ELECTRIC BUS AND ELECTRIC BUS BATTERY EXCHANGE SYSTEM

• US 20130197803A1
• Filed: 07/01/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kookmin University, University-Industry Cooperation Foundation of Korea Aerospace University
• Original Assignee: Kookmin University, University-Industry Cooperation Foundation of Korea Aerospace University
• Inventors: Park, Jun Seok, Kim, Won-Kyu, Jung, Won-Jae
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/537
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/00 Details of viewing arrangements using cameras and displays, specially adapted for use in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• 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

Provided is an electric bus and an electric bus battery exchange system. The electric bus according to the present invention includes: a battery exchange hole disposed on top of the electric bus for exchanging a discharged battery for a charged battery; a front camera unit taking front images in the process of entering the battery exchange station for battery exchange; a communication unit for receiving position information of the battery exchange unit from the battery exchange station; a route output unit outputting a predicted driving route for reaching a swapping point below the battery exchange unit based on the front images taken by the front camera unit and the position information of the battery exchange unit; and a display unit displaying the predicted driving route outputted by the route output unit, superimposed on the front images taken by the front camera unit.

Claims

1. An electric bus comprising:

a battery exchange hole disposed on top of the electric bus for exchanging a discharged battery for a charged battery by being connected to a battery exchange unit of a battery exchange station;

a front camera unit taking front images in the process of entering the battery exchange station for battery exchange;

a communication unit for receiving position information of the battery exchange unit from the battery exchange station;

a route output unit outputting a predicted driving route for reaching a swapping point below the battery exchange unit based on the front images taken by the front camera unit and the position information of the battery exchange unit; and

a display unit displaying the predicted driving route outputted by the route output unit, superimposed on the front images taken by the front camera unit.

2. The electric bus of claim 1 wherein the front camera unit takes front images only when a reservation of battery exchange exists.

3. An electric bus battery exchange system comprising:

a battery exchange station exchanging a discharged battery for a charged battery and comprising a battery exchange unit and a position-information providing unit, wherein the battery exchange unit is projected out to be connected with a battery exchange hole positioned on top of the electric bus, and wherein the position-information providing unit provides position information of the battery exchange unit to the electric bus; and

an electric bus taking front images in the process of entering the battery exchange station for battery exchange, and outputting a predicted driving route for reaching a swapping point below the battery exchange unit based on the front images and the position information of the battery exchange unit.

4. The electric bus battery exchange system of claim 3,

wherein the battery exchange station comprises the plurality of battery exchange units, and further comprises an exchange-position allocation unit selecting among the plurality of battery exchange units and allocating selected battery exchange unit to the electric bus as a position for exchanging the battery, and

wherein the electric bus outputs the predicted driving route for being positioned exactly below the battery exchange unit allocated by the exchange-position allocation unit.

5. The electric bus battery exchange system of claim 4,

wherein the exchange-position allocation unit reallocates one of the battery exchange unit among the plurality of battery exchange units by selecting by itself or being selected by the electric bus, in case that it is impossible for the electric bus to reach below the allocated battery exchange unit due to other electric buses being positioned below the allocated battery exchange unit.

6. The electric bus battery exchange system of claim 4,

wherein the battery exchange station further comprises a move-request unit, and wherein the move-request unit transmits a signal for asking other electric buses to move away from the battery exchange unit, in case that it is impossible for the electric bus to reach below the allocated battery exchange unit due to the other electric buses being positioned below the allocated battery exchange.