US-12617291-B2 - Battery system wakeup based on vehicle motion

Abstract

A golf cart includes an electric motor configured to perform a braking function, a battery, a sensor, and a control system including a first controller and a second controller. The first controller and the sensor are powered by the battery without the second controller and the electric motor being powered during the low power state. The sensor is configured to facilitate detecting movement of the golf cart during the low power state. The first controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicating that the golf cart has moved during the low power state and cause power from the battery to be provided to the second controller. The second controller is configured to separately evaluate the movement of the golf cart independent from the sensor and engage the electric motor to perform the braking function in response to determining that the golf cart is moving.

Inventors

• Gregory August Theodosakis
• Russell William King
• Jonathan Daniel Bowen

Assignees

• TEXTRON INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240718

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A golf cart operable in a low power state, the golf cart comprising: an electric motor configured to perform a braking function; a battery; a sensor; and a control system including a first controller and a second controller; wherein: the first controller and the sensor are powered by the battery without the second controller and the electric motor being powered during the low power state; the sensor is configured to facilitate detecting movement of the golf cart during the low power state; the first controller is configured to: receive a signal from the sensor indicating that the golf cart has moved during the low power state; and exit the low power state by causing power from the battery to be provided to the second controller in response to receiving the signal; and the second controller is configured to: separately evaluate the movement of the golf cart independent from the sensor; enable the braking function in response to determining that the golf cart is moving; and re-enter the low power state in response to determining that the golf cart is not moving.
2. 2 . The golf cart of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an inertial measurement unit.
3. 3 . The golf cart of claim 1 , wherein the first controller is a battery management system.
4. 4 . The golf cart of claim 3 , wherein the sensor is an inertial measurement unit that is integrated with the battery management system.
5. 5 . The golf cart of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to provide a notification that at least one of a physical key or a credential is necessary to disable the braking function.
6. 6 . The golf cart of claim 5 , wherein the control system is configured to disable or permit disablement of the braking function in response to at least one of (a) the physical key being inserted into an ignition, (b) the physical key being within a certain proximity of the golf cart, or (c) the credential being entered.
7. 7 . The golf cart of claim 5 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the control system is configured to receive the credential via the user interface.
8. 8 . The golf cart of claim 7 , wherein the control system is configured to operate an alarm system in response to receiving an invalid credential via the user interface.
9. 9 . The golf cart of claim 1 , further comprising an onboard camera configured to acquire at least one of visual data or audial data in response to the sensor detecting movement during the low power state.
10. 10 . The golf cart of claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to send the at least one of the visual data or the audial data collected to a remote system.
11. 11 . The golf cart of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to send a reporting signal to a remote system in response to at least the sensor detecting the movement during the low power state.
12. 12 . A vehicle operable in a low power state, the vehicle comprising: an electric motor configured to perform a braking function; a control system including a motor controller and a battery management system having an integrated inertial measurement unit; a user interface; and a battery; wherein: the battery management system and the integrated inertial measurement unit are powered by the battery without the motor controller and the electric motor being powered during a low power state; the integrated inertial measurement unit is configured to facilitate detecting movement of the vehicle during the low power state; the battery management system is configured to: receive a signal from the integrated inertial measurement unit indicating that the vehicle has moved during the low power state; and exit the low power state by causing power from the battery to be provided to the motor controller in response to receiving the signal; and the motor controller is configured to: separately evaluate the movement of the vehicle; re-enter the low power state in response to determining that the vehicle is not moving; enable the braking function in response to determining that the vehicle is moving; and operate the user interface to display a graphical user interface requesting that at least one (a) a physical key for the vehicle be inserted into an ignition, (b) the physical key be brought within a certain proximity of the vehicle, or (c) a credential be provided.
13. 13 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the control system is configured to receive the credential via the user interface.
14. 14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the control system is configured to operate an alarm system in response to receiving an invalid credential via the user interface.
15. 15 . The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising an onboard camera configured to acquire at least one of visual data or audial data in response to the inertial measurement unit detecting movement during the low power state.
16. 16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the control system is configured to send the at least one of the visual data or the audial data collected to a remote system.
17. 17 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the control system is configured to send a reporting signal to a remote system in response to at least the inertial measurement unit detecting the movement during the low power state.
18. 18 . A method comprising: providing a vehicle including an electric motor configured to perform a braking function, a battery, a sensor, and a control system including a first controller and a second controller; operating the battery in a low power state, which includes providing power to the first controller and the sensor without providing power to the second controller and the electric motor; receiving, by the first controller, a signal from the sensor indicating that the vehicle has moved during the low power state; exiting the low power state by causing, by the first controller, power from the battery to be provided to the second controller in response to receiving the signal; separately evaluating, by the second controller, the movement of the vehicle; enabling, by the second controller, the braking function in response to determining that the vehicle is moving; and re-entering the low power state in response to the second controller determining that the vehicle is not moving.
19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising: providing, by the control system, a notification that at least one of a physical key or a credential is necessary to disable the braking function; and disabling, by the control system, the braking function in response to at least one of (a) the physical key being inserted into an ignition, (b) the physical key being within a certain proximity of the vehicle, or (c) the credential being entered.
20. 20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising sending, by the control system, a reporting signal to a remote system in response to at least the sensor detecting the movement during the low power state.

