ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY MANAGEMENT AND USAGE LIMITATIONS DERIVED
FROM ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present specification claims priority to US Patent Application No.: 63/221272 filed July 13, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present specification relates to electric vehicle battery management systems. More particularly, the present specification relates to electric vehicle battery management and usage limitations derived from environmental events, and energy management for an electric vehicle’s parts such as controllers, motors, batteries and peripherals by multiple battery units being monitored and controlled.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Electric vehicles are becoming a popular mode of transportation. Such electric vehicles generally include batteries that degrade over time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] For a better understanding of the various examples described herein and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which: [0005] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic view of a system comprising a vehicle that includes a battery control unit, a charger and a repository, according to non-limiting examples.
[0006] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic view of a system comprising a vehicle, a battery control unit, a charger and a repository, according to non-limiting examples.
[0007] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic view of a system comprising a plurality of vehicles, a plurality of battery control units, and a plurality of chargers, according to non-limiting examples.
[0008] FIG. 4 depict a flowchart of a method for controlling battery charging implemented by the battery control unit(s) of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, according to non-limiting examples. [0009] FIG. 5 depict a flowchart of another method for controlling battery charging implemented by the battery control unit(s) of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, according to non limiting examples.
[0010] FIG. 6 depict a flowchart of a method for controlling batteries, implemented by the by the battery control unit(s) of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, according to non-limiting examples.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Electric vehicles are becoming a popular mode of transportation. Such electric vehicles generally include batteries that degrade over time. Furthermore, such degradation may occur differently in different batteries as represented, for example, by rates of depletion (e.g. of charge) in the batteries. Such rates depletion generally vary from battery to battery as the batteries age. As an electric vehicle generally includes multiple batteries, the batteries in one electric vehicle may have different depletion rates. However, charging such batteries may generally occur uniformly such that all the batteries may be charged to a same charging level (e.g. 90%, 85%, 100%, amongst other possibilities), for example by a charger. However, if the batteries, in use, discharge at different rates (e.g. due to depletion of charge), operation of the vehicle may be affected as one or more batteries may reach a minimum level before other batteries, such that the other batteries are then relied on to deliver more charge and/or power to the vehicle, which may decrease the life of the other batteries.
[0012] Hence, provided herein is a battery control unit, that may be internal or external to an electric vehicle, the battery control unit including one or more networking ports configured to receive data indicative of respective discharge rates of a plurality of batteries during use; and a controller configured to: control respective charging of the plurality of batteries based on the respective discharge rates. The electric vehicle may include, but is not limited to, a lawn mower, a lawn tractor (or any lawn maintenance vehicles), a golf cart, and the like, and/or any other suitable type of electric vehicle.
[0013] The battery control unit may be part of a system that includes one or multiple battery chargers, one or multiple battery control units, and suitable wiring and/or communication therebetween.
[0014] In some examples, a battery control unit (BCU) may comprise: one or more networking ports configured to communicate with chargers and/or batteries of an electric vehicle; a controller to control functionality of the BCU; power (e.g. and ground) cables; and (optionally) a wired and/or wireless interface to transfer data received at, and/or generated by, the BCU, to one or more repositories.
[0015] The BCU may generally comprise any suitable combination of hardware, software, mechanical enclosures and/or housings, cables, harnesses, user interfaces, user feedback mechanisms, indicators (such as light emitting diodes (LEDS) and the like), mounting devices to mount the BCU at a vehicle and/or different types of vehicles, and/or any other suitable components.
[0016] In some examples, the BCU may be configured to monitor if other BCUs are present and may partition charging of one or more batteries of one or more electric vehicles such that charging of one or more batteries of one or more electric vehicles becomes a collective task among a plurality of the BCUs. Such examples assume that the BCUs have access to, and/or control, more than one charger. For example, certain types of “fast charging” or charging profiles may require more power than achievable by a single charger.
[0017] The BCU may be configured to non-intrusively monitor each battery (e.g. continuously and/or periodically) for “health” and/or life cycle progression based on reading or receiving data indicative of one or more of voltage, current and rates of discharge of a plurality of batteries, for example while the batteries are being used by an electric vehicle to power electrical components thereof, for example, while conducting actual events and/or tasks which may include, but is not limited to, turning, cutting grass, tilting, uphill movement, breaking, battery regeneration, among other possibilities.
[0018] An aspect of the present specification provides a battery control unit comprising: a one or more networking ports configured to receive data indicative of respective discharge rates of a plurality of batteries during use; and a controller configured to: receive, via the one or more networking port, the data indicative of the respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries during use; and control respective charging of the plurality of batteries based on the respective discharge rates.
[0019] Another aspect of the present specification provides a method comprising: at a battery control unit comprising: one or more networking ports configured to receive data indicative of respective discharge rates of a plurality of batteries during use, receiving, via the one or more networking port, the data indicative of the respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries during use; and controlling respective charging of the plurality of batteries based on the respective discharge rates.
