ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING DEVICE OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE AND WARNING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20170136880A1
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NIO Technology Company Limited (NIO, Inc. (China))
• Original Assignee: NextEV USA, Inc. (NIO, Inc. (China))
• Inventors: Ricci, Christopher P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,694,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0015 Prevention of collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/36 Single contact pieces along the line for power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/00 Power lines or rails specially adapted for electrically-propelled vehicles of special types, e.g. suspension tramway, ropeway, underground railway
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/02 Streamlining the undersurfaces B62D35/005, B62D35/007, B62D35/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
• 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

Techniques for electric vehicle systems, and in particular to an electric vehicle charging device obstacle avoidance system and method of use. In one embodiment, a system for obstacle avoidance of a charging panel of an electrical vehicle is disclosed, the system comprising: a charging panel interconnected to the electric vehicle; an actuator interconnected to the charging panel, the actuator configured to position the charging panel; at least one sensor configured to sense an obstacle location measurement in a predicted travel path of the electric vehicle; and an obstacle avoidance controller that receives the obstacle location measurement and determines if an obstacle avoidance action is recommended.

Claims

1. A system for obstacle avoidance of a charging panel of an electrical vehicle, the system comprising:

a charging panel interconnected to the electric vehicle;

an actuator interconnected to the charging panel, the actuator configured to position the charging panel;

at least one sensor configured to sense an obstacle location measurement in a predicted travel path of the electric vehicle;

an obstacle avoidance controller that receives the obstacle location measurement and determines if an obstacle avoidance action is recommended,

wherein the obstacle avoidance controller determines a sensor configuration of the at least one sensor based on at least one of obstacle risk, roadway type, and environmental condition, and

wherein the sensor configuration indicates at least a sensor type and an initial position of the at least one sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the obstacle avoidance action comprises an alert to an occupant of the electric vehicle and a repositioning of the charging panel.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the alert comprises an audio warning and a visual warning.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the repositioning of the charging panel occurs automatically by actuation of the actuator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor configuration of the at least one sensor is selected from a sensor database comprising sensor types with respect to at least one of the obstacle risk, the roadway type and the environmental condition.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the sensor types comprise a camera and a radar.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the obstacle avoidance action comprises deployment of a charging panel protective shield.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is at least two sensors with two different sensor types comprising a camera and a radar, wherein the sensor configuration determines a sensing type and a sensing band of the camera and a sensing type and a sensing band of the radar.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging panel is configured to operate in a plurality of states comprising a retracted state and a deployed state.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein if the charging panel is in the deployed state, the obstacle avoidance action comprises automatically repositioning the charging panel to the retracted state.

11. A method for obstacle avoidance of a charging panel of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by a microprocessor, a positioning of a charging panel interconnected to the electric vehicle;

determining, by the microprocessor, a sensor configuration of at least one sensor based on at least one of obstacle risk, roadway type, and environmental condition, wherein the sensor configuration indicates at least a sensor type and an initial position of the at least one sensor;

measuring, by the at least one sensor, an obstacle location measurement in a predicted travel path of the electric vehicle;

transmitting, by the microprocessor, the obstacle location measurement to an obstacle avoidance controller;

receiving by the obstacle avoidance controller, the obstacle location measurement; and

determining, by the microprocessor, an obstacle avoidance action.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing the obstacle avoidance action, wherein the obstacle avoidance action comprises an alert to an occupant of the electric vehicle and a repositioning of the charging panel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the alert comprises an audio warning and a visual warning.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the repositioning of the charging panel occurs automatically by actuation of the actuator.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor configuration of the at least one sensor is determined from a sensor database comprising the sensor type with respect to at least one of the obstacle risk, the roadway type and the environmental condition.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor types comprise a camera and a radar.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing the obstacle avoidance action, wherein the obstacle avoidance action comprises deployment of a charging panel protective shield.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is at least two sensors with two different sensor types comprising a camera and a radar, wherein the sensor configuration determines a sensing type and a sensing band of the camera and a sensing type and a sensing band of the radar.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the charging panel is configured to operate in a plurality of states comprising a retracted state and a deployed state.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising executing the obstacle avoidance action, wherein if the charging panel is in the deployed state, the obstacle avoidance action comprises automatically repositioning the charging panel to the retracted state.