# US 7,746,026 B2 · Controlling state of charge of a vehicle battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,746,026 B2 - Document ID: US7746026B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/615,081 - Filed: 2006-12-22 - Published: 2008-06-26 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2006-12-22 - Assignees: Chrysler Group LLC; Daimler AG - Inventors: Christopher Richard Koziara; Daniel Navarro Rios; Bernd Spier; Kenneth Joseph Wenzel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746026B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors} - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60L 58/13: Maintaining the SoC within a determined range - H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) - B60L 2250/30: by voice - B60L 2260/56: Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - 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 - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method of controlling a state of charge of a battery in a vehicle includes receiving a request to enter an enhanced charging mode. A target for the state of charge is increased from a normal operating target to at least one enhanced mode target. The state of charge may be controlled to the at least one enhanced mode target during a drive charging cycle and during a park charging cycle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a state of charge of a vehicle battery, comprising the step of: receiving a request to enter an enhanced charging mode including a drive charging cycle of a battery onboard a vehicle performed during driving operation of the vehicle and a park charging cycle of the vehicle battery performed while the vehicle is operating but parked; notifying a driver that the vehicle is entering the enhanced charging mode; requesting a confirmation from the driver to enter the enhanced charging mode; increasing a target for the state of charge of the vehicle battery from a normal operating target of the vehicle battery to at least one enhanced mode target that is greater than the normal operating target and capable of reducing vehicle battery life; controlling the state of charge to the at least one enhanced mode target during the drive charging cycle; and controlling the state of charge to the at least one enhanced mode target during the park charging cycle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: prompting the driver via an audio or visual interface device onboard the vehicle to perform operations prerequisite to entering the park charging cycle; and entering the park charging cycle if the operations have been performed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the operations include one or more of the following: placing a transmission in a park gear or a neutral gear; depressing a brake pedal; or activating a park brake. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring for exit conditions to exit the drive charging cycle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the exit conditions include one or more of: shifting a transmission out of a driving gear; receiving an input to exit a driving gear; or detecting a location of the vehicle at a destination. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further including the step of determining whether the state of charge has met the at least one enhanced mode target if one or more of the exit conditions is detected. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further including the step of exiting the drive charging cycle and entering the park charging cycle if the state of charge has not met the at least one enhanced mode target after an exit condition is detected. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the request to enter the enhanced charging mode is received from a driver through an interface device in the vehicle that comprises an audio or visual interface device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a warning to the driver that vehicle battery life may be decreased. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the normal operating target includes a state of charge ranging from a desired minimum to a desired maximum, and the at least one enhanced mode target includes a state of charge greater than the desired maximum for the normal operating target. ### Claim 11 A method of controlling a state of charge of a vehicle battery according to an enhanced charging mode, comprising the steps of: receiving a request from an operator to enter an enhanced charging mode of a vehicle battery; tracking the frequency of the vehicle battery entering the enhanced charging mode and warning the operator if the frequency is too great; monitoring one or more acceptable conditions before enabling entry of the enhanced charging mode; and increasing a target for the state of charge of the vehicle battery from a normal operating target to an enhanced mode target that is greater than the normal operating target and capable of being reducing vehicle battery life if the one or more acceptable conditions are satisfied. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring the one or more acceptable conditions include at least one of the following: monitoring whether the state of charge of the battery is within an acceptable range; and monitoring whether the accuracy of a state of charge is within an acceptable range. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of monitoring output from the vehicle battery and determining the state of charge of the battery from the monitored output. ### Claim 14 A method of controlling a state of charge of a vehicle battery according to an enhanced charging mode, comprising the steps of: receiving a request from an operator of a vehicle to enter an enhanced charging mode including a drive charging cycle; notifying the operator of the vehicle that the vehicle is entering the enhanced, charging mode; controlling the state of charge of a vehicle battery to an enhanced mode target during the drive charging cycle where the enhanced mode target that is greater than the a maximum of normal operating target where vehicle battery life is capable of being decreased; monitoring for one or more escape conditions for the enhanced charging mode; and exiting the enhanced charging mode if an escape condition is detected. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more escape conditions include at least one of the following: receiving an input from the operator to exit the enhanced charging mode while the vehicle is being driven; detecting that a vehicle ignition is off; or determining that there are no vehicle operating parameter constraints that prevent exiting the enhanced charging mode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle operating parameter constraints that permit exiting the enhanced charging mode include at least one of the following: a battery temperature outside an acceptable range; the state of charge of the battery outside an acceptable range; or the accuracy of the state of charge outside an acceptable range. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of determining whether acceptable conditions are satisfied, wherein the one or more acceptable conditions include at least one of the following: the state of charge of the battery is within an acceptable range; or the accuracy of the state of charge within an acceptable range. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of determining whether the state of charge is equal to, or greater than, the enhanced mode target and entering a park charging cycle mode if the state of charge is not equal to, or greater than, the enhanced mode target. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of controlling the state of charge to the enhanced mode target during a park charging cycle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of requesting a confirmation from the operator to enter the enhanced charging mode before entering the enhanced charging mode.