# US 8,751,084 B2 · Vehicle component recognition and adjustment for energy efficiency > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,084 B2 - Document ID: US8751084B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/466,176 - Filed: 2012-05-08 - Published: 2013-11-14 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-08 - Assignees: Curtis Instruments, Inc. - Applicants: Stuart E. Marwell - Inventors: Stuart E. Marwell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751084B2 ## CPC - B60L 1/003: {to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors} - B60L 15/20: for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed - B60L 50/52: characterised by DC-motors - B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC] - B60L 58/16: responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH] - B60L 2200/36: Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks - B60L 2200/42: Fork lift trucks - B60L 2200/44: Industrial trucks or floor conveyors - B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters - B60L 2240/12: Speed - B60L 2240/421: Speed - B60L 2240/423: Torque - B60L 2250/10: by alarm - B60L 2250/16: by display - B60W 10/30: including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps - B60Y 2200/15: Fork lift trucks, Industrial trucks - B60Y 2304/072: by preassembled subunits - B60Y 2410/111: Aggregate identification or specification, e.g. using RFID - Y02P 90/60: Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management 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 - 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 - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An apparatus including a plurality of electric vehicle movement components, where a first one of the components is configurable to operate in one of a plurality of power operational modes; and a connection connecting the plurality of electric vehicle components to each other. The first component is configured to select one of the operational modes based, at least partially, upon information through the connection regarding an identification of a second different one of the components and/or an operational capability of the second component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a plurality of electric vehicle movement components, where a first one of the components is configurable to operate in one of a plurality of power operational modes; and a connection connecting the plurality of electric vehicle components to each other, where the first component is configured to select one of the operational modes based, at least partially, upon: information through the connection regarding an identification of a second different one of the components and/or information through the connection regarding an operational capability of the second component, where the second electric vehicle movement component is not a battery. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 where the first electric vehicle movement component comprises a traction controller, or a hydraulic pump controller, or a steering controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An apparatus as in claim 2 where the second electric vehicle .movement component comprises a user input device including a foot pedal and/or a hand moved input control. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) An apparatus as in claim 2 where the second electric vehicle movement component comprises a vehicle management movement system controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 where the plurality of electric vehicle movement components further comprises a third electric vehicle movement component connected to the first and second components by the connection, where the first component is configured to select the operational mode based, at least partially, upon information through the connection regarding an identification of the third component and/or an operational capability of the third component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) An apparatus as in claim 2 where the second electric vehicle movement component comprises a battery monitor, and the information is an identification of a type of a battery connected to the battery monitor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising at least one vehicle indicator configured to output information from the apparatus, where the at least one vehicle indicator is connected to the first component by the connection, and where the first component is configured to select the power operational mode based, at least partially, upon information through the connection regarding an identification of the vehicle indicator and/or an operational capability of the vehicle indicator, and/or where the at least one vehicle indicator is configured to select a power operational mode of the at least one vehicle indicator based, at least partially, upon information through the connection regarding an identification of the first component and/or an operational capability of the first component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An apparatus as in claim 7 where the at least one vehicle indicator comprises a user display and/or a visual warning indicator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1, where the plurality of electric vehicle movement components are from a group comprising a traction controller, a hydraulic pump controller, a steering controller, and a vehicle management system, a foot pedal, and a hand controller, and the apparatus further comprises at least one other component selected from a group comprising a system expansion module, a DC/DC converter, a battery monitor, an instrument display, and a beacon, where at least one of the movement components is configured to select a power operational mode based, at least partially, upon information through the connection regarding an identification of one or more of the other components and/or an operational capability of one or more of the other components, and/or where at least one of the other components is configured to select a power operational mode based, at least partially, upon information through the connection regarding an identification of one or more of the movement components and/or an operational capability of one or more of the movement components. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 where the operational capability of the second component is adapted to be changed by a user selected setting(s), and where the first component is configured to select the operation mode of the first component based upon the operational capability of the second component as limited by at least one of the user selected setting of the second component. