Systems, methods, and apparatus related to guidance and alignment for an electric vehicle and charging station

• US 10,139,238 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Widmer, Hanspeter, Sieber, Lukas, Daetwyler, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): McPherson, James M
• Application Number:
  US14/480,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20150073642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for guiding and aligning an electric vehicle with a charging station. In one aspect, a method of guiding an electric vehicle is provided, including determining a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle. The method further includes displaying an indicator of the location of the charging spot in a three dimensional perspective view, the indicator displayed for guiding a user of the electric vehicle to position a charging coupler of the electric vehicle over the charging base within a tolerance area. The method further includes transitioning to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a threshold.

Claims

1. A device for guiding an electric vehicle, comprising:

a sensor circuit configured to determine a location of a charging spot associated with a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle; and

a processor configured to;

display a virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a display of a graphical user interface in a virtual three dimensional perspective view of a virtual environment as observed from a first reference point located within the electric vehicle above the charging coupler such that a second reference point on a ground surface of the virtual environment and on a longitudinal axis of the electric vehicle is mapped onto a point in the display, the second reference point representing a point at a distance from a third reference point that is a projection of a center of the charging spot onto the longitudinal axis;

adjust, as the electric vehicle moves, the virtual three dimensional perspective view such that the mapped second reference point is maintained in the display; and

transition to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a virtual two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a line running through the first and second reference points and a plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an angle threshold.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display:

a representation of a local environment floor plan; and

a route of the electric vehicle to the location of the charging spot.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display an identifier of the charging base.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the virtual environment comprises one or more of:

a ground representation;

a coordinate grid;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging spot; and

a direction display indicating a direction for correction based upon the location of the charging spot.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the virtual environment further comprises a sky representation and a horizon representation.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the virtual three dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned at the first reference point and aimed at the location of the charging spot.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the virtual three dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned within the electric vehicle and above the charging coupler of the electric vehicle, the virtual camera aimed at a projected location of the charging spot on the longitudinal axis.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the virtual environment further comprises an indicator of a suggested trajectory for the electric vehicle to the charging spot.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the virtual three dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned directly above the charging coupler of the electric vehicle for tracking an x-position of the charging spot.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display a second virtual environment wherein the virtual two dimensional top-down view comprises one or more of:

a ground representation;

a cross-hair display indicating a center position of the charging coupler of the electric vehicle;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging spot;

or

a direction display indicating a direction for correction based upon the location of the charging spot.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transition from displaying the virtual indicator in the virtual two dimensional top-down view to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a third view when the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an second angle threshold, the third view including an upside-down view.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the third view includes an icon indicating that the location of the charging spot has satisfied the second angle threshold.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to transition from displaying the virtual indicator in the third view to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a fourth view when the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies a third angle threshold, the fourth view including an upside-down view of the virtual three dimensional perspective view or an icon indicating that the location of the charging spot has satisfied the third threshold.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display a night representation when a time of day satisfies a threshold.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the senior circuit is further configured to determine a location of a first charging spot of a first charging base and a second charging spot of a second charging base in response to being positioned to be able to detect a signal from both the first and second charging bases, and wherein the processor is further configured to display an indicator of the determined locations of the first aid second charging spots relative to the charging coupler of the electric vehicle.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to dynamically remove the virtual indicator of the location of one of the first or second charging spots when the location of the first or second charging spots is no longer located within a field of view.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the virtual indicator is displayed for guiding a user of the electric vehicle to position the charging coupler of the electric vehicle over the charging base within a tolerance area comprising an area where a coupling efficiency between the charging coupler of the electric vehicle and a charging coupler of the charging base satisfies a threshold value.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an angle threshold changes as the electric vehicle moves.

29. The device according to claim 1, wherein the point in the display is located in a center of the display.

30. The device according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the second reference point to the third reference point is zero.

31. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the virtual three dimensional perspective view based or the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface.

18. A method of guiding an electric vehicle comprising:

determining a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle;

displaying a virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a display of a graphical user interface in a virtual three dimensional perspective view of a virtual environment as observed from a first reference point located within the electric vehicle above the charging coupler such that a second reference point on a ground surface of the virtual environment and on a longitudinal axis of the electric vehicle is mapped onto a first point in the display, the second reference point representing a second point at distance from a third reference point that is a projection of a center of the charging spot onto the longitudinal axis;

adjusting, as the electric vehicle moves, the virtual three dimensional perspective view such that the mapped second reference point is maintained in the display; and

transitioning to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a virtual two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a line running through the first and second reference points and a plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an angle threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the virtual environment comprises one or more of:

a ground representation;

a coordinate grid;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging spot; and

a direction display indicating a direction for correction based upon the location of the charging spot.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the virtual three-dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned at a reference point and aimed at the location of the charging spot.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising transitioning from displaying the virtual indicator in the virtual two dimensional top-down view to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a third view when the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies a second angle threshold, the third view comprising an upside-down view of the two dimensional top-down view.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying an identifier of the charging base.

32. The method according to claim 18, wherein the point in the display is located in a center of the display.

33. The method according to claim 18, herein the distance from the second reference point to the third reference point is zero.

34. The method according to claim 18, further comprising adjusting the virtual three dimensional perspective view based on the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface.

23. An apparatus for guiding an electric vehicle comprising:

means for determining a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle; and

means for displaying a virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a display of a graphical user interface in a virtual three dimensional perspective view of a virtual environment as observed from a first reference point located within the electric vehicle above the charging coupler such that a second reference point on a ground surface of the virtual environment and on a longitudinal axis of the electric vehicle is mapped onto a point in the display, the second reference point representing point at a distance from a third reference point that is a projection of a center of the charging spot onto the longitudinal axis;

means for adjusting, as the electric vehicle moves, the virtual three-dimensional perspective view such that the mapped second reference point is maintained in a display axis; and

means for transitioning to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a line running through the first and second reference points and a plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an angle threshold.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the virtual environment comprises one or more of:

a ground representation;

a coordinate grid;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging base; and

a direction display indicating a direction for correction based upon the location of the charging spot.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for transitioning from displaying the virtual indicator in the virtual two dimensional top-down view to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a third view when the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an angle threshold, the third view comprising an upside-down view of the two dimensional top-down view.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for transitioning from displaying the virtual indicator in the third view to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a fourth view when the angle between the line running through the first and second reference points and the plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an angle threshold, the fourth view including an upside-down view of the three dimensional perspective view or an icon indicating that the location of the charging spot has satisfied the third threshold.

27. A device for guiding an electric vehicle, the device comprising:

a sensor system configured to determine a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle; and

a processor configured to;

display a virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot in a display of a graphical user interface in a virtual environment as observed from a first reference point located within the electric vehicle above the charging coupler such that a second reference point on a ground surface of the virtual environment and on a longitudinal axis of the electric vehicle is mapped onto a point in the display, the second reference point representing a point at a distance from a third reference point that is a projection of a center of the charging spot onto the longitudinal axis;

adjust, as the electric vehicle moves, the virtual three-dimensional perspective view such that the mapped second reference point is maintained in the display; and

transition to displaying the virtual indicator of the location of the charging spot and a cross-hair icon in the virtual two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a line running through the first and second reference point and a plane parallel to the ground surface satisfies an angle threshold, the cross-hair icon representing a center position of the charging coupler of the electric vehicle and displayed in a fixed position relative to the virtual indicator.