[0020] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a system 100 that includes an electric vehicle 101 (e.g. a top view of the electric vehicle 101 is depicted), a charger 102 and an optional repository 103. The electric vehicle 101 is interchangeably referred to hereafter as the vehicle 101. [0021] As depicted, the vehicle 101 comprises a cart that may be provided in the form of a as a lawn mower, a lawn tractor (or any lawn maintenance vehicles), a golf cart, and the like, that includes a steering wheel 104 (depicted in perspective in FIG. 1 to show details thereof), a seat 105 for an operator (not depicted), front and rear wheels 106, and a chassis 107 (e.g. in the form of platform, and the like, for the cart). For clarity, in FIG. 1, front, back, left and right directions of the vehicle 101 are indicated; for example, the steering wheel 104 is located towards the front at the vehicle 101, and the left and right sides are relative to an operator sitting on the seat 105 facing the front of the vehicle 101. It is understood that not all parts of the chassis 107, are depicted; for example, parts of the chassis 107, such as panels, covers, and the like, are removed in FIG. 1 to show certain components of the vehicle 101 as described hereafter. Furthermore, when the vehicle 101 comprises a lawn mower, and the like, cutting implements for the lawn mower may be located under the vehicle 101 and are not visible in FIG. 1, but may nonetheless be present. [0022] As the vehicle 101 is electric, the vehicle 101 further comprises at least one electric motor 108, for example, as depicted the vehicle 101 comprises three electric motors 108 that are attached to the chassis 107, with one rear electric motor 108 driving the rear wheels 106, and two front electric motors 108 driving the front wheels 106, for example one front electric motor 108 per front wheel 106. However, the vehicle 101 may include as few as one electric motor 108 and/or any suitable number of electric motors 108. Furthermore, hereafter, the electric motor 108 is interchangeably referred to hereafter as the motor 108. [0023] As depicted, the vehicle 101 further comprise a motion controller 109 (e.g. an actuator) for controlling the motor 108, as well as a brake controller 110 for controlling brakes of the vehicle 101 (e.g. not depicted, but such brakes may comprise disc brakes at the wheels 106). As depicted, the motion controller 109 and the brake controller 110 are located adjacent the seat 105 (e.g. under the steering wheel 104), and may be in the form of pedals, and the like, and may be manually operated by an operator of the vehicle 101. [0024] While not depicted in FIG. 1 , it is understood that the vehicle 101 further comprises a motor controller, a controller and/or processor, and/or any other suitable components for controlling the motor(s) 108, as well as any other suitable components of the vehicle 101. [0025] While depicted as a cart, the vehicle 101 may comprise any other suitable types of electric vehicle, which may be operated by an operator and/or operated autonomously. For example, the vehicle 101 may include, but is not limited to, a car (of any suitable type), a truck, a van, a delivery vehicle, the depicted bicycle, a tricycle, a quadracycle, a golf cart, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), a motorcycle, an e-bike, a snowmobile, a farming vehicle, an agricultural vehicle, a construction vehicle, a boat, a submarine, an airplane, and/or any other suitable vehicle for human transportation that includes an electric power source (e.g. batteries) and an electric motor, and the like; however, the vehicle 101 may alternatively comprise vehicles with electric power source that are not for human transportation including, but not limited to, a land-based drone, a flying drone, a boat drone, a submarine drone, a robot, an industrial robot, an agricultural robot, a cleaning robot, a personal assistant robot and/or robot, and the like. Furthermore, components that move the vehicle 101 may include wheels, treads, propellers, propulsion devices, robotic legs, and the like, for example driven by the electric motor 108.
[0026] As such, the depicted components may be replaced by any suitable components depending on a type of the vehicle 101. For example, the steering wheel 104 may be replaced with handlebars, the motion controller 109 and brake controller 110 may be replaced with hand-operated devices, etc. (and/or steering wheel 104, the motion controller 109 and the brake controller 110, and/or any other suitable components, may be optional when the vehicle 101 is autonomous).
[0027] The vehicle 101 is further understood to comprise a plurality of batteries 111 which are used to power the vehicle 101. While not depicted, the batteries 111 may be interconnected using a plurality of switches such that individual batteries may be isolated from each other and charged and/or discharged independent of each other, and/or such that the batteries 111 may be connected to each other to transfer charge from one battery 111 to another battery 111. Furthermore, such switches may be used in battery regeneration such that it is understood that the vehicle 111 may be generally configured to regenerate the batteries 111 during braking events, and the like. An example of such a plurality of switches is provided in Applicant’s co-pending PCT Application no. PCT/IB2021/060511, filed November 12, 2021, and which claims priority to Applicant’s provisional US Application no. 63/114584, filed November 17, 2020, the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0028] The batteries 111 are understood to generally power electrical components of the vehicle 101, such as the motors 108. The vehicle 101 may comprise any other suitable components powered by the batteries 111 including, but not limited to, indicators, lights, breaks, controllers (e.g. the controllers 109, 110), cutting implements and the like.
[0029] As will next be described, the vehicle 101 further comprises a battery control unit (BCU) 120 generally configured to manage charging of the batteries 111 via the charger 102, for example to increase a life of the batteries 111. The BCU 120 may further maintain a similar state of charge between the batteries 111, for example to increase a life of the batteries 111, and/or perform any other suitable functionally as described herein to, for example, perform energy management for parts of the vehicle 101 powered by the batteries 111 (e.g. such as controllers, motors 108, any peripheral devices, such as indicators, lights, etc.) at least by moving charge between the batteries 111.
