Apparatus and methods to disable an electric vehicle

• US 8,265,816 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: LaFrance, Ryan Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US13/117,322
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/2, 320/104, 320/109, 320/108, 320/137, 705/14.25, 705/39, 709/246, 709/217
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/36 of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• 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 security device for use with an electric vehicle is provided. The security device includes a processor that is programmed to receive at least one signal representative of a disconnection between a charging station and a battery within the electric vehicle. The processor is further programmed to generate a command signal based on the signal. Moreover, the security device includes a control module that is coupled to the processor, wherein the security device is configured to receive the command signal. The control module is also configured to transmit a control signal to lock the battery to render the electric vehicle inoperable when the disconnection between the charging station and the battery is performed by an unauthorized user.

Claims

1. A security device for use with an electric vehicle, said security device comprising:

a processor programmed to receive at least one signal representative of a disconnection between a charging station and a battery within the electric vehicle, said processor further programmed to generate a command signal based on the at least one signal; and

a control module coupled to said processor and configured to receive the command signal, said control module further configured to transmit a control signal to lock the battery to render the electric vehicle inoperable.

2. A security device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a communication interface coupled to said processor and configured to receive the at least one signal representative of the disconnection.

3. A security device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the command signal generated by said processor is representative of a command to lock the battery when the disconnection between the charging station and the battery is at least one of an unexpected disconnection and performed by an unauthorized user.

4. A security device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to receive at least one input from a user of the electric vehicle, wherein the at least one input includes a unique identifier.

5. A security device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the at least one unique identifier includes at least one of a username and a password.

6. A security device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to verify at least one unique identifier received by a user, wherein the command signal generated by said processor is representative of a command to lock the battery when the at least one unique identifier is not verifiable.

7. A security device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the command signal generated by said processor is representative of a command to unlock the battery when the at least one unique identifier is verifiable.

8. An electric vehicle comprising:

a battery; and

a security device coupled to said battery, said security device comprising;

a processor programmed to receive at least one signal representative of a disconnection between a charging station and said battery, said processor further programmed to generate a command signal based on the at least one signal; and

a control module coupled to said processor for receiving the command signal, said control module configured to transmit a control signal to lock said battery to render said electric vehicle inoperable.

9. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 8, wherein said security device further comprises a communication interface coupled to said processor and configured to receive the at least one signal representative of the disconnection.

10. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 9, wherein the command signal generated by said processor is representative of a command to lock said battery when the disconnection between the charging station and the battery is at least one of an unexpected disconnection and performed by an unauthorized user.

11. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 8, wherein said security device further comprises a user interface configured to receive at least one input from a user of said electric vehicle, wherein the at least one input includes at least one unique identifier.

12. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein the at least one unique identifier includes at least one of a username and a password.

13. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 8, wherein said processor is programmed to verify at least one unique identifier received by a user, the command signal generated by said processor is representative of a command to lock the battery when the at least one unique identifier is not verifiable.

14. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 13, wherein the command signal generated by said processor is representative of a command to unlock the battery when the at least one unique identifier is verifiable.

15. A method to disable an electric vehicle, said method comprising:

receiving at least one signal representative of a disconnection between a charging station and a battery within the electric vehicle;

generating a command signal based on the at least one signal;

transmitting the command signal to a control module; and

transmitting a control signal via the control module to lock the battery to render the electric vehicle inoperable.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein generating a command signal further comprises generating a command signal that is representative of a command to lock the battery when the disconnection between the charging station and the battery is at least one of an unexpected disconnection and performed by an unauthorized user.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising receiving at least one input from a user of the electric vehicle.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein receiving at least one input further comprises receiving at least one unique identifier from the user.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

verifying the at least one unique identifier; and

generating a command signal representative of a command to unlock the battery when the at least one unique identifier is verified.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein receiving at least one unique identifier further comprises receiving at least one of a username and a password.