U.S. patent application number 16/058294 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-05 for energy sharing system and method for a vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to GM Global Technology Operations LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is GM Global Technology Operations LLC. Invention is credited to Anil Bika, John A. Cafeo, Ran Y. Gazit, Wei Li, Winson Ng, Madhusudan Raghavan, Azeem Sarwar, Ryan C. Sekol, Thomas A. Yersak.
Application Number | 20190366831 16/058294 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 68576413 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190366831 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cafeo; John A. ; et
al. |
December 5, 2019 |
Energy Sharing System And Method For A Vehicle
Abstract
An energy share system includes a first vehicle and a second
vehicle. The first vehicle includes a first battery pack and a
first battery management module configured to selectively charge
and discharge the first battery pack. The second vehicle includes a
second battery pack and a second battery management module
configured to, in response to receipt of payment, selectively
charge the second battery pack with power received from the first
battery pack of the first vehicle.
Inventors: |
Cafeo; John A.; (Farmington,
MI) ; Raghavan; Madhusudan; (West Bloomfield, MI)
; Li; Wei; (Troy, MI) ; Bika; Anil;
(Rochester Hills, MI) ; Sarwar; Azeem; (Rochester
Hills, MI) ; Gazit; Ran Y.; (Ra'anana, IL) ;
Ng; Winson; (San Jose, CA) ; Sekol; Ryan C.;
(Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) ; Yersak; Thomas A.;
(Ferndale, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GM Global Technology Operations LLC |
Detroit |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GM Global Technology Operations
LLC
Detroit
MI
|
Family ID: |
68576413 |
Appl. No.: |
16/058294 |
Filed: |
August 8, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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15995640 |
Jun 1, 2018 |
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16058294 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 16/03 20130101;
H02J 7/342 20200101; H02J 7/00045 20200101; B60K 6/42 20130101;
B60K 6/28 20130101; H02J 7/0022 20130101; H02J 2310/48 20200101;
B60K 6/48 20130101; B60R 16/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60K 6/42 20060101
B60K006/42; B60K 6/28 20060101 B60K006/28; B60R 16/04 20060101
B60R016/04; B60R 16/03 20060101 B60R016/03; H02J 7/00 20060101
H02J007/00 |
Claims
1. An energy share system, comprising: a first vehicle comprising:
a first battery pack; a first battery management module configured
to selectively charge and discharge the first battery pack; and a
second vehicle comprising: a second battery pack; and a second
battery management module configured to, in response to receipt of
payment, selectively charge the second battery pack with power
received from the first battery pack of the first vehicle.
2. The energy share system of claim 1 wherein: the second vehicle
further includes a power inverter module that is connected between
the second battery pack and a motor generator unit (MGU) that is
connected to a powertrain of the second vehicle; and the second
battery management module is further configured to control
switching of the power inverter module.
3. The energy share system of claim 1 wherein the first battery
management module is further configured to selectively charge the
first battery pack with power received from the second battery pack
of the second vehicle.
4. The energy share system of claim 1 wherein the second battery
management module is configured to charge the second battery pack
until a predetermined amount of power has been received from the
first battery pack.
5. The energy share system of claim 1 wherein the second battery
management module is further configured to selectively charge the
second battery pack with power received from a charging
station.
6. The energy share system of claim 1 further comprising a first
computing device that is associated with the first vehicle and that
is configured to transmit to a server (i) a first location of the
first vehicle and (ii) an amount of energy available for sale from
the first battery pack of the first vehicle.
7. The energy share system of claim 6 further comprising a second
computing device that is associated with the second vehicle and
that is configured to, in response to receiving a first input from
a user, transmit to the server an energy request and a second
location of the second vehicle.
8. The energy share system of claim 7 further comprising the server
configured to: receive the energy request, the first location of
the first vehicle, the second location of the second vehicle, and
the amount of energy available for sale from the first battery pack
of the first vehicle; generate a list of energy sellers' vehicles
in response to the receipt of the energy request; and transmit the
list to the second computing device.
9. The energy share system of claim 8 wherein the second computing
device is configured to: display the list on a display of the
second computing device; and transmit, to the server, an indication
of selection of the first vehicle in response to receipt of user
input at the second computing device indicative of the selection of
the first vehicle from the list, wherein the second battery
management module is configured to selectively charge the second
battery pack with power received from the first battery pack of the
first vehicle in response to signals from the server.
10. The energy share system of claim 9 wherein the server is
configured to limit the list of energy sellers' vehicles to energy
sellers' vehicles that are within a predetermined distance of
second location of the second vehicle.
11. The energy share system of claim 10 wherein: the energy request
includes the predetermined distance; and the second computing
device is configured to adjust the predetermined distance based on
user input to the second computing device.
12. The energy share system of claim 9 wherein: the second
computing device is configured to transmit a maximum price for
energy; and the server is configured to limit the list of energy
sellers to energy sellers having energy prices that are less than
the maximum price for energy.
13. The energy share system of claim 12 wherein: the energy request
includes the maximum price; and the second computing device is
configured to adjust the maximum price based on user input to the
second computing device.
14. The energy share system of claim 9 wherein: the server is
configured to generate an access key in response to the indication
of the selection of the first vehicle from the list and transmit
the access key to the second vehicle; and the second battery
management module is configured to initiate charging of the second
battery pack with power from the first battery pack using the
access key.
15. The energy share system of claim 8 further comprising the
server configured to: receive the energy request, the first
location of the first vehicle, the second location of the second
vehicle, and the amount of energy available for sale from the first
battery pack of the first vehicle; generate a list of energy
sellers in response to the receipt of the energy request; and
transmit the list to the second computing device.
16. The energy share system of claim 15 wherein the server is
configured to limit the list of energy sellers to energy sellers
that are within a predetermined distance of second location of the
second vehicle.
17. The energy share system of claim 16 wherein the energy request
includes the predetermined distance, and wherein the second
computing device is configured to adjust the predetermined distance
based on user input to the second computing device.
18. The energy share system of claim 15 wherein: the second
computing device is configured to transmit a maximum price for
energy; and the server is configured to limit the list of energy
sellers to energy sellers having energy prices that are less than
the maximum price for energy.
19. The energy share system of claim 18 wherein: the energy request
includes the maximum price; and the second computing device is
configured to adjust the maximum price based on user input to the
second computing device.
20. An energy sharing method, comprising: by a first vehicle,
selectively charging and discharging a first battery pack of a
first vehicle; and by a second vehicle, in response to receipt of
payment, selectively charging a second battery pack of the second
vehicle with power received from the first battery pack of the
first vehicle.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present disclosure is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/995,640 filed on Jun. 1, 2018. The entire
disclosure of the application referenced above is incorporated
herein by reference.