[0030] The BCU 120, as depicted, comprises one or more networking ports 122 configured to communicate with the batteries 111, for example to receive data 123 indicative of respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries 111 during use. While one set of data 123 is depicted, it is understood that a set of data 123 may be received from each battery 111. In particular, it is understood that the batteries 111 may comprise “smart” batteries which include any suitable combination of components that measure various parameters of a respective battery 111 that may indicate the health of the respective battery 111. Such parameters may include, but are not limited to, voltage, current, charge state and/or charge level, rate of discharge (e.g. discharge rates), and the like.
[0031] Furthermore, the data 123 may be received periodically and/or continuously, such that the batteries 111 may be monitored while the vehicle 101 is performing tasks being implemented via electrical components (e.g. the motors 108, brakes, cutting implements, etc.) of the vehicle 101, such as turning, cutting grass, tilting, uphill movement, breaking, battery regeneration, among other possibilities.
[0032] Furthermore the data 123 may indicate a cumulative time period that the batteries 111 were used since a last charging event, which may comprise only a cumulative time period that the batteries 111 were in use and/or in operation. For example, after a last charging event (e.g. where the batteries 111 where charged via the charger 102), the vehicle 101, and hence the batteries 111, may have been in an off-state for one or more periods of time, and in an on-state for one or more periods of time. The cumulative time period hence comprises a sum of the one or more periods of time that the vehicle 101, and hence the batteries 111, were in an on-state.
[0033] However, such a cumulative time period may be determined by the BCU 120 in any suitable manner including, but not limited to, by communicating with other components of the vehicle 101.
[0034] The one or more networking ports 122, interchangeably referred to hereafter as the ports 122, may comprise one port 122 per battery, and/or any suitable number of ports. [0035] Furthermore, the ports 122 may include one or more data ports, to receive the data 123 from the batteries 111, and one or more charging ports, to independently deliver charging power to the batteries 111 from the charger 102, such that each battery 111 may be charged in a different manner. In these examples, the BCU 120 and/or the vehicle 101 may comprise one or more ports 124 for connecting to the charger 102 (e.g. via a cable) to receive power from the charger 102 at the BCU 120 which is distributed to the batteries 111 via the ports 122. In some examples, the one or more networking ports 122 may comprise the one or more ports 124. Hence, hereafter, reference will be made to one or more networking ports 122 which is understood to include the one or more ports 124. [0036] As such, the BCU 120 is understood to include any suitable combination of power cables, ground cables, and the like.
[0037] Furthermore, while not depicted in FIG. 1, there may also be a data line between the BCU 120 and the charger 102, such that the BCU 120 may send commands to the charger 102 to control how the charger 102 delivers power (e.g. wattage) to the batteries 111 (e.g. how much power to provide to a given battery 111 to charge the given battery 111 to a given charging level).
[0038] Alternatively, the BCU 120 may not deliver power to the batteries 111 for charging, but may control the plurality of switches to deliver power to the batteries 111 to independently deliver charging power to the batteries 111 from the charger 102, such that each battery 111 may be charged in a different manner, with the charger 102 connected to the plurality of switches via a separate charging port of the vehicle 101 (not depicted). In these examples, a port for connecting to the charger 102 (e.g. via a cable), to receive power from the charger 102, may be provided at the vehicle 101 separate from the BCU 120. [0039] In yet further examples, the BCU 120 may control the charger 102 (e.g. via a data line) to deliver power to the batteries 111 to independently deliver charging power to the batteries 111 from the charger 102, such that each battery 111 may be charged in a different manner. In these examples, the charger 102 may control the plurality of switches and/or the charger may be connected to the batteries 111 independently of one another.
[0040] Regardless, it is understood that the BCU 120 may generally control charging of the batteries 111 in any suitable manner.
[0041] As depicted, the BCU 120 further comprises a controller 126 which implements functionality of the BCU 120. The controller 126 may comprise a processor and/or a plurality of processors, including but not limited to one or more central processors (CPUs), one or more microprocessors, and/or one or more graphics processing units (GPUs) and/or one or more processing units. Regardless, the controller 126 comprises a hardware element and/or a hardware processor. Indeed, in some implementations, the controller 126 can comprise an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) and/or an FPGA (field- programmable gate array) specifically configured for implementing functionality as described herein. Hence, the controller 126 may not be a generic controller, but a device specifically configured to implement specific functionality as described herein. For example, the controller 126 can specifically comprise a computer executable engine configured to implement functionality of blocks of the methods described with respect to FIG. 4 to FIG. 6.
[0042] As depicted, the BCU 120 further comprises a memory 128, which may comprise a non-volatile storage unit (e.g. Erasable Electronic Programmable Read Only Memory (“EEPROM”), Flash Memory) and a volatile storage unit (e.g. random-access memory (“RAM”)). However, the memory 128 may be provided in any suitable manner including, but not limited to, as a cloud-based memory. Programming instructions that implement the functional teachings of the controller 126 as described herein are typically maintained, persistently, in the memory 128 and used by the controller 126 which makes appropriate utilization of volatile storage during the execution of such programming instructions. Those skilled in the art recognize that the memory 128 is an example of computer readable media that can store programming instructions executable on the controller 126. Furthermore, the memory 128 is also an example of a memory unit and/or memory module and/or a non-volatile memory.
