Apparatus, method and article for physical security of power storage devices in vehicles

• US 8,560,147 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Taylor, Matthew Whiting, Luke, Hok-Sum Horace, Hung, Huang-Cheng, Wu, Yi-Tsung
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/559,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/22, 701/32.6, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.85, 340/5.82, 340/5.61, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.7, 446454-456, 446/484, 320/109, 320/104, 320/113
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/16 DC brushless machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/427 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 : by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 : Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/645 : Type of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 : Temperature
• 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 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/18 : by enquiring driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 : by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 : by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/44 : by parameter estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 : drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 : of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/46 : Heat pumps, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 : relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 : relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 : relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 : relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 : using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 : characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• 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 53/68 : Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 : Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 : Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 : for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 : responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/22 : Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/56 : Control of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 : using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 : output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 : Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0638 : Organizing or formatting or addressing of data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0671 : In-line storage system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 : Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 : During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 : based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 : based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 : Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 : Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 : wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 : Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 : Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 : Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 : Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 : Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 : Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 : Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/92 : Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• 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 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 : Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). To avoid theft and tampering of the portable electrical energy storage devices, by default, each portable electrical energy storage device is locked in and operably connected to the vehicle to which it provides power unless the vehicle comes within the vicinity of a collection, charging and distribution machine or other authorized external device such as that in a service center. Once within the vicinity of a collection, charging and distribution machine or other authorized external device a locking mechanism in the vehicle or within the portable electrical energy storage device unlocks and allows the portable electrical energy storage device to be exchanged or serviced.

Claims

1. A portable electrical energy storage device security system comprising:

at least one controller; and

at least one communications module coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the at least one controller is configured to;

receive information regarding authentication of an external device via the communications module; and

make a determination regarding unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism based on the received information regarding authentication, the at least one controller being configured to make the determination at least by being configured to;

generate a challenge key to send to the external device;

send the challenge key to the external device;

receive a response from the external device to the sending of the challenge key, the response including a response code as part of the information regarding authentication;

generate an output from a secret algorithm using a secret key and the response code as input, the secret algorithm and the secret key configured to be known only to the portable electrical energy storage device security system and one or more authorized external devices; and

compare the output from the secret algorithm to the response code, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to make the determination regarding unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism based at least on the comparison; and

in response to receiving the information regarding authentication and, based on the determination, unlock a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle.

2. The portable electrical energy storage device security system of claim 1 wherein the configured portable electrical energy storage device security system is coupled to the vehicle or is integrated as part of the portable electrical energy storage device.

3. The portable electrical energy storage device security system of claim 1 wherein the external device is a device located at a vehicle service center.

4. The portable electrical energy storage device security system of claim, wherein the at least one communications module is configured to receive the information regarding authentication of the external device via a wireless signal and communicate the information to the at least one controller to unlock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle.

5. A portable electrical energy storage device security system comprising:

at least one controller;

at least one communications module coupled to the at least one controller;

a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism coupled to the at least one controller; and

a switch coupled to the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism and the at least one controller, the switch configured to be activated by a control signal generated by the at least one controller of the configured portable electrical energy storage device security system, wherein the controller is configured to;

receive information regarding authentication of an external device via the communications module;

in response to receiving the information regarding authentication, unlock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle by at least being configured to send the control signal in a manner to unlock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if the external device is authenticated based on the information regarding authentication; and

send the control signal in a manner to lock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to prevent the portable electrical energy storage device from being removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if, after a defined period of time, the information regarding authentication of the external device has not been received via the communications module.

6. The portable electrical energy storage device security system of claim 5 wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive the information regarding authentication via a wireless signal transmitted from the external device, and wherein the wireless signal transmitted from the external device is not detectable outside a specified maximum range from the portable electrical energy storage device security system communications module.

7. The portable electrical energy storage device security system of claim 6 wherein the wireless signal includes a rolling code for the authentication of the external device by the at least one controller.

8. The portable electrical energy storage device security system of claim 5, further comprising:

a power interface coupled to the at least one controller and configured to be coupled to the portable electrical energy storage device and the electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to provide power to the electrical energy storage device locking mechanism.

9. The portable electrical energy storage device security system of claim 8 wherein the power interface is configured to be coupled to an auxiliary power source other than the portable electrical energy storage device to provide power to the electrical energy storage device locking mechanism should the portable electrical energy storage device be not able to provide enough power to operate the electrical energy storage device locking mechanism.

10. A method of operating a portable electric energy storage device security system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the portable electrical storage device security system, information regarding authentication of an external device;

making a determination, by the portable electrical energy storage device security system, regarding unlocking a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow a portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle, based on the information regarding authentication;

sending a signal from a controller of the portable electrical energy storage device security system in a manner to unlock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if the external device is authenticated based on the information regarding authentication; and

sending a signal from the controller of the portable electrical energy storage device security system in a manner to lock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to prevent the portable electrical energy storage device from being removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if, after a defined period of time, the information regarding authentication of the external device has not been received via a communications module of the portable electrical energy storage device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable electrical energy storage device security system is integrated as part of the portable electrical energy storage device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable electrical energy storage device security system is coupled to the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the making the determination regarding unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism includes:

generating a challenge key to send to the external device;

sending the challenge key to the external device;

receiving a response from the external device to the sending of the challenge key, the response including a response code as part of the information regarding authentication;

generating an output from a secret algorithm using a secret key and the response code as input, the secret algorithm and the secret key configured to be known only to the portable electrical energy storage device security system and one or more authorized external devices; and

comparing the output from the secret algorithm to the response code, and wherein making the determination regarding unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism is based at least on the comparison.

