WO2024044631A1

WO2024044631A1 - Emergency reserve power system

Info

Publication number: WO2024044631A1
Application number: PCT/US2023/072725
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arnold CHASE
Original assignee: Chase Arnold
Priority date: 2022-08-24
Filing date: 2023-08-23
Publication date: 2024-02-29

Abstract

An emergency reserve power system provides an electric vehicle the ability to safely and practically be equipped with an onboard source of emergency motive power along with an associated power management capability to optimize and manage the reserve power. An emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle includes a controller, at least one electric motor configured to drive the vehicle, a main power pack configured to power the at least one electric motor to drive the vehicle, and an emergency reserve power pack configured to power the at least one electric motor to drive the vehicle. The controller is configured to cause the emergency reserve power pack to supply power to one or more electric loads of the vehicle following the controller receiving a user input.

Description

EMERGENCY RESERVE POWER SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to emergency reserve power systems and, more particularly, to emergency reserve power systems for vehicles powered by one or more electric motors.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Vehicles that are powered by internal combustion (IC) engines, especially when operating in remote areas, may carry one or more containers of fuel located, for instance, in a trunk to prevent unexpectedly running out of gasoline (or “gas”) and becoming immobile. Such a separate container(s), which are independent from the regularly installed fuel storage tank, provides for additional motive ability in the event of an inadvertent depletion of the regularly installed fuel tank. In this manner, if either the vehicle operator does not pay attention to the fuel gauge, or the fuel gauge malfunctions, the separate fuel storage provides an alternate method of allowing additional travel to be possible even with an empty fuel tank. With the adoption of electric vehicles (EV), however, there is currently no practical way of carrying a portable independent spare power-pack in a trunk or other operator-accessible storage location within a vehicle that would be equivalent to the spare fuel container(s) for IC vehicles due to many logistical challenges presented, such as lethal high voltages, the weight of battery packs, etc.

SUMMARY

[0003] The present disclosure provides an emergency reserve power system (ERPS) embodiments that provide an EV the ability to safely and practically be equipped with an onboard source of emergency motive power along with an associated power management system with a capability to optimize and manage the main power pack power and/or reserve power pack power draw.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 shows an emergency reserve power system according to the present disclosure; [0005] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method of operating an emergency reserve power system according to the present disclosure; and

[0006] FIG. 3 shows a display of an emergency reserve power system displaying a graphical user interface according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] Before the various embodiments are described in further detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described. It is also to be understood that the terminology used is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present application.

[0008] Referring to FIG. 1, an electric vehicle (EV) 50 is shown equipped with an exemplary emergency reserve power system (ERPS) 100 (and/or power management system) according to the present disclosure. The ERPS 100 includes a controller 102, at least one electric motor 104 for driving rear wheels 52 and/or front wheels 54 of the vehicle 50, a main power pack 106, a reserve power back (or emergency reserve power pack) 108 and a user interface 300. The controller 102 is operatively connected to the electric motor(s) 104, main power pack 106 and reserve power pack 108. The controller 102 is configured to determine a charge level status of the main power pack 106 and a charge level status of the reserve power pack 108. The controller 102 is further configured to supply the power to meet the needs of the electric motor(s) 104 and other electrical loads of the vehicle 50 with the main power pack 106 and/or the reserve power pack 108.

[0009] Referring to FIG. 2, a flow diagram is shown of a method of operating the ERPS 100 of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure. The method begins at step 200 where the ERPS 100 is activated/engaged. Then at step 202 a reserve power mode starts by utilizing the remaining main power pack 106 charge. Then at step 204 non-essential load shedding begins. Then at step 206 a reserve power mode starts by utilizing the emergency reserve power pack 108

[0010] Referring to FIG. 3 an interface 300 of an ERPS 100 is shown according to the present disclosure. The interface 300 comprises a display portion 302 configured to display images and a speaker portion 304 configured to generate audio sounds. The display portion 302 is configured as a touch screen that can receive user input through touch, which the controller 102 is configured to receive as user input.