[0043] The instructions stored at the memory 128 may include respective numerical algorithms, and/or programmed algorithms, predetermined algorithms, and/or static algorithms which, when processed by the controller 126, implement the functionality of the BCU 120 as described herein.
[0044] Alternatively, and/or in addition to numerical algorithms, and/or programmed algorithms, predetermined algorithms, and/or static algorithms, the instructions stored at the memory 128 may include machine learning models and/or algorithms, and the like, which have been trained implement the functionality of the BCU 120 as described herein. Furthermore, in these examples, such machine learning models and/or algorithms, and the like, may initially be operated by the controller 126 in a training mode to train the machine learning models and/or algorithms of to perform the functionality of the BCU 120 as described herein and/or generate classifiers therefor. Such one or more machine learning models and/or algorithms may include, but are not limited to: a deep-learning based algorithm; a neural network; a generalized linear regression algorithm; a random forest algorithm; a support vector machine algorithm; a gradient boosting regression algorithm; a decision tree algorithm; a generalized additive model; evolutionary programming algorithms; Bayesian inference algorithms, reinforcement learning algorithms, and the like. [0045] As depicted, the BCU 120 further comprises an optional wireless interface 130 which may comprise any suitable wireless communication interface including, but not limited to a, WiFi™ communication interface, a Bluetooth™ communication interface, a cell phone communication interface, an IoT (Internet of Things) interface and the like, for communicating with the repository 103. The wireless interface 130 is understood to be generally configured to communicate with the repository 103, which may comprise a suitable corresponding wireless interface. While communication with the repository 103 is described as being wireless, in other examples, the wireless interface 130 may be adapted for wired communication with the repository 103 and/or the wireless interface 130 may be replaced with a wired interface for communication with the repository 103. Communication with the repository 103 are not particularly limiting. [0046] The charger 102 may comprise any suitable charger for delivering power to the batteries 111 to charge the batteries 111 and/or adapted to provide functionality as described herein.
[0047] The repository 103 may comprise any suitable memory device, such as a database device, and the like, which may store historical rates of discharge of the batteries 111. For example, the BCU 120 may receive the data 123 from the batteries 111 and provide, via the wireless interface 130, the data 123 to the repository 103 for storage, for example with a time stamp. The BCU 120 may later retrieve, via the wireless interface 130, the stored data 123 from the repository 103 to compare to present data 123.
[0048] While in FIG. 1 the BCU 120 is integrated with the vehicle 101, in other examples, the BCU 120 may be separate from the vehicle 101 and/or the BCU 120 and the charger 102 may be integrated.
[0049] For example, attention is next directed to FIG. 2 which depicts a system 100 A which is substantially similar to the system 100, with like components having like numbers. However, at the system 100 A, an electric vehicle 101 A is provided that is substantially similar to the vehicle 101, with like components having like numbers. However, in contrast to the vehicle 101, the vehicle 101A does not comprise a BCU. Rather, a BCU 120A is provided as a separate device, and a port 200 is provided at the vehicle 101 A to connect to (e.g. to charge), and/or communicate with, the batteries 111. The BCU 120A is substantially similar to the BCU 120, but with one or more networking ports 122 A that are substantially similar to the ports 122, but adapted to communicate with the batteries 111 via the port 200.
[0050] Furthermore, as depicted, the BCU 120A and the charger 102 may be separate from each other, or integrated into one device 202 which is depicted in dashed lines indicating that the device 202 is optional. Furthermore, while not depicted in FIG. 2, there may also be a data line between the BCU 120 A and the charger 102, such that the BCU 120 A may send commands to the charger 102 to control how the charger 102 delivers power (e.g. wattage) to the batteries 111 (e.g. how much power to a given battery 111 to charge the given battery 111 to a given charging level). The charger 102 may deliver power and/or charge to the batteries 111 via the BCU 120A, or the charger 102 may deliver power and/or charge to the batteries 111 via a charging port of the vehicle 101 A under control of the BCU 120A (e.g. but not via the BCU 120A), and/or via the BCU 120A controlling the aforementioned switches.
[0051] Furthermore, the BCU 120A may be integrated with and/or in communication with one or more chargers.
[0052] Hence, it is understood that an electric vehicle, a BCU and a charger as described herein may be provided in any suitable combination.
[0053] Hereafter, examples will be described with reference to the system 100, however, it is understood that the examples may be adapted for the system 100.
[0054] Furthermore, in some examples, a plurality of BCUs 120 (and chargers 102) may be networked. For example attention is next directed to FIG. 3 which depicts a system 300 plurality of the vehicles 101 (e.g. three vehicles 101) with respective batteries 111, respective BCUs 120, and chargers 102. As depicted, the BCUs 120 are networked via a data line 302, which is depicted in dashed lines to distinguish from power lines 304 connecting the chargers 102. The data line 302 may be between respective network ports 122 of the BCUs 120 and/or the one or more networking ports 122 may be further configured to communicate with other battery control units 120. As such, the BCUs 120 may cooperate to implement various functionality as described herein using parallel processing techniques, and the like.
