The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 28, 2015
Filed:
Jan. 29, 2013
Jeffrey C. Flath, Warwick, RI (US);
Robert Doane, Harwich, MA (US);
John Mallon, Wakefield, RI (US);
Theodore B. Howell, Warwick, RI (US);
Gary T. Wenger, Harvard, MA (US);
Philip R. Pierce, Fernandina Beach, FL (US);
Jeffrey C. Flath, Warwick, RI (US);
Robert Doane, Harwich, MA (US);
John Mallon, Wakefield, RI (US);
Theodore B. Howell, Warwick, RI (US);
Gary T. Wenger, Harvard, MA (US);
Philip R. Pierce, Fernandina Beach, FL (US);
eNow, Inc., Warwick, RI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle energy management system for gathering, storing the energy, and distributing the stored energy supports various subsystems on the vehicle such as driver comfort systems, payload refrigeration, liftgate mechanisms, and roof de-icing, for example. The system harvests energy from various sources available to the vehicle, such as solar panels, regenerative braking and shock absorbers. The harvested energy is gathered for battery storage. Management logic allocates the stored electricity to various vehicle loads defined by the subsystems, based on factors such as time of day, ambient temperature, and weather conditions, which are used to predict the electrical demand called for by the loads. Harvestable energy sources available to the vehicle, combined with sufficient battery storage, provides electrical power for supporting these loads without relying on an idling engine for providing electrical or hydraulic power to accommodate the vehicle subsystems, such as comfort stations for an idle-free vehicle implementation.