Shared vehicle system and method involving reserving vehicles with highest states of charge

• US 7,181,409 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazuhiro, Murakami, Hiroshi, Yano, Shunji, Barth, Matthew James, Todd, Michael Donovan
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morgan; Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US09/349,423
• Time in Patent Office: 2,785 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/36 of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0057 for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs car rental G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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 shared vehicle system includes a central facility, at least one vehicle distribution port facility and a plurality or fleet of vehicles, each having a vehicle subsystem. In general, the central station and port facility and the vehicle subsystems communicate in a manner to allow a user to enter information at a port facility. That information is then communicated to the central facility, where the information is processed to select a vehicle from the fleet to allocate to the user at the port facility. Selection of a vehicle for allocation to a user may be based on selecting an available or soon to be available vehicle according to various algorithms that take into account the vehicles state of charge. The central station also communicates with the port facility and the vehicle subsystem to notify the user of the selected vehicle, to provide secure user access to the selected vehicle, to monitor the location and operating status of vehicles in the fleet, to monitor the state of charge of electric vehicles and to provide other functions. The vehicles communicate with the central station to notify the central station of the PIN number of the individual attempting to use the vehicle, and of vehicle parameters such as state of charge and location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for determining an order of allocating electric vehicles for use depending on different charge levels of the vehicles, the method comprising:

one or more computers receiving from a user an expected distance of a specific, planned trip;

the computers selecting a group of vehicles having charge levels which are adequate for covering said expected distance of the specific, planned tip;

the computers determining whether a vehicle having a second highest level of charge is in the selected group; and

if a determination is made that a vehicle having a second highest level of charge is in the selected group, the computers allocating the vehicle having a second highest level of charge in the selected group.

2. A method for allocating one or more vehicles from a fleet of electric powered vehicles to one or more users, wherein each vehicle has a state of charge (SOC) at any given time, the method comprising:

one or more computers receiving a travel request from a user, wherein the travel request includes information concerning a specific, planned trip and the information is usable to determine the SOC necessary for that trip;

the computers selecting a group of one or more vehicles from the fleet, where each selected vehicle has a SOC sufficient to meet the travel request from the user;

the computers determining whether a vehicle having a second highest SOC is in the selected group; and

if it is determined that a vehicle having a second highest SOC is in the selected group, then the computers allocating the vehicle having the second highest SOC in the group for the user.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of receiving a travel request comprises receiving information associated with an expected distance of travel and wherein said step of selecting a group comprises selecting one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel the expected distance.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of receiving a travel request comprises receiving information associated with an expected time period of use and wherein said step of selecting a group comprises selecting one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel for the expected time period.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of receiving a travel request comprises receiving information associated with an expected destination port and an expected distance of travel beyond a direct route to the destination port and wherein said step of selecting a group comprises selecting one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel the combined distance of the direct route to the destination port and expected distance of travel beyond the direct route.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of identifying the allocated vehicle to the user.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said step of identifying the allocated vehicle to the user comprises displaying identification information to the user on a display device.

8. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of receiving a travel request comprises:

displaying a map to the user; and

receiving user-selected map locations corresponding to locations on the displayed map through a user-interface associated with the displayed map.

9. A method for allocating one or more vehicles from a fleet of electric powered vehicles to one or more users, wherein each vehicle has a state of charge (SOC) at any given time, the method comprising:

providing a user-interface terminal at one or more ports;

receiving travel request information from a user at a user-interface terminal and communicating the travel request information to a computer, wherein the travel request includes information concerning a specific, planned trip and the information is usable to determine the SOC necessary for that trip;

operating the computer to select a group of one or more vehicles from the fleet, where each selected vehicle has an SOC sufficient to meet the travel request information from the user;

the computer determining whether a vehicle having a second highest SOC is in the selected group; and

if it is determined that a vehicle having a second highest SOC is in the selected group, then operating the computer to allocate the vehicle having the second highest SOC in the group for the user.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said step of receiving travel request information comprises receiving information associated with an expected distance of travel and wherein said step of operating the computer to select a group comprises selecting one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel the expected distance.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said step of receiving travel request information comprises receiving information associated with an expected time period of use and wherein said step of controlling the computer to select a group comprises selecting one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel for the expected time period.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said step of receiving travel request information comprises receiving information associated with an expected destination port and an expected distance of travel beyond a direct route to the destination port and wherein said step of operating the computer to select a group comprises selecting one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel the combined distance of the direct route to the destination port and expected distance of travel beyond the direct route.

13. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying vehicle identification information on a display device at the port facility from which travel information is received, identifying the vehicle allocated to the user.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

said step of providing a user-interface terminal at one or more ports comprises providing a user-interface at a plurality of ports disposed at geographically remote locations relative to each other;

each port has a vehicle search group (VSG) in which more than one and less than all of the vehicles from the fleet may be located at any given time; and

said step of operating, the computer to select a group of one or more vehicles from the fleet comprises selecting a group from the VSG of the port from which travel information is received.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the VSG of any given port includes vehicles parked at a parking facility at the port.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the VSG of any given port further includes vehicles due to arrive at the port within a preset time period.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the VSG of any given port further includes vehicles due to become sufficiently charged at the port within a preset time period.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the VSG of any given port further includes vehicles due to become sufficiently charged at the port within a preset time period.

19. A vehicle allocation system for allocating one or more vehicles from a fleet of electric powered vehicles to one or more users, wherein each vehicle has a state of charge (SOC) at any given time, the vehicle allocation system comprising:

one or more ports at geographically remote locations relative to each other, each port having a user-interface terminal for receiving a travel request from a user, wherein the travel request includes information concerning a specific, planned trip and the information is usable to determine the SOC necessary for that trip;

a computer system coupled in communication with at least one user-interface terminal and programmed to respond to a travel request received from a user, for selecting a group of one or more vehicles from the fleet, where each selected vehicle has a SOC sufficient to meet the travel request from the user, said computer system being further programmed to determine whether a vehicle having a second highest SOC is in the selected group, and, if so, allocate the vehicle having the second highest SOC in the group for the user.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said computer system comprises a central station computer system coupled in communication with a plurality of user-interface terminals at a plurality of said ports.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein:

each port has a vehicle search group (VSG) in which more than one and less than all of the vehicle from the fleet may be located at any given time; and

said computer is programmed to select a group of one or more vehicles by selecting a group from the VSG of the port from which travel information is received.

22. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein each port includes a vehicle parking facility at which one or more vehicles may be parked at any given time and the VSG of a given port includes vehicles parked at a parking facility at the port.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein each port includes at least one vehicle charging facility and the VSG of a given port further includes vehicles due to become sufficiently charged at the port within a preset time period.

24. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein the VSG of a given port further includes vehicles due to arrive at the port within a preset time period.

25. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein each port includes at least one vehicle charging facility and the VSG of a given port further includes vehicles due to become sufficiently charged at the port within a preset time period.

26. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said travel request comprises information associated with an expected distance of travel and wherein said group comprises one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel the expected distance.

27. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said travel request comprises information associated with an expected time period of use and wherein said group comprises one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel for the expected time period.

28. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said travel request comprises information associated with an expected destination port and an expected distance of travel beyond a direct route to the destination port and wherein said group comprises one or more vehicles, each with a sufficient SOC to travel the combined distance of the direct route to the destination port and expected distance of travel beyond the direct route.

29. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein each port is provided with a display device for displaying identification information, identifying an allocated vehicle to a user.

30. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein each of user-interface terminals comprises a display device far displaying a map to the user and an user/display interface for receiving user-selected map locations corresponding to locations on the displayed map from a user.

31. A system as recited in claim 19, further comprising a plurality of vehicle subsystems associated on a one-to-one basis with the vehicles from the fleet, each vehicle subsystem including means for detecting the SOC of its associated vehicle and for transmitting information corresponding to the detected SOC to the computer system.

32. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein the request includes user identification information and wherein said computer system is programmed to further base the vehicle selection on the user identification information.

33. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein said computer system includes a storage of vehicle preference information associated with each user identification and is programmed to retrieve from storage vehicle preference information associated with user identification information received from a port terminal and to further base the vehicle selection on the vehicle preference information.

34. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein the vehicle preference information comprises information from the group consisting of:

number of vehicle wheels, number of vehicle doors, preferred minimal SOC or range of SOCs, distance usually traveled, and usual duration of vehicle use.

35. A method for allocating one or more vehicles from a fleet of electric powered vehicles to one or more users, wherein each vehicle has a state of charge (SOC) at any given time, the method comprising:

one or more computers receiving a travel request from a user, wherein the travel request includes information concerning a specific, planned trip and the information is usable to determine the SOC necessary for that trip;

the computers selecting a first group of one or more vehicles from the fleet, where each selected vehicle has a SOC sufficient to meet the travel request from the user;

the computers determining whether one or more vehicles belong to a second group of N vehicles having the N highest SOCs of the vehicles within the first group, wherein N is a predetermined positive integer greater than 1; and

if it is determined that one or more vehicles belong to the second group of N vehicles,

the computers selecting the second group of N vehicles having the N highest SOCs of the vehicles within the first group; and

the computers allocating to the user the vehicle having the highest SOC of vehicles in the second group but not the first group.