Enhanced electric drive mode having predicted destinations to reduce engine starts
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJimmy Kapadia, Kenneth James Miller, Kenneth Frederick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for controlling a vehicle includes controlling a vehicle according to a first mode in response to a calculated likelihood exceeding a threshold likelihood, and controlling the vehicle according to a second mode otherwise. The calculated likelihood corresponds to the likelihood that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a current drive cycle final destination. The calculated likelihood is derived from geolocation data collected from geolocation systems in at least one vehicle across a plurality of vehicle drive cycles.
Claims14
A method for controlling a vehicle comprising:
- inhibiting engine starts by increasing a driver power engine-start threshold responsive to a calculated likelihood exceeding a threshold likelihood, the calculated likelihood being derived from geolocation data collected from geolocation systems in the vehicle and at least one other vehicle across a plurality of vehicle drive cycles and being a probability of the vehicle being within a threshold distance of a current drive cycle final destination.
A vehicle comprising:
- an electric drive system including a traction battery;
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a controller configured to control an electric-only operating mode of the vehicle according to a driver power request and associated first engine-start threshold responsive to a calculated likelihood exceeding a threshold likelihood, and control the electric-only operating mode according to the driver power request and associated second engine-start threshold different than the first engine-start threshold otherwise, the calculated likelihood being derived from geolocation data collected from geolocation systems in the vehicle and at least one other vehicle across a plurality of vehicle drive cycles and being a probability that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a final destination for a current drive cycle.
A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:
- modifying, responsive to an electric drive mode being active and a calculated probability exceeding a threshold, an engine-start threshold associated with an engine temperature, the calculated probability being that the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a final destination for a current drive cycle and derived from geolocation data collected from the vehicle and at least one other vehicle across a plurality of drive cycles;
- and
- operating an engine according to the engine-start threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.