# US 9,517,705 B1 · Electric vehicle driving range optimization system with dynamic feedback

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- Number: US 9,517,705 B1
- Document ID: US9517705B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/747,772
- Filed: 2015-06-23
- Published: 2016-12-29
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-23
- Assignees: Atieva, Inc.
- Applicants: Atieva, Inc.
- Inventors: Albert Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517705B1

## CPC

- B60L 15/2045: {for optimising the use of energy}
- B60L 1/02: to electric heating circuits
- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60L 2250/16: by display
- B60L 2260/52: drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
- B60L 2260/54: Energy consumption estimation
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method is provided that aids the driver of an electric vehicle (EV) in optimizing their car's driving range. In response to the car's current driving range falling below a preset value, the system provides the driver with one or more recommendations as to how to increase range, recommendations such as lowering top speed, altering the temperature settings of the car's HVAC system, etc. Additionally, the system provides the driver with real time driving range feedback, thereby helping the driver to evaluate the various recommendations and determine which approach is best suited to the current conditions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of providing range optimization aid to a driver of an electric vehicle, wherein said electric vehicle is comprised of a battery pack coupled to an electric drive train, said method comprising:
monitoring a current battery pack charge level;
determining a current driving range based on said current battery pack charge level and a predefined set of battery drainage rules;
determining a first battery pack drain due to operation of said electric drive train;
determining a second battery pack drain due to operation of at least one user controllable auxiliary system, wherein said at least one user controllable auxiliary system is electrically coupled to said battery pack;
modifying said current driving range to yield a modified driving range, wherein said modifying step is based on said first battery pack drain and said second battery pack drain;
displaying said modified driving range on a display, wherein said display is mounted within said electric vehicle;
setting a preset minimum driving range;
determining a recommendation for adjusting a current vehicle condition to obtain an increased driving range, wherein said step of determining said recommendation is performed automatically by a system controller of said electric vehicle when said modified driving range falls below said preset minimum driving range; and
communicating said recommendation to said driver of said electric vehicle, wherein said step of communicating said recommendation is performed automatically by said system controller when said modified driving range falls below said preset minimum driving range.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
accepting a user request via a user interface for a suggestion to increase said modified driving range, wherein said user request is accepted by said system controller; and
communicating said suggestion to said driver of said electric vehicle, wherein said system controller performs said communicating step, and wherein said suggestion provides said recommendation for adjusting said current vehicle condition to obtain an increased driving range.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, said step of accepting said user request utilizing at least one of a touch-screen input system, a voice activated input system, a push-button switch and a capacitive switch as said user interface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a prediction of said increased driving range, wherein said step of determining said prediction of said increased driving range is performed by said system controller prior to said driver executing said recommendation, and wherein said prediction of said increased driving range is based on said driver adjusting said current vehicle condition in accordance with said recommendation; and
displaying said prediction of said increased driving range on said display, wherein said step of displaying said prediction of said increased driving range is performed prior to said driver executing said recommendation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a prediction of said increased driving range, wherein said step of determining said prediction of said increased driving range is performed by said system controller prior to said driver executing said recommendation, and wherein said prediction of said increased driving range is based on said driver adjusting said current vehicle condition in accordance with said recommendation;
calculating a difference between said prediction of said increased driving range and said modified driving range, wherein said step of calculating said difference is performed by said system controller prior to said driver executing said recommendation; and
displaying said difference between said prediction of said increased driving range and said modified driving range on said display, wherein said step of displaying said difference is performed prior to said driver executing said recommendation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
setting a predefined category selection order, wherein said predefined category selection order corresponds to a plurality of range extending categories, said plurality of range extending categories comprising a driving behavior, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and said at least one user controllable auxiliary system; and
selecting said current vehicle condition from said plurality of range extending categories in accordance with said predefined category selection order, wherein said step of selecting said current vehicle condition is performed automatically by said system controller.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, said communicating step further comprising displaying said recommendation on said display.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, said communicating step further comprising audibly communicating said recommendation via a vehicle audio system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said current vehicle condition corresponds to a driving behavior.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein said driving behavior corresponds to a vehicle speed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said current vehicle condition corresponds to a setting of said at least one user controllable auxiliary system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one user controllable auxiliary system is comprised of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system coupled to a passenger cabin of said electric vehicle, and wherein said setting corresponds to a temperature setting for said HVAC system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one user controllable auxiliary system is comprised of at least one of an external lighting system, an internal lighting system, and a vehicle entertainment system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring step, said first battery pack drain determining step, said second battery pack drain determining step, said modifying step and said displaying step are updated at a frequency of at least once every 10 seconds.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining said first battery pack drain further comprises determining a current vehicle speed corresponding to said electric vehicle and estimating said first battery pack drain from said current vehicle speed.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising averaging the current vehicle speed over a preset period of time to yield a current average vehicle speed, wherein said first battery drain is based on said current average vehicle speed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein said preset period of time is less than 5 minutes.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining said first battery pack drain further comprises:
determining a current vehicle speed corresponding to said electric vehicle;
determining a current degree of vehicle incline corresponding to said electric vehicle; and
estimating said first battery pack drain from said current vehicle speed and said current degree of vehicle incline.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising averaging the current vehicle speed over a preset period of time to yield a current average vehicle speed, wherein said first battery drain is based on said current average vehicle speed and said current degree of vehicle incline.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein said preset period of time is less than 5 minutes.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
averaging said current vehicle speed over a preset period of time to yield a current average vehicle speed; and
averaging said current degree of vehicle incline over said preset period of time to yield a current average vehicle incline, wherein said first battery drain is based on said current average vehicle speed and said current average vehicle incline.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein said preset period of time is less than 5 minutes.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, said step of determining said second battery pack drain due to operation of said at least one user controllable auxiliary system further comprising applying a preset set of rules to said at least one user controllable auxiliary system.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, said at least one user controllable auxiliary system comprised of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system coupled to said passenger cabin of said electric vehicle, said method further comprising:
determining a first ambient temperature corresponding to an environment external to said electric vehicle;
determining a second ambient temperature corresponding an internal temperature of a passenger cabin of said electric vehicle;
monitoring a user set HVAC temperature setting; and
determining said second battery pack drain based on said first ambient temperature, said second ambient temperature, said user set HVAC temperature setting, and said preset set of rules.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a manufacturer of said electric vehicle performs said step of setting said preset minimum driving range.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said driver performs said step of setting said preset minimum driving range.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a third party performs said step of setting said preset minimum driving range.