US 12,187,239 B2
Systems and methods for clearing snow from an electric vehicle
Connor Duesterwald, Nanaimo (GB); Desigan Padayachee, North York (CA); Anna Siniavina, Richmond Hill (CA); Stacey M. Marmara, Markham (CA); Michael D. Alarcon, Markham (CA); and Patrick Giancarlo Gabriel DiGioacchino, Niagara Falls (CA)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/065,873.
Prior Publication US 2024/0198968 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
Int. Cl. B60S 1/08 (2006.01); B60L 58/13 (2019.01); B60S 1/02 (2006.01); G01W 1/14 (2006.01)
CPC B60S 1/0866 (2013.01) [B60L 58/13 (2019.02); B60S 1/026 (2013.01); B60S 1/0833 (2013.01); G01W 1/14 (2013.01); B60L 2250/12 (2013.01); B60L 2250/16 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
detecting, based on data from a sensor system of the electric vehicle, snow that may accumulate on a window of the electric vehicle;
when the snow is detected, providing a notification, via a communications system of the electric vehicle, to a remote user device, wherein the notification requests user acceptance of use of charge of a battery of the electric vehicle to operate a snow clearing system of the electric vehicle;
receiving, by the communications system, a response to the notification from the remote user device;
when the response indicates acceptance of the use of charge of the battery;
identifying a selected automatic snow clearing level of a plurality of automatic snow clearing levels, wherein each automatic snow clearing level of the plurality of automatic snow clearing levels consumes a different amount of power from the battery;
activating the snow clearing system to operate according to the selected automatic snow clearing level to consume a respective amount of power from the battery corresponding to the selected automatic snow clearing level; and
stopping operation of the snow clearing system according to the selected automatic snow clearing level in response to detecting an exit condition so that no further charge of the battery is used by the snow clearing system.