US 10,300,808 B2 · Preconditioned charging using an autonomous vehicle

Abstract

Systems of an autonomous vehicle and the operations thereof are provided. During travel of an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle can determine a charge is needed. Within the planned path of travel, the autonomous vehicle can determine when the autonomous vehicle may arrive at a charging station, what destinations are planned after reaching the charging station, the current temperature of the battery (and the temperature of the surroundings), the weather conditions at the charging station, etc. Based on these determinations and/or calculations, the autonomous vehicle can precondition the battery before the autonomous vehicle arrives at the charging station, for example, the autonomous vehicle starts cooling the battery at a quicker than normal rate so that the autonomous vehicle arrives at the charging station with the battery at the coldest possible temperature. The preconditioning allows the autonomous vehicle to charge at higher rate compared to charging without preconditioning.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle, comprising:

an electric motor;
a battery electrically connected to the electric motor, the battery to supply power to the electric motor;
and
a thermal management unit fluidly connected to the battery, the thermal management unit providing cooling to the battery, the thermal management unit comprising:
a thermal management controller;
and
a memory coupled with and readable by a processor of the thermal management controller and storing therein instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine a charging time when a charge will occur on the battery via a charging station;
determine a current temperature of the battery;
determine, prior to reaching the charging station, a rate of cooling for the thermal management unit to cool the battery from the determined current temperature to a charging temperature by the determined charging time, wherein the charging temperature is lower than the determined current temperature;
determine a start time to begin cooling the battery based on the determined charging time and the determined rate of cooling for the thermal management unit;
and
command, at the determined start time, the thermal management unit to begin cooling the battery at the determined rate of cooling.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Preconditioned charging using an autonomous vehicle

Life of this patent

Preconditioned charging using an autonomous vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20