[0055] Furthermore, power lines (e.g. cables) 304 from the chargers 102 may be used to charge respective batteries 111 as controlled by respective BCUs 120, however as the power lines 304 of the various chargers 102 are connected, any charger 102 may be used to charge any batteries 111 of any vehicle 101, as controlled by one or more of the BCUs 120. For example, control of the chargers 102 may occur via one BCU 120 and/or control of the chargers 102 may occur via a plurality of BCUs 120 communicating with each other. [0056] However, in some examples, a plurality of chargers 102 may be connected to one BCU 120 without the presence of other BCUs 120 and/or other vehicles 101. The system 300 may hence be adapted in any suitable manner such that a plurality of chargers 102 may charge batteries 111 at one or more vehicles 101.
[0057] Indeed, a plurality of chargers 102 may be used to charge the batteries 111 using fast charging techniques. [0058] Furthermore, while not depicted in FIG. 3, there may also be data lines between one of the BCUs 120 and one or more of the chargers 102.
[0059] The system 100 A may be similarly adapted such that a BCU 120 A may be integrated with and/or in communication with one or more chargers 102, which may be via other BCUs 120A.
[0060] Attention is now directed to FIG. 4 which depicts a flowchart representative of a method 400 for battery management for charging. The operations of the method 400 of FIG. 4 correspond to machine readable instructions that are executed by the controller 126. In the illustrated example, the instructions represented by the blocks of FIG. 4 are stored at the memory 128. The method 400 of FIG. 4 is one way in which the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 and/or the system 100 may be configured. Furthermore, the following discussion of the method 400 of FIG. 4 will lead to a further understanding of the BCU 120 and/or the system 100, and its various components.
[0061] The method 400 of FIG. 4 need not be performed in the exact sequence as shown and likewise various blocks may be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. Accordingly, the elements of method 400 are referred to herein as “blocks” rather than “steps.” The method 400 of FIG. 4 may be implemented on variations of the vehicle 101 of FIG. 1, as well.
[0062] At a block 402, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, receives the data 123 indicative of respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries 111 during use, for example via the one or more networking ports 122 as described herein. The data 123 may be received while the plurality of batteries 111 are in use and/or after the plurality of batteries 111 are in use. In some examples, the data 123 may be requested from the batteries 111 by the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, for example periodically and/or upon being connected to the charger 102, while in other examples the batteries 111 may provide the data 123 periodically. Regardless, the data 123 may be received prior to charging of the batteries 111 occurring via the charger 102.
[0063] The data 123 may include, but is not limited to, one or more of respective voltage, respective current, respective charge state and/or respective charge level, respective rate of discharge, and the like, of the individual batteries 111 , for example during use. [0064] At a block 404, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, controls respective charging of the plurality of batteries 111 based on the respective discharge rates received in the data 123. For example, as will be described below, the respective discharge rates may be used to determine a charge rate of a battery 111 by the charger 102, and/or a charge level to which a battery 111 is to be charged, and the like.
[0065] Furthermore, as respective discharge rates of the batteries 111 may change depending on tasks being implemented by the vehicle 101, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 may determine respective average discharge rates of the batteries 111 (e.g. an average over a discharge cycle) and use the respective average discharge rates of the batteries 111 at the block 404.
[0066] Furthermore, from the data 123, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 may determine whether one or more given batteries 111 are capable of receiving more wattage than one charger 102 may provide, and hence, when more than one charger 102 is available (e.g. as depicted in FIG. 3), the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 may determine, from the data 123, how much additional power and/or wattage, and/or a maximum power and/or wattage, to use to charge the one or more given batteries 111 using multiple chargers 102. [0067] For example, the respective discharge rates received in the data 123 may indicate that some batteries 111 may be charged at a higher power and/or charging rate than other batteries 111, and furthermore the data 123 may generally provide the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 with sufficient information to determine what maximum power and/or wattage and/or charging rate to use to charge a given battery 111; the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 may then use as many chargers 102 as are available to charge the batteries 111, for example using fast charging techniques.
[0068] Hence, it is understood that the charging of the plurality of batteries 111 is performed in a manner that may increase the life of the batteries 111. For example, one battery 111 may be charged at a different rate than another battery 111, with respective rates of charge of the batteries 111 selected, for example heuristically, to increase the life of the respective batteries 111. Such a determination of rates of charge may be further determined via machine learning techniques, and the like.
[0069] Put another way, the data 123 received at the block 402, including the discharge rates of the batteries 111, may be used to determine parameters for charging the batteries 111 to maintain “health” of the batteries 111 and/or to decrease a chance of damaging a battery 111, and/or to charge one or more batteries 111 faster (or slower) than other batteries 111.
[0070] Attention is now directed to FIG. 5 which depicts a flowchart representative of another method 500 for battery management for charging. The operations of the method 500 of FIG. 5 correspond to machine readable instructions that are executed by the controller 126. In the illustrated example, the instructions represented by the blocks of FIG. 5 are stored at the memory 128. The method 500 of FIG. 5 is one way in which the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 and/or the system 100 may be configured. Furthermore, the following discussion of the method 500 of FIG. 5 will lead to a further understanding of the BCU 120 and/or the system 100, and its various components.
