US 12,083,930 B2
Power battery heating system and method using solar sunroof energy
Haibo Liang, Shanghai (CN); Xi Wang, Shanghai (CN); Chenchen Wang, Shanghai (CN); and Changzheng Shao, Shanghai (CN)
Assigned to Volvo Car Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed by Volvo Car Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/037,805.
Claims priority of application No. 201910961998.4 (CN), filed on Oct. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0107379 A1, Apr. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. B60L 58/27 (2019.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.01); B60L 53/51 (2019.01); B60L 53/60 (2019.01); B60L 58/12 (2019.01); B60K 6/28 (2007.10)
CPC B60L 58/27 (2019.02) [B60L 50/60 (2019.02); B60L 53/51 (2019.02); B60L 53/60 (2019.02); B60L 58/12 (2019.02); B60K 6/28 (2013.01); B60L 2240/545 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/91 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/92 (2013.01); B60Y 2400/216 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power battery heating system of an electric vehicle comprising:
a power battery that powers a driving motor of the electric vehicle;
an assistant battery that provides electric energy to at least a control system, an illumination system, a signal system and an instrument system of the electric vehicle;
a heating module configured to heat the power battery of the electric vehicle, the heating module comprising an electric heating element;
a solar sunroof configured to output electric energy; and
a sunroof control unit configured to control operation of the heating module and the electric energy output by the solar sunroof;
wherein the power battery heating system is configured to start a power battery heating operation using the electric energy output by the solar sunroof when the power battery is not in a high voltage output state and the power battery's temperature is lower than a temperature threshold, the high voltage output state being a state of the power battery when an ignition switch of the electric vehicle is turned on, the power battery heating operation comprising: controlling the solar sunroof to output electric energy to the heating module such that the heating module performs heating of the power battery using the electric energy from the solar sunroof without consuming the electric energy of the assistant battery of the electric vehicle;
wherein when the power battery is not in the high voltage output state and the power battery's temperature is higher than the temperature threshold, the electric energy of the solar sunroof is used for charging the assistant battery;
wherein when the power battery is in the high voltage output state, the electric energy of the solar sunroof is used for temperature control of the assistant battery; and
wherein the sunroof control unit is configured to check an output power level of the solar sunroof at predetermined times, and to control the solar sunroof to not output electric energy when the output power level of the solar sunroof is lower than a minimum enablement value.