INTRODUCTION
[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose
of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the
presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this
section, as well as aspects of the description that may not
otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither
expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present
disclosure.
[0003] The present disclosure relates to an energy sharing system
and method for a hybrid battery pack and more particularly to
managing power flow from the hybrid battery pack based on the
state-of-charge of the battery pack.
[0004] A powertrain transfers torque from one or more
torque-generating devices through a transmission to a driveline.
Torque-generating devices may include internal combustion engines
and motor generator units (MGUs).
[0005] Hybrid vehicles may include an internal combustion engine
and one or more MGUs. Electric vehicles may include one or more
MGUs and no internal combustion engine. Other types of vehicles may
include an internal combustion engine and no MGUs.
[0006] An MGU can operate as a motor to generate a torque input to
the transmission independently of a torque input from the internal
combustion engine. An MGU can also operate as a generator to
transform vehicle kinetic energy to electrical energy that is
storable in a battery pack. A battery management module regulates
power flow between a charge station, the battery pack, the MGU, and
accessory loads.
SUMMARY
[0007] In a feature, a vehicle is described. The vehicle includes a
hybrid battery pack including a first battery pack and a second
battery pack. The first battery pack has a higher energy density
than the second battery pack. The second battery pack has a higher
power density than the first battery pack. A power inverter module
is connected between the hybrid battery pack and a motor generator
unit (MGU) that is connected to a powertrain of the vehicle. The
power inverter module is configured to regulate power flow between
the hybrid battery pack and the MGU. A battery management module is
configured to: control switching of the power inverter module;
selectively charge and discharge at least one of the first battery
pack and the second battery pack; and selectively charge the first
battery pack with power from the second battery pack.
[0008] In further features, the vehicle further includes a first
switch and a second switch. The first switch is connected between
the power inverter module and the second battery pack and: (i) when
open, disconnects the second battery pack from at least one of the
power inverter module and a charging station; and (ii) when closed,
connects the second battery pack and at least one of the power
inverter module and the charging station. The second switch is
connected between the power inverter module and the first battery
pack and: (i) when open, disconnects the first battery pack from at
least one of the power inverter module and the charging station;
and (ii) when closed, connects the first battery pack and at least
one of the power inverter module and the charging station.
[0009] In further features, the battery management module is
further configured to: determine a first state-of-charge (SOC) of
the first battery pack; and determine a second SOC of the second
battery pack.
[0010] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to, based on at least one of the first SOC and the
second SOC, charge and discharge at least one of the first battery
pack and the second battery pack.
[0011] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to discharge the second battery pack when: (i) the
vehicle is in a driving mode; (ii) the second SOC of the second
battery pack is greater than a first predetermined SOC; and (iii)
the first SOC of the first battery pack is less than a second
predetermined SOC; and the battery management module is configured
to charge the first battery pack with power discharged from the
second battery pack when: (i) the vehicle is in the driving mode;
(ii) the second SOC of the second battery pack is greater than a
third predetermined SOC; and (iii) the first SOC of the first
battery pack is greater than a fourth predetermined SOC.
[0012] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to discharge the first battery pack in response to
determining that the second SOC of the second battery pack is less
than the first predetermine SOC.
[0013] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to determine whether the vehicle is plugged into a
charging station; and the battery management module is configured
to determine a level of the charge station in response to
determining that the vehicle is plugged into the charging
station.
[0014] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to, in response to determining that the charge station
is a level three charging station, determine whether the first SOC
of the first battery pack is less than a first predetermined SOC
for the first battery pack; the battery management module is
configured to charge at least one of the second battery pack and
the first battery pack with power from the charging station in
response to determining that the first SOC of the first battery
pack is less than the first predetermined SOC for the first battery
pack; and the battery management module is configured to charge the
second battery pack with power from the charging station in
response to determining that the first SOC of the first battery
pack is greater than the first predetermined SOC for the first
battery pack.
[0015] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to, in response to determining that the charging station
is not a level three charging station, determine whether the first
SOC of the first battery pack is less than a second predetermined
SOC for the first battery pack, where the second predetermined SOC
is greater than the first predetermined SOC; the battery management
module is configured to charge the first battery pack with power
from the charging station in response to determining that the first
SOC of the first battery pack is less than the second predetermined
SOC for the first battery pack; and the battery management module
is configured to charge the second battery pack in response to
determining that the first SOC of the first battery pack is greater
than or equal to the second predetermined SOC for the first battery
pack.
[0016] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to, in response to determining that the vehicle is not
plugged into the charging station, determine whether the second SOC
of the second battery pack is greater than a first predetermined
SOC for the second battery pack and whether the first SOC of the
first battery pack is less than a second predetermined SOC for the
first battery pack; and the battery management module is configured
to, in response to determining that at least one of (a) the second
SOC of the second battery pack is less than the first predetermined
SOC for the second battery pack and (b) the first SOC of the first
battery pack is greater than the second predetermined SOC for the
first battery pack, at least one of (i) disable discharging of the
second battery pack and (ii) disable discharging of the first
battery pack.
[0017] In further features, the battery management module is
configured to: determine whether an energy request has been
received in response to determining that the second SOC of the
second battery pack is greater than the first predetermined SOC for
the second battery pack and the first SOC of the first battery pack
is less than the second predetermined SOC for the first battery
pack; and in response to determining that the energy request has
been received, at least one of (i) enable charging of the first
battery pack with power from the second battery pack and (ii)
selectively discharge the second battery pack to satisfy the energy
request.
[0018] In further features, an energy share system is described.
The energy share system includes a second vehicle including a
battery pack and a second battery management module, where at least
one of: the second battery management module is configured to
selectively charge the battery pack with power received from the
hybrid battery pack of the vehicle; and the battery management
module is configured to selectively charge the hybrid battery pack
with power received from the battery pack of the second
vehicle.
[0019] In further features, the energy share system further
includes: a first computing device that is associated with the
vehicle and is configured to, in response to receiving a first
input from a user, transmit an energy request and a first location
of the vehicle; a second computing device is associated with the
second vehicle and is configured to: transmit a second location of
the second vehicle; and an amount of energy available for sale from
the battery pack of the second vehicle.