[0011] The display portion 302 displays a main power pack estimated run time 306 (illustrated example shown as “37 min”) and a main power pack estimated travel range 308 (illustrated example shown as “29 miles”). The estimated run time 306 is an indication of how long in a unit of time (any unit of time is within the scope of the present disclosure) that the EV 50 is expected to be able to operate based on the instantaneous power draw of the electrical loads of the EV 50 (or based on a trailing average power draw, e.g. for the last five, ten, fifteen minutes, etc.) in view of the power charge level of the main power pack 106, as determined by the controller 102. Similarly, the estimated travel range 308 is an indication of how far in a unit of distance (any unit of distance is within the scope of the present disclosure) that the EV 50 is expected to be able to travel based on the instantaneous power draw of the electrical loads of the EV 50 (or based on a trailing average power draw) in view of the power charge level of the main power pack 106, as determined by the controller 102.

[0012] The display portion 302 also displays a reserve power pack estimated run time 310 (illustrated example shown as “50 min”) and a reserve power pack estimated travel range 312 (illustrated example shown as “40 miles”). Like the main power pack estimated run time 306 and estimated travel range 308, the reserve power pack estimated run time 310 and estimated travel range 312 is displayed to provide the user an estimate of run time and travel range of the EV 50 based on the power draw of the electrical load(s), instantaneous or trailing average, but instead in view of the power charge level of the emergency reserve power pack 108, as determined by the controller 102.

[0013] The controller 102 is configured to cause the speaker 304 to emit sound(s) or instructions in order to alert the drive of the EV 50. In some embodiments, the controller 102 is configured to cause the speaker 304 to generate an alarm or notification sound when the controller 102 determines the charge level of the main power pack 106 is below a predetermined threshold (e.g. below 5% or below 10%).

[0014] The controller 102 is further configured to generate a request through the speaker 304, and/or through the display portion 302 at request for input area 314, that asks the driver whether the driver would like to engage the ERPS 100 (illustrated example shown as “Engage ERPS?”) As disclosed herein, the EV 50 and/or the controller 102 may be configured to receive a user input through any number of known input mechanisms or interfaces.

[0015] In some embodiments, the reserve power pack 108 is stepped (i.e. tranched or segmented) through physical and/or virtual partitioning of the power capacity of the reserve power pack 108 such that user input is required in order for the controller 102 to direct the power from the reserve power pack 108 tranches (i.e. power segments) to the electric motor(s) 104 or other loads of the vehicle 50 (e.g. essential loads such as a heating system or non-essential loads such as an entertainment system). Virtual partitioning should be understood to mean that the controller 102 is configured to require user input or authorization before permitting any electrical load power needs to be supplied with power from the emergency reserve power pack 108 corresponding to a particular power segment. For example, in the instance that the reserve power pack 108 is partitioned into three different tranches (or power segments), the method of FIG. 2 continues until a first power tranche limit is reached (or charge depleted) at step 208.

Then at step 210 user input is required for the controller 102 to engage a second power tranche of the reserve power pack 208. Then the charge from the second power tranche is utilized for driving the electric motor(s) 104 and any other essential electrical loads until a second power tranche limit is reached (or charge depleted) at step 212. Then, similarly, at step 214 user input is required for the controller 102 to engage a third and final remaining power tranche of the reserve power pack 208. The user input can be provided through any known user input interface such as, for example and without limitation, voice input, touch screen input, physical button, etc.

[0016] Regardless of the power charge capacity or warning displays or alarms of a power pack, there will be situations where, for one reason or another, an EV operator finds themselves unexpectedly with a completely drained main power pack making the vehicle immobile. There are numerous situations when having a power supply backup may be critical to life safety and/or the subsequent survival of a vehicle’s operator and/or occupant(s). The ERPS 100 disclosed herein advantageously ensures that EV emergency motive power as well as life-safety system operation is available when there would otherwise be no such powering ability.

[0017] Historically, in the case of IC powered vehicles, either the use of reserve gasoline tanks or carried “stand-alone” fuel containers have been used to deal with such critical situations. With an IC vehicle, even if a vehicle’s gasoline or other fuel has been fully consumed, the starting battery (e g. standard 12-volt automotive battery) still has the ability for a short period of time to allow for a call for help, etc. since the vehicle battery status is initially unaffected by the fuel supply being fully consumed as the starting battery is essentially independent from the rest of the vehicle.

[0018] With EVs, however, the traditional motive fuel/independent battery status is no longer the case. An EV typically uses a single power pack to power both the propulsion system as well as any electric items (control systems, HVAC, lights, etc.) in a vehicle. While some EVs are designed to lower the overall instant power usage when the remaining battery capacity of the power pack gets close to empty, the reality is that many vehicles have been and continue to be unexpectedly immobilized by depleted power packs.

