Motor vehicle with electric energy accumulator and charging cable as well as method for operating a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1), comprising an electrical energy storage device (2) chargeable via an external charging device (3), and a charging cable (4) for connecting the motor vehicle (1) to the charging device (3), wherein the motor vehicle (1) further comprises a detection device for wireless detection of the presence of the charging cable (4) in at least one region of the motor vehicle (1) and a control unit (10, 11) communicating with the detection device. The control unit is designed, in particular upon start-up of the motor vehicle (1), to inform a driver and/or to block vehicle operation when the detection result indicates the absence of a charging cable (4).

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising: an electric energy accumulator adapted for charging via an external charging device; a charging cable adapted for connection of the motor vehicle with the charging device; a detection device configured for wireless determination of a presence of the charging cable in at least one area of the motor vehicle; a control unit communicating with the detection device and configured to inform a driver and/or to block vehicle operation, when a determination result indicates an absence of the charging cable; and an unlocking device rendered operational for freeing the vehicle operation, following a blockage, in accordance with a defined driver-side control action.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control unit is rendered operational, when starting the motor vehicle.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the charging cable includes a transmitting apparatus, said detection device comprising at least one receiving apparatus for receiving a signal from the transmitting apparatus.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein the transmitting apparatus comprises a receiving unit for request signals of the detection device and/or for energy for the transmitting apparatus.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein the transmitting apparatus is configured as a RFID tag.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a structural unit which includes at least one further device for realizing functions of the charging cable, said transmitting apparatus being integrated in the structural unit.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 6, wherein the further device is configured for realizing communication and/or safety functions.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one output device for optical and/or acoustic and/or haptic output of a message to inform the driver about the absence of the charging cable.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a navigation system having a destination memory and being configured to save an actual position of the motor vehicle as a memory entry indicating a position of the charging cable, when the determination result indicates the absence of the charging cable and during a most recent operation of the motor vehicle the determination result indicates the presence of the charging cable.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 9, wherein the navigation system is configured for designation of the memory entry in one of two ways, a first way in which the memory entry indicates the position of the charging cable and the charging device, when a charging process is involved which precedes an actual startup of the motor vehicle without further operation of the motor vehicle, a second way in which the memory entry indicates solely the position of the charging cable.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the detection device is configured to determine a presence of at least one further item which is removably stowable in the motor vehicle in at least one area of the motor vehicle, said control unit being configured to inform the driver and/or to block the vehicle operation, when a determination result indicates an absence of the item.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the further item is a safety vest and/or a first aid kit and/or a warning triangle and/or a driver's license.

13. A method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising: determining by a detection device whether a charging cable, adapted for connecting an electric energy accumulator with an external charging device, is present in at least one area of the motor vehicle; informing a driver and/or blocking vehicle operation, when a determination result by the detection device indicates an absence of the charging cable; and freeing the vehicle operation, after being blocked as a consequence of the absence of the charging cable, through active intervention by the driver.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the detection device is rendered operational, when starting the motor vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising issuing a warning to the driver, when the determination result indicates the absence of the charging cable.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the warning is realized optically and/or haptically and/or acoustically.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising saving an actual position of the motor vehicle by a navigation system as a memory entry indicating a position of the charging cable, when the determination result indicates the absence of the charging cable and during a most recent operation of the motor vehicle the determination result indicates the presence of the charging cable.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising designating the memory entry in one of two ways, a first way in which the memory entry indicates the position of the charging cable and the charging device, when a charging process is involved which precedes an actual startup of the motor vehicle without further operation of the motor vehicle, a second way in which the memory entry indicates solely the position of the charging cable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Further advantages and details of the present invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments described hereinafter and with reference to the drawing. It is shown in:

(2) FIG. 1 a motor vehicle according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 a charging cable of the motor vehicle according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 a further item, and

(5) FIG. 4 a possible indication of an absence of the charging cable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. It involves an electric vehicle, which means that the driving power for the motor vehicle 1 is made available by an electric energy accumulator 2 which is connected to the engine not shown here in greater detail. The electric energy accumulator 2, in particular a high-voltage battery, can be charged by a charging device 3 which is only hinted here and is not part of the motor vehicle 1. For this purpose, the motor vehicle 1 has a charging cable 4, which can establish a connection between the charging device 3 and the motor vehicle 1 via an appropriate plug-in location 5 and an appropriate charging-device-side plug-in location, not shown here in greater detail, so that the energy accumulator 2 can be charged.

(7) The charging cable 4 can be stored in an interior 6 of the motor vehicle 1, for example, in a specifically designated stowage space 7 for that purpose.

