Method and device for determining an operating strategy for a range extender of an electric vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining an operating strategy for a range extender (10) of an electric vehicle (100) having an electric motor (20) and an electrical energy store (30), with the following method steps: detecting (S1) at least one operating parameter of a first type associated with the range extender (10) and at least one operating parameter of a second type associated with the electric motor (20) and/or the electrical energy store (30); and determining (S2) the operating strategy for the range extender (10) by restricting a usage level of the range extender (10), wherein the restriction of the usage level is determined on the basis of the at least one detected operating parameter of the first type and/or the at least one detected operating parameter of the second type.

Claims

1. A method for determining an operating strategy for a range extender (10) of an electric vehicle (100) having an electric motor (20) and an electrical energy store (30), with the following method steps: detecting (S1) at least one operating parameter of a first type associated with the range extender (10) and at least one operating parameter of a second type associated with the electric motor (20) or the electrical energy store (30); and determining (S2) the operating strategy for the range extender (10) by restricting a usage level of the range extender (10), wherein the restriction of the usage level is determined on the basis of the at least one detected operating parameter of the first type or the at least one detected operating parameter of the second type; wherein the determined operating strategy is displayed via a human-machine-interface (55) and at least one control parameter is transmitted via the human-machine-interface (55), and wherein the restriction of the usage level of the range extender (10) is determined on the basis of the at least one control parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the restriction of the usage level of the range extender (10) includes a limiting of a maximum power output of the range extender (10).

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a histogram of a load distribution of the range extender (10) is used as the at least one operating parameter of the first type.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a histogram of a duty cycle of the electric motor (20) is used as the at least one operating parameter of the second type.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a charging state of the electrical energy store (30) is used as the at least one operating parameter of the second type.

6. A device (50) for determining an operating strategy for a range extender (10) of an electric vehicle (100) having an electric motor (20) and an electrical energy store (30), comprising: a detector (51) which is designed to detect at least one operating parameter of a first type associated with the range extender (10) and at least one operating parameter of a second type associated with the electric motor (20) or the electrical energy store (30); a controller (52) which is designed to determine an operating strategy for the range extender (10) by restricting a usage level of the range extender (10) on the basis of the at least one detected operating parameter of the first type or the at least one detected operating parameter of the second type; and a human-machine-interface (55) configured to display the determined operating strategy and to transmit at least one control parameter to the controller (52).

7. The device (50) according to claim 6, characterized in that the restriction of the usage level of the range extender (10) includes a limiting of a maximum power output of the range extender (10).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The attached drawings are meant to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the invention.

(2) Said drawings illustrate embodiments and are used in combination with the description to explain the principles and concepts of the invention.

(3) Other embodiments and many of the aforementioned advantages ensue from the drawings. The elements depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale in relation to one another.

(4) In the drawings:

(5) FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of a device for determining an operating strategy for a range extender of an electric vehicle having an electric motor and an electrical energy store according to one embodiment of the invention; and

(6) FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a flow diagram of a method for determining an operating strategy for a range extender of an electric vehicle having an electric motor and an electrical energy store according to a further embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) In the figures of the drawings, identical reference signs denote identical or functionally identical elements, components or method steps, in so far as nothing is stated to the contrary.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of a device for determining an operating strategy for a range extender of an electric vehicle having an electric motor and an electrical energy store.

(9) The electric vehicle 100 can be designed as a motor vehicle having an electric motor or as a hybrid motor vehicle or as another type of motor vehicle which has an electric motor 20, an electrical energy store 30 and a range extender 10.

(10) The electric vehicle 100 can also be designed as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or as a plug-in electric vehicle; thus enabling the electrical energy store 30 to be charged from outside of the electric vehicle 100 by a stationary charging station or by means of another type of connection to an electrical energy supply network.

(11) The range extender 10 can be designed as a range extender which constitutes an additional power unit in the electric vehicle 100 which increases the range of said electric vehicle 100.

(12) The range extender 10 can be designed as an internal combustion engine which drives a generator that in turn supplies electrical energy to the electrical energy store 30 and/or to the electric motor 10 of the electric vehicle 100.

(13) The range extender 10 can furthermore be designed as a power unit comprising a fuel cell.