[0019] In order to allow an EV to maintain an emergency reserve power ability that is distinct from the usual complete dependence on a single main (e.g. central) power pack, the ERPS 100 is disclosed. Through various embodiments, the ERPS 100 always provides a guaranteed ability to allow an extra “emergency” range to be made available to a vehicle that would otherwise find itself immobile and inoperative.

[0020] For IC powered vehicles, “running out of gas,” while problematic, is a condition that can be readily and quickly rectified by a person using a portable container of gas which instantly restores full normal operation. Even a small container (e g. 1 gallon capacity) of fuel can typically and immediately add 15-35 miles of motive operation by a vehicle operator allowing the vehicle to drive to a nearby source of fuel, if available.

[0021] This is in stark contrast to an EV having a completely depleted battery pack that would need to be towed to a recharging location, a potentially lengthy process which can occur at inopportune moments, and/or an inopportune times of day/day of week/holiday or being in an inaccessible or remote location that may even preclude the ability to call for or receive help.

[0022] So-called “range anxiety” caused by the fear of getting stuck with a depleted EV battery is a very real and common deterrent to the adoption of EVs by many people. With the use of an ERPS 100 according to the present disclosure, the specter of completely running out of power becomes mitigated or essentially nullified. [0023] In some embodiments, the reserve power pack 108 is a physically separate and electrically isolated emergency-use only power pack that could be collocated in the same general area as the vehicle’s main power pack. Different power capacity sizing of the emergency reserve power pack 108 can be configured as needed or desired. For example and without limitation, in some embodiments the reserve power pack 108 has a 10% size capacity (or power charge capacity) relative to the size of the main power pack 106 and, thus, in this instance if the EV 50 were equipped with a 100 kilo-watt hour (kWh) main power pack 106, then the reserve power pack 108 has a 10 kWh capacity emergency reserve power pack 108. Even at this exemplary target capacity level, such a reserve power pack 108 would still provide enough reserve range for the EV 50 to reach a recharging station, e.g. approximately forty (40) miles of travel. In most cases this additional capacity would be sufficient for a vehicle with a fully depleted main power pack 106 to still be able to reach a functioning recharging station without the need to seek (and wait for) outside assistance to physically travel to the immobile vehicle’s location to render assistance. It should be understood that a 10 kWh reserve power pack 108 is exemplary, and that other ERPSs 100 may be configured with smaller or larger capacity reserve power packs 108 that would allow for less or more reserve range. It should be noted that as the power density of power packs continues to rise, the ratio between main power pack capacity and reserve power pack capacity may change correspondingly.

[0024] The importance of an ERPS 100 is not limited to providing just motive power capability. In circumstances such as being in extreme ambient conditions in which a vehicle was physically not able to move or travel (due to being stuck in a heavy winter snow or ice storm), road closures, etc. the ERPS 100 also advantageously allows for hours of life-saving emergency heating, cooling and/or lighting even if the EV had almost no charge left in its main power pack 106. Unlike an IC powered vehicle, where heating or cooling is only possible while an engine was running, this is not the case with EVs. An EV equipped with an ERPS 100 according to the present disclosure may allow the EV’s HV AC system to generate heat even if the EV were completely buried under snow since there is no carbon monoxide poisoning danger as is present with an IC powered vehicle.

[0025] With ERPS 100 embodiments according to the present disclosure, an electrically separate charging system from the main power pack charging path is used which independently recharges the emergency reserve power pack 108 from the same initial charging source as the main or “primary” power pack got recharged from to ensure that the emergency power pack always contained a full charge. It should be noted that some IC vehicles or EVs utilize a second battery or power pack to power auxiliary equipment such as refrigerators, specialty equipment, etc. In those cases, such secondary battery or power packs are not intended or configured to provide power for vehicular motive capability, neither for routine nor emergency purposes. Unlike non-ERPS configurations where some IC vehicles are equipped with multiple batteries and a single IC engine powered charging system that simultaneously recharges all of the batteries (which typically are electrically tied together), an ERPS 100 treats and recharges the emergency reserve power pack 108 completely independently. The non-ERPS battery electrical bonding, while advantageous in some respects, nevertheless creates a situation where all of the one or more batteries can fail simultaneously.