(8) In the motor vehicle 1, the presence of the charging cable 4 can be determined in the interior 6 of the motor vehicle 1, for which purpose provision is made for a detection device. The latter includes here several receiving apparatuses 8 which are capable to receive the signals of a charging-cable-side transmitting apparatus 9, shown only schematically, of the charging cable 4. The receiving apparatuses 8, which like the transmitting apparatus 9 are not shown in greater detail for ease of illustration, include an antenna and a control unit comprised of electronic components, connected to a control unit 10 which can analyze received signals. The signal strength is checked here at the various receiving apparatuses 8 to ascertain whether the charging cable 4 is, in fact, located in the interior 6 of the motor vehicle 1. It should be noted hereby that in other configurations it is also possible to estimate a more accurate position of the charging cable 4 in the motor vehicle 1 as a result of the signal strengths.

(9) A corresponding determination result in the control unit 10 indicates hereby, whether or not the charging cable 4 is located in the interior 6 of the motor vehicle 1.

(10) The determination result is transmitted from the control unit 10 of the detection device to a further control unit 11 via a vehicle bus, wherein it is also conceivable within the scope of the present invention that the evaluation of the determination result is established in the control unit 10 itself.

(11) In the present exemplary embodiment, it is now provided that the determination result is always determined when the vehicle 1 should be started. When then determining that the charging cable 4 is not located in the interior 6 of the motor vehicle 1, several measures are being taken. On one hand, an output device 12 is activated to output a message to inform the driver about the absence of the charging cable 4, which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. Further, it is provided that vehicle operation of the motor vehicle 1 is initially blocked. The driver, who has been accordingly informed by the output device 12, has however the option to implement a defined operating action so that an unlocking device 13 liberates the vehicle operation again and thereby still enable a trip without the charging cable 4. For this purpose, suitable dedicated control elements can be provided, but it is also conceivable, to utilize operating elements that are anyway present, in particular in a specific sequence.

(12) Finally, the motor vehicle 1 also includes a navigation system 14. A memory entry is always generated in the navigation system, once a travel without the charging cable has started, and when the charging cable was still present during the last trip in the motor vehicle 1, to describe the current position as the position of the charging cable 4. Specifically, the memory entry is then designated only as position of the charging cable, when no charging has occurred between a presence of the charging cable 4 in the motor vehicle 1 and an absence of the charging cable 4 in the motor vehicle 1. In the event, charging has occurred between these situations, the designation is position of the charging device with charging cable. Using the memory entry in the navigation system 14 enables the driver or another driver to return at all times back to the charging cable 4, and, optionally, the charging device 3.

(13) FIG. 2 shows in more detail an end of the charging cable 4 having a plug 15 and a structural unit 16. In addition to the transmitting unit 9 including the antenna 18 and the control unit 17, further devices 19 are integrated in the structural unit 16 which realize other functionalities, here communication and safety functions, of the charging cable 4.

(14) The antenna 18 together with the control unit 17 may also serve as a receiving unit for request signals of the detection device as well as power for the transmitting process. When starting the motor vehicle 1, the detection device sends via appropriate transmitting units, which are not shown in greater detail and may be realized, for example, in the receiving apparatuses 8, request signals of a certain frequency which are received by the antenna 18 and serve, on one hand, as request signal and, on the other hand, as energy. The transmitting apparatus 9 then sends via the antenna 18 a signal which permits identification of the charging cable 4 as such. This signal, in turn, is received by the receiving apparatuses 8 and, as described above, analyzed by the control unit 10 for determining the determination result.

(15) It should be noted that the transmitting apparatus 9 can also be realized as RFID tag.

(16) After providing the possibility to detect the charging cable 4, the detection device is also used to detect further items that are necessary or required by law for operation of the motor vehicle 1. FIG. 3 shows a basic illustration of such a further item 20, which, as is readily apparent, also includes a transmitting device 9. The item 20 may, for example, involve a safety vest, a first aid kit, a warning triangle or a driver's license. In the absence of the item 20 in the interior 6 of the motor vehicle 1, corresponding measures can be taken as described above with respect to the charging cable.

(17) FIG. 4 shows a possibility for optical output of a message to inform the driver about the absence of the charging cable 4. An instrument panel 21 of the motor vehicle 1 is shown and includes in addition to pointer instruments 22 also status lights 23 which may indicate, for example, a low energy state, the status of occupant restraint systems and the like. One of these status lights 23 is associated also to the charging cable 4 and lights up, accompanied by an additional acoustic signal, when determining an absence of the charging cable 4 in the motor vehicle 1.