[0071] The method 500 of FIG. 5 need not be performed in the exact sequence as shown and likewise various blocks may be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. Accordingly, the elements of method 500 are referred to herein as “blocks” rather than “steps.” The method 500 of FIG. 5 may be implemented on variations of the vehicle 101 of FIG. 1, as well.
[0072] Furthermore, the method 500 may comprise a more detailed version of the method 400. For example a block 502 of the method 500 may be the same as the block 402 of the method 400, and blocks 504 to blocks 510 may comprise an example of the block 404 of the method 400.
[0073] Furthermore, as respective rate of discharges may change depending on tasks being implemented by the vehicle 101, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 may determine respective average discharge rates of the batteries 111 and use the respective average discharge rates of the batteries 111 at the method 500.
[0074] At a block 502, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, receives the data 123 indicative of respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries 111 during use. The block 502 is generally the same and/or similar to the block 402 of the method 400.
[0075] At a block 504, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, determines a common usage time period of the plurality of batteries 111. The common usage time period may be determined from the data 123, as described herein, and/or the common usage time period may be determined in any suitable manner. The common usage time period is generally indicative of a time period that the batteries 111 will be used after a next (and/or present) charging event. In some examples, the common usage time period may comprise an average of two or more previous usage periods of the batteries 111, for example between charging events.
[0076] At a block 506, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, determines a common minimum charge level of the plurality of batteries 111 during the common usage time period, described below.
[0077] At a block 508, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, determines respective charge levels of each of the plurality of batteries 111 such that the plurality of batteries 111 reach the common minimum charge level during the common usage time period based on the respective discharge rates (e.g. average respective discharge rates).
[0078] In general, the common minimum charge level and the respective charge levels of each of the plurality of batteries 111 may be determined concurrently based, for example, on the respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries 111 received with the data 123.
[0079] In some examples, the common minimum charge level may be selected to be a suitable value, such as 10%, 20%, and/or any other suitable value, and the respective charge levels of each of the plurality of batteries 111 may be determined accordingly. In some examples, the common minimum charge level may be selected heuristically, while in other examples the common minimum charge level may be determined algorithmically; in one example, the smallest charge level amongst the batteries 111 received in the data 123 (e.g. with a safety factor applied thereto, for example by multiplying the smallest charge level by 1.1, or 1.2, amongst other possibilities).
[0080] Using an example of a common minimum charge level that is determined to be 10% (e.g. of a respective maximum charge level of each of the batteries 111), but the batteries 111 all discharge at different respective discharge rates, respective charge levels of each of the plurality of batteries 111 are selected such that, over the common usage time period, charge of each of the batteries 111 falls from their respective charge levels to 10%. For example, assuming a common usage time period of 8 hours has been determined, a discharge rate for one battery 111 may be 1 Amps while a discharge rate for another battery 111 may be 2Amps; as such, for both batteries to reach the common minimum charge level of 10% in 2 hours, the 2 Amp battery 111 may be charged to a higher charge level than the 1 Amp battery 111 as the 2 Amp battery 111 discharges faster than the 1 Amp battery 111. [0081] However, in some examples, some batteries 111 may have a discharge rate such that, even if charged to a maximum charge level, their charge level will fall to less than a selected common minimum charge level over the common usage time period and/or to a minimum where the batteries 111 may no longer be usable. Hence, in some examples, such batteries 111 may limit the common minimum charge level to be at least a given value. For example, if the common usage time period is 8 hours, a maximum charge level and the discharge rate may be used to determine a minimum charge level to which such a battery 111 would fall in the common usage time period, and this minimum charge level may be used as the common minimum charge level for all the batteries 111.
[0082] Hence, for example, a respective charge level of a first battery 111 may be 100%, a respective charge level of a second battery 111, with a discharge rate higher than the first battery, may be 90%, a respective charge level of a third battery 111, with a discharge rate higher than the second battery, may be 80%, etc.
[0083] At a block 510, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 controls charging of the respective batteries to their respective charge levels using the charger 102. For example, as charging is occurring, the data 123 may continue to be received at the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 which may indicate present charge levels of the batteries 111 and charging of a battery 111 may stop once the battery 111 has reached its respective charge level as indicated by the data 123.
[0084] Once charging is complete, and the batteries 111 are in use, during the common usage time period the batteries 111 should all reach the common minimum charge level at around and/or about a same time, which may correspond to a time for a next charging event, where the method 500 may be repeated.
[0085] It is understood that the batteries 111, in general, don’t control their own discharge rates; rather, the batteries 111 discharge when connected to a load (e.g. such as the electric motor 108 and/or other electrical components of the vehicle 101), the discharge rates occurring in accordance with load parameters of the load (e.g. resistance and/or impedance of a load, etc.). A “weaker” battery 111 may generally drop in voltage (e.g. discharge) faster than a “stronger” battery 111. In some examples, the aforementioned switches may be used to control relative voltage between the batteries 111 (e.g. the batteries 111 may be connected in parallel and hence the aforementioned switches may be used to control which batteries 111 are powering a load at any given time).