Description

BACKGROUND The present application relates generally to a control system for a vehicle. More specifically, the present application relates to a power system for a golf cart. SUMMARY One embodiment relates to a golf cart operable in a low power state. The golf cart includes an electric motor configured to perform a braking function, a battery, a sensor, and a control system including a first controller and a second controller. The first controller and the sensor are powered by the battery without the second controller and the electric motor being powered during the low power state. The sensor is configured to facilitate detecting movement of the golf cart during the low power state. The first controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicating that the golf cart has moved during the low power state, and cause power from the battery to be provided to the second controller in response to receiving the signal. The second controller is configured to separately evaluate the movement of the golf cart independent from the sensor, engage the braking function in response to determining that the golf cart is moving, and re-enter the low power state in response to determining that the golf cart is not moving. Another embodiment relates to a vehicle operable in a low power state. The vehicle includes an electric motor configured to perform a braking function, a control system including a motor controller and a battery management system having an integrated inertial measurement unit, a user interface, and a battery. The battery management system and the integrated inertial measurement unit are powered by the battery without the motor controller and the electric motor being powered during the low power state. The integrated inertial measurement unit is configured to facilitate detecting movement of the vehicle during the low power state. The battery management system is configured to receive a signal from the integrated inertial measurement unit indicating that the golf cart has moved during the low power state, and cause power from the battery to be provided to the motor controller in response to receiving the signal. The motor controller is configured to separately evaluate the movement of the vehicle, re-enter the low power state in response to determining that the vehicle is not moving, enable the braking function in response to determining that the vehicle is moving, and operate the user interface to display a graphical user interface requesting that at least one (a) a physical key for the vehicle be inserted into an ignition, (b) the physical key be brought within a certain proximity of the vehicle, or (c) a credential be provided. Still another embodiment relates to a method. The method includes providing a vehicle including an electric motor configured to perform a braking function, a battery, a sensor, and a control system including a first controller and a second controller; operating the battery in a low power state, which includes providing power to the first controller and the sensor without providing power to the second controller and the electric motor; receiving, by the first controller, a signal from the sensor indicating that the golf cart has moved during the low power state; causing, by the first controller, power from the battery to be provided to the second controller in response to receiving the signal; separately evaluating, by the second controller, the movement of the golf cart; enabling, by the second controller, the braking function in response to determining that the golf cart is moving; and re-entering the low power state in response to the second controller determining that the golf cart is not moving. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the vehicle of FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a site monitoring and control system including a plurality of the vehicles of FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a vehicle control system of the vehicle of FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a process for detecting vehicle movement or ingress of an occupant and performing a responsive action, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an occupant ingress detection process, according to exemplary embodiments. FIGS. 7 and 8 are flow charts of a braking process implemented after detecting vehicle movement, according to exemplary embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before turning to the figures, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as