Vehicle Power Management Systems and Related Methods

Abstract

A method of vehicle operation includes, using one or more processors, receiving one or more inputs, from one or more sensors of a first vehicle and/or one or more sources communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, while the vehicle is traveling on a vehicle route. In implementations the one or more inputs are used to determine a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle and this distance is used as an input to a power management system to increase an energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route. In implementations the one or more inputs and data regarding regenerative braking of the first vehicle are used to calculate one or more speeds and a power management system applies the one or more calculated speeds to the first vehicle. In implementations a reliability estimate is calculated for the one or more calculated speeds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of vehicle operation, comprising:
 using one or more processors:
 receiving one or more inputs from one of one or more sensors of a first vehicle and one or more sources communicatively coupled with the one or more processors; 
 using the one or more inputs, determining a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle in a common lane with the first vehicle and having a common driving direction relative to the first vehicle; and 
   using the distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle as an input to a power management system of the first vehicle to increase an energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on a vehicle route.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein increasing the energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route comprises calculating one or more speeds over the vehicle route, the one or more calculated speeds configured to maximize the energy efficiency of the first vehicle, within one or more constraints, while traveling on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are calculated in part based on regenerative braking of the first vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more inputs include historical energy efficiency of the first vehicle on the vehicle route, and wherein the power management system increases the energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route in part based on the historical energy efficiency. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more inputs include current and historical weather conditions on the vehicle route, and wherein the power management system increases the energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route in part based on the current and historical weather conditions. 
     
     
         6 . A method of vehicle operation, comprising:
 using one or more processors:
 receiving one or more inputs, from one of one or more sensors of a first vehicle and one or more sources communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, while the first vehicle is traveling on a vehicle route; 
 using the one or more inputs and data regarding regenerative braking of the first vehicle, calculating one or more speeds; and 
   using a power management system of the first vehicle, applying the one or more calculated speeds to the first vehicle to travel along the vehicle route at the one or more calculated speeds.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are configured to maximize an energy efficiency of the first vehicle, within one or more constraints, while traveling on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are calculated based in part on multiple prior trips of the first vehicle on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are calculated based in part on historical energy efficiency of the first vehicle on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are calculated based in part on a comparison of current and historical weather conditions on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising calculating a reliability estimate for the one or more calculated speeds. 
     
     
         12 . The method of 11, wherein the reliability estimate is based at least in part on how closely current conditions along the vehicle route match historic conditions along the vehicle route. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising using a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle as an input to the power management system to increase an energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first vehicle having a power source and a communication system; and   one or more processors configured to:
 receive one or more inputs, from one of one or more sensors of the first vehicle and one or more sources communicatively coupled with the one or more processors through the communication system, while the first vehicle is traveling on a vehicle route; 
 using the one or more inputs, calculate one or more speeds over the vehicle route; 
 apply power to the first vehicle to travel along the vehicle route at the one or more calculated speeds; and 
 calculate a reliability estimate for the one or more calculated speeds. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the reliability estimate is based at least in part on how closely current conditions along the vehicle route match historic conditions along the vehicle route. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are configured to maximize an energy efficiency of the first vehicle, within one or more constraints, while traveling on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are calculated based in part on multiple prior trips of the first vehicle on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are calculated based in part on historical energy efficiency of the first vehicle on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more calculated speeds are calculated based in part on a comparison of current and historical weather conditions on the vehicle route. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to use a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle as an input to a power management system of the first vehicle to increase an energy efficiency of the first vehicle while traveling on the vehicle route.