(14) The fuel cell is designed, for example, as a galvanic cell which converts the chemical reaction energy of a continually supplied fuel or of another type of operating means and an oxidation means into electrical energy.

(15) For example, a fuel cell can be used in the range extender 10 in the form of a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell.

(16) The energy for power production by the range extender 10 is supplied in a chemically bound form with the fuels or other types of operating means.

(17) The electric motor 20 can be designed as an electric motor which is coupled via a planetary gear set to one of the drive axles of the electric vehicle 100; or the electric motor 20 can, for example, be designed as a wheel hub electric motor.

(18) The electrical energy store 30 of the electric vehicle 100 is, for example, designed as a lithium based battery or as a nickel-cadmium battery or as a nickel-metal hydride battery or as another type of battery.

(19) A device 50 for determining an operating strategy for a range extender 10 of an electric vehicle 100 having an electric motor 20 and an electrical energy store 30 comprises a detection means 51 and a controller 52.

(20) The detection means 51 can be designed to detect at least one operating parameter of a first type associated with the range extender 10 and at least one operating parameter of a second type associated with the electric motor 20 and/or the electrical energy store 30.

(21) The detection means 51 can, for example, be designed as a sensor for detecting the operating parameters or as an interface to a vehicle-internal bus system for receiving the operating parameters.

(22) The controller 52 is, for example, designed to determine an operating strategy for the range extender 10 by restricting a usage level of the range extender 10 on the basis of the at least one detected operating parameter of a first type and/or the at least one detected operating parameter of a second type.

(23) The device 50 for determining an operating strategy can furthermore have a human-machine-interface 55 which is designed to display the determined operating strategy.

(24) The human-machine-interface 55 is, for example, designed to transmit at least one control parameter to the controller 52.

(25) The human-machine-interface 55 allows the user to operate the device 50 for determining an operating strategy and to display an operating state of the device 50 and/or of the range extender 10.

(26) The items of information or the feedback from the human-machine-interface 55 are provided either via control panels with signal lamps, display fields and push buttons or via another type of visualization program, which, for example, is shown on a display or a display device of the human-machine-interface 55.

(27) The controller 52 and/or the detection unit 51 can be coupled via a vehicle-internal bus system of the electric vehicle 100, for example a CAN bus system. The human-machine-interface 50 can likewise be coupled to the controller 52 via such a vehicle-internal bus system of the electric vehicle 100.

(28) The controller 52 of the device 50 can be designed as a program-controlled device and/or as a microcontroller and/or as a configurable logic module and/or as an integrated circuit and/or as an application specific integrated circuit and/or as a computer and/or as an embedded system.

(29) The controller 52 and/or the detection means 51 are, for example, designed as technical components that are connected by means of a network.

(30) FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a flow diagram of a method for determining an operating strategy for a range extender of an electric vehicle having an electric motor and an electrical energy store according to a further embodiment of the invention.

(31) As a first method step of the method for determining an operating strategy, a detection S1 of at least one operating parameter of a first type associated with the range detector 10 and of at least one operating parameter of a second type associated with the electric motor 20 and/or the electrical energy store 30 takes place.

(32) As a second method step of the method for determining an operating strategy, a determination S2 of the operating strategy for the range extender 10 takes place by restricting a usage level of the range extender 10, wherein the restriction of the usage level is determined on the basis of the at least one detected operating parameter of the first type and/or the at least one detected operating parameter of the second type.

(33) The restriction of the usage level of the range extender 10 can include a limiting of a maximum power output of the range extender 10.

(34) A histogram of a load distribution of the range extender 10 can be used as the at least one operating parameter of a first type. In addition, a histogram of a duty cycle of the electric motor 20 can be used as the at least one operating parameter of a second type.

(35) At least one control parameter can furthermore be transmitted via a human-machine-interface 55, and the restriction of the usage level can be determined on the basis of the at least one control parameter.

(36) An operating mode of the range extender 10 that is optimized to the wear of said range extender can be provided as the at least one control parameter. The method steps can thereby be, iteratively or recursively, repeated in an arbitrary sequence.

(37) The method for determining an operating strategy can be carried out by the device 50.

(38) Although the present invention has been described above with the aid of preferred exemplary embodiments, said invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments but can be modified in a plurality of ways. In particular, the invention can be changed or modified in a variety of ways without deviating from the gist of the invention.