DE102014218593A1 - Apparatus and method for outputting an indication of a changed range prognosis due to changed environmental conditions - Google Patents

Abstract

A device and a method are proposed for outputting an indication of a remaining range (smax) to a user of an electrically drivable transportation device (10). The method comprises the steps of: determining a first residual range (smax1) on the basis of first environmental information (θ1) outputting the first remaining range (smax1) to the user, determining a second residual range substantially deviating from the first remaining range (smax1) (smax2) based on leaky or significantly changed environmental information, and in response thereto, - issuing an indication of the abruptly changed residual range (smax) to the user.

Description

State of the art

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for outputting an indication regarding a remaining range to a user of an electrically and / or hybrid-drivable means of locomotion. In particular, the present invention relates to avoiding the issue of inaccurate residual range forecasts to a user.

While the energy consumption for air-conditioning and heating installations of fossil-powered means of transportation is relatively low compared to the amount of energy required for locomotion, the (at least partially) electrically propelled means of locomotion have significantly lower energy capacities, whereas substantially the same amount of energy is required for air-conditioning. In addition, it is no longer possible to resort to large waste heat arising anyway for the interior heating. As a result, the resulting heating / air conditioning needs have a significant impact on the range of the means of transport.

The known in the art Klimaprädiktion the future heating or cooling power demand, which is used in current (at least 'partially) electrically powered vehicles, only takes into account the current environmental conditions in a user-made operating step (ie active customer action by switching on the terminal 15 or setting change the air conditioning). In a garage as a frequently used charging point for electrically driven vehicles clearly different environmental conditions prevail than outside the garage. As a result, after leaving the garage, the user may experience a sometimes very significant residual range, provided this has been determined on the basis of the ambient conditions prevailing in the garage. The resulting error is usually only gradually corrected during driving, d. H. there is a continuous adaptation of the remaining range and consumption adaptation over the (now) higher average consumption. Incorrect environmental conditions, in conjunction with merely continuous adaptation of the displayed residual range, may result in the user being supplied with inaccurate information regarding the remaining range of his means of transportation for at least a certain period of time.

DE 10 2013 202 303 A1 discloses a vehicle controller using an estimated outside air temperature at which environmental conditions within a garage are evaluated using a database and current time of day to indicate an initially calculated remaining range of an electrically powered vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive way of avoiding display of incorrect residual range information.

Disclosure of the invention

The above-identified object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and by a device having the features of claim 8. The method is used to recalculate the predicted remaining range and to issue an indication of a remaining range to a user of an electrically driven means of transportation. First, a first residual range is determined on the basis of first environmental information. The environment information can be determined, for example, still within a garage or within a parking garage. For example, environmental sensors of the means of locomotion can be used for this purpose. Subsequently, the determined first remaining range is output to the user. This can be done for example by a numerical display in an instrument cluster and / or in a centrally arranged in the dashboard of the means of transport, if the user so wishes. On the basis of and in particular in response to abruptly and / or significantly changed environmental information, a second remaining range substantially deviating from the first remaining range is subsequently determined. The environment information may be subject to a sudden and / or significant change, for example due to an exit from a parking position (garage, underground car park or the like). In response to this, an indication of the abruptly changed residual range, which results from the sudden change in the environment information, is output to the user. In particular, the hint may include additional information about an update of the first remaining range shown above. In this way, the user is made aware of the fact that a considerable residual range change has taken place. This gives the user direct feedback on the newly calculated remaining range forecast. Misplanning, irritation and, in the worst case, lying down can be avoided by the present invention.

The dependent claims show preferred developments of the invention.

Preferably, the hint may additionally include an indication of the second remaining range. In other words, the reference includes the explicit information about a jump range that has changed abruptly (eg "remaining range has been updated") as well as numerical information ("→ XXX km") about the updated second remaining range of the means of transportation. In this way, at the same time as the indication of the strong change, the information about the currently remaining remaining range can also be recorded by the user. The hint can be optically and / or acoustically.

The environmental information on which the remaining range determination is based can preferably be determined by vehicle-based sensors (eg thermal sensors) and / or using wirelessly received external weather data (eg a weather service, a radio station or the like). In particular, when using vehicle-based sensors resulting from the exit from a parking position sometimes significantly changed environmental information. For example, the air temperature and / or the registered radiant heat can be so different that the remaining range must be significantly corrected. Particularly when using closed parking positions (garage, underground car park or the like), additional wireless environment information determined by means of external signals may not be available, on the basis of which, however, significantly better residual ranges can be estimated after leaving the parking position.

