DESC:FORM 2
The Patent Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2005

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SEE SECTION 10 AND RULE 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

“Reserve charge utilization using instrument panel of a vehicle”

APPLICANTS:

Name Nationality Address
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited Indian Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.,
MRV, Mahindra World City (MWC),
Plot No. 41/1, Anjur Post, Chengalpattu,
Kanchipuram District – 603004 (TN) INDIA

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:-
FIELD OF INVENTION
[001] This invention relates to electric vehicles, and more particularly to energy consumption in electric vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[002] The instrument panel in a vehicle is generally used for display of some parameters such as odometer; speed limitation, trip meter etc. In case of electric / hybrid vehicles, the instrument panel can be used to display state of charge, time to charge etc. All electric vehicles come with a limited charge value that is shown to customer in terms of state of charge, vehicle critical warnings, vehicle mode, and so on. Most of the electric cars have a battery reserve for emergency application. As the vehicle charge is a critical parameter in case of electric vehicle and an emergency situation can occur anytime, therefore it is desirable to have a solution with driver to activate reserve charge with a feedback considering the vehicle scenario.
[003] A proposed solution uses an additional battery / emergency battery for providing reserve power and a remote switch to activate the same. However, this solution requires an additional battery for storing reserve power and an additional means (switch) for activating use of the reserve power.

OBJECT OF INVENTION
[004] The principal object of this invention is to provide an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for activating a reserve charge present in the vehicle.
[005] Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for allowing a user to request for releasing a reserve charge.
[006] Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for displaying status of the request.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[007] This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, through out which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[008] FIG. 1 depicts a vehicle with an instrument panel, wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for activating battery reserve, according to embodiments as disclosed herein; and
[009] FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting the process for activating battery reserve, according to embodiments as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0010] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0011] The embodiments herein achieve an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for activating a reserve charge present in the vehicle. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 2, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown preferred embodiments.
[0012] Embodiments herein disclose an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a reserve charge activation system, including a request for activating battery charge from a critical limit, and display status of the request. Embodiments herein enable a driver to request release of a reserve charge using the instrument panel.
[0013] The vehicle as described herein can be a car, a van, a truck, a bus, a farm vehicle, a heavy vehicle, a kart-like vehicle, a racing car, or any other vehicle capable of being powered by a vehicle using energy stored in an on-board energy storage means (such as a battery) and comprising a means for storing a reserve charge.
[0014] FIG. 1 depicts a vehicle with an instrument panel, wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for activating battery reserve. The vehicle 100 comprises of an instrument panel 101, an energy management system (EMS) 102, a battery management system (BMS) 103, and at least one battery 104. The EMS 102 can be connected to the telematics system of the vehicle 100. The instrument panel 101 can comprise of at least one gauge, at least one visual interface, at least one switch/knob, and any other audio/visual interface that enables the driver to view information related to the vehicle and interact with the vehicle 100. The BMS 103 can be connected to the battery 104 and can send and receive information to and from the battery 104. The BMS 103 can monitor statistics related to the battery 104, such as state of charge of the battery, the rate of energy consumption, and so on. The BMS 103 can provide command and control instructions to the battery 104. The BMS 103 can provide information related to the battery to the EMS 102.
[0015] The EMS 102 can monitor the charge present in the battery 104. The EMS 102 can check if the charge is less than a pre-defined threshold percentage. An authorized person such as the driver, an authorized service advisor, and so on can configure the pre-defined percentage. The EMS 102 can provide an alert to the driver using the instrument panel. The alert can be in the form of a visual means, an audio means or use a combination of a visual and audio means. The alert can be a request for authorize use of the reserve power.
[0016] The driver can respond in the form of a pre-defined input. An authorized person such as the driver, an authorized service advisor, and so on can configure the pre-defined input. The input can comprise of performing an action on a pre-defined switch (such as toggling, rotating, and so on), a sequence of actions on one or more pre-defined switches (such as toggling, rotating, and so on), and so on. The input can be provided using the instrument panel 101. In an embodiment herein, the EMS 102 can check if the vehicle 100 is stationary, before enabling the driver to provide the input.
[0017] On receiving the input and verifying the correctness of the input, the EMS 102 can provide instructions to the BMS 103 and the battery 104 to initiate use of the reserve charge. The EMS 102 can provide updates related to the request, using the instrument panel 101. The updates can comprise of messages such as revive requested; revive successful; revive unsuccessful and revive, and so on. The updates can be in the form of a visual means, an audio means or use a combination of a visual and audio means.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting the process for activating battery reserve. The EMS 102 checks (201) if the charge is less than a pre-defined threshold percentage. If the charge is less than a pre-defined threshold percentage, the EMS 102 provides (202) an alert to the driver using the instrument 101panel. The alert can be in the form of a visual means, an audio means or use a combination of a visual and audio means. The alert can be a request for authorizing use of the reserve power. The driver responds (203) in the form of a pre-defined input using the instrument panel. The input can comprise of performing an action on a pre-defined switch (such as toggling, rotating, and so on), a sequence of actions on one or more pre-defined switches (such as toggling, rotating, and so on), and so on. In an embodiment herein, the EMS 102 can check if the vehicle 100 is stationary, before enabling the driver to provide the input. On receiving the input and verifying the correctness of the input, the EMS 102 provides (204) instructions to the BMS 103 and the battery 104 to initiate use of the reserve charge. The EMS 102 provides (205) updates related to the request, using the instrument panel 101. The updates can comprise of messages such as revive requested; revive successful; revive unsuccessful and revive, and so on. The updates can be in the form of a visual means, an audio means or use a combination of a visual and audio means. The various actions in method 200 may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some actions listed in FIG. 2 may be omitted.
[0019] Embodiments herein enable an extension in the range of the vehicle 100, without needing an additional device. Embodiments herein enable removal of dependency of the driver on additional devices such as mobile, tablets, and so on.
[0020] Embodiments herein provide low cost solution and do not need a dedicated switch or interface by using existing interfaces present in the vehicle 100.
[0021] The embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented through at least one software program running on at least one hardware device and performing network management functions to control the network elements. The network elements shown in Fig. 1 include blocks which can be at least one of a hardware device, or a combination of hardware device and software module.
[0022] The embodiment disclosed herein describes an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a reserve charge activation system, including a request for activating battery charge from a critical limit, and display status of the request. Therefore, it is understood that the scope of the protection is extended to such a program and in addition to a computer readable means having a message therein, such computer readable storage means contain program code means for implementation of one or more steps of the method, when the program runs on a server or mobile device or any suitable programmable device. The method is implemented in a preferred embodiment through or together with a software program written in e.g. Very high speed integrated circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) another programming language, or implemented by one or more VHDL or several software modules being executed on at least one hardware device. The hardware device can be any kind of portable device that can be programmed. The device may also include means which could be e.g. hardware means like e.g. an ASIC, or a combination of hardware and software means, e.g. an ASIC and an FPGA, or at least one microprocessor and at least one memory with software modules located therein. The method embodiments described herein could be implemented partly in hardware and partly in software. Alternatively, the invention may be implemented on different hardware devices, e.g. using a plurality of CPUs.
[0023] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

