Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100320018 | Method And System To Prevent Vehicle Driveaway During Battery Charging - A system and method are disclosed for preventing driveaway or roll away of a plug-in electric vehicle when it is being charged or is coupled to an external power supply cord. When it is detected based on at least one of the following conditions: a current is flowing to the battery charger, a voltage source is coupled to the battery charger, an access door allowing access to the receptacle on board the vehicle is open and/or a plug detect switch indicates that a plug is coupled with the receptacle, a mechanical restraint on the driveline is prevented from being released. The mechanical restraint may be a parking brake. Alternatively, the mechanical restraint may include preventing the gear shift selector from being moved out of the park position. | 12-23-2010 |
20100320964 | Method And System To Charge Batteries Only While Vehicle Is Parked - Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle derive all, or at least some, of their power from the electrical grid. The vehicle is provided with a receptacle into which a 110 Volt AC power cord can be plugged. According to the present disclosure, coupling of the external power supply and/or charging are prevented when the vehicle is not in a parked condition. The parked condition is based on the application of a vehicle parking brake and/or a gear shift selector being in a parked position. If a parked condition is not detected, one of the following measures is taken: a relay in the battery charger on board the vehicle is opened thereby disallowing charging; an access door to the receptacle is locked by an access door solenoid; and a plug ejector prevents insertion of a plug into the receptacle. | 12-23-2010 |
20110095571 | CARGO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A cargo management system includes a vehicle floor pan, a passenger seat having a seat back and a seat cushion, and an adjustable load floor. The passenger seat is disposed on the vehicle floor pan. The passenger seat has a seatback that is pivotally mounted to the seat cushion. The adjustable load floor is disposed above the vehicle floor pan. The adjustable load floor has a rear end and a front end wherein the front end is operatively configured to engage with the base of the seatback. The adjustable load floor being is operatively configured to move between a first position and a second position as the seat back moves between the upright position and the collapsed position. | 04-28-2011 |
20130088347 | Method and Apparatus For Do Not Disturb Message Delivery - A computer implemented method includes detecting a vehicle state for which a user is to be notified. The method also includes sending a notification for a user regarding the vehicle state. The method further includes receiving a response that a do not disturb mode is enabled for the user. The method additionally includes queuing the notification for later delivery. The method also includes re-sending the notification for the user at a later point in time than when an original notification was sent. | 04-11-2013 |
20130096768 | Method and Apparatus for Do Not Disturb Message Delivery - A computer-implemented method includes detecting a reportable change in vehicle state. The method also includes qualifying the reportable change for delivery based on evaluation of one or more situational variables associated with the reportable change. Further, the method includes delivering a notification relating to the reportable change to a wireless to be delivered to a device user despite an active do not disturb state of the wireless device, conditional on the qualification of the reportable change as deliverable. | 04-18-2013 |
20130123064 | Method And System To Prevent Vehicle Driveaway During Battery Charging - A system and method are disclosed for preventing driveaway or roll away of a plug-in electric vehicle when it is being charged or is coupled to an external power supply cord. When it is detected based on at least one of the following conditions: a current is flowing to the battery charger, a voltage source is coupled to the battery charger, an access door allowing access to the receptacle on board the vehicle is open and/or a plug detect switch indicates that a plug is coupled with the receptacle, a mechanical restraint on the driveline is prevented from being released. The mechanical restraint may be a parking brake. Alternatively, the mechanical restraint may include preventing the gear shift selector from being moved out of the park position. | 05-16-2013 |
20130191321 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Charging State Alerts - 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. | 07-25-2013 |
20130302653 | VEHICLE BATTERY PACK COOLING SYSTEM - The present disclosure relates to a vehicle battery pack cooling system, including: a housing; a fan attached to the housing; a first section of the housing including a battery module selectively in fluid communication with the fan; a second section of the housing including a battery support device selectively in fluid communication with the fan; and a baffler assembly configured to control fluid communication between the fan and the first and second sections. | 11-14-2013 |
20130328341 | CARGO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A cargo management system includes a vehicle floor pan, a passenger seat having a seat back and a seat cushion, and an adjustable load floor. The passenger seat is disposed on the vehicle floor pan. The passenger seat has a seatback that is pivotally mounted to the seat cushion. The adjustable load floor is disposed above the vehicle floor pan. The adjustable load floor has a rear end and a front end wherein the front end is operatively configured to engage with the base of the seatback. The adjustable load floor being is operatively configured to move between a first position and a second position as the seat back moves between the upright position and the collapsed position. | 12-12-2013 |
20140152255 | Method and Apparatus for Preventing Simultaneous Charging and Fueling of a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle - Simultaneous fuelling and electrical charging of a plug-in electric hybrid vehicle (PHEV) is inhibited by detecting pre-charging electrical continuity between an on-board charger of the vehicle and a charging plug engaging the charger, and impeding opening of a door controlling access to a fueling port if the pre-charging electrical continuity exist. Simultaneous fuelling and electrical charging of a PHEV may further be inhibited by detecting whether a fuel door of the vehicle is in a fueling-permitting condition and, if the fuel door is in the fueling-permitting condition, preventing an on-board charger engaged with a charging plug from receiving charging current from the charging plug. | 06-05-2014 |
20140371970 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Charging State Alerts - 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. | 12-18-2014 |
20150035668 | Method and Apparatus For Do Not Disturb Message Delivery - A computer implemented method includes detecting a vehicle state for which a user is to be notified. The method also includes sending a notification for a user regarding the vehicle state. The method further includes receiving a response that a do not disturb mode is enabled for the user. The method additionally includes queuing the notification for later delivery. The method also includes re-sending the notification for the user at a later point in time than when an original notification was sent. | 02-05-2015 |