[0026] By maintaining electrical isolation of the main power pack 106 and the reserve power pack 108 under normal circumstances, the reserve power pack 108 can maintain a 100% charge level (or other predetermined standby charge level, e.g. 90%) until needed. Because of the smaller capacity of the emergency power pack and the lack of current draw from it (until needed), the “maintenance” charging requirement of the ERPS 100 reserve power pack 108 is minimal, i.e. the frequency needed to recharge the reserve power pack 108. Thus an ERPS 100 equipped vehicle may be optionally equipped with only a small photovoltaic (PV) solar maintainer which is all that is needed to independently maintain a full “standby” charge level of the emergency reserve power pack 108.

[0027] Conventional EVs may simply warn and/or recommend a course of action to the vehicle’s operator due to a predicted or pending low battery level condition such as advising the vehicle operator to use an “ECO” operating mode (economy/low power). An ECO operating mode operates according to preset parameters but does not, however, explicitly or automatically prevent any remaining power pack capacity from being inadvertently consumed such as ERPS does, thus presenting a risk that the vehicle’s main power pack may unintentionally become fully depleted so as to immobilize the vehicle.

[0028] With the associated power management capability of an ERPS 100 according to the present disclosure, an EV operator can avoid encountering an unintended or surprise situation such as a total loss of mobility due to a main power pack 106 charge depletion. In some embodiments, if there is a likelihood of a full depletion of an EV’s main power pack 106, the controller 102 is configured at predetermined remaining main power pack capacity points (i.e. charge levels) to alert and require a driver to provide an input or authorization, e g. physically turn an override key-switch, enter a code or password, provide a voice command, etc., before any of the critical remaining capacity can be used by the vehicle. This allows a vehicle’s operator to focus on and prioritize driving to a recharging facility while there is still an ability to do so.

[0029] In the event that any remaining main power pack 106 capacity is insufficient to continue traveling to a recharging facility, a further feature of an ERPS is the inclusion and operational availability of the fully charged (or other predetermined standby charge level, e.g. 90%) reserve power pack. An EV that is equipped with this ERPS 100 feature would be prohibited/locked out from using the charge capacity in the reserve power pack 108 without the vehicle operator again having to expressly take one or more step(s) (i.e. provide one or more inputs) to allow this battery capacity to be used. At that point, a vehicle operator would be required to select a “reserve” mode to engage the reserve power pack, for example and without limitation, with a manual input/selection by the user. This feature accomplishes two primary goals: first, it allows the vehicle in a purposeful and controlled manner to access any remaining main power pack capacity and then operatively substitute the emergency “reserve” battery pack in its place; and second, it simultaneously places the vehicle into an emergency power reduction mode. In this mode the ERPS 100 only allows “essential” loads to be able to draw from first any remaining main power pack energy, and then from the reserve power pack, while non-essential loads such as interior and exterior decorative lighting, entertainment systems and amplifiers, interior noise suppression, head-up and other redundant displays, and the like would be prohibited from drawing down the emergency reserve power pack. In some embodiments such aforementioned “disabled” loads may be temporarily allowed to be re-enabled by the vehicle operator through input to the controller 102 if it were determined by the operator that these loads were critically needed such as to maintain a certain level of interior heating during below freezing conditions. Optionally, this user override would only allow a restricted use of such loads at a lower energy drawing setting than usual by, for example, by limiting fan speeds, restricting high-low temperature range settings, etc. “Essential” loads may also include a charging point configured to provide power for cell-phone charging, GPS, remote telematics, etc [0030] As discussed above, some ERPS 100 embodiments provide a “stepped” (tranche) energy utilization approach that virtually partitions the totality of the reserve power so as to only permit a series of quantified successive incremental capacity reduction steps, with each successive capacity depletion step again requiring definitive confirmation by the vehicle operator. “Incremental capacity reduction” in this context should be understood to mean both the total partitioning size of a step (i.e. tranche or power segment) as well as the maximum allowed rate of power draw for a given step (i.e. tranche or power segment).

