SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS RELATED TO GUIDANCE AND ALIGNMENT FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND CHARGING STATION

• US 20150073642A1
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Widmer, Hanspeter, Sieber, Lukas, Daetwyler, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 10,139,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for guiding and aligning an electric vehicle with a charging station. In one aspect, a method of guiding an electric vehicle is provided, including determining a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle. The method further includes displaying an indicator of the location of the charging spot in a three dimensional perspective view, the indicator displayed for guiding a user of the electric vehicle to position a charging coupler of the electric vehicle over the charging base within a tolerance area. The method further includes transitioning to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a threshold.

Claims

1. A device for guiding an electric vehicle, comprising:

a sensor circuit configured to determine a location of a charging spot associated with a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle; and

a processor configured to;

display an indicator of the location of the charging spot in a three dimensional perspective view, the indicator displayed for guiding a user of the electric vehicle to position the charging coupler of the electric vehicle over the charging base within a tolerance area; and

transition to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a threshold.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the reference point comprises a location within the electric vehicle and above the charging coupler of the electric vehicle.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display:

a representation of a local environment floor plan; and

a route of the electric vehicle to the location of the charging base;

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display an identifier of the charging base.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display a virtual environment comprising one or more of:

a ground representation;

a coordinate grid;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging spot; and

a direction display indicating a direction for correction.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the virtual environment further comprises a sky representation and a horizon representation.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the three dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned within the electric vehicle and above the charging coupler of the electric vehicle, the virtual camera aimed at the location of the charging spot.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the three dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned within the electric vehicle and above the charging coupler of the electric vehicle, the virtual camera aimed at a location a distance offset from the location of the charging spot.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the virtual environment further comprises an indicator of a suggested trajectory for the electric vehicle to the charging spot.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein the three dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned above and perpendicular to the charging coupler of the electric vehicle for tracking an x-position of the charging spot.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display a second virtual environment when in the two dimensional top-down view comprising one or more of:

a ground representation;

a cross-hair display indicating a center position of the charging coupler of the electric vehicle;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging spot;

or

a direction display indicating a direction for correction.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transition from displaying the indicator in the two dimensional top down view to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a third view when the angle between the reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a second threshold, the third view comprising an upside-down view of the two dimensional top down view.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the third view comprises an icon indicating that the location of the charging spot has satisfied the second threshold.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein processor is further configured to transition from displaying the indicator in the third view to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a fourth view when the angle between the reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a third threshold, the fourth view comprising an upside-down view of the three dimensional perspective view or an icon indicating that the location of the charging spot has satisfied the third threshold.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display the indicator of the location of the charging spot on a user interface of the electric vehicle.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display a night representation when a time of day satisfies a threshold.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor circuit is further configured to determine a location of a first charging spot of a first charging base and a second charging spot of a second charging base in response to being positioned to be able to detect a signal from both the first and second charging bases, and wherein the processor is further configured to display an indicator of the sensed position of the first and second charging spots relative to the charging coupler of the electric vehicle.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to dynamically remove the indicator of the location of one of the first or second charging spots when the location of the first or second charging spots is no longer located within a field of view.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the tolerance area comprises an area where a coupling efficiency between the charging coupler of the electric vehicle and a charging coupler of the charging base satisfies a threshold value.

20. A method of guiding an electric vehicle comprising:

determining a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle;

displaying an indicator of the location of the charging spot in a three dimensional perspective view, the indicator displayed for guiding a user of the electric vehicle to position a charging coupler of the electric vehicle over the charging base within a tolerance area; and

transitioning to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a threshold.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the reference point comprises a location within the electric vehicle and above the charging coupler of the electric vehicle.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying a virtual environment comprising one or more of:

a ground representation;

a coordinate grid;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging spot; and

a direction display indicating a direction for correction.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the three dimensional perspective view comprises a display of the virtual environment by a virtual camera positioned within the electric vehicle and above the charging coupler of the electric vehicle, the virtual camera aimed at the location of the base charging spot.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising transitioning from displaying the indicator in the two dimensional top down view to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a third view when the angle between the reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a second threshold, the third view comprising an upside-down view of the two dimensional top down view.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying an identifier of the charging base.

26. An apparatus for guiding an electric vehicle comprising:

means for determining a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle; and

means for displaying an indicator of the location of the charging spot in a three dimensional perspective view, the location of the charging spot displayed for guiding a user of the electric vehicle to position the charging coupler of the electric vehicle over the charging base within a tolerance area; and

means for transitioning to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a threshold.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for displaying a virtual environment comprising one or more of:

a ground representation;

a coordinate grid;

a number display indicating a distance from the charging base; and

a direction display indicating a direction for correction.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for transitioning from displaying the indicator in the two dimensional top down view to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a third view when the angle between the reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a second threshold, the third view comprising an upside-down view of the two dimensional top down view.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for transitioning from displaying the indicator in the third view to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot in a fourth view when the angle between the reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a third threshold, the fourth view comprising an upside-down view of the three dimensional perspective view or an icon indicating that the location of the charging spot has satisfied the third threshold.

30. A device for guiding an electric vehicle, the device comprising:

a sensor system configured to determine a location of a charging spot associated to a charging base in relation to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle; and

a processor configured to;

display an indicator of the location of the charging spot, an icon representing the electric vehicle, and a trajectory from the electric vehicle to the indicator in a two dimensional top-down view, the icon displayed in a fixed position relative to the indicator, the location of the charging spot and the trajectory displayed for guiding a user of the electric vehicle to position the charging coupler of the electric vehicle over the charging base within a tolerance area; and

transition to displaying the indicator of the location of the charging spot and a cross-hair icon in the two dimensional top-down view based on determining that an angle between a reference point and a point on ground related to the location of the charging spot satisfies a threshold, the cross-hair icon representing a center position of the charging coupler of the electric vehicle and displayed in a fixed position relative to the indicator.