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 where the second component is configurable to operate in one of a plurality of power operational modes, where the second component is configured to automatically select one of the operational modes for the second component based, at least partially, upon: information regarding an identification of a device connected to the second component which is controlled by the second component, and/or an operational capability of the device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An apparatus as in claim 11 where the second device is a traction controller and the device is a wheel drive motor, or the second device is a hydraulic pump controller and the device is a hydraulic pump, or the second device is a steering assembly and the device is a steering controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising at least one other vehicle electrical component, where the apparatus is configured to be operationally connected to a non-vehicle device, and where the apparatus further comprising means configured to change an operational mode of the non-vehicle device and/or change the operational mode of one or more of the vehicle movement components or other vehicle electrical component(s) to have power use capabilities matched or limited closer to each other, to prevent waste of power from a battery of the apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for connecting two or more of the plurality of electric vehicle movement components in a scalable manufacturing system such that the apparatus is one of a plurality of different possible types or models of the apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a learning, algorithm configured to learn how often a battery of the apparatus needs to be recharged, and set the operational mode(s) of one or more of the electric vehicle movement components to help prevent the apparatus from running out of battery charge during a work day or work shift or duty cycle of the apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a feedback system configured to provide cues or prompts to an operator to use the apparatus in a more energy efficient manner. ### Claim 17 An apparatus comprising: a plurality of electric vehicle movement components, where a first one of the components is configurable to operate in one of a plurality of operating power ranges; and a system allowing the first component to select one of the operating power ranges based, at least partially, upon information from a second different one of the electric vehicle movement components regarding power capabilities of the second component, where the system enables the first component to select the operating power range to improve energy use efficiency by the first component and/or the second component, where the second electric vehicle movement component is not a battery. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An apparatus as in claim 17 where the first and second components are two of a group of electrical vehicle movement components comprising a traction controller, a hydraulic pump controller, a steering controller, and a vehicle management system, a foot pedal, and hand controller. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) An apparatus as in claim 17 where the second component is configurable to operate in one of a plurality of power operational ranges, where the second component is configured to automatically select one of the operational ranges for the second component based, at least partially, upon: information regarding an identification of a device connected to the second component which is controlled by the second component, and/or an operational capability of the device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An apparatus as in claim 19 where the second device is a traction controller and the device is a wheel drive motor, or the second device is a hydraulic pump controller and the device is a hydraulic pump, or the second device is a steering assembly and the device is a steering controller. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) An apparatus as in claim 19 where the power operational range of the second component is adapted to be changed by a user selected setting(s), and where the first component is configured to select the operating power range of the first component based upon the power operational range of the second component as limited by at least one of the user selected setting(s) of the second component. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) An apparatus as in claim 17 where the system for allowing the first component to select the operating power range comprises a connection between the first and second components, where the first component is configured to select the power operational range based upon a signal from the second component indicating identification of the second component and/or power capabilities of the second component without any other signal from another device or another electric vehicle movement component of the apparatus. ### Claim 23 An apparatus comprising: a first electric vehicle movement component, where the first component is configured to operate in one of a plurality of power operational modes; and a second electric vehicle movement component connected to the first component, where the first movement component is configured to select one of the power operational modes based upon: a signal from the second component indicating identification of the second component, and/or a signal from the second component indicating operational capability of the second component, without any other signal from another device or another electric vehicle movement component, where the second electric vehicle movement component is not a battery. ### Claim 24 A method comprising: connecting a first electric vehicle movement component to a second different vehicle movement component; sending a signal from the second component to the first component, where the signal: identifies the second component to the first component, and/or indicates a power operational capability of the second component to the first component, and based, at least partially, on the signal from the second component, the first component selecting a power operational mode for the first component to operate to increase energy use efficiency by the first and second components, where the second electric vehicle movement component is not a battery.