US 12,263,737 B2
End of battery state of charge (SOC) vehicle system operation
John P. Kresse, III, Martinsville, IN (US)
Assigned to Cummins Inc., Columbus, IN (US)
Appl. No. 17/276,701
Filed by Cummins Inc., Columbus, IN (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/066195
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/123921, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 18, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/779,893, filed on Dec. 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0024323 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. B60L 15/20 (2006.01); B60K 6/28 (2007.10); B60L 58/13 (2019.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01); G07C 5/08 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 15/2045 (2013.01) [B60K 6/28 (2013.01); B60L 58/13 (2019.02); B60H 1/00735 (2013.01); B60H 1/00878 (2013.01); B60L 2210/10 (2013.01); B60L 2240/12 (2013.01); B60L 2240/14 (2013.01); B60L 2240/486 (2013.01); B60L 2240/54 (2013.01); B60L 2240/60 (2013.01); B60L 2250/10 (2013.01); B60L 2250/16 (2013.01); B60L 2260/54 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/91 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/92 (2013.01); G07C 5/0825 (2013.01); G07C 5/0833 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for notifying a driver of a state of charge (“SOC”) of an electrical energy storage device of a vehicle comprising:
monitoring a current SOC of the electrical energy storage device with a processor during operation of the vehicle, including when a SOC conservation system is activated and deactivated, the SOC conservation system being configured to implement a plurality of SOC conservation steps that includes first and second sets of SOC conservation steps;
retrieving a first predetermined SOC threshold and a second predetermined SOC threshold from a memory;
comparing, with the processor, the current SOC with the first predetermined SOC threshold and the second predetermined SOC threshold, the first predetermined SOC threshold being greater than the second predetermined SOC threshold;
operating the vehicle without the plurality of SOC conservation steps while the SOC is greater than the first SOC threshold and the second SOC threshold;
responding to the current SOC being less than the first predetermined SOC threshold and greater than the second predetermined SOC threshold by activating the SOC conservation system with the processor, the SOC conservation system activating the first set of SOC conservation steps including derating a maximum traction motor power such that an operator of the vehicle is able to complete a mission knowing that battery SOC is getting low; and
responding to the current SOC being less than the first predetermined SOC threshold and the second predetermined SOC threshold by causing the SOC conservation system to activate the second set of SOC conservation steps including further derating the maximum traction motor power so as to have the second set of SOC conservation steps be more intrusive than the first set of SOC conservation steps such that successive sets of SOC conservation steps in the plurality of SOC conservation steps increase in severity with decreasing SOC of the electrical energy storage device regardless of a distance of the electrical energy storage device from a destination.