VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS, POWER MANAGEMENT, AND SEATING SYSTEMS

• US 20140285146A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KLD Energy Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kenguru, Inc (KLD Energy Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huston, Charles D., Hunt, Martyn T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,868,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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 facilitating communication between a vehicle and a user, the system comprising:

a vehicle having a rechargeable battery and a communication and control subsystem communicatively coupled to the battery to gather and transmit vehicle information, wherein the vehicle information comprises battery information and a vehicle identifier;

a charging station, wherein the charging station comprises a charging station identifier;

an electrical coupling between the charging station, a power source, and the vehicle, the electrical coupling being operable to charge the battery;

wherein the electrical coupling between the power source and the rechargeable battery comprises a communicative coupling; and

wherein the control subsystem is operable to receive communications from the user via the communicative coupling.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control subsystem is operable to transmit communications to the user via the communicative coupling.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is connected to one of the Internet and a wireless communications network, and wherein the vehicle identifier comprises a MAC address.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control subsystem is operable to receive a command from a computing device of the user.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the command comprises an instruction to transmit vehicle data to a recipient.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle data comprises data that indicates the amount of energy stored by the rechargeable battery.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical coupling comprises a communication schema selected from the group comprising power line communication, power line carrier (PLC), Power line Digital Subscriber Line (PDSL), mains communication, power line telecom (PLT), power line networking (PLN), and Broadband over Power Lines (BPL).

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging station identifier comprises location information.

14. 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.

9. 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.

10. The system for allocating power of claim 9, wherein the charge controller is operable to distribute power from the rechargeable battery to the auxiliary battery based in response to determining that the power level of the auxiliary battery is below a predetermined threshold.

11. The system for allocating power of claim 9, wherein the charge controller is operable to distribute power from the rechargeable battery to the auxiliary battery in response to determining that the power level of the rechargeable battery is above a predetermined threshold.

12. The system for allocating power of claim 9, 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.

13. The system for allocating power of claim 9, wherein the charge controller is operable to distribute power from the rechargeable battery to the auxiliary battery in response to user input.

15. A compact vehicle having a main passenger compartment, a set of driver controls at the front of the compartment, side panels on either side of the compartment, and a hatchback door that rotates up and away from the compartment in an open position and that rotates down to move the hatchback door to enclose the compartment, wherein an integrated seating element is coupled to the hatchback door.

16. The compact vehicle of claim 15, wherein the integrated seating element comprises a seatback.

17. The compact vehicle of claim 15, wherein the integrated seating element comprises a seatback and folding seat bottom, wherein a hinge couples the folding seat bottom to the seatback, the seatback includes an indented portion, and wherein the seat bottom is sized and configured to fit within the indented portion.

18. The compact vehicle of claim 15, wherein the integrated seating element is sized and configured to receive a wheelchair of an operator.

19. The compact vehicle of claim 18, wherein the integrated seating element comprises one of a seatback or headrest that complements the structure of the wheelchair to support the body of the operator in the event of an accident.

20. The compact vehicle of claim 15, further comprising an integrated seating element coupled to the sides of the compartment, and wherein the integrated seating element comprises a side support that engages and supports the sides of an operator of the vehicle.