Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling and operating a hybrid vehicle having a high degree of hybridization are disclosed. A power flow control system predicts vehicle power demand to drive the hybrid vehicle based on changing conditions during operation of the hybrid vehicle. The power flow control system controls the power flow so as to provide power to drive the hybrid vehicle based on the predicted vehicle power demand, wherein the predicted vehicle power demand is greater than a maximum.

Abstract: A new and/or improved method, apparatus and/or system is disclosed which aids in extending correct behavioral models to include fault modes and in fault mode analysis of components and/or systems in simulated model environments, including, e.g., FMEA and FMECA and diagnostic fault tree generation.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting fault in a machine. During operation, the system obtains control signals and corresponding sensor data that indicates a condition of the machine. The system determines consistent time intervals for each of the control signals. During a consistent time interval the standard deviation of a respective control signal is less than a respective predetermined threshold. The system aggregates the consistent time intervals to determine aggregate consistent intervals. The system then maps the aggregate consistent intervals to the sensor data to determine time interval segments for the sensor data. The system may generate features based on the sensor data. Each respective feature is generated from a time interval segment of the sensor data. The system trains a classifier using the features, and applies the classifier to additional sensor data indicating a condition of the machine over a period of time to detect a machine fault.

Abstract: Hybrid vehicle design circuitry quantifies values for utility/disutility variables of a hybrid vehicle design by evaluating a hybrid vehicle model over a collection of drive cycles/routes. The utility/disutility values include at least one of: total time or additional time beyond a reference time needed for the hybrid vehicle design to complete the drive cycles/routes, a fraction or number of the drive cycles/routes for which the hybrid vehicle design fails to achieve a target velocity, and amount of time or distance over which the hybrid vehicle design fails to achieve a target acceleration or the target velocity over the drive cycles/routes. The hybrid vehicle design circuitry calculates one or more specifications of a hybrid vehicle design based on the utility/disutility values.

Abstract: A method for determining an operating state (e.g., state-of-charge or state-of-health) and/or generating management (charge/discharge) control information in a system including an electrochemical energy device (EED, e.g., a rechargeable Li-ion battery, supercapacitor or fuel cell) that uses optical sensors to detect the intercalation stage change events occurring in the EED. The externally or internally mounted optical sensors measure operating parameter (e.g., strain and/or temperature) changes of the EED during charge/recharge cycling, and transmit measured parameter data using light signals sent over optical fibers to a detector/converter. A processor then analyzes the measured parameter data, e.g., using a model-based estimation process, to detect intercalation stage changes (i.e., crystalline structure changes caused by migration of guest species, such as Li-ions, between the EED's anode and cathode), and generates the operating state and charge/discharge control information based the analysis.

Abstract: A system includes a first optical sensor sensitive to both a parameter of interest, Parameter1, and at least one confounding parameter, Parameter2 and a second optical sensor sensitive only to the confounding parameter. Measurement circuitry measures M1 in response to light scattered by the first optical sensor, where M1=value of Parameter1+K*value of Parameter2. The measurement circuitry also measures M2 in response to light scattered by the second optical sensor, where M2=value of Parameter2. Compensation circuitry determines a compensation factor, K, for the confounding parameter based on measurements of M1 and M2 taken over multiple load/unload cycles or over one or more thermal cycles. The compensation factor is used to determine the parameter of interest.

Abstract: A battery management system includes one or more fiber optic sensors configured to be disposed within an electrochemical battery. Each fiber optic sensor is capable of receiving input light and providing output light that varies based on the input light and an amount of free or dissolved gas present within the battery. A detector detects the output light and generates an electrical detector signal in response to the output light. Battery management circuitry determines the state of the battery based at least in part on the detector signal.

Abstract: A method (300) is provided for classifying an image as being one of a daytime image or a nighttime image. The method includes: obtaining an image to be analyzed (302); determining a first parameter (nH) representative of a first amount of pixels in the image that are sufficiently red or yellow (308); determining a second parameter (nV) representative of a second amount of pixels in the image that are sufficiently light (308); and classifying an image as one of a daytime image or a nighttime image based upon the first and second parameters (310, 312, 314).

Abstract: A battery includes a folded bicell battery stack with an embedded fiber optic cable and sensor. A cell casing encloses the bicell stack with at least one fiber optic cable is embedded within the battery. The fiber optic cable includes an internal portion disposed within the cell casing and having at least one optical sensor disposed thereon. An external portion of the fiber optic cable protrudes from the casing. A sealing gasket is disposed at least partially around the fiber optic cable and between the cell sealing edges at a point of entry of the fiber optic cable into the battery.

Abstract: A system includes utilizes optical sensors arranged within or on portions of an electrochemical energy device (e.g., a rechargeable Li-ion battery, supercapacitor or fuel cell) to measure operating parameters (e.g., mechanical strain and/or temperature) of the electrochemical energy device during charge/recharge cycling. The measured parameter data is transmitted by way of light signals along optical fibers to a controller, which converts the light signals to electrical data signal using a light source/analyzer. A processor then extracts temperature and strain data features from the data signals, and utilizes a model-based process to detect intercalation stage changes (i.e., characteristic crystalline structure changes caused by certain concentrations of guest species, such as Li-ions, within the electrode material of the electrochemical energy device) indicated by the data features. The detected intercalation stage changes are used to generate highly accurate operating state information (e.g.

