to the device 100 is for example automatic. According to a variant, this transmission follows a request sent by the device 100. According to a variant, if the second level of charge indicates a level of charge lower than a threshold, the determined duration of operation of the engine is extended by a determined duration, depending or not on the second level of charge. This new determined duration is for example included in the command transmitted to the third operation. According to a variant, this new duration is included in a new engine start command transmitted by the device 100 to the vehicle or vehicles having a second battery charge level below the threshold. When the second level of charge is transmitted to the device 100 at the end of the determined duration when the engine is still in operation, the duration of engine operation can be extended by the new determined duration without requiring a new start of the engine.

According to a variant embodiment, the fourth operation is repeated until all the batteries have a charge level above a final threshold (for example 95, 99 or 100% of the maximum charge of the battery).

Such a process makes it possible to ensure that the battery of a vehicle immobilized for a period which may be long (for example several weeks or several months) is at a sufficient level of charge. This is particularly useful for the management of a fleet of vehicles, but also for an individual who can thus ensure remotely (for example via his "smartphone") that his vehicle will be able to restart (for example for an individual who leaves his car in a specific place for a relatively long period of time and who wishes to check that his vehicle will be ready to start on his return).

schematically illustrates a device 2 configured for managing the battery recharging of combustion engine vehicle(s), according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds for example to the device 100 and/or to a device on board the vehicles 10, 11, 12 (for example a computer receiving and/or executing the commands transmitted by the device 100).

The device 2 is for example configured for the implementation of the operations described with regard to FIG. 1 and/or the steps of the method described with regard to FIG. 3. Examples of such a device 2 comprise, without being limited thereto , on-board electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic computer such as an ECU, a Telematic Control Unit (TCU), a smart phone (from the English "smartphone"), tablet, laptop, server. The elements of device 2, individually or in combination, can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, in several integrated circuits, and/or in discrete components. The device 2 can be made in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or else a combination of electronic circuits and software modules. According to different particular embodiments, the device 2 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems, for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input/output ports.

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 or software embedded in the device 2. The processor 20 can 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 can 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 on-board software or software comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on the first memory 21.

According to a particular and non-limiting 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 devices similar to the device 2 and embedded in vehicles other than the one on board the device 2. The interface elements of block 22 include one or more of the following interfaces:

- RF radiofrequency interface, for example of the Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® type, LTE (from English "Long-Term Evolution" or in French "Evolution à long terme"), LTE-Advanced (or in French LTE-avanced );

- USB interface (from 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 are for example loaded to the device 2 via the interface of 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 network (or LTE Advanced according to 3GPP release 10 – version 10) or 5G, in particular an LTE-V2X network.

According to another particular embodiment, the device 2 comprises a communication interface 23 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices, such as for example the GPS-type location system, the mobile communication system (GSM, GPRS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, LTE-V, ITS G5)) or the radars of the radar system via a communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data via the communication channel 230. 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 Contrôleurs") or CAN FD (from English "Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate" or in French "Réseau de Contrôleurs à Flow de Data Flexible").

According to an additional particular embodiment, the device 2 can supply output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen, one or more loudspeakers and/or other peripherals respectively via interfaces output not shown.

illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method for managing the battery recharging of combustion engine vehicle(s), according to a particular and non-limiting example embodiment of the present invention. The method is advantageously implemented in device 2 or device 100.

In a first step 31, a first level of charge of a battery is determined for each vehicle of a set of vehicles, the set of vehicles comprising one or more vehicles. The engine of each vehicle of the assembly is advantageously stopped, each vehicle being parked or immobilized.

In a second step 32, a remote engine start command for a determined duration is transmitted to each vehicle of the set having a first load level below a threshold, according to a verification of a set conditions, to recharge the battery of each vehicle.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but extends to a method for monitoring the state of charge of the battery of a vehicle with a combustion engine, and to the device configured for the implementation of such a process.

The invention also relates to a system comprising the device 100 and at least one vehicle 10, 11, 12, the device 100 being connected to the vehicle(s) 10, 11, 12 via one or more wireless connections.

The invention also relates to a vehicle whose state of charge of the battery is controlled via a device 100.

Claims (10)

A method of managing combustion engine vehicle battery charging, said method comprising the following steps:
- determination (31) of a first charge level of a battery of each vehicle of a set of vehicles (10, 11, 12) comprising at least one vehicle, the engine of each vehicle (10, 11, 12) said assembly being stopped;
- transmission (32), to each vehicle of said set having a first level of charge lower than a threshold, of a remote start command for the engine of said each vehicle for a determined duration, according to a verification of a set of conditions, to recharge the battery of said each vehicle. A method according to claim 1, wherein said set of conditions comprises one or more of the following conditions:
- fuel level in the tank above a threshold;
- engine in working condition;
- the vehicle is locked;
- the ignition key is not present in the vehicle;
- the bonnet of the vehicle is locked;
- the vehicle is stationary;
- the gearbox is in park position;
- absence of living beings in the vehicle;
- absence of living beings around the vehicle;
- the vehicle is in a ventilated environment. Method according to claim 1 or 2, for which said remote start is implemented at a determined instant. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a step of determining a second level of charge of the battery of each vehicle whose engine has been started to recharge said battery. A method according to claim 4, wherein said determination of the second load level is implemented at the end of said determined duration when the engine is running or after the expiry of said determined duration when the engine is stopped. Method according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, for which the starting of the engine is triggered by a device on board the said each vehicle. Method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, for which the starting of the engine is triggered via a device on board said each vehicle. Device (2) for managing the battery of a combustion engine vehicle, said device (2) comprising a memory (21) associated with at least one processor (20) configured for the implementation of the steps of the method according to any of claims 1 to 7. A combustion engine vehicle battery charging management system, said system comprising the device (2) according to claim 8 in communication with said vehicle (10, 11, 12). Computer program product comprising instructions adapted for the execution of the steps of the method according to one of Claims 1 to 7, when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.