[0031] Operationally, a driver engages the ERPS at step 200 which allows the controller 102 of the ERPS 100 at step 202 to determine whether there is some useful remaining energy capacity available in the vehicle’s 50 main power pack 106, and if so, the vehicle 50 continues to draw exclusively from that power source. Whereas at step 204, the ERPS 100 begins to shed any electrical load determined as being “non-essential” by the controller 102 according to a predetermined electrical load essential hierarchy and discontinues the supply of power to the non-essential electrical load(s) in order to prevent non-essential loads from drawing power from the main power pack. Steps 202 and 204 may occur simultaneously in some embodiments. At a predetermined point of diminished vehicle power pack capacity (e.g. at a predetermined charge level that still allows enough power for the ERPS 100 logic to function, e.g. at 3% or 5%) at step 206 the controller 102 causes the vehicle 50 to switch to exclusively utilizing the emergency reserve power pack 108 for power needs. As discussed above, in some embodiments when the remaining capacity of the emergency reserve power pack 108 reaches a certain level, e.g. “tranche 1” (or power segment 1), at step 208, the ERPS 100 requires an affirmative action on the part of the driver in order to allow a further depletion of the emergency reserve power pack 108 at step 210. This ensures that a driver makes an informed decision as to how best to utilize the remaining battery capacity rather than potentially not noticing that all available emergency power pack charge resources are unintentionally depleted to an insufficiently low level to meet the driver’s needs or desires. This is important, for example, if the remaining charge of the emergency reserve power pack 108, even with full load reduction, would still not be able to reach a charging location but ambient conditions such as freezing temperatures would warrant reserving the remaining capacity for life-safety reasons. In a similar fashion, at step 212 another affirmative response would be required to allow the vehicle to potentially fully deplete the emergency reserve capacity at step 214. [0032] While a conventional estimate travel range indications (e g. “miles to go” range) may be useful in trying to manage and understand the relationship between an instant remaining power pack charge level and the resultant remaining mileage capability, with ERPS 100 there is an advantageous ability to always have a dedicated substantial reserve power available for “life safety” purposes regardless of the charge state of the main power pack.

[0033] An example of a life-safety need would occur when an EV, either from mechanical failure or events that shut down the ability a roadway to be traversed such as an extended multicar pileup, severe ambient weather conditions such as snowstorms, ice storms, flooding, etc. In these situations, especially at night and/or in below freezing temperatures, an ERPS 100 provides comfort and safety by allowing various non-motive functionality to occur and be monitored without the worry of an EV’s motive capability unexpectantly completely disappearing.

[0034] In stationary situations where there is little to no need or usefulness for a “miles to go” type of indication on a display, the ERPS 100 estimated accessory run times 306, 310 feature advantageously provides a driver with a dynamic time to go display indication (e.g. “minutes to go” display indication) that is a determination made by the controller 102 as to how long the EV 50 can continue to perform the current operating state of the EV based on a continued power draw at a current, instant load level, which is extremely useful at helping to optimize the power draw against comfort and safety in an extended stationary (immobile) situation.

[0035] For the purposes of this disclosure it should be understood that the term “power pack” refers to an operatively connected unified cluster of separate battery cells (e.g. lithium ion battery cells) that combine to provide a working output voltage and current representative of the combination of all of the cells that make up the power pack. This configuration is typical of electric vehicle power packs used in conventional EVs where the totality of the battery cells are simultaneously drawn from as well as recharged as a whole. It should be further understood that, while there are various power pack electrical sizing and storage capabilities, merely adding additional or larger capacity cells to a unified power pack does not correspond to the structure or function of an emergency reserve power pack of this disclosure, and does not solve the inherent “all or nothing” problem that is addressed by this disclosure.

[0036] Inherent to any unified multi-cell power pack is the reality that there is always the potential for a pack to be unexpectedly completely depleted while a vehicle is operating in locations where recharging is not possible In such a scenario an EV would lack sufficient motive capability to be able to get to a recharging or assistance location.

[0037] For inherent technical reasons the motive system in typical EVs operate at high voltages, e.g. on the order of hundreds of volts. Since the individual battery cells within a power pack operate in a range of just a few volts, the individual cells and/or individual batteries that make up a power pack must be linked together in a series configuration to raise the battery pack voltage to a useable level. Because of this inherent integration, individual cells of a unified power pack cannot be electrically held in reserve.

[0038] There are various conventional protective IC vehicle systems that merely shut off all the power flowing from a starting battery at a predetermined voltage depletion level which still allows enough remaining electrical power to operate an IC starter motor. In those contexts, the primary motive power source is fuel and not a battery or battery pack. In EVs equipped with an ERPS according to the present disclosure, there is no starter motor battery or fuel tanks as the only motive power source is strictly an electrical power pack.