STATEMENT OF CLAIMS
We claim:
1. A system in a vehicle, the system comprising of an energy management system and an instrument panel, the system configured for
providing a request to a user of the vehicle to authorize use of reserve power stored in a battery present in the vehicle using the instrument panel by the energy management system;
receiving a response to the request from the user by the energy management system, wherein the response is provided using the instrument panel;
activating use of reserve charge by the energy management system; and
providing at least one update related to the request to the user by the energy management system using the instrument panel.
2. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to check if the vehicle is stationary, before accepting the response from the user.
3. A vehicle comprising of an energy management system and an instrument panel, the vehicle configured for
providing a request to a user of the vehicle to authorize use of reserve power stored in a battery present in the vehicle using the instrument panel by the energy management system;
receiving a response to the request from the user by the energy management system, wherein the response is provided using the instrument panel;
activating use of reserve charge by the energy management system; and
providing at least one update related to the request to the user by the energy management system using the instrument panel.
4. The vehicle, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the system is configured to check if the vehicle is stationary, before accepting the response from the user.
5. A instrument panel in a vehicle, the instrument panel configured for
providing a request to a user of the vehicle to authorize use of reserve power stored in a battery present in the vehicle;
receiving a response to the request from the user;
providing the received response to at least one other module present in the vehicle; and
providing at least one update related to the request to the user.

Date: 10th February, 2016
Signature:
Dr..Kalyan Chakravarthy

ABSTRACT
Reserve charge utilization using instrument panel of a vehicle. Embodiments herein provide an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for activating a reserve charge present in the vehicle. Embodiments herein provide an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for allowing a user to request for releasing a reserve charge. Embodiments herein provide an instrument panel in an electric vehicle wherein the instrument panel comprises a system for displaying status of the request.

FIG. 2
,CLAIMS:STATEMENT OF CLAIMS
We claim:
1. A system in a vehicle, the system comprising of an energy management system and an instrument panel, the system configured for
providing a request to a user of the vehicle to authorize use of reserve power stored in a battery present in the vehicle using the instrument panel by the energy management system;
receiving a response to the request from the user by the energy management system, wherein the response is provided using the instrument panel;
activating use of reserve charge by the energy management system; and
providing at least one update related to the request to the user by the energy management system using the instrument panel.
2. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to check if the vehicle is stationary, before accepting the response from the user.
3. A vehicle comprising of an energy management system and an instrument panel, the vehicle configured for
providing a request to a user of the vehicle to authorize use of reserve power stored in a battery present in the vehicle using the instrument panel by the energy management system;
receiving a response to the request from the user by the energy management system, wherein the response is provided using the instrument panel;
activating use of reserve charge by the energy management system; and
providing at least one update related to the request to the user by the energy management system using the instrument panel.
4. The vehicle, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the system is configured to check if the vehicle is stationary, before accepting the response from the user.
5. A instrument panel in a vehicle, the instrument panel configured for
providing a request to a user of the vehicle to authorize use of reserve power stored in a battery present in the vehicle;
receiving a response to the request from the user;
providing the received response to at least one other module present in the vehicle; and
providing at least one update related to the request to the user.