[0020] In further features, the energy share system further
includes an energy share server. The energy share server is
configured to: receive the energy request, the first location of
the vehicle, the second location of the second vehicle, and the
amount of energy available for sale from the battery pack of the
second vehicle; generate a list of energy sellers' vehicles in
response to the receipt of the energy request; and transmit the
list to the first computing device. The first computing device is
configured to: display the list on a display of the first computing
device; and transmit, to the energy share server, an indication of
selection of the second vehicle in response to receipt of user
input at the first computing device indicative of the selection of
the second vehicle from the list. The battery management module is
configured to selectively charge the hybrid battery pack with power
received from the battery pack of the second vehicle in response to
signals from the energy share server.
[0021] In further features, the energy share server is configured
to limit the list of energy sellers' vehicles to energy sellers'
vehicles that are within a predetermined distance of a location of
the vehicle.
[0022] In further features, the energy request includes the
location of the vehicle and the predetermined distance, where the
first computing device is configured to adjust the predetermined
distance based on user input to the first computing device.
[0023] In further features, the second vehicle includes a charge
port; the charge port controls access to the battery pack and
includes an electronic lock; the energy share server selectively
transmits an electronic access key to the first computing device in
response to the indication of selection of the second vehicle in
response to receipt of user input at the first computing device
indicative of the selection of the second vehicle from the list;
and the electronic lock unlocks in response to the electronic
access key.
[0024] In further features, the electronic access key includes an
amount of energy to be transferred from second battery pack, and
the battery management module is configured to charge the hybrid
battery pack with power received from the battery pack of the
second vehicle until an amount of energy transferred from the
battery pack is equal to the amount of energy to be transferred
from the battery pack.
[0025] In further features, the electronic access key includes
predetermined times between which the electronic access key is
valid. The battery management module is configured to charge the
hybrid battery pack with power received from the battery pack of
the second vehicle only when a present time is between the
predetermined times.
[0026] In a feature, a method for a vehicle includes: regulating,
by a power inverter module, power flow between a hybrid battery
pack and a motor generator unit (MGU). The hybrid battery pack
includes a first battery pack and a second battery pack, the first
battery pack has a higher energy density than the second battery
pack, and the second battery pack has a higher power density than
the first battery pack. The method further includes: controlling
switching of the power inverter module; selectively charging and
discharging at least one of the first battery pack and the second
battery pack; and selectively charging the first battery pack with
power from the second battery pack.
[0027] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure
will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims and
the drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are
intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to
limit the scope of the disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] The present disclosure will become more fully understood
from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0029] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an example vehicle
system;
[0030] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an example hybrid
battery pack;
[0031] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an example energy
share system;
[0032] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an example battery
management module;
[0033] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an example energy
share system;
[0034] FIG. 6 is a front view of an example implementation of a
computing device;
[0035] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an example
implementation of a computing device;
[0036] FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of an example
implementation of an energy share server;
[0037] FIG. 9 is a flowchart depicting an example method of
charging and discharging the hybrid battery pack;
[0038] FIG. 10 is a flowchart depicting an example method of
transmitting and receiving an energy request; and
[0039] FIG. 11 is a flowchart depicting an example method of
fulfilling an energy request.
[0040] In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify
similar and/or identical elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0041] A hybrid or electric vehicle may be propelled by an MGU that
is powered by a battery pack. The battery pack may be configured to
charge and discharge quickly (high power battery pack) or to charge
and discharge not as quickly (high energy battery pack) but to
provide a longer range per unit of volume or weight.
[0042] A hybrid battery pack includes both a high power battery
pack and a high energy battery pack so that a vehicle may have one
battery pack that is quick to charge and discharge and that also
has a longer range. A battery management module manages vehicle
power requests, prioritizes vehicle power requests based on a
state-of-charge (SOC) of the high power battery pack, and a
state-of-charge (SOC) of the high energy battery pack.
[0043] Referring now to FIG. 1, a functional block diagram of an
example vehicle system is presented. While a hybrid vehicle system
is shown and will be described, the present disclosure is also
applicable to non-hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel cell
vehicles, and other types of vehicles that include one or more
MGUs.
[0044] An engine 102 combusts an air/fuel mixture to generate drive
torque. An engine control module (ECM) 106 controls operation of
the engine 102. For example, the ECM 106 may control actuation of
engine actuators, such as a throttle valve, one or more spark
plugs, one or more fuel injectors, valve actuators, camshaft
phasers, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, one or more
boost devices, and other suitable engine actuators. The ECM 106 may
also control one or more other electric motors such as an electric
motor of a switchable water pump, and an electric oil pump.
[0045] The engine 102 may output torque to a transmission 110. A
transmission control module (TCM) 114 controls operation of the
transmission 110. For example only, the TCM 114 may control gear
selection within the transmission 110 and one or more torque
transfer devices (e.g., a torque converter, one or more clutches,
etc.) within the transmission 110.
[0046] The vehicle may include one or more motors or motor
generator units (MGUs). For example only, the MGU 122 may be
implemented within the transmission 110 as in the example of FIG.
1. The MGU 122 may act as either a generator or as a motor at a
given time. When acting as a generator, the MGU 122 converts
mechanical energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy may
be, for example, used to charge a hybrid battery pack 144 and
supply electrical energy to electric components of the vehicle. A
battery management module 126 manages charging and discharging of
the hybrid battery pack 144. For example, the battery management
module 126 controls power flow between the hybrid battery pack 144
the MGU 122, and other loads 198. The battery management module 126
may also charge the hybrid battery pack 144 with power from a
utility.
[0047] When acting as a motor, the MGU 122 generates torque that
may be used, for example, to supplement or replace torque output by
the engine 102. While the MGU 122 is shown and discussed as being
within the transmission 110, one or more MGUs and/or motor
generator units that are external to the transmission 110 may be
provided additionally or alternatively.
[0048] A power inverter module (PIM) 134 may control the MGU 122.
The PIM 134 may be referred to as a transmission power inverter
module (TPIM) or a traction power inverter module (TPIM) in various
implementations. The PIM 134 converts DC power from the hybrid
battery pack 144 into alternating current (AC). For example, the
PIM module 134 may convert the DC power from the hybrid battery
pack 144 into 3-phase AC power and apply the 3-phase AC power to
windings of the MGU 122. The PIM 134 also converts AC power output
by the MGU 122, such as during regenerative braking, into DC power
and outputs the DC power to charge the hybrid battery pack 144. An
electronic brake control module (EBCM) 150 may selectively control
brakes 154 of the vehicle. A user interface module (UIM) 158
provides one or more driver inputs to a controller area network
(CAN) bus 162. The CAN bus 162 may also be referred to as a car
area network bus. The control modules of the vehicle may
communicate with each other via the CAN bus 162.
[0049] The driver inputs may include, for example, an accelerator
pedal position (APP) and one or more other suitable driver inputs.
