Method, apparatus, and system for automatic refueling of driverless vehicle

• US 10,354,478 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baidu Online Network Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd (Baidu Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Baidu Online Network Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd (Baidu Incorporated)
• Inventors: Guo, Xiaoyan, Li, Kelei, Xiao, Cuijuan, Zhang, Hang, Zheng, Yuanyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/280,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20170316635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0538 with open or close mechanism automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/001 for gas

Abstract

The present application discloses at least a method, apparatus, and system for automatic refueling of a driverless vehicle. A specific implementation of the method includes: sending refueling request information when a fuel amount is lower than a preset value and a refueling condition is satisfied; receiving preselected gas station information corresponding to the refueling request information; determining, from the preselected gas station information, destination gas station information and driving route information of a destination gas station; sending refueling request information after arriving at the destination gas station based on the driving route information of the destination gas station; turning off an engine and/or an electric motor after receiving refueling permission information corresponding to the refueling request information, opening a fuel tank cap, and sending refueling confirmation information; and closing the fuel tank cap after receiving refueling completion information. This implementation improves the refueling efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for automatic refueling of a driverless vehicle, comprising:

sending to a server refueling request information when a fuel amount is lower than a preset value and a refueling condition is satisfied, the refueling condition comprising at least one of;

the vehicle is in a driverless state, and an instruction permitting automatic refueling is received; and

the refueling request information comprising a vehicle identification number, vehicle location information, and information about drivable mileage using remaining fuel in the vehicle;

receiving preselected gas station information corresponding to the refueling request information, the preselected gas station information comprising location information of a preselected gas station, driving route information of the preselected gas station, and refuel-queuing information of the preselected gas station corresponding to a refuel-queuing condition, the refuel-queuing condition comprising at least one of waiting time for refueling, a distance to the gas station, and time required to reach the gas station, and the refuel-queuing information comprising at least one of a number of idle automatic refueling terminals and a number of vehicles waiting for refueling;

determining, from the preselected gas station information, destination gas station information and driving route information of a destination gas station;

sending to a refueling terminal refueling request information after arriving at the destination gas station based on the driving route information of the destination gas station, the refueling request information comprising the vehicle identification number, refueling account information, and refueling amount information;

turning off an engine and/or an electric motor after receiving refueling permission information corresponding to the refueling request information, opening a fuel tank cap, and sending refueling confirmation information; and

closing the fuel tank cap after receiving refueling completion information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending fuel amount prompt information when the fuel amount is detected to be lower than the preset value, the fuel amount prompt information comprising voice prompt information, image prompt information, and information about a remaining available mileage corresponding to the current fuel amount.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, after the step of closing the fuel tank cap after receiving a refueling completion information:

returning to a specified location.

4. A method for automatic refueling of a driverless vehicle, applied to a server, comprising:

receiving refueling request information from a driverless vehicle, the refueling request information comprising a vehicle identification number, vehicle location information, and information about drivable mileage using remaining fuel in the vehicle;

searching for preselected gas station information corresponding to the refueling request information; and

sending the preselected gas station information to the driverless vehicle, for the driverless vehicle to determine destination gas station information and driving route information of a destination gas station for refueling.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the searching for the preselected gas station information corresponding to the refueling request information comprises:

searching for information about a gas station within a specified range corresponding to the vehicle location information; and

determining the preselected gas station information from the information about the gas station based on the information about the drivable mileage using the remaining fuel in the vehicle and refuel-queuing information, the refuel-queuing information comprising at least one of;

a number of idle automatic refueling terminals at a gas station and a number of vehicles waiting for refueling.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the determining, based on the information about the drivable mileage using the remaining fuel in the vehicle and the refuel-queuing information, the preselected gas station information from the information about the gas station comprises:

selecting preliminarily selected gas station information from the information about the gas station based on the information about the drivable mileage using the remaining fuel in the vehicle;

acquiring refuel-queuing information corresponding to the preliminarily selected gas station information, and using a first specified number of preliminarily selected gas stations satisfying a refuel-queuing condition as a preselected gas station, the refuel-queuing condition comprising at least one of waiting time for refueling, a distance to the gas station, and time required to reach the gas station;

determining driving route information of the preselected gas station based on the vehicle location information and location information of the preselected gas station; and

encapsulating the location information of the preselected gas station, the driving route information of the preselected gas station, and the refuel-queuing information of the preselected gas station corresponding to the refuel-queuing condition into the preselected gas station information.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

sending refueling authorization information, the refueling authorization information comprising the vehicle identification number.

8. A method for automatic refueling of a driverless vehicle, comprising:

receiving refueling request information, the refueling request information comprising a vehicle identification number, refueling account information, and refueling amount information;

validating the vehicle identification number in the refueling request information by using a received refueling authorization information, and sending refueling permission information if the validation is passed;

otherwise, sending alarm information; and

refueling the vehicle based on the refueling account information and the refueling amount information after receiving a refueling confirmation message, and sending refueling completion information,

wherein the refueling the vehicle based on the refueling account information and the refueling amount information comprises;

checking whether the refueling account information comprises a valid account,

in response to determining that the refueling account information comprises the valid account, checking balance information of the refueling account and refueling the vehicle based on the balance information; and

in response to determining that the refueling account information does not comprise the valid account, sending alarm information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the checking balance information of the refueling account and refueling the vehicle based on the balance information comprises:

checking whether an account balance is greater than or equal to an amount corresponding to the refueling amount information;

in response to determining that the account balance is greater than or equal to the amount corresponding to the refueling amount information, refueling the vehicle based on the refueling amount information, and deducting an amount corresponding to the refueling amount information from the account balance; and

in response to determining that the account balance is not greater than or equal to the amount corresponding to the refueling amount information, sending alert information indicating that the account needs to be recharged.

