Method and apparatus for vehicular energy management
US9090253B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jul 28, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 16, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S903/903
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle energy management system for gathering, storing the energy, and distributing the stored energy supports various subsystems on the vehicle such as driver comfort systems, payload refrigeration, liftgate mechanisms, and roof de-icing, for example. The system harvests energy from various sources available to the vehicle, such as solar panels, regenerative braking and shock absorbers. The harvested energy is gathered for battery storage. Management logic allocates the stored electricity to various vehicle loads defined by the subsystems, based on factors such as time of day, ambient temperature, and weather conditions, which are used to predict the electrical demand called for by the loads. Harvestable energy sources available to the vehicle, combined with sufficient battery storage, provides electrical power for supporting these loads without relying on an idling engine for providing electrical or hydraulic power to accommodate the vehicle subsystems, such as comfort stations for an idle-free vehicle implementation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.