A brake pedal position (BPP) may be provided to the EBCM 150. A
position of a park, reverse, neutral, drive lever (PRNDL) may be
provided to the TCM 114. The PRNDL position may also be provided to
the PIM 134 in various implementations. An ignition state may be
provided to a body control module 180. For example only, the
ignition state may be input by a driver via an ignition key,
button, switch, or other suitable device.
[0050] An accessory power module (APM) 196 provides power to
accessory loads 198. The APM 196 includes a DC/DC converter that
converts power from the DC voltage of the hybrid battery pack 144
into one or more other DC voltages, such as 12 volts. By using the
APM 196, the accessory loads 198 do not need to be redesigned to
work with the higher voltage output of the hybrid battery pack
144.
[0051] An infotainment module 182 controls what is displayed on a
display 184. The display 184 may be a touchscreen display in
various implementations and transmit signals indicative of user
input to the display 184 to the infotainment module 182. The
Infotainment module 182 may, additionally or alternatively, receive
signals indicative of user input from one or more other user input
devices 185, such as one or more switches, buttons, knobs, etc.
[0052] A communications module 194 including one or more
transceivers that wirelessly receive information and transmit
information via one or more antennas of the vehicle. Examples of
transceivers include, for example, cellular transceivers, Bluetooth
transceivers, WiFi transceivers, satellite transceivers, and other
types of transceivers.
[0053] A vehicle may include one or more additional control modules
that are not shown. One or more of the control modules may be
omitted in various vehicles. The control modules may selectively
transmit and receive data via the CAN bus 162. In various
implementations, two or more control modules may communicate via
one or more additional CAN buses (not shown).
[0054] With reference to FIG. 2, the hybrid battery pack 144
includes a high power battery pack 204 and a high energy battery
pack 206. The high energy battery pack 206 has a relatively high
energy density relative to the high power battery pack 204 (i.e.,
energy per unit of weight or per unit of size, such as in
kilowatt-hours per kilogram (kWh/kg) or kilowatt-hours per liter
(kWh/l)), and therefore extends the range of the vehicle in
comparison to a battery system having the high power battery pack
204 but not the high energy battery pack 206. The high energy
battery pack 206 may have a relatively high internal resistance,
which limits its ability to charge and discharge as quickly as the
high power battery pack 204. For example, the high energy battery
pack 206 may have an energy density at least 50 percent greater
than the energy density of the high power battery pack 204.
[0055] In one embodiment, the high energy battery pack 206 includes
lithium-metal based energy battery cells with 400 Wh/kg energy
density, and the high power battery pack 204 includes
lithium-titanate based battery cells of about 100 Wh/kg energy
density. In another embodiment, the high energy battery pack 206
includes lithium-ion based energy battery cells with 250 Wh/kg
energy density, and the high power battery pack 204 includes
lithium-ion based battery cells of about 150 Wh/kg energy
density.
[0056] The high power battery pack 204 has a relatively high power
density relative to the high energy battery pack 206 (i.e., power
per unit of size or per unit of weight, such as in kilowatts per
kilogram or per liter). For example, the high power battery pack
204 may have a power density at least 100 percent greater than the
power density of the high energy battery pack 206. Using allowable
charging rate as a rough estimate of the power density of the high
power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206, in an
embodiment, the high power battery pack 204 includes battery cells
that may charge at a 4 C rate for 80 percent (SOC), and the high
energy battery pack 206 includes battery cells that may typically
charge at about a C/3 rate. The 1 C rate corresponds to the current
needed to charge the battery from a fully discharged state (0
percent charged) to the fully charged state (100 percent charged)
in one hour. The 4 C rate corresponds to the current needed to
charge the battery from the fully discharged state to the fully
charged state in one quarter of an hour, or 15 minutes.
[0057] The high power battery pack 204 has the advantage of an
ability to accept higher current during charging than the high
energy battery pack 206, enabling what may be referred to as a "DC
fast" or "Level 3" charge. DC Fast charge may be obtained from a
charge source configured to provide relatively high current and
that may be, for example, a public charging station. Access to such
a charge source enables the vehicle to continue a driving
excursion, and provides a quicker partial or full recharge of the
high power battery pack 204, as explained herein.
[0058] The high power battery pack 204 is configured to provide a
predetermined maximum range of the vehicle when fully charged and
to be able to receive an amount of power equivalent to a
predetermined fraction of that maximum range during a fast charge
(i.e., relatively high current charging) within a predetermined
duration. For example, the high power battery pack 204 may be
configured to provide a predetermined maximum range of 150 miles
when fully charged, and be able to receive an amount of power
equivalent to 80 percent of the range (i.e., 120 miles) in a
15-minute fast charge. The high power battery pack 204 alone thus
provides 270 miles of driving range if discharged from a fully
charged state and then given one fast charge to 80 percent of the
maximum SOC. Miles of vehicle travel are converted to battery
capacity in kilowatt-hours based on vehicle energy consumption per
mile. For example, the vehicle may consume energy at a rate of 250
watt-hours per mile.
[0059] The high energy battery pack 206 is configured to, in
combination with the high power battery pack 204, provide a
predetermined maximum driving range. For example, the hybrid
battery pack 144 may be configured to provide a maximum driving
range of 500 miles, which is greater than or equal to the typical
daily mileage of 75 percent of drivers on 361 days of the year.
[0060] The nominal voltage of the high power battery pack 204 and
the high energy battery pack 206 may be the same or different. The
high power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206
could have a different end of charge voltage and/or a different end
of discharge voltage. To use the same PIM 134 between the MGU 122
and the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery
pack 206, the nominal voltage of the high power battery pack 204
and high energy battery pack 206 may be between 250 and 500 volts
(enabling the use of the same insulated gate bipolar transistors
(IGBTs)). For the high power battery pack 204 and high energy
battery pack 206, the end of discharge voltage should be above a
predetermined fraction of an end of charge voltage, such as about
0.55 of the end of charge voltage.
[0061] The high power battery pack 204 includes multiple battery
cells. The high energy battery pack 206 also includes multiple
battery cells. Each battery cell includes an anode and a cathode
(indicated on either side of a membrane shown with dashed lines).
One or more sensors per cell 233 are in operative communication
with each battery cell and are operatively connected to the battery
management module 126. The sensors 233 are configured to monitor
battery parameters during vehicle operation. For example, the
sensors 233 may monitor parameters indicative of the respective SOC
of each battery cell, such as voltage, current, temperature,
etc.
