Determining vehicle position using RFID

• US 9,315,111 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: McGrath, Seamus T., Shah, Keyur M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Piggush, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US14/755,738
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/106, 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A method of charging an electric vehicle at a charging station may include driving the vehicle towards the charging station, and using a plurality of RFID tags and one or more RFID readers to determine a relative position of the charging interface of the vehicle with respect to the charge head assembly of the charging station. The method may also include engaging the charge head assembly with the charging head, and charging the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of charging an electric bus at a charging station, the electric bus including a charging interface on a roof of the bus, the charging interface being configured to connect with a charge head assembly of the charging station for charging, comprising:

driving the bus towards the charging station;

receiving data from a plurality of RFID tags as the bus is moving towards the charging station;

using the received data to align the bus with respect to the charge head assembly;

lowering the charge head assembly to land on the roof based on the received data;

making contact between the charge head assembly and the charging interface; and

charging the bus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on the roof, and the receiving data includes receiving the data using one or more RFID readers positioned on the charge head assembly.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on the charge head assembly, and the receiving data includes receiving the data using one or more RFID readers positioned on the bus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on a road surface proximate the charging station, and the receiving data includes receiving the data using one or more RFID readers positioned on the bus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on a floor of the vehicle, and the receiving data includes receiving the data using one or more RFID readers positioned on a road surface proximate the charging station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using the received data to align the bus includes maneuvering the bus based on the received data to position a charge head landing zone on the roof below the charge head assembly of the charging station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the making contact includes moving the bus to slide the charge head assembly on the roof towards the charging interface to make contact of the charge head assembly with the charging interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the making contact further includes using a funnel-shaved alignment scoop on the roof to direct the charge head assembly towards the charging interface as the charge head assembly slides on the roof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RFID tags includes ten or more RFID tags.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data includes positional information of each RFID tag of the plurality of RFID tags.

11. A method of charging an electric bus at a charging station, the charging station including a charge head assembly that overhangs a roof of the bus, the charge head assembly being configured to connect with a charging interface on the roof for charging, comprising:

maneuvering the bus to position a charge head landing zone on the roof below the charge head assembly using data received from a plurality of RFID tags as the bus is moving towards the charging station;

lowering the charge head assembly to land on the charge head landing zone;

moving the bus forward to make contact between the charge head assembly and the charging interface; and

charging the bus through the charge head assembly.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on the roof, and the method further includes receiving data from the plurality of RFID tags using one or more RFID readers positioned on the charge head assembly when the bus is moving.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on the charge head assembly, and the method further includes receiving data from the plurality of RFID tags using one or more RFID readers positioned on the bus when the bus is moving.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on a road surface proximate the charging station, and the method further includes receiving data from the plurality of RFID tags using one or more RFID readers positioned on the bus when the bus is moving.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are positioned on a floor of the bus, and the method further includes receiving data from the plurality of RFID tags using one or more RFID readers positioned on a road surface proximate the charging station when the bus is moving.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the data received includes positional information of each RFID tag of the plurality of RFID tags.

17. A method of charging an electric bus at a charging station, the charging station including a charge head assembly configured to connect with a charging interface on a roof of the bus for charging, comprising:

receiving data from a plurality of RFID tags as the bus is moving towards the charging station, the received data including information related to (a) the position of the plurality of RFID tags and (b) the position of the charging interface;

maneuvering the bus using the received data to position a charge head landing zone on the roof below the charge head assembly;

lowering the charge head assembly to land on the charge head landing zone;

moving the bus forward to make contact between the charge head assembly and the charging interface; and

charging the bus through the charge head assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving data further includes receiving bus identification information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving data includes receiving the data using one or more RFID readers positioned on the charge head assembly and the received data includes the location of plurality of RFID tags positioned on the roof of the bus.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving data includes receiving the data using one or more RFID readers positioned on the bus and the received data includes the location of the plurality of RFID tags positioned on the charge head assembly.