# US 11,440,432 B2 · System and method of performing a range estimation for hybrid and electric vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,432 B2 - Document ID: US11440432B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/125,038 - Filed: 2018-09-07 - Published: 2020-03-12 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-07 - Assignees: Cummins Inc. - Applicants: Cummins Inc. - Inventors: Anant Puri; Kenneth M. Follen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440432B2 ## CPC - B60L 58/10: for monitoring or controlling batteries - B60L 58/13: Maintaining the SoC within a determined range - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60W 20/12: using control strategies taking into account route information {(estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00)} - B60W 50/0098: {Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for} - B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft} - B60L 2240/421: Speed - B60L 2240/423: Torque - B60L 2260/52: drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance - B60L 2260/54: Energy consumption estimation - B60W 2050/0041: {of the drive line} - B60W 2050/0088: {Adaptive recalibration} - B60W 2510/244: Charge state - B60W 2530/209: Fuel quantity remaining in tank - B60W 2552/20: Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system is provided for performing an automated range estimation process for an electric vehicle using a processor. Included in the system is a range estimator configured to estimate an initial value of an energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle. The range estimator generates a first estimation model based on a correlation between a maximum all-electric-range and the energy required to travel a unit distance. Then, the first estimation model is adjusted based on one or more predetermined driving conditions. The maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle is updated based on the adjusted first estimation model. An estimated range of the electric vehicle is calculated based on the updated maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle and a fraction of total energy capability remaining in the electric vehicle. The estimated range of the electric vehicle is outputted and is used to control the electric vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of performing an automated range estimation process for an electric vehicle using a processor, the method comprising: retrieving, using the processor, an initial value of an energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle, wherein the initial value is provided by a manufacturer of the electric vehicle; generating, using the processor, a first estimation model based on a correlation between a maximum all-electric-range and the energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle, the maximum all-electric-range defined as a maximum driving range based on the initial value of the energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle when an energy supply of the electric vehicle is at 100% state of charge as initially determined, and the energy required to travel a unit distance being calibratable based on a a maximum rechargeable capacity of the energy supply; adjusting, using the processor, the first estimation model based on one or more predetermined driving conditions; updating, using the processor, the maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle based on the adjusted first estimation model; calculating, using the processor, an estimated range of the electric vehicle based on the updated maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle and a fraction of total energy capability remaining in the energy supply of the electric vehicle; outputting, using the processor, the estimated range of the electric vehicle; and controlling, using the processor, the electric vehicle using the outputted estimated range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the electric vehicle is at least partially powered by an engine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the electric vehicle is at least partially powered by the engine comprises retrieving an initial value of average fuel economy information for the electric vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a second estimation model based on a correlation between the average fuel economy information and the energy required to travel the unit distance for the electric vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising adjusting the second estimation model based on the one or more predetermined driving conditions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising updating the average fuel economy information of the electric vehicle based on the adjusted second estimation model. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising calculating the estimated range of the electric vehicle based on the updated maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle, the fraction of total energy capability remaining in the energy supply of the electric vehicle, the updated average fuel economy information of the electric vehicle, and an amount of fuel remaining in the electric vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising calculating a fuel-based range of the electric vehicle based on the average fuel economy information and an amount of fuel remaining in the electric vehicle, and adding the fuel-based range to the estimated range of the electric vehicle as a total range of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 9 A system for performing an automated range estimation process for an electric vehicle using a processor, comprising: a range estimator configured to: retrieve an initial value of an energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle that is either provided by a manufacturer of the electric vehicle; generate a first estimation model based on a correlation between a maximum all-electric-range and the energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle, the maximum all-electric-range defined as a maximum driving range based on the initial value of the energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle when an energy supply of the electric vehicle is at 100% state of charge as initially determined, and the energy required to travel a unit distance being calibratable based on a a maximum rechargeable capacity of the energy supply; adjust the first estimation model based on one or more predetermined driving conditions: update the maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle based on the adjusted first estimation model; calculate an estimated range of the electric vehicle based on the updated maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle and a fraction of total energy capability remaining in the energy supply of the electric vehicle; output the estimated range of the electric vehicle; and control the electric vehicle using the outputted estimated range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the range estimator is further configured to determine whether the electric vehicle is at least partially powered by an engine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the range estimator is further configured to retrieve an initial value of average fuel economy information for the electric vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the range estimator is further configured to generate a second estimation model based on a correlation between the average fuel economy information and the energy required to travel the unit distance for the electric vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the range estimator is further configured to adjust the second estimation model based on the one or more predetermined driving conditions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the range estimator is further configured to update the average fuel economy information of the electric vehicle based on the adjusted second estimation model. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the range estimator is further configured to calculate the estimated range of the electric vehicle based on the updated maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle, the fraction of total energy capability remaining in the electric vehicle, the updated average fuel economy information of the electric vehicle, and an, amount of fuel remaining in the electric vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the range estimator is further configured to calculate a fuel-based range of the electric vehicle based on the average fuel economy information and an amount of fuel remaining in the electric vehicle, and adding the fuel-based range to the estimated range of the electric vehicle as a total range of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 17 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, the computer-executable instructions configured to cause at least one processor, upon being executed by the at least one processor, to perform a method of performing an automated range estimation process for an electric vehicle, the method comprising: retrieving, using the at least one processor, an initial value of an energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle that is either provided by a manufacturer of the electric vehicle; generating, using the at least one processor, a first estimation model based on a correlation between a maximum all-electric-range and the energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle, the maximum all-electric-range defined as a maximum driving range based on the initial value of the energy required to travel a unit distance for the electric vehicle when an energy supply of the electric vehicle is at 100% state of charge as initially determined, and the energy required to travel a unit distance being calibratable based on a a maximum rechargeable capacity of the energy supply; adjusting, using the at least one processor, the first estimation model based on one or more predetermined driving conditions; updating, using the at least one processor, the maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle based on the adjusted first estimation model; calculating, using the at least one processor, an estimated range of the electric vehicle based on the updated maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle and a fraction of total energy capability remaining in the energy supply of the electric vehicle; and outputting, using the at least one processor, the estimated range of the electric vehicle; and controlling, using the at least one processor, the electric vehicle using the outputted estimated range. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory media of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether the electric vehicle is at least partially powered by an engine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory media of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to retrieve an initial value of average fuel economy information for the electric vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory media of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate a second estimation model based on a correlation between the average fuel economy information and the energy required to travel the unit distance for the electric vehicle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The non-transitory media of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust the second estimation model based on the one or more predetermined driving conditions. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The non-transitory media of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to update the average, fuel economy information of the electric vehicle based on the adjusted second estimation model, and calculate the estimated rage of the electric vehicle based on the updated maximum all-electric-range of the electric vehicle, the fraction of total energy capability remaining in the electric vehicle, the updated average fuel economy information of the electric vehicle, and an amount of fuel remaining.in the electric vehicle.