[0062] Referring now to FIG. 3, a functional block diagram of the
energy share system is shown. An on-board charge module 220
converts alternating current (AC) received from a charge station to
direct current (DC), via an AC/DC converter and charges the high
power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206. The
on-board charge module 220 also detects when the vehicle is plugged
into a charge station and what type of charge station the vehicle
has been plugged into.
[0063] A first switch 254 operatively connected to the high power
battery pack 204 and a second switch 256 is operatively connected
to the high energy battery pack 206. The first switch 254 may also
be referred to as the high power battery pack switch and the second
switch 256 may also be referred to as the high energy battery pack
switch.
[0064] When the first switch 254 is open, the high power battery
pack 204 is disconnected from the MGU 122 and from on-board charge
module 220. When the first switch 254 is closed, the high power
battery pack 204 is operatively connected to the MGU 122 (during
drive mode) and to the on-board charge module 220 (during charge
mode). When the second switch 256 is open, the high energy battery
pack 206 is disconnected from the MGU 122 and from the on-board
charge module 220. When the second switch 256 is closed, the high
energy battery pack 206 is operatively connected to the MGU 122
(during drive mode) and to the on-board charge module 220 (during
charge mode).
[0065] The first switch 254 and the second switch 256 are both
shown in open positions in FIG. 3. The battery management module
126 is operatively connected to each of the first switch 254 and
the second switch 256 and is configured to control switching of the
first switch 254 and the second switch 256 independently of one
another. The first switch 254 and the second switch 256 may be
placed in the open position, both the first switch 254 and the
second switch 256 may be placed in the closed position, the first
switch 254 may be placed in the open position and the second switch
256 may be placed in the closed position, or vice versa. The high
power battery pack 204 may be discharged without discharging the
high energy battery pack 206, and the high energy battery pack 206
may be discharged without discharging the high power battery pack
204.
[0066] The high power battery pack 204 may also be used to charge
the high energy battery pack 206 and the high energy battery pack
206 may be used to charge the high power battery pack 204. For
example, when the high power battery pack 204 is supplying the MGU
122 with power (i.e., the first switch 254 is closed), the second
switch 256 may also be closed so that the high power battery pack
204 charges the high energy battery pack 206.
[0067] The MGU 122 may be driven via power from the high power
battery pack 204 and/or the high energy battery pack 206 depending
on the respective positions of the first switch 254 and the second
switch 256. Alternatively, the MGU may charge the high power
battery pack 204 and/or the high energy battery pack 206, depending
on the respective positions of the first switch 254 and the second
switch 256. The MGU 122 may be an alternating current (AC) motor or
another suitable type of motor. The PIM 134 is shown disposed
between the MGU 122 and the first switch 254 and the second switch
256.
[0068] The energy management system may also include a third switch
258 used to control current flow to the accessory power module 196
which supplies the accessory load 198. The third switch 258 is
operatively connected to the battery management module 126. The
battery management module 126 controls switching of the third
switch 258. When the third switch 258 is in the closed position,
current generated by the MGU 122 during operation as a generator
(during regenerative braking) is provided to the accessory load 198
on the vehicle, such as an electrically-powered vehicle accessory.
During regenerative braking, the battery management module 126 may
close the third switch 258 such that current flows to the accessory
load 198. This may be used to avoid high currents that damage the
cells of the high energy battery pack 206.
[0069] FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram of an example
implementation of the battery management module 126. The battery
management module 126 may include a state-of-charge (SOC) module
308, a battery share module 316, and a battery determination module
320. The SOC module 308 estimates the SOC for the high power
battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206 based on the
data from the sensors 233. The SOC module 308 may determine the SOC
of the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack
206 based on the voltages of the high power battery pack 204 and
high energy battery pack 206. For example, the SOC module 308 may
determine the SOCs using one of a lookup table and an equation that
relates voltages of the high power battery pack 204 and high energy
battery pack 206 to the SOCs.
[0070] The SOC module 308 may determine the SOCs, additionally or
alternatively, based on the current to and from the high power
battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206. For example,
the SOC module 308 may determine a mathematical integral of current
over each predetermined period and add the integration results to
determine the SOC of that battery pack. As another example, the SOC
module 308 may scale or offset the voltage based on the current,
the scalar of offset determined based on the current, and determine
the SOC using one of a lookup table and an equation that relates
these scaled or offset voltages to the SOCs of the high power
battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206. The SOC
module 308 may determine the SOCs further based on a temperature of
the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack
206. The temperature may be, for example, measured using one or
more temperature sensors. The SOCs may be provided as a percentage
between 0 percent SOC indicative of 0 charge (i.e., fully
discharged) and 100 percent SOC indicative of the high power
battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206 being fully
charged.
[0071] The SOC module 308 includes a charger module 312. The
charger module 312 monitors the SOC of each of the high power
battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206 and
determines when the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy
battery pack 206 are fully charged. The charger module 312 also
charges the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery
pack 206 in a way that helps to extend the lifetime of the high
power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206. For
example, during the charging process, when the high energy battery
pack 206 is fully charged, the charger module 312 instructs the
battery determination module 320 to open the second switch 256 to
prevent any more flow of energy to the high energy battery pack
206. Similarly, during the charging process, when the high power
battery pack 204 is fully charged, the charger module 312 instructs
the battery determination module 320 to open the first switch 254
to prevent any more flow of energy to the high power battery pack
204.
[0072] The battery share module 316 enables energy sharing between
vehicles such as energy of a buyer's vehicle (hereinafter "the
buyer") and energy from a seller's vehicle (hereinafter "the
seller"). The battery share module 316 receives vehicle positional
data (geographical coordinates of the vehicle), the SOC data for
the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack
206, and transmits the vehicle positional data and the SOC data to
an energy share server. The battery share module 316 may
periodically update and retransmit SOCs of the high power battery
pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206 of the seller's
vehicle.
[0073] The battery share module 316 may also receive and transmit
data to a computing device, such as an energy access key. The
energy access key controls access to a charge port of the seller's
vehicle. The energy access key includes an amount of energy to be
transferred and a time period for which the energy access key is
valid. The charge port may include an electronic lock that may be
locked and unlocked by the energy access key. For example, the
buyer may establish a communication link between a computing device
of the buyer and a seller's vehicle using Bluetooth Low Energy
(BLE) communication. The buyer may transmit the energy access key
to the seller's vehicle using the BLE commination link. The CAN
network 162 of the seller's vehicle may be woken up in response to
receiving the energy access key and unlock the charge port of the
vehicle upon successful authentication of the energy access key.