[0086] Furthermore, discharge rates of the batteries 111 are understood to be proportional to voltage, and thus until the batteries 111 have different voltages the discharge rates will be equal. Thus discharge rates are measured (e.g. by the batteries 111 themselves) through an entire discharge cycle, and the BCU 120 receives the discharge rates, and performs a computation to determine what a battery discharge rate (e.g. an average discharge rate) was relative to a total energy of a battery 111. As the SOC goes down in a battery 111, so will the voltage, and therefore so will the instantaneous discharge rate. The BCU 120 determines a respective charge level to charge each battery 111 such that, using the determined discharge rates, all the batteries 111 may reach a common minimum charge level during a common usage time period.
[0087] It is understood that the method 500 (or the method 400) may be adapted for use with more than one charger 102.
[0088] In particular, as has been described, the one or more networking ports 122 may be configured to communicate with one or more chargers 102, and the controller 126 may be further configured to: control respective charging of the plurality of batteries 111 based on the respective discharge rates by controlling the one or more chargers 102, via the one or more networking ports 122, to charge the plurality of batteries 111 based on the respective discharge rates.
[0089] Similarly, as described with respect to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a battery control unit 120A may be integrated with, and/or may be configured to communicate with, one or more chargers 102, and the controller 126 and/or a BCU 120 may be further configured to: control respective charging of the plurality of batteries 111 based on the respective discharge rates by controlling the one or more chargers 102 to charge the plurality of batteries based on the respective discharge rates.
[0090] Similarly, it is understood that the method 500 (or the method 400) may be adapted for use with more than one BCU 120. For example, the one or more networking ports 122 may be further configured to communicate with other battery control units 120, 120 A, and the controller 126 may be further configured to: control respective charging of the plurality of batteries 111 based on the respective discharge rates in conjunction with the other battery control units 120. Put another way, control of the charging may be distributed between a plurality of the BCUS 120, for example via parallel processing techniques.
[0091] Put yet another way, the controller 126 and/or a BCU 120 may be further configured to control respective charging of the plurality of batteries 111 based on the respective discharge rates in conjunction with the other battery control units 120 by: charging each of the plurality of batteries 111 to a respective charge level such that the plurality of batteries 111 reach a common minimum charge level during a common usage time period.
[0092] Attention is now directed to FIG. 6 which depicts a flowchart representative of another method 600 for battery management while batteries are in use. The operations of the method 600 of FIG. 6 correspond to machine readable instructions that are executed by the controller 126. In the illustrated example, the instructions represented by the blocks of FIG. 6 are stored at the memory 128. The method 600 of FIG. 6 is one way in which the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 and/or the system 100 may be configured. Furthermore, the following discussion of the method 600 of FIG. 6 will lead to a further understanding of the BCU 120 and/or the system 100, and its various components.
[0093] The method 600 of FIG. 6 need not be performed in the exact sequence as shown and likewise various blocks may be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. Accordingly, the elements of method 600 are referred to herein as “blocks” rather than “steps.” The method 600 of FIG. 6 may be implemented on variations of the vehicle 101 of FIG. 1, as well.
[0094] At the method 600 it is understood that the BCU 120 (e.g. as well as the one or more networking ports 122 and the controller 126) is located at the electric vehicle 101 that includes the plurality of batteries 111. For example, the method 600 may be implemented at the BCU 120.
[0095] At a block 602, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, monitors the respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries 111 during use. For example, the data 123 may be received at the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 while the vehicle 101, and hence the batteries 111, are in use and/or in operation.
[0096] Put another way, the data 123 may indicate present operating parameters of the batteries 111 during use. Hence, the data 123 may indicate respective discharge rates of the plurality of batteries 111 during use and may be further indicative of battery discharge during given tasks being implemented via electrical components of the electric vehicle 101 that includes the plurality of batteries 111. Hence, for example, local and/or temporary changes in respective discharge rates may be associated with tasks being implemented at the electric vehicle 101 including, but not limited to, turning, cutting grass, tilting, uphill movement, breaking, battery regeneration, among other possibilities.
[0097] At a block 604, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, moves charge between the plurality of batteries 111 when one or more of the respective discharge rates one or more of: differs from a previous respective discharge rate; and is higher than the previous respective discharge rate.
[0098] For example, previous respective discharge rates of the batteries 111 may be retrieved from the repository 103 via the wireless interface 130 and compared to the respective discharge rates of the batteries 111 as received in the data 123. A difference therebetween for a battery 111 (e.g. the discharge rate has increased) may indicate that the battery 111 has degraded since the last charge and hence, charge from one battery 111 may be moved to another battery 111 (e.g. using the aforementioned switches) to continue to attempt to cause the batteries 111 to reach a common minimum charge level at around, and/or about, a same time.
[0099] Alternatively, different batteries 111 may react differently to different tasks being implemented at the vehicle 101 and some tasks may cause some batteries to discharge at faster (or slower) rates. In these examples, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120, moving charge between the plurality of batteries 111 in advance of, and/or during such events to again attempt to cause the batteries 111 to reach a common minimum charge level at around and/or about at a same time. Indeed, machine learning techniques may be used to predict when such tasks may occur so that movement of charge may occur in advance of such events.
