Providing Roadside Charging Services

• US 20120303259A1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Original Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Prosser, Ronald D.
• Application Number:
  US13/481,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/400
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/006 to power outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/57 Charging stations without connection to power networks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• 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 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

Methods for providing electrical charging services are disclosed, including receiving dispatch information for a service vehicle, receiving charging instructions including an amount of charge to provide to a stranded or depleted EV, providing the amount of charge, and providing a charging station location to the EV or an EV passenger or occupant. Additional methods describe how to determine a charging station location for the EV, reserving an EV charger for the EV, and making roadside payment transactions. Other methods disclosed include receiving information about an EV in need of charging services, selecting and assigning a service vehicle to assist the EV, and distributing relevant information to the EV such as an amount of energy to provide to the EV that would allow the EV to reach a charging station for a more complete charge. Resupply of the service vehicle and providing guidance to reach the EV may also be provided.

Claims

1. A method of electrical charging service operation, the method comprising:

receiving dispatch information for a service vehicle, the dispatch information comprising;

identification information of an electric vehicle (EV) in need of charging services, and

a location of the EV;

receiving charging instructions, the charging instructions comprising;

a charging station location, and

an amount of charge to provide to the EV, where the amount of charge is calculated based on the energy required by the EV to travel to the charging station location for recharging;

providing the amount of charge to the EV using charging equipment transported by the service vehicle; and

providing the charging station location to the EV or a passenger or occupant of the EV.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging station location is determined based on whether charging equipment at the charging station location is compatible with charging equipment of the EV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging station location is determined based on the price of charging the EV at the charging station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging station location is determined based on proximity of the charging station location to an intended destination of the EV or proximity of the charging station location to a path leading to the intended destination preferred by a passenger or occupant of the EV.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging station location is determined based on the amount of charge required by the EV to travel to the charging station location for recharging.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the amount of charge is calculated based on the identification information of the EV.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the amount of charge is calculated based on an expected rate of energy consumption of the EV between the location of the EV and the charging station location or a distance between the location of the EV and the charging station location.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the amount of charge ranges from a minimum of approximately 4 kilowatt-hours and a maximum of approximately 8 kilowatt-hours.

9. The method of claim 1, the charging instructions further comprising charging station reservation information or charging station reservation availability information.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reserving a charging station for the EV at the charging station location; and

providing information about the reserved charging station to the EV or a passenger or occupant of the EV.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment corresponding with the amount of charge provided to the EV.

12. A method of electrical charging service operation, the method comprising:

receiving identification information of an electric vehicle (EV) in need of charging services and a location of the EV;

generating charging instructions, the charging instructions comprising;

a charging station location and,

an amount of charge to provide to the EV, where the amount of charge is calculated based on the energy required by the EV to travel to the charging station location for recharging;

selecting a service vehicle, the service vehicle having charging equipment, where the service vehicle is selected based on;

a location and a status of the service vehicle,

compatibility of the charging equipment with the EV, and

ability to provide the amount of charge to the EV using the charging equipment when at the location of the EV;

generating dispatch information for the selected service vehicle, the dispatch information comprising;

the identification information of the EV, and

the location of the EV;

sending the dispatch information to the service vehicle; and

sending the charging instructions to the service vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, the dispatch information further comprising driving directions for the service vehicle to reach the location of the EV.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the charging station location is generated based on whether charging equipment at the charging station location is compatible with charging equipment of the EV.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the charging station location is generated based on proximity of the charging station location to an intended destination of the EV or proximity of the charging station location to a path leading to the intended destination preferred by a passenger or occupant of the EV.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the charging station location is generated based on the amount of charge required by the EV to travel to the charging station location.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

reserving a charging station for the EV at the charging station location; and

sending reservation information regarding the reserved charging station to the service vehicle, a service vehicle operator, the EV, or a passenger or occupant of the EV.

18. The method of claim 12, the status of the service vehicle comprising a fuel level of the service vehicle and an amount of available charge onboard the service vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the amount of available charge onboard the service vehicle is determined by a number of battery modules transported by the service vehicle, the battery modules being connectable to the charging equipment of the service vehicle for providing charge to the EV.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the charging equipment of the service vehicle provides charge from one or more battery modules.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining that the service vehicle needs to exchange battery modules; and

sending exchange instructions to the service vehicle, the exchange instructions comprising instructions to exchange one or more battery modules with a battery module storage location or a resupply vehicle.