During an energy transfer transaction, the battery share module 316
monitors the SOC of the high power battery pack 204 and the high
energy battery pack 206 to determine when the amount of energy
specified in the energy access key has been transferred to the
buyer's vehicle. The battery share module 316 instructs the battery
determination module 320 to open the first switch 254 and/or the
second switch 256 to prevent further energy transfer.
[0074] The battery determination module 320 selectively controls
discharging and charging of the high power battery pack 204 and the
high energy battery pack 206 based on the SOCs for the high power
battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206, a vehicle
power request (VPR), a characteristic of the charge station, and
the energy access key. The VPR includes a present amount of power
required to meet vehicle operator speed and acceleration commands.
For example, depression or lifting of an accelerator pedal, the
rate of depression or lifting of the accelerator pedal, depression
or lifting of a braking pedal, the rate of depression or lifting of
the braking pedal, and wheel speed data may be used by the engine
control module to determine the VPR. For example, if the VPR
determined is non-zero, (i.e., the MGU 122 is required to function
as a motor), then power is required from the hybrid battery pack
144. However, if the VPR is zero, then the MGU 122 is not required
to function as a motor.
[0075] The battery determination module 320 selectively controls
discharging and charging of the high power battery pack 204 and the
high energy battery pack 206 by opening and closing the first
switch 254 and the second switch 256, respectively. For example, in
response to the SOC of the high power battery pack 204 being less
than a predetermined minimum threshold, the battery determination
module 320 may open the first switch 254 so that no further power
is allowed to flow from the high power battery pack 204 and close
the second switch 256 so that any additional VPR requests are
fulfilled by the high energy battery pack 206.
[0076] The battery determination module 320 selectively enables
charging of the high energy battery pack 206 with the high power
battery pack 204. For example, when the vehicle is in a driving
mode, the SOC of the high energy battery pack 206 is greater than a
first predetermined minimum threshold, for example 0 percent, and
the SOC of the high energy battery pack 206 is less than a second
predetermined minimum threshold, for example 80 percent, the
battery determination module 320 closes the first switch 254 and
the second switch 256. The vehicle may be in driving mode when the
vehicle is utilizing energy from the hybrid battery pack 144 to
propel the vehicle.
[0077] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an example energy
sharing system. An energy share server 401 facilitates the sale of
energy between vehicles. A buyer transmits an energy request to the
energy share server 401 using a computing device, such as computing
device 402. Examples of computing devices include mobile phones,
tablet devices, laptop computers, desktop computers, and other
types of computing devices. Computing devices 402 and 403 and the
energy share server 401 communicate via one or more networks 408
and 409. The networks 408 and 409 may include wireless networks,
wired networks, or a combination of wireless and wired networks.
While the example is provided that the buyer submits the energy
request via the computing device 402, in some implementations the
buyer may submit the energy request directly via the infotainment
module 182 of the vehicle. In this manner, the infotainment module
182 of the vehicle is considered to be a computing device.
[0078] The energy request may include a location of the buyer
(e.g., geographical coordinates), the amount of energy that the
buyer is requesting to purchase, a distance the buyer is willing to
travel to purchase the energy, a current range remaining based on
the SOC of the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy
battery pack 206, and a maximum price the buyer is willing to pay
per unit of energy and other suitable information.
[0079] The seller, through the computing device 403, transmits
energy information to the energy share server 401. The energy
information may include: a location of the seller (e.g.,
geographical coordinates) how much energy the seller has available
for sale, a minimum price the seller is willing to sell the energy
for per unit, an estimated range remaining for the vehicle based on
the SOC of the high power battery pack 204 and the high energy
battery pack 206 of the seller's vehicle, and a time frame for
which the seller is willing to sell energy. The seller may manually
enter the amount of energy available for sale or the amount of
energy may be periodically updated based on the SOC of the high
power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206 of the
seller's vehicle.
[0080] Based on the energy request, the energy share server 401
determines a list of potential sellers that meet the criteria
contained in the energy request. For example, the energy share
server 401 may include in the list of potential sellers, all
vehicles within the distance that the buyer is willing to travel,
that have the requested amount of energy available, and that are
willing to sell the energy for less than the maximum price the
buyer is willing to pay per unit of energy.
[0081] In response to receiving the list of potential sellers, the
buyer is able to select one of the sellers from the list. The buyer
transmits a selection of the seller from the list of potential
sellers to the energy share server 401. In response to the buyer's
selection, the energy share server 401 transmits a transaction
confirmation notification to the seller confirming the details of
the transaction such as the amount of energy to be transferred, a
price at which the buyer has agreed to purchase the energy for, and
a location where the transfer is to take place (if different from
the seller's location). Upon receiving the transaction
confirmation, the seller transmits the energy access key to the
energy share server 401 which then transmits the energy access key
to the buyer. The buyer can then use the energy access key to
unlock the charge port of the seller's vehicle and charge the
buyer's vehicle with the requested amount of energy from the
seller's vehicle. While the example is provided that the buyer's
vehicle is equipped with a hybrid battery pack of the present
disclosure, the buyer's vehicle may be equipped with any suitable
battery back such as only a high power battery back or only a high
energy battery pack.
[0082] FIG. 6 includes a front view of an example implementation of
the computing device 402. FIG. 7 includes a functional block
diagram of an example implementation of the computing device 402.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the computing device 402 includes a
central processing unit (CPU) or processor 450, one or more input
devices 454 (e.g., touchscreen display, a microphone, one or more
switches, etc.), a display 458 (e.g., the touchscreen display), one
or more other output devices (not shown), a network interface 462,
and memory 466. While the input devices 454 and the display 458 are
illustrated as components of the computing device 402, input
devices and output devices (e.g., a display) may be peripheral
devices. Also, while the example of a single processor is provided,
the computing device 402 may include two or more processors.
[0083] The network interface 462 connects the computing device 402
to the networks 408. For example, the network interface 462 may
include a wired interface (e.g., an Ethernet interface) and/or a
wireless interface (e.g., a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field
communication (NFC), or other wireless interface). The processor
450 of the computing device 402 executes an operating system (OS)
472 and one or more other applications. The processor 450 executes
an operating system (OS) 472 and one or more server applications,
such as an energy share application 474 to display user interfaces
for generating and transmitting energy requests. Operations
discussed herein as being performed by the computing device 402 are
performed by the computing device 402. Although the computing
device 402 is described in FIGS. 6 and 7, the computing device 403
may be similarly configured.
[0084] FIG. 8 includes a simplified functional block diagram of an
example implementation of the energy share server 401. The energy
share server 401 includes a processor 504, one or more input
devices 508 (e.g., a keyboard, touchpad, mouse, etc.), a display
subsystem 512 including a display 516, a network interface 520, a
memory 524, and a bulk storage 528. While the input devices 508 and
the display 516 are illustrated as components of the energy share
server 401, input devices and output devices (e.g., a display) may
be peripheral devices. Also, while the example of a single
processor is provided, the energy share server 401 may include two
or more processors.