While the first remaining range is discreetly output, for example, in a first display level, the indication according to the invention can be displayed in a display level superimposed on the first level. Such a second level is occupied or generated, for example, by so-called "pop-ups". Thus, the indication according to the invention is shown clearly more prominently than the previously determined (and possibly less precisely true) first residual range. This reduces the likelihood that the user will accidentally miss the hint.

For the amount of deviation of the second residual range from the first remaining range, for example, a predefined threshold value can be stored in a data store at the factory or the user, with which remaining range differences determined over time and / or over the traveled distance are compared. If the determined deviation is greater than the predefined threshold value, the indication according to the invention is issued. By means of a configurable threshold value, the user can avoid clues that are too frequent or too rare, or independently determine from which level of deviation he wishes to be additionally informed according to the invention.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for outputting a residual range information to a user of an electrically (at least partially) propulsive vehicle is proposed. The device comprises an evaluation unit, which may comprise, for example, a programmable processor or a controller. In addition, a signaling unit is provided for outputting a first residual range to the user. By means of the evaluation unit, the first remaining range can be determined on the basis of first environmental information, and then a second remaining range substantially deviating from the first remaining range can be determined on the basis of abruptly changed environmental information. With the aid of the signaling device, the device in response to the determination of the second residual range or in response to a predefined deviation between the above-mentioned residual ranges output an indication of the abruptly changed residual range to the user. This note explicitly goes beyond merely updating a previously displayed remaining range value. The features, feature combinations, and advantages resulting therefrom correspond to those set forth in connection with the above-described method, so that reference is made to the disclosure to avoid repetition.

The device may also include a temperature sensor for determining a desired interior temperature and, alternatively or additionally, for determining an actual interior temperature. In addition, the temperature sensor system can be used to determine a current outside temperature and / or an upcoming outside temperature during the course of the journey. Preference may also be used for other vehicle functions temperature sensors (in the interior or in the outer area) of the means of transport, so that the device according to the invention can be implemented substantially by an adapted use of existing hardware. In particular, customized software must be used to output the note. In summary, the device according to the invention is set up to carry out the method according to the invention described above.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an at least partially electrically powered means of transportation (a car, a van, a truck, a watercraft and / or an aircraft) is proposed, which is a device according to the second aspect of the invention. The features, combinations of features and resulting from these advantages of the device according to the invention therefore arise accordingly for the means of transport according to the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

1 an illustration of an adjusted during the journey with a means of transport according to the invention ambient temperature value and its influence on the predicted residual range;

2 an overview of components of an embodiment of a device according to the invention; and

3 a flowchart illustrating steps of an embodiment of a method according to the invention.

Embodiments of the invention

1 shows a temperature or residual range diagram over the distance S in the course of a journey of a means of transport 10 , This leaves the means of transportation 10 after about ten meters his parking position in a garage 1 and is on a street 2 exposed to changed environmental conditions. The applied outside temperature θ ₁ , which the sensors of the means of locomotion 10 determine changes abruptly to a changed outside temperature value θ ₂ . Accordingly, one will still be inside the garage 1 Residual range determined s updated _max1 to a considerably lower residual range value _max2 s greatly increased since the forecast _is θ by the energy consumption of air conditioning of the interior at a constant temperature value. The change of the residual range s _max is greater than a predefined threshold Δ _smax , so that the user of the means of transportation 10 an inventive note is issued. This indication can also be issued later in the journey (for example after covering 1,000 meters) in order to be able to carry out a sufficiently reliable detection of the outside temperature value θ ₂ prevailing outside the garage.

2 shows a device 20 , which have an outdoor thermometer 3 and an indoor thermometer 4 which is connected to an electronic control unit 5 are connected as an evaluation unit. An antenna 11 symbolizes a wireless communication unit, by means of which weather data and satellite-based position information can be determined. Next are to the electronic control unit 5 a loudspeaker 8th as well as a screen 7 as a signaling unit 6 connected to a respective notice 9 with regard to a substantially and abruptly changed residual range and spend a now remaining mileage to the user. The illustrated device 20 can be in a means of transportation 10 (please refer 1 ), wherein the means of locomotion 10 is designed exclusively or partially electrically driven.

