Vehicle communications, power management, and seating systems

• US 10,442,300 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KLD Energy Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: KLD Energy Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Huston, Charles D., Hunt, Martyn T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US15/861,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20180154788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/00 Driver interactions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3015 the axis being located at the top of the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3047 the cushion being hinged at the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/803 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A system for facilitating communication between a vehicle and a user includes a vehicle having a rechargeable battery and a communication and control subsystem. The communication and control subsystem is communicatively coupled to the battery to gather and transmit vehicle information, which may include battery information and a vehicle identifier. The system also includes a charging station having a charging station identifier and an electrical coupling between the charging station, a power source, and the vehicle. The electrical coupling is operable to charge the battery and includes a communicative coupling. The control subsystem is operable to receive communications from the user via the communicative coupling.

Claims

1. A system for allocating power between an electric vehicle battery and an auxiliary battery, the system comprising:

an electric vehicle having a rechargeable battery and a power management subsystem;

an auxiliary battery; and

a charge controller operable to distribute power between the rechargeable battery and the auxiliary battery wherein the charge controller is operable to distribute power from the rechargeable battery to the auxiliary battery in response to determining that the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a charging station or a final destination.

2. The system for allocating power of claim 1, wherein the charge controller is operable to distribute power from the rechargeable battery to the auxiliary battery in response to user input.

3. The system for allocating power of claim 1, wherein the power allocation system comprises an integral control system that allows a user to input user preferences regarding the distribution of power between the rechargeable battery and wheelchair battery, and wherein the charge controller is operable to distribute power between the rechargeable battery and auxiliary battery based on the user preferences.