[0085] The network interface 520 connects the energy share server
401 to the computing devices 402 and 403 via the networks 408 and
409. For example, the network interface 520 may include a wired
interface (e.g., an Ethernet interface) and/or a wireless interface
(e.g., a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), or other
wireless interface). The memory 524 may include volatile or
nonvolatile memory, cache, or other type of memory. The bulk
storage 528 may include flash memory, one or more hard disk drives
(HDDs), or other bulk storage device.
[0086] The processor 504 executes an operating system (OS) 532 and
one or more server applications, such as an energy share
application 536. The bulk storage 528 may store one or more
databases 540 that store data structures used by the energy share
server 401 applications to perform functions described herein. The
processor 504 executes the energy share application 536 to
facilitate energy sharing between the buyer and the seller.
Operations discussed herein as being performed by the energy share
server 401 are performed by the energy share server 401 (more
specifically the processor 504) during execution of the energy
share application 536. While functions described herein as being
performed by the energy share server 401, functionality of the
energy share server 401 may distributed amongst two or more
servers.
[0087] FIGS. 9-11 depict example control operations performed by
the battery management module 126. At 704, control determines
whether the vehicle is in driving mode. If control determines that
the vehicle is in driving mode, control continues at 705. If
control determines that the vehicle is not in driving mode, control
continues at 728.
[0088] At 705, control receives the (VPR) and control continues at
706. At 706, control verifies that the VPR has been received and is
greater than zero. If so, control continues at 707; otherwise,
control returns to 705. At 707, control determines the SOCs of the
high power battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206.
At 708, control determines whether the SOC of the high power
battery pack 204 is greater than a first predetermined SOC or a
similar predetermined SOC. If so, control continues at 712;
otherwise, control continues at 724. At 712, control determines
whether the SOC of the high energy battery pack 206 is less than a
second predetermined SOC, for example 80 percent. If so, control
transfers to 720; otherwise, control continues at 716.
[0089] At 716, control closes the first switch 254 (if previously
open) and opens the second switch 256 (if previously closed) so
that just the high power battery pack 204 is supplying the MGU 122
with power and control may end. While the example of ending is
provided, control illustrates a continuous control loop, and
control may continue back at 704. At 720, control closes the first
switch 254 (if previously open) and also closes the second switch
256 (if previously open) so that the high power battery pack 204 is
supplying the MGU with power and also charging the high energy
battery pack 206 and control may end. At 724, control opens the
first switch 254 (if previously closed) and closes the second
switch 256 (if previously open) so that the high energy battery
pack 206 is supplying the MGU 122 with power and control may
end.
[0090] At 728, control determines whether the vehicle is plugged
into a charge station. If so, control continues at 732; otherwise,
control continues at 764. At 732, control determines a charge level
characteristic of the charge station. At 736, control determines
whether the charge station is a level 3 charge station (i.e., DC
fast charge). If so, control continues at 740; otherwise, control
continues at 752. At 740, control determines whether the SOC of the
high energy battery pack 206 is less than a third predetermined SOC
for the high energy battery pack 206. For example, the third
predetermined SOC for the high energy battery pack 206 may be set
to 30 percent or another suitable percentage. If so, control
continues at 744; otherwise, control continues at 748. At 744,
control closes the first switch 254 (if open) and the second switch
256 (if open) to enable DC fast charging of both the high power
battery pack 204 and the high energy battery pack 206 and control
may end. At 748, control closes the first switch 254 (if opened)
and opens the second switch 256 (if closed) to enable DC fast
charging on only the high power battery 204.
[0091] At 752, control determines whether the SOC of the high
energy battery pack 206 is less than a fourth predetermined SOC for
the high energy battery pack 206. The fourth predetermined SOC is
greater than the third predetermined SOC. If so, control continues
at 756; otherwise, control continues at 760. At 756, control opens
the first switch 254 (if closed) and closes the second switch 256
(if opened) so that the high energy battery pack 206 is charged
before the high power battery pack 204 and control may end. At 760,
control closes the first switch 254 (if opened) and opens the
second switch 256 (if closed) so that the high power battery pack
204 is charged first and control may end.
[0092] At 764, control determines whether the SOC of the high power
battery 204 is greater than a fifth predetermined SOC for the high
power battery 204. If so, control continues at 768; otherwise,
control continues at 776. At 768, control determines whether the
SOC of the high energy battery pack 206 is less than the fourth
predetermined SOC for the high energy battery pack 206. If so,
control continues at 778; otherwise, control continues at 776. At
776, control opens the first switch 254 (if closed) and opens the
second switch 256 (if closed). At 778, control determines whether
an energy request has been received. If so, control continues at
782; otherwise, control continues at 780. At 780, control closes
the first switch (if open) and also closes the second switch (if
open) to enable changing of the high energy battery pack 206 with
the high power battery pack 204. At 782, control determines whether
the seller has agreed to energy sharing (that is, whether the
seller has preapproved energy request sales). If so, control
continues at letter A of FIG. 10, otherwise, control continues at
780.
[0093] Referring to FIG. 10, at 808, control transmits the energy
request to the energy share server 401 and control continues at
812. At 812, the energy request is received by the energy share
server 401 and control continues at 816. At 816, the energy share
server 401 identifies a list of sellers based on the amount of
energy requested and based on a location of the buyer. At 820,
control transmits a list of the potential sellers to the buyer and
control continues at 824.
[0094] At 824, control determines whether the buyer has selected a
seller from the list of potential sellers. If so, control continues
at 828; otherwise, control waits for the buyer to select a seller.
At 828, the buyer's selection is transmitted to the energy share
server 401 and control continues at 832. At 832, control determines
whether the seller has preapproved energy sales. If so, control
continues at 852; otherwise, control continues at 836. At 836,
control transmits the energy request to the seller for approval.
Control continues at 840, where control determines whether the
seller has approved the sale. If so, control continues at 844;
otherwise, control continues at 848. At 844, control transmits the
seller's approval to the energy share server 401. At 848, control
transmits the seller's denial to the energy share server 401 and
continues at 864. At 864, the energy share server 401 updates the
list of sellers and returns to 820.
[0095] Control continues at 852, where the energy share server 401
processes the energy transfer transaction and continues to 856. At
856, control transmits confirmation of the seller's approval to the
buyer. Control continues to 860, where control transmits the energy
access key to the buyer through the energy share server 401 and
control continues at letter C of FIG. 11.