Abstract: A monitoring and management system (MMS) includes one or more fiber optic cables arranged within or on portions of an energy storage device. Each fiber optic cable includes multiple optical sensors. At least one of the optical sensors is configured to sense a parameter of the energy storage device that is different from a parameter of the energy storage device sensed by at least another optical sensor of the multiple optical sensors. The MMS includes a light source configured to provide light to the one or more fiber optic cables and a detector configured to detect light reflected by the optical sensors. The detector generates an electrical signal based on the reflected light. A processor is coupled to receive the electrical signal, to analyze the electrical signal, and to determine state of the energy storage device based on analysis of the electrical signal.

Abstract: Sensor material is arranged to interact with input light and to asymmetrically alter a spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of an external stimulus. A detector is configured to sense the altered input light and to generate at least one electrical signal comprising information about a shift in the centroid of a spectral distribution of the altered input light relative to a centroid of the spectral distribution of the input light.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling and operating a hybrid vehicle having a high degree of hybridization are disclosed. A power flow control system predicts vehicle power demand to drive the hybrid vehicle based on changing conditions during operation of the hybrid vehicle.

Abstract: A battery management system includes one or more fiber optic sensors configured to be disposed within an electrochemical battery. Each fiber optic sensor is capable of receiving input light and providing output light that varies based on the input light and an amount of free or dissolved gas present within the battery. A detector detects the output light and generates an electrical detector signal in response to the output light. Battery management circuitry determines the state of the battery based at least in part on the detector signal.

Abstract: Hybrid vehicle design circuitry quantifies values for utility/disutility variables of a hybrid vehicle design by evaluating a hybrid vehicle model over a collection of drive cycles/routes. The utility/disutility values include at least one of: total time or additional time beyond a reference time needed for the hybrid vehicle design to complete the drive cycles/routes, a fraction or number of the drive cycles/routes for which the hybrid vehicle design fails to achieve a target velocity, and amount of time or distance over which the hybrid vehicle design fails to achieve a target acceleration or the target velocity over the drive cycles/routes. The hybrid vehicle design circuitry calculates one or more specifications of a hybrid vehicle design based on the utility/disutility values.

Abstract: A method for determining an operating state (e.g., state-of-charge or state-of-health) and/or generating management (charge/discharge) control information in a system including an electrochemical energy device (EED, e.g., a rechargeable Li-ion battery, supercapacitor or fuel cell) that uses optical sensors to detect the intercalation stage change events occurring in the EED. The externally or internally mounted optical sensors measure operating parameter (e.g., strain and/or temperature) changes of the EED during charge/recharge cycling, and transmit measured parameter data using light signals sent over optical fibers to a detector/converter. A processor then analyzes the measured parameter data, e.g., using a model-based estimation process, to detect intercalation stage changes (i.e., crystalline structure changes caused by migration of guest species, such as Li-ions, between the EED's anode and cathode), and generates the operating state and charge/discharge control information based the analysis.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes at least one axle, an energy storage device disposed within the hybrid vehicle, a fuel consuming engine, a power boosting feature, and a controller. The fuel consuming engine is operably connected to selectively provide power to at least one of the energy storage device and the at least one axle. The engine is capable of providing at least the mean but less than a peak power to drive the hybrid vehicle over a typical route. The power boosting feature is configured to provide the fuel consuming engine with additional power to achieve a desired power to accelerate the hybrid vehicle. The controller is adapted to selectively control power flow to the one or more axles from one or more of the energy storage device, the engine, and the power boosting feature to achieve the desired power.

Abstract: Sensor material is arranged to interact with input light and to asymmetrically alter a spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of an external stimulus. A detector is configured to sense the altered input light and to generate at least one electrical signal comprising information about a shift in the centroid of a spectral distribution of the altered input light relative to a centroid of the spectral distribution of the input light.

Abstract: A method for automatically detecting a constrained curve over a set of images includes: obtaining a set of one or more binary images of a scene wherein pixels thereof are designated as an edge pixel or not; and, processing at least one of the images. The processing includes: applying a Hough transform to the image to generate an accumulator array; determining Hough peaks from the accumulator array; selecting Hough peaks subject to a set of constraints; determining Hough curve segments for the selected Hough peaks; grouping the Hough curve segments into clusters; selecting from the clusters a cluster having a greatest number of Hough curve segments; and fitting a curve to the Hough curve segments grouped in the selected cluster.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-asset control system for utilizing an energy asset to provide one of more modes of operation services. The system includes an economic optimizer configured to identify at least one mode of operation opportunity based on current and/or future market conditions; a prognostics module configured to perform a prognostic analysis associated with the mode of operation opportunity for the energy asset using an existing model, and determine a confidence level associated with the prognostic analysis; and an operation controller. The economic optimizer is further to configured to, in response to the prognostics module determining the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, determine an expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity based on outcomes of the prognostic analysis; and optimize, over a predetermined time period, a usage of the energy asset based on the expected profit of the mode of operation opportunity.