Granted Patent B2

US 12,729,512 · App. 19/059,431 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventors: Curtis John Caldwell (Metamora, IL); Cedric Girin (St. Martin d'Uriage, FR)

Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.

E02F9/2091B60L50/60B60L58/14B60L58/24E02F9/26B60L2200/40B60L2240/54B60L2240/545B60L2240/662E02F3/34

Abstract

Claims (56)

1 . A work machine, comprising:

a work implement;

one or more actuators positioned to impart forces on the work implement;

a battery configured to power the work machine, the battery having a state of charge (SoC) and a battery cell temperature;

sensors positioned to detect at least the SoC and the battery cell temperature;

a battery thermal management system (BTMS) configured to regulate the battery cell temperature;

an operator interface configured to receive inputs and to display outputs relating to operation of the work machine; and

an electronic controller communicatively coupled to at least the BTMS and the operator interface, the electronic controller configured to:

receive input from the sensors relating to the SoC and the battery cell temperature,

determine an expected change in the SoC caused by preconditioning the battery under current operating conditions,

based, at least in part, on the expected change in the SoC, determine a threshold SoC at which to provide a notice on the operator interface, the notice being associated with a need to charge the battery,

when the threshold SoC exceeds the SoC, provide the notice on the operator interface,

monitor the operator interface for a response to the notice, the response comprising a request for a Fast Charge or a refusal of the Fast Charge, and

in absence of receiving the response within a predetermined time after the notice, command the BTMS to precondition the battery.

2 . The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the current operating conditions include battery cell temperature, ambient temperature, and battery capacity.

3 . The work machine of claim 2 , wherein the current operating conditions include a capacity of the BTMS.

4 . The work machine of claim 3 , wherein the current operating conditions include a rate of change for the SoC.

5 . The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the BTMS comprises an active thermal mode and a passive thermal mode, and the electronic controller is further configured to:

after receiving the request for the Fast Charge, command the BTMS to precondition the battery using the active thermal mode.

6 . The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the BTMS comprises an active thermal mode and a passive thermal mode, and the electronic controller is further configured to:

after receiving the refusal of the Fast Charge, command the BTMS to regulate the battery cell temperature using one of the active thermal mode and the passive thermal mode based on the current operating conditions of the work machine.

7 . The work machine of claim 1 , where the electronic controller is further configured, upon providing the notice on the operator interface, to activate a timer with the predetermined time.

8 . The work machine of claim 1 , wherein determining the threshold SoC comprises adding at least a buffer to the expected change in the SoC, the buffer being an amount of charge sufficient for the work machine to complete a job and return to a charging station.

9 . The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the operator interface displays a first user-selectable input corresponding to the request for the Fast Charge and a second user-selectable input corresponding to the refusal of the Fast Charge.

10 . A control system within a work machine, comprising:

a battery configured to power the work machine, the battery having a state of charge (SoC) and a battery cell temperature;

a battery thermal management system (BTMS) configured to regulate the battery cell temperature using one of an active thermal mode and a passive thermal mode;

an operator interface; and

an electronic controller configured to:

calculate an expected decrease in the SoC caused by having the BTMS adjust the battery cell temperature to a preconditioning temperature under current operating conditions for the work machine,

based, at least in part, on the expected decrease in the SoC, determine a threshold SoC at which to communicate a notification relating to preconditioning the battery,

after the SoC equals the threshold SoC, communicate the notification via the operator interface,

receive a response to the notification via the operator interface, the response comprising a request for a Fast Charge or a refusal of the Fast Charge, and

based on the response, instruct the BTMS to adjust the battery cell temperature using one of the active thermal mode and the passive thermal mode.

11 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the current operating conditions include battery cell temperature, ambient temperature, and battery capacity.

12 . The control system of claim 11 , wherein the current operating conditions include a capacity of the BTMS and a rate of change for the SoC.

13 . The control system of claim 12 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to:

after receiving the request for the Fast Charge, instruct the BTMS to adjust the battery cell temperature to the preconditioning temperature using the active thermal mode.

14 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to:

after receiving the refusal of the Fast Charge, instruct the BTMS to regulate the battery cell temperature using one of the active thermal mode and the passive thermal mode based on the current operating conditions of the control system.

15 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to:

upon communicating the notification via the operator interface, activate a timer with a predetermined time; and

in absence of receiving the response within the predetermined time after the notification, adjust the battery cell temperature to the preconditioning temperature.

16 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein determining the threshold SoC comprises adding at least a buffer to the expected decrease in the SoC, the buffer being an amount of charge sufficient for the work machine to complete a job and move to a charging station.

17 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by an electronic controller, data relating to current operating conditions of a work machine powered by a battery, the current operating conditions including ambient temperature and a battery cell temperature of the battery;

calculating, by the electronic controller, an expected decrease in a state of charge (SoC) of the battery caused by having a battery thermal management system (BTMS) adjust the battery cell temperature to a preconditioning temperature under the current operating conditions;

based, at least in part, on the expected decrease in the SoC, determining a threshold SoC at which to provide a notification relating to preconditioning the battery;

comparing the SoC to the threshold SoC;

after the SoC equals the threshold SoC, communicating the notification via an operator interface;

receiving a response relating to the notification via the operator interface; and

instructing the BTMS to regulate the battery cell temperature in response to the response.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising:

causing the operator interface to display a first user-selectable input corresponding to a request for a Fast Charge and a second user-selectable input corresponding to a refusal of the Fast Charge.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the response is the request for a Fast Charge and the instructing the BTMS comprises instructing the BTMS to adjust the battery cell temperature to the preconditioning temperature.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the response is the refusal for a Fast Charge and the instructing the BTMS comprises instructing the BTMS to adjust the battery cell temperature to ambient temperature using one of an active thermal mode and a passive thermal mode based on the current operating conditions of the work machine.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (13)