[0096] Referring to FIG. 11, at 904, control determines a location
of the buyer's vehicle relative to the seller's vehicle. For
example, the buyer's vehicle may transmit the location of the
buyer's vehicle once every predetermined period. At 908, control
determines whether the distance between the buyer's vehicle and the
seller's vehicle is within a first predetermined range. If so,
control continues at 912; otherwise, control returns back to 904.
At 912, control transmits a location notification to the seller
indicating that the buyer's vehicle is within a certain distance of
the seller's vehicle. Control continues at 914, where control
determines a second distance between the buyer's vehicle and the
seller's vehicle. At 916, control determines whether the second
distance is within a second predetermined range. If so, control
continues at 920; otherwise, control returns to 916. At 920,
control determines whether the buyer's vehicle has stopped (i.e.,
the vehicle is stationary). If so, control continues at 924;
otherwise, control returns to 920.
[0097] At 924, control pairs the buyer's computing device 402 to
the seller's vehicle using BLE communication and transmits the
energy access key to the seller's vehicle. At 928, the seller's
vehicle is woken up in response to receiving the energy access key.
At 930, the computing device 403 transmits an energy access key
verification request to the energy share server 401. Control
continues at 932, where the energy share server 401 verifies
whether the energy access key is still valid (i.e., the seller has
not revoked access). If so, control continues at 936; otherwise,
control may end. At 936, control determines whether a current time
is within a predetermined time period specified by the energy
access key. For example, the energy access key may be valid from
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. If the current time is 8:00 PM, the energy
access key is no longer valid. If so, control continues at 940;
otherwise, control may end.
[0098] At 940, control unlocks the charge port on the seller's
vehicle. At 946, control closes the first switch 254 and opens the
second switch 256 so that only the high power battery pack 204
transfers energy to the buyer's vehicle. At 950, control
establishes a connection between the buyer's vehicle and the
seller's vehicle. For example, the buyer may establish a direct
connection with the charge port on the seller's vehicle using a
bidirectional charge connector. At 954, control verifies that the
buyer's vehicle and the seller's vehicle have established a
connection. If so, control continues at 958; otherwise, control
returns to 954. At 958, control begins transferring energy and
control continues at 962. At 962, control determines the amount of
energy transferred. At 966, control determines if the amount of
energy transferred satisfies the amount of energy specified in the
energy access key. If so, control may end or continue to letter D
of FIG. 9; otherwise, control may return back to 958.
[0099] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature
and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application,
or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure may be implemented
in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes
particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be
so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a
study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims.
It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may
be executed in different order (or concurrently) without altering
the principles of the present disclosure. Further, although each of
the embodiments is described above as having certain features, any
one or more of those features described with respect to any
embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented in and/or combined
with features of any of the other embodiments, even if that
combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the
described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations
of one or more embodiments with one another remain within the scope
of this disclosure.
[0100] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for
example, between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers,
etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected,"
"engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "next to," "on top of," "above,"
"below," and "disposed." Unless explicitly described as being
"direct," when a relationship between first and second elements is
described in the above disclosure, that relationship can be a
direct relationship where no other intervening elements are present
between the first and second elements, but can also be an indirect
relationship where one or more intervening elements are present
(either spatially or functionally) between the first and second
elements. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C
should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a
non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean "at
least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."
[0101] In the figures, the direction of an arrow, as indicated by
the arrowhead, generally demonstrates the flow of information (such
as data or instructions) that is of interest to the illustration.
For example, when element A and element B exchange a variety of
information but information transmitted from element A to element B
is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from element A
to element B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no
other information is transmitted from element B to element A.
Further, for information sent from element A to element B, element
B may send requests for, or receipt acknowledgements of, the
information to element A.
[0102] In this application, including the definitions below, the
term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced with the
term "circuit." The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or
include: an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); a
digital, analog, or mixed analog/digital discrete circuit; a
digital, analog, or mixed analog/digital integrated circuit; a
combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array
(FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that
executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that
stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable
hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a
combination of some or all of the above, such as in a
system-on-chip.
[0103] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In
some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless
interfaces that are connected to a local area network (LAN), the
Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof. The
functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be
distributed among multiple modules that are connected via interface
circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing.
In a further example, a server (also known as remote, or cloud)
module may accomplish some functionality on behalf of a client
module.
[0104] The term code, as used above, may include software,
firmware, and/or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines,
functions, classes, data structures, and/or objects. The term
shared processor circuit encompasses a single processor circuit
that executes some or all code from multiple modules. The term
group processor circuit encompasses a processor circuit that, in
combination with additional processor circuits, executes some or
all code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor
circuits encompass multiple processor circuits on discrete dies,
multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a
single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor
circuit, or a combination of the above. The term shared memory
circuit encompasses a single memory circuit that stores some or all
code from multiple modules. The term group memory circuit
encompasses a memory circuit that, in combination with additional
memories, stores some or all code from one or more modules.
[0105] The term memory circuit is a subset of the term
computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium, as
used herein, does not encompass transitory electrical or
electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a
carrier wave); the term computer-readable medium may therefore be
considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of a
non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium are nonvolatile
memory circuits (such as a flash memory circuit, an erasable
programmable read-only memory circuit, or a mask read-only memory
circuit), volatile memory circuits (such as a static random access
memory circuit or a dynamic random access memory circuit), magnetic
storage media (such as an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard
disk drive), and optical storage media (such as a CD, a DVD, or a
Blu-ray Disc).
[0106] The apparatuses and methods described in this application
may be partially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer
created by configuring a general purpose computer to execute one or
more particular functions embodied in computer programs. The
functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements
described above serve as software specifications, which can be
translated into the computer programs by the routine work of a
skilled technician or programmer.
[0107] The computer programs include processor-executable
instructions that are stored on at least one non-transitory,
tangible computer-readable medium. The computer programs may also
include or rely on stored data. The computer programs may encompass
a basic input/output system (BIOS) that interacts with hardware of
the special purpose computer, device drivers that interact with
particular devices of the special purpose computer, one or more
operating systems, user applications, background services,
background applications, etc.
[0108] The computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to
be parsed, such as HTML (hypertext markup language), XML
(extensible markup language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
(ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from source code by
a compiler, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter, (v)
source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time
compiler, etc. As examples only, source code may be written using
syntax from languages including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift,
Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java.RTM., Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl,
OCaml, Javascript.RTM., HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th
revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext
Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash.RTM.,
Visual Basic.RTM., Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python.RTM..
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