IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,849,742
Granted Patent B2
US 8,849,742 · App. 13/357,072 · Granted Sep 30, 2014

Method and apparatus for providing charging state alerts

Inventors: Karin Lovett (Novi, MI); Beth Ann Dalrymple (Livonia, MI); David Hayes (Northville, MI); Thanh Duc Pham (Canton, MI); Jesus Cardoso (Allen Park, MI); Darko Acevski (Sterling Heights, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
G06N5/04Y02T10/7044
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,849,742
App. No.
13/357,072
Granted
Sep 30, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer implemented method includes determining whether a time of day corresponds to a charging window, responsive to a determination that a vehicle is in a non-charging state. The method also includes retrieving a start time and charge requirement for an upcoming journey. The method further includes determining if sufficient time remains to charge a vehicle to the charge requirement, responsive to a determination that the time of day corresponds to the charging window. Also, the method includes alerting a user to the non-charging state, responsive to a determination that insufficient time remains to charge the vehicle to the charge requirement.

Claims (38)

1. A computer implemented process comprising:

determining whether a time of day corresponds to a charging window, responsive to a determination that a vehicle is in a non-charging state;

retrieving a start time and charge requirement for an upcoming journey;

determining if sufficient time remains to charge a vehicle to the charge requirement, responsive to a determination that the time of day corresponds to the charging window;

alerting a user to the non-charging state, responsive to a determination that insufficient time remains to charge the vehicle to the charge requirement; and

alerting a user that a charge requirement cannot be met, responsive to a determination that a point in time past which a charge requirement cannot be met was prior to or is within a threshold range of a current time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alerting the user further includes waiting until a predetermined period of non-charging time has passed, following the determination that the vehicle is in the non-charging state, prior to alerting the user of the non-charging condition.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, if the predetermined period of non-charging time does not pass in an uninterrupted block of the vehicle remaining in the non-charging state, an instance of the alerting is cancelled.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alerting is further responsive to a determination that a vehicle is not currently charged to or above the charge requirement.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

approximating a start time based on observed previous behavior, if an attempt to retrieve a start time is unsuccessful.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

approximating a charge requirement based on observed previous behavior, if an attempt to retrieve a charge requirement is unsuccessful.

7. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium, storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method comprising:

determining whether a time of day corresponds to a charging window, responsive to a determination that a vehicle is in a non-charging state;

retrieving a start time and charge requirement for an upcoming journey;

determining if sufficient time remains to charge a vehicle to the charge requirement, responsive to a determination that the time of day corresponds to the charging window;

alerting a user to the non-charging state, responsive to a determination that insufficient time remains to charge the vehicle to the charge requirement; and

alerting a user that a charge requirement cannot be met, responsive to a determination that a point in time past which a charge requirement cannot be met was prior to or is within a threshold range of a current time.

8. The machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the alerting the user further includes waiting until a predetermined period of non-charging time has passed, following the determination that the vehicle is in the non-charging state, prior to alerting the user of the non-charging condition.

9. The machine readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein, if the predetermined period of non-charging time does not pass in an uninterrupted block of the vehicle remaining in the non-charging state, an instance of the alerting is cancelled.

10. The machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the alerting is further responsive to a determination that a vehicle is not currently charged to or above the charge requirement.

11. The machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , further comprising:

approximating a start time based on observed previous behavior, if an attempt to retrieve a start time is unsuccessful.

12. The machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , further comprising:

approximating a charge requirement based on observed previous behavior, if an attempt to retrieve a charge requirement is unsuccessful.

13. A system comprising:

a processor, in communication with a vehicle network;

a local storage, in communication with the vehicle network;

a vehicle power source, in communication with the vehicle network; and

a transceiver, in communication with at least the processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a time of day corresponds to a charging window, responsive to a determination that a vehicle is in a non-charging state, based at least in part on information retrieved from the vehicle network,

retrieve a start time and charge requirement for an upcoming journey from the local storage, determine if sufficient time remains to charge a vehicle to the charge requirement, responsive to a determination that the time of day corresponds to the charging window, based at least in part on a difference between a current time and the start time, and at least in part on an observed rate of charging,

alert a user to the non-charging state, responsive to a determination that insufficient time remains to charge the vehicle to the charge requirement, utilizing at least the transceiver to send a message for transmission to the user; and

alert a user that a charge requirement cannot be met, responsive to a determination that a point in time past which a charge requirement cannot be met was prior to or is within a threshold range of a current time.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor alerting the user further includes waiting until a predetermined period of non-charging time has passed, following the determination that the vehicle is in the non-charging state, prior to alerting the user of the non-charging condition.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein, if the predetermined period of non-charging time does not pass in an uninterrupted block of the vehicle remaining in the non-charging state, an instance of the processor alerting the user is cancelled.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor alerting the user is further responsive to a determination that a vehicle is not currently charged to or above the charge requirement.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to approximate a start time based on observed previous behavior, if an attempt to retrieve a start time is unsuccessful.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2012
From: LOVETT, KARIN; DALRYMPLE, BETH ANN; HAYES, DAVID; PHAM, THANH DUC; CARDOSO, JESUS; ACEVSKI, DARKO
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 027585/0352 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130191321A1 · Jul 25, 2013