10. An apparatus for automatic refueling of a driverless vehicle, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

sending to a server refueling request information when a fuel amount is lower than a preset value and a refueling condition is satisfied, the refueling condition comprising at least one of;

the vehicle is in a driverless state; and

an instruction permitting automatic refueling is received, and the refueling request information comprising a vehicle identification number, vehicle location information, and information about drivable mileage using remaining fuel in the vehicle;

receiving preselected gas station information corresponding to the refueling request information, the preselected gas station information comprising location information of a preselected gas station, driving route information of the preselected gas station, and refuel-queuing information of the preselected gas station corresponding to a refuel-queuing condition, the refuel-queuing condition comprising at least one of waiting time for refueling, a distance to the gas station, and time required to reach the gas station, and the refuel-queuing information comprising at least one of a number of idle automatic refueling terminals and a number of vehicles waiting for refueling;

determining, from the preselected gas station information, destination gas station information and driving route information of a destination gas station;

sending to a refueling terminal refueling request information after arriving at the destination gas station based on the driving route information of the destination gas station, the refueling request information comprising the vehicle identification number, refueling account information, and refueling amount information;

turning off an engine and/or an electric motor after receiving refueling permission information corresponding to the refueling request information, opening a fuel tank cap, and sending refueling confirmation information; and

closing the fuel tank cap after receiving refueling completion information.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending fuel amount prompt information when the fuel amount is detected to be lower than the preset value, the fuel amount prompt information comprising voice prompt information, image prompt information, and information about a remaining available mileage corresponding to the current fuel amount.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

returning to a specified location after receiving the refueling completion information.

13. An apparatus for automatic refueling of a driverless vehicle, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving refueling request information from a driverless vehicle, the refueling request information comprising a vehicle identification number, vehicle location information, and information about drivable mileage using remaining fuel in the vehicle;

searching for preselected gas station information corresponding to the refueling request information; and

sending the preselected gas station information to the driverless vehicle, for the driverless vehicle to determine destination gas station information and driving route information of a destination gas station from the preselected gas station information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the searching for the preselected gas station information corresponding to the refueling request information comprises:

searching for information about a gas station within a specified range corresponding to the vehicle location information; and

determining the preselected gas station information from the information about the gas station based on the information about the drivable mileage using the remaining fuel in the vehicle and refuel-queuing information, the refuel-queuing information comprising at least one of;

a number of idle automatic refueling terminals at a gas station and a number of vehicles waiting for refueling.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determining, based on the information about the drivable mileage using the remaining fuel in the vehicle and the refuel-queuing information, the preselected gas station information from the information about the gas station comprises:

selecting preliminarily selected gas station information from the information about the gas station based on the information about the drivable mileage using the remaining fuel in the vehicle;

acquiring refuel-queuing information corresponding to the preliminarily selected gas station information, and using a first specified number of preliminarily selected gas stations satisfying a refuel-queuing condition as a preselected gas station, the refuel-queuing condition comprising at least one of waiting time for refueling, a distance to the gas station, and time required to reach the gas station;

determining driving route information of the preselected gas station based on the vehicle location information and location information of the preselected gas station; and

encapsulating the location information of the preselected gas station, name information of the preselected gas station, the driving route information of the preselected gas station, and the refuel-queuing information of the preselected gas station corresponding to the refuel-queuing condition into the preselected gas station information.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending refueling authorization information, the refueling authorization information comprising the vehicle identification number.

17. An apparatus for automatic refueling of a driverless vehicle, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving refueling request information, the refueling request information comprising a vehicle identification number, refueling account information, and refueling amount information;

validating the vehicle identification number in the refueling request information by using received refueling authorization information, and sending refueling permission information if the validation is passed;

otherwise, sending alarm information; and

refueling the vehicle based on the refueling account information and the refueling amount information after receiving a refueling confirmation message, and sending refueling completion information,

wherein the refueling the vehicle based on the refueling account information and the refueling amount information comprises;

checking whether the refueling account information comprises a valid account;

in response to determining that the refueling account information comprises the valid account, checking balance information of the refueling account and refueling the vehicle based on the balance information; and

in response to determining that the refueling account information does not comprise the valid account, sending alarm information.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the checking balance information of the refueling account and refueling the vehicle based on the balance information comprises:

checking whether an account balance is greater than or equal to an amount corresponding to the refueling amount information;

in response to determining that the account balance is greater than or equal to the amount corresponding to the refueling amount information, refueling the vehicle based on the refueling amount information, and deducting the amount corresponding to the refueling amount information from the account balance; and

in response to determining that the account balance is not greater than or equal to the amount corresponding to the refueling amount information, sending alert information indicating that the account needs to be recharged.