[0039] In some embodiments, the ERPS 100 is operatively connected to a controller area network (CAN) bus and upon local manual or automatic operation it can shut down unneeded vehicular power draws. Through the CAN bus, the ERPS may also activate certain vehicle features. An example of this would be a controller of the ERPS monitoring a combination of conditions via a host vehicle’s built-in sensors. Such an example would be the ERPS monitoring a combination of prolonged immobility along with long-term occupancy sensors along with freezing ambient temperatures and precipitation conditions. In this case, the controller is configured to determine that there is a chance of a partially or fully buried vehicle not being able to be spotted by emergency rescue personnel so the ERPS controller would activate the host vehicle’s four-way flashers.

[0040] Other automatic power draw commands would also include the activation of a cabin heater if the ERPS sensed an accident occurring during sub-freezing conditions and noting an extended period of detected vehicle occupancy during freezing conditions without any recent vehicular motion activity to help ensure the survivability of a vehicle’s immobile occupants, especially if they ended up in a location that was not readily accessible by rescue personnel. In such circumstances ERPS would automatically optimize the total vehicle power draw to prioritize, for instance, heating over lighting.

[0041] While embodiments of an ERPS of the present disclosure have been described as being activated by a driver within the driven vehicle (e g. manually), it is within the scope of the present disclosure for the ERPS activation to be received remotely from the vehicle. For example and without limitation, in some embodiments, such as with autonomous EVs that do not have a driver within the vehicle to activate/engage the ERPS 100, the ERPS 100 may optionally be remotely activated/engaged by a user or administrator from a central operations center, telematics operation center, etc.

[0042] Advantageously, ERPS embodiments according to the present disclosure are configured to overcome an unexpected total depletion of a vehicle’s main power pack by supplying emergency reserve power to the vehicle. The ERPS allow a vehicle operator to intelligently judge the situational awareness of the remaining power pack power capability relative to the remaining mileage capability of an EV to allow the vehicle operator in real time to see the effect of activating/deactivating various vehicle accessories or operational characteristics to maximize the useful life of a vehicle’s power pack. The ERPS further allows the vehicle operator to intelligently have a greater situational awareness of the remaining power capacity of an electric vehicle’s power pack relative to the remaining operational run time available to nonmotive loads so as to allow a vehicle operator in real time to see the effects of activating/deactivating various vehicle accessories on available runtime. An ERPS according to embodiments of the present disclosure allows a vehicle operator to intelligently judge the situational awareness of the remaining emergency reserve power pack powering capability relative to the remaining mileage capability of an electric vehicle to allow an operator in real time to see the effect of activating/deactivating various vehicle accessories or operational characteristics to maximize the resultant mileage achievable from of a vehicle’s emergency reserve power pack. ERPS embodiments according to the present disclosure also allows a vehicle operator to intelligently have a greater situational awareness of the remaining operational “run time” of an electric vehicle’s emergency reserve power pack relative to the remaining operational run time available to non-motive loads so as to allow a vehicle operator in real time to see the effects of activating/deactivating various vehicle accessories (i.e. various electric loads, such as HVAC system, entertainment system, displays, exterior lights, interior lights, seat warmers, steering wheel warmer, device chargers, refrigerators, specialty equipment, wireless radios, etc.) on available operational runtime.

[0043] While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An emergency reserve power system comprising: a controller; and an emergency reserve power pack operatively connected to the controller and configured to provide power to one or more electric loads of a vehicle; wherein the controller is configured to cause the emergency power pack to supply the power to the one or more electric loads following the controller receiving a user input.

2. The emergency reserve power system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency reserve power pack comprises a plurality of battery cells.

3. The emergency reserve power system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to request the user input after a power charge level of a main power pack depletes below a predetermined threshold.

4. The emergency reserve power system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency reserve power pack is partitioned into a plurality of power segments, and wherein a separate user input is required in order for power to be supplied from each power segment of the plurality of power segments to the one or more electric loads.

5. The emergency reserve power system according to claim 4, wherein the emergency reserve power pack is partitioned into the plurality of power segments virtually.

6. An emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle comprising: a vehicle; a controller arranged within the vehicle; at least one electric motor operatively connected to the controller and configured to drive the vehicle; a main power pack operatively connected to the controller and configured to power the at least one electric motor to drive the vehicle; an emergency reserve power pack operatively connected to the controller and configured to power the at least one electric motor to drive the vehicle; wherein the controller is configured to cause the emergency reserve power pack to supply power to one or more electric loads of the vehicle after the controller receives a user input.

7. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

8. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the one or more electric loads of the vehicle is an electric load of the at least one electric motor.

9. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising an interface operatively connected to the controller, the interface including a display portion configured to display images, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display portion to display an estimated operational run time of the vehicle based on a current charge level of the main power pack and an instantaneous power draw of the one or more electrical loads and/or a recent average trailing power draw of the vehicle.

10. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display portion to display an estimated travel range of the vehicle based on the current charge level of the main power pack and the instantaneous power draw of the one or more electrical loads and/or the recent average trailing power draw of the vehicle.

11. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising an interface operatively connected to the controller, the interface including a display portion configured to display images, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display portion to display an estimated operational run time of the vehicle based on a current charge level of the emergency reserve power pack and an instantaneous power draw of the one or more electrical loads and/or an average recent trailing power draw of the vehicle.

12. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display portion to dynamically change the displayed estimated run time when one or more vehicle accessories powered by the one or more electrical loads are activated and/or deactivated by a user based on an updated estimated run time determined by the controller.

13. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display portion to display an estimated travel range of the vehicle based on the current charge level of the emergency reserve power pack and the instantaneous power draw of the one or more electrical loads and/or the average trailing power draw of the vehicle.

14. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display portion to dynamically change the displayed estimated travel range when one or more vehicle accessories powered by the one or more electrical loads are activated and/or deactivated by a user based on an updated estimated travel range determined by the controller.

15. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to, after receiving the user input, cause the main power pack to continue supplying power to the one or more electrical loads when the controller determines a charge level of the main power pack is at or above a predetermined threshold, and cause the emergency reserve power pack to begin supplying power to the one or more electrical loads when the controller determines the charge level of the main power pack is below the predetermined threshold.

16. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to request the user input after a power charge level of the main power pack depletes below a predetermined threshold.

17. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the emergency reserve power pack is partitioned into a plurality of power segments, and wherein a separate user input is required in order for power to be supplied from each power segment of the plurality of power segments to the one or more electric loads.

18. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the main power pack and the emergency reserve power pack are physically and electrically isolated from each other.

19. The emergency reserve power system equipped vehicle according to claim 6, wherein one of the one or more electrical loads is a charging point of the vehicle configured to provide power for charging a cell-phone or other mobile device.

20. A power management system for an electric vehicle, the power management system comprising: a controller configured to request a user of the electric vehicle to provide an input or authorization at predetermined remaining capacity points of a main power pack and/or of an emergency reserve power pack of the electric vehicle.

21. The power management system according to claim 20, wherein the requested input or authorization is to implement an emergency power reduction mode that disables and/or limits at least some predetermined electric load features.

22. The power management system according to claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to automatically implement an emergency power reduction mode that disables and/or limits at least some predetermined electric load features of the electric vehicle at the predetermined remaining capacity points, and wherein the requested input or authorization is to override the automatic implementation of the emergency power reduction mode.

23. The power management system according to claim 20, wherein, at an initial capacity point of the predetermined remaining capacity points, the requested input or authorization is to implement an emergency power reduction mode that disables and/or limits at least some predetermined electric load features of the electric vehicle, and wherein, at a latter capacity point of the predetermined remaining capacity points, the controller is configured to automatically implement the emergency power reduction mode and the requested input or authorization is to override the automatic implementation of the emergency power reduction mode.

24. The power management system according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined electric load features include essential electric load features and non-essential electric load features, and wherein the emergency power reduction mode prioritizes essential electric load features over non-essential electric load features.

25. The power management system according to claim 24, wherein the essential electric load features include motive power, interior temperature control, and/or exterior lighting.

26. The power management system according to claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to temporarily re-enable and/or change the limits of at least some of the predetermined non-essential features when provided an input or authorization by the user.

27. The power management system according to claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to temporarily re-enable and/or change the limits of at least some of the predetermined non-essential features when provided an input or authorization by the user.

28. The power management system according to claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to temporarily re-enable and/or change the limits of at least some of the predetermined non-essential features when provided an input or authorization by the user.

29. The power management system according to claim 20, wherein: the controller is configured to implement an emergency power reduction mode that disables and/or limits some predetermined electric load features of the electric vehicle; and the controller is configured to re-enable and/or change the limits of at least some of the predetermined electric load features while the controller implements the emergency power reduction mode when the controller is provided with an override input from the user.