Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-01-16
Tong, Nina (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
C340S438000, C340S439000, C340S441000, C340S636210, C324S435000, C324S427000, C320S118000, C701S022000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175303
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Technical Field
The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring the transitory demands for electric current from the traction batteries of an electrically-powered vehicle, and more particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring the transitory demands for current from the vehicle's batteries and displaying the information in a format similar to that associated with a tachometer of an internal combustion engine.
II. Discussion
In an effort to improve air quality, battery-powered “electric” vehicles are becoming increasingly common in today's automotive marketplace. These electric vehicles typically include traction batteries for supplying electric current to one or more traction motors which, in turn, provide motive power to the vehicle. Accordingly, the vehicle's ability to perform a maneuver at any given time at the direction of the vehicle operator directly depends upon the condition of the traction batteries at that time. The condition of each battery, in turn, varies upon such transitory factors as its temperature and its state of charge, as well as other long-term factors such as battery aging, polarization effects, etc. Variation in these parameters will substantively affect the manner in which each battery can supply current to the vehicle's traction motors and, hence, the manner in which the vehicle will respond to commands from its operator. Stated another way, in certain situations or under certain load conditions, the vehicle's traction batteries may be unable to meet the transitory current demands of the vehicle which, in turn, will limit the vehicle's temporal capability to perform. As such, it is desirable to have a display or meter which provides information to the vehicle driver regarding the condition of the battery while power is being drawn therefrom.
One such device is generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,052, entitled “Performance Monitor for Electric Vehicle,” issued on Oct. 22, 1996 to Sway-Tin. This patent is owned by the Assignee of the present application and is herein incorporated by reference. This device generally discloses a system and method for displaying to the operator of an electric vehicle an indication of his present use of available battery current so that the operator may then form a reasonable expectation as to the vehicle's further capability to perform.
However, typical vehicle drivers associate the display in the '052 patent with a tachometer in an internal combustion engine driven automobile. The needle of typical tachometers usually jumps up and reads a predetermined RPM when the internal combustion engine is turned on. This is true even though the vehicle is at a standstill. As a result the vehicle driver can tell that the vehicle is on merely by observing the tachometer needle. However, the needle as disclosed in the '052 patent reads the same value when the vehicle is turned on and at a standstill and when the vehicle is turned off. Also, because electric vehicles are typically quiet, the vehicle driver cannot audibly determine whether the vehicle is on or off. As such it is desirable to provide a display which not only indicates the power consumption of a vehicle but also indicates when the vehicle is in an on condition.
Also, electric cars are fitted with a braking mechanism which charges the traction batteries. As such, it would be desirable to provide a display which indicates any recharging due to application of the brakes. The present invention was developed in light of these drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks, among others, by providing a system for monitoring usage of a electric vehicle's battery which offsets the display when the vehicle is in an on condition. A battery energy measuring device is provided which measures the conditions indicative of the maximum available current of the battery and generates a charge signal indicative of the conditions indicative of the maximum available current of the battery. A display is provided which is responsive to the charge signal for displaying the maximum available current of the battery. An offset device is provided which is responsive to the keyswitch to provide a keyswitch signal to the battery energy measuring device representative of the on and off condition of the keyswitch. The battery energy measuring device offsets the charge signal when the keyswitch is in an on condition such that the display displays the on and off condition of the keyswitch.
In another aspect of the present invention, the battery energy measuring device offsets the charge condition in an opposite direction when the battery is being charged.
Additional advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4333149 (1982-06-01), Taylor et al.
patent: 4659977 (1987-04-01), Kissel et al.
patent: 4888637 (1989-12-01), Sway-Tin et al.
patent: 4899256 (1990-02-01), Sway-Tin
patent: 5371412 (1994-12-01), Iwashita et al.
patent: 5392643 (1995-02-01), O'Kennedy et al.
patent: 5561380 (1996-10-01), Sway-Tin et al.
patent: 5568052 (1996-10-01), Sway-Tin et al.
patent: 5612608 (1997-03-01), Ishiguro et al.
patent: 5619417 (1997-04-01), Kendall
patent: 5646534 (1997-07-01), Kopera
patent: 5698983 (1997-12-01), Arai et al.
patent: 5808469 (1998-09-01), Kopera
patent: 5864106 (1999-01-01), Hartwig et al.
Hansen Erik J.
Theofanopoulos John
Calcaterra Mark P.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Tong Nina
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