13. A method of operating a portable electrical energy storage device security system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the portable electrical energy storage device security system. information regarding authentication of an external device;

making a determination, by the portable electrical energy storage device security system, regarding unlocking a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow a portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle, based on the information regarding authentication, wherein the making the determination includes comparing a code from the received information regarding authentication to one or more codes associated with the portable electrical energy storage device security system;

unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle if the code from the received information regarding authentication matches one of the one or more codes associated with the portable electrical energy storage device; and

locking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to prevent the portable electrical energy storage device from being removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if after a defined period of time, the information regarding authentication of the external device has not been received via a communications module of the portable electrical energy storage device or if, after a defined period of time, a code from the received information can no longer be matched to at least one or one of one or more codes currently associated with the portable electrical energy storage device security system.

15. A portable electrical energy storage device, comprising:

a battery cell; and

a security system operably coupled to the cell, the security system including;

at least one controller;

at least one communications module coupled to the at least one controller;

a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism coupled to the at least one controller; and

a switch coupled to the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism and the at least one controller, the switch configured to be activated by a control signal generated by the at least one controller of the configured portable electrical energy storage device security system, wherein the controller is configured to;

receive information regarding authentication of an external device via the communications module;

in response to receiving the information regarding authentication, unlock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle by at least being configured to send the control signal in a manner to unlock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if the external device is authenticated based on the information regarding authentication; and

send the control signal in a manner to lock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to prevent the portable electrical energy storage device from being removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if, after a defined period of time, the information regarding authentication of the external device has not been received via the communications module.

16. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15 wherein at least one communications module coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the at least one controller is configured to:

make a determination regarding unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, based on the information regarding authentication.

17. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15 further comprising:

a power interface that is configured to be coupled to the at least one controller and to an auxiliary power source other than the portable electrical energy storage device to provide power to the electrical energy storage device locking mechanism should the portable electrical energy storage device be not able to provide enough power to operate the electrical energy storage device locking mechanism.

18. The portable electrical energy storage device of claim 15 wherein a security system operably coupled to the cell, the security system is configured to:

receive the information regarding authentication of an external device via a wireless signal transmitted from a portable electrical energy storage device collection, charging and distribution machine, and wherein the wireless signal received from the collection, charging and distribution machine is not detectable outside a specified maximum range from a communications module of the portable electrical energy storage device security system; and

allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, based on the information received wirelessly regarding authentication of the external device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computer processor, cause the at least one computer processor to:

cause a portable electrical energy storage device security system to receive information regarding authentication of an external device via a communications module;

make a determination, by the portable electrical energy storage device security system, regarding unlocking a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow a portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle, based on the information regarding authentication;

send a signal from a controller of the portable electrical energy storage device security system in a manner to unlock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if the external device is authenticated based on the information regarding authentication; and

send a signal from the controller of the portable electrical energy storage device security system in a manner to lock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to prevent the portable electrical energy storage device from being removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if, after a defined period of time, the information regarding authentication of the external device has not been received via a communications module of the portable electrical energy storage device.

20. A portable electrical energy storage device security system comprising:

at least one controller; and

at least one communications module coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the at least one controller is configured to;

receive, via the communications module, information regarding authentication of an external device;

make a determination regarding unlocking a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow a portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle, based on the information regarding authentication, wherein the making the determination includes comparing a code from the received information regarding authentication to one or more codes associated with the portable electrical energy storage device security system;

send a signal to unlock a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle if the code from the received information regarding authentication matches one of the one or more codes associated with the portable electrical energy storage device; and

send a signal to lock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to prevent the portable electrical energy storage device from being removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if, after a defined period of time, the information regarding authentication of the external device has not been received via the communications module of the portable electrical energy storage device security system or if, after a defined period of time, a code from the received information can no longer be matched to at least one or one of one or more codes currently associated with the portable electrical energy storage device security system.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computer processor, cause the at least one computer processor to:

receive information regarding authentication of an external device via a communications module; and

make a determination regarding unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism based on the received information regarding authentication, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one computer processor to make the determination at least by causing the at least one computer processor to;

generate a challenge key to send to the external device;

send the challenge key to the external device;

receive a response from the external device to the sending of the challenge key, the response including a response code as part of the information regarding authentication;

generate an output from a secret algorithm using a secret key and the response code as input, the secret algorithm and the secret key configured to be known only to the portable electrical energy storage device security system and one or more authorized external devices;

compare the output from the secret algorithm to the response code, and wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one computer processor to make the determination regarding unlocking the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism based at least on the comparison; and

in response to receiving the information regarding authentication and, based on the determination, cause a controller to unlock a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computer processor, cause the at least one computer processor to:

receive, via a communication module, information regarding authentication of an external device;

make a determination regarding unlocking a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow a portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to a vehicle, based on the information regarding authentication, wherein the making the determination includes comparing a code from the received information regarding authentication to one or more codes associated with the portable electrical energy storage device security system;

send a signal to unlock a portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism to allow the portable electrical energy storage device to be removed from being operably connected to the vehicle if the code from the received information regarding authentication matches one of the one or more codes associated with the portable electrical energy storage device; and

send a signal to lock the portable electrical energy storage device locking mechanism in order to prevent the portable electrical energy storage device from being removed from being operably connected to the vehicle, if, after a defined period of time, the information regarding authentication of the external device has not been received via the communications module of the portable electrical energy storage device or if, after a defined period of time, a code from the received information can no longer be matched to at least one or one of one or more codes currently associated with the portable electrical energy storage device security system.