[00100] Put another way, the controller 126 and/or the BCU 120 may (e.g. in real time) determine how each battery 111 reacts to different tasks of the vehicle 101, compare such reactions (which may be referred to as task profiles) and transfer charge between the batteries 111 accordingly. [00101] Such lookup tables, and the like, may also store how discharge rates of the batteries 111 change during maximum power and/or minimum power demands at the vehicle 101. For example, the data 123 may indicate such discharge rates of the batteries 111 change during maximum power and/or minimum power demands at the vehicle 101. [00102] Furthermore, such task profiles may be stored (e.g. at the memory 128) in any suitable format, such as in a lookup table of tasks vs battery reactions (e.g. changes in discharge rates of the batteries 111).
[00103] Such lookup tables, and/or task profiles, and the like, may be stored at the memory 128 and/or the repository 103. Furthermore, such lookup tables, and/or profiles, and the like, may shared with other BCUs 120 to assist other BCUs 120 with predicting and/or determining how to share charge between the batteries 111.
[00104] Other features are within the scope of the present specification.
[00105] For example, the repository 103 and/or the memory 128 may store data indicating past behavior of the batteries 111 (e.g. the data 123 may be stored as a function of time) and/or past charging events of the batteries (e.g. charge levels and/or charge rates of the batteries 111). In these examples, the one or more of the BCUs 120, for example networked or not networked, may predict and/or determine how batteries 111 may behave in the future and control charge between the batteries 111 and/or charge the batteries 111 accordingly. For example, parameters of one or more batteries 111, as they change over time, may be used to generate a model of behavior of one or more of the batteries (e.g. as a function of time), and such models may be stored at the repository 103 as battery profiles, and which may be accessed by other BCUs 120 associated with other vehicles, for use in predicting how respective other batteries 111 may behave.
[00106] Furthermore, such battery profiles and/or the data 123 and/or data from charging events (e.g. rates of charge and levels to which batteries 111 were charged, as well as how the batteries 111 behaved thereafter) may be used to train machine learning algorithms which may predict how the batteries 111 may behave.
[00107] Indeed, machine learning models may be used to perform other functionality related to the batteries 111 including, but not limited to, determining how to better charge the batteries 111 to extend lifetime (e.g. some rates of charge and/or charge levels to which batteries 111 were charged may lead to longer lifetimes, while other rates of charge and/or charge levels to which batteries 111 were charged may lead to shorter lifetimes).
[00108] Indeed, machine learning models may be used to perform other functionality related to the batteries 111 including, but not limited to, determining how to better move charge between the batteries 111 and/or when to move charge between the batteries 111 to extend lifetime.
[00109] Indeed, machine learning models may be used to determine when abnormal power usage is occurring at a battery 111, and an alert thereof may be provided to a user and/or operator of the vehicle 101 to cause the battery 111 to be replaced.
[00110] As should be apparent from this detailed description above, the operations and functions of computing devices, and the like, described herein are sufficiently complex as to require their implementation on a computer system, and cannot be performed, as a practical matter, in the human mind. Computing devices, and the like, such as set forth herein are understood as requiring and providing speed and accuracy and complexity management that are not obtainable by human mental steps, in addition to the inherently digital nature of such operations (e.g., a human mind cannot interface directly with a Random Access Memory, or other digital storage, cannot transmit or receive electronic messages and/or information, electronically encoded video, electronically encoded audio, etc., among other features and functions set forth herein).
[00111] It is understood that for the purpose of this specification, language of “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “one or more of X, Y and Z” can be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XY, YZ, XZ, and the like). Similar logic can be applied for two or more items in any occurrence of “at least one...” and “one or more...” language.
[00112] The terms “about”, “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, and the like, are defined as being “close to”, for example as understood by persons of skill in the art. In some examples, the terms are understood to be “within 10%,” in other examples, “within 5%”, in yet further examples, “within 1%”, and in yet further examples “within 0.5%”. [00113] Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that in some examples, the functionality of devices and/or methods and/or processes described herein can be implemented using pre-programmed hardware or firmware elements (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), etc.), or other related components. In other examples, the functionality of the devices and/or methods and/or processes described herein can be achieved using a computing apparatus that has access to a code memory (not shown) which stores computer-readable program code for operation of the computing apparatus. The computer-readable program code could be stored on a computer readable storage medium which is fixed, tangible and readable directly by these components, (e.g., removable diskette, CD-ROM, ROM, fixed disk, USB drive). Furthermore, it is appreciated that the computer-readable program can be stored as a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium. Further, a persistent storage device can comprise the computer readable program code. It is yet further appreciated that the computer-readable program code and/or computer usable medium can comprise a non-transitory computer-readable program code and/or non-transitory computer usable medium. Alternatively, the computer-readable program code could be stored remotely but transmittable to these components via a modem or other interface device connected to a network (including, without limitation, the Internet) over a transmission medium. The transmission medium can be either a non-mobile medium (e.g., optical and/or digital and/or analog communications lines) or a mobile medium (e.g., microwave, infrared, free-space optical or other transmission schemes) or a combination thereof. [00114] Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that there are yet more alternative examples and modifications possible, and that the above examples are only illustrations of one or more embodiments. The scope, therefore, is only to be limited by the claims appended hereto.