3 shows steps of an embodiment of a method according to the invention for outputting an indication of a remaining range to a user of an electrically driven means of transport. In a first step 100 a first remaining range is determined on the basis of first environmental information and in step 200 Information regarding the first remaining range is output to the user. This can be done acoustically and / or optically, for example. In step 300 If, after extension from a parking position protected from the effects of weathering, a second residual range substantially deviating from the first remaining range is determined on the basis of abruptly and / or significantly changed surroundings information. In other words, sensors for determining residual range-relevant environmental conditions are only exposed to the climatic and weather influences after leaving the parking position and allow a realistic prognosis of the remaining range. According to the invention, in response to this in step 400 an indication and a sudden change in the previous coverage prediction on the leaps and / or significantly changed environment information output to the user, the note goes beyond a mere update of the previously issued first remaining range value. In particular, the user / driver is referred to the leap or the extent of the change of the remaining range separately. In particular, in the case of a reduction of the remaining range due to the changed environment information issued according to the invention the hint. In this way, the present invention can prevent lying down, miscalculation and incorrect information situation of drivers of at least partially electrically powered means of transportation.

Although the aspects and advantageous embodiments according to the invention have been described in detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments explained in conjunction with the attached drawings, modifications and combinations of features will be apparent to those skilled in the art illustrated embodiments, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

garage

2

Street

3

outdoor thermometer

4

Interior thermometer

5

electronic control unit

6

signaling unit

7

screen

8th

speaker

9

Note

10

car

11

antenna

20

contraption

100-400

steps

Δ _smax

predefined maximum change of the remaining range

s _max1

first remaining range

s _max2

second remaining range

S

driven route

s _max

Remaining temperature

θ ₁

first outside temperature (ambient condition before departure)

θ ₂

second outside temperature (ambient condition after departure)

θ _should

Target interior temperature

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102013202303 A1 [0004]

Claims (10)

Method for issuing a note ( 9 ) with respect to a remaining range (s _max ) to a user of an electrically driven means of transportation ( 10 ) comprising the steps - determining ( 100 ) of a first residual range (s _max1 ) on the basis of first environmental _information (θ ₁ ) - output ( 200 ) of the first remaining range (s _max1 ) to the user, - determining ( 300 ) a second residual range (s _max2 ) _{substantially} deviating from the first remaining range (s _max1 ) on the basis of abruptly and / or significantly changed environmental _information , and in response thereto, - outputting ( 400 ) of a note ( 9 ) to the abruptly changed residual range (s _max ) to the user. The method of claim 1, wherein the hint ( 9 ) comprises an indication of the second remaining range (s _max2 ). Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, wherein the first environment information (θ) and / or the second environment information (θ ₂ ) is determined by means of - vehicle-based sensor technology ( 3 . 4 ), in particular temperature sensors, and / or - wirelessly received external weather data are determined. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first remaining range (s _max1 ) is output in a first display level and the hint ( 9 ) is displayed in a display level superimposed on the first level, in particular in the form of a pop-up. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second residual range (s _max2 ) based on a - desired indoor temperature (θ _soll ) and / or - actual indoor temperature and - a current outdoor temperature (θ ₁ ) and / or impending outdoor temperature (θ ₂ ) of the means of locomotion ( 10 ) is determined. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the materiality of the deviation of the second residual range (s _max2 ) from the first remaining range (s _max1 ) is determined by a comparison with a, in particular factory or user predefined, threshold value (s _max ). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the materiality of the deviation of the second residual range (s _max2 ) from the first remaining range (s _max1 ) after - a predefined period and / or - a predefined driven distance after detecting the changed environmental conditions is determined. Device for outputting information regarding a remaining range (s _max ) to a user of an electrically drivable means of locomotion ( 10 ) - an evaluation unit ( 5 ), and - a signaling unit ( 6 ) for outputting a first remaining range (s _max1 ) to the user, wherein the evaluation unit ( 5 ) Is adapted - to determine (on the basis of the first environment information θ ₁₎ the first residual range (s _max1), and - a substantially (from the first residual range s _max1) deviating second residual range (s _max2) based on volatile and / or significantly modified Determine environment information, and the signaling unit is further set up, in response to determining the second remaining range (S _max2 ), - a hint ( 9 ) to the abruptly changed remaining range (s _max ) to the user. Apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a temperature sensor ( 3 . 4 ) for determining a - desired interior temperature and / or - actual interior temperature and - a current and / or forthcoming outside temperature (θ ₂ ) of the means of locomotion ( 10 ). Electrically at least partially drivable means of locomotion ( 10 ) comprising a device ( 20 ) according to one of claims 8 or 9.

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