Method and apparatus for supplying auxiliary electrical power to an electric or hybrid vehicle

Abstract

The present invention may include a towable trailer being mechanically couplable to a vehicle, the towable trailer including an auxiliary battery housing unit, a wheel being rotatably connected to the towable trailer, an auxiliary battery disposed within the auxiliary battery housing unit of the towable trailer, the vehicle including a storage battery, the auxiliary battery of the towable trailer being electrically couplable with the storage battery of the vehicle via a bidirectional pathway, and a control system configured to control a transfer of electrical energy between the auxiliary battery of the towable trailer and the storage battery of the vehicle along the bidirectional pathway.

1 . An auxiliary power system for supplying auxiliary electrical power to an electric or hybrid vehicle, comprising: a towable trailer being mechanically couplable to a vehicle, the towable trailer including:
 one or more auxiliary batteries;   a coupling unit configured to mechanically couple the towable trailer to a coupling unit of an at least partially electrically driven vehicle;   at least a portion of a bi-directional electrical pathway configured to operably couple the one or more auxiliary batteries to one or more storage batteries of a drivetrain of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle; and   a control system configured to control transfer of electrical energy between the one or more auxiliary batteries and the one or more storage batteries of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle along the bidirectional electrical pathway.   
     
     
         2 .- 79 . (canceled) 
     
     
         80 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more auxiliary batteries are of a different type of battery than the one or more storage batteries of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle. 
     
     
         81 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 1 , further comprising power conversion circuitry between the one or more auxiliary batteries and the one or more storage batteries, the power conversion circuitry configured to convert the auxiliary power from the one or more auxiliary batteries to a form suitable for efficient transfer to the one or more storage batteries of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle. 
     
     
         82 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the one or more auxiliary batteries are operably coupled in a parallel configuration. 
     
     
         83 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the one or more auxiliary batteries are operably coupled in a series configuration. 
     
     
         84 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the one or more batteries are operably coupled in a series/parallel configuration. 
     
     
         85 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a battery monitoring system configured to measure a characteristic of the one or more auxiliary batteries, the one or more storage batteries of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         86 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 85 , wherein the characteristic includes a state of charge (SOC). 
     
     
         87 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 86 , wherein the control system is configured to maintain a charge state of the one or more auxiliary batteries, the one or more storage batteries, or a combination thereof above a preselected charge level. 
     
     
         88 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 86 , wherein the control system is configured to maintain a charge state of the one or more auxiliary batteries, the one or more storage batteries, or a combination thereof above a damage-causing charge level. 
     
     
         89 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 1 , further comprising a power generator operably coupled to the bidirectional electrical pathway in parallel with the one or more auxiliary batteries. 
     
     
         90 . The auxiliary power system of  claim 89 , wherein the power generator is configured to provide generator power to the one or more auxiliary batteries, the one or more storage batteries, the drivetrain of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle, or a combination thereof through the bidirectional electrical pathway. 
     
     
         91 . A method of providing auxiliary power to an at least partially electrically driven vehicle, the method comprising:
 disposing one or more auxiliary batteries in a towable trailer;   mechanically coupling the towable trailer to the at least partially electrically driven vehicle;   electrically coupling the one or more auxiliary batteries to a bi-directional electrical pathway configured to operably coupled the one or more auxiliary batteries to one or more storage batteries of a drivetrain of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle; and   controlling transfer of electrical energy between the one or more auxiliary batteries and the one or more storage batteries of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle along the bidirectional electrical pathway.   
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein controlling transfer of electrical energy comprises converting the electrical energy transferred between the one or more auxiliary batteries and the one or more storage batteries to a form suitable for a receiving one of the one or more auxiliary batteries and the one or more storage batteries. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising monitoring a state of charge (SOC) of the one or more auxiliary batteries, the one or more storage batteries, or a combination thereof, wherein controlling transfer of electrical energy comprises controlling the transfer of the electrical energy based, at least in part, on the SOC. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein controlling the transfer of the electrical energy based, at least in part, on the SOC comprises maintaining the SOC above a preselected charge level. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein controlling the transfer of the electrical energy based, at least in part, on the SOC comprises maintaining the SOC above a damage-causing charge level. 
     
     
         96 . A towable trailer for providing auxiliary electrical power to an at least partially electrically driven vehicle, the towable trailer comprising:
 an auxiliary battery disposed within the towable trailer;   a mechanical coupler configured to mechanically couple the towable trailer to a mating mechanical coupler of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle;   at least a portion of a bi-directional electrical pathway configured to operably couple the auxiliary battery to a storage battery of a drivetrain of the at least partially electrically driven vehicle; and   a control system configured to control a flow of electrical power between the auxiliary battery and the storage battery along the bi-directional electrical pathway.   
     
     
         97 . The towable trailer of  claim 96 , further comprising coupling circuitry along the bi-directional electrical pathway, the coupling circuitry configured to selectively operably couple the auxiliary battery to the storage battery to allow the flow of electrical power between the auxiliary battery and the storage battery, wherein the control system is configured to control operation of coupling circuitry. 
     
     
         98 . The towable trailer of  claim 97 , wherein the coupling circuitry includes switching circuitry. 
     
     
         99 . The towable trailer of  claim 97 , wherein the coupling circuitry includes a microprocessor controlled relay system.