Electric vehicle charging station

• US 9,770,993 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Zhao, Xiang, Gao, Dalong, Menassa, Roland J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pacheco, Alexis
• Application Number:
  US14/275,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20140354229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 320109, 320108, 320107, 320104, 320137, 320101, 320128, 320149, 320162, 320163, 439310, 439 34, 439374, 439 39, 180 6529, 180 651, 180 6521
• 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 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• 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: 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
• 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 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A vehicle charging station includes a track configured to extend across a plurality of vehicle parking spaces and a movable charging apparatus supported by the track. The movable charging apparatus is translatable along the track between the plurality of vehicle parking spaces to charge one or more vehicles. The movable charging apparatus includes a base slidably coupled with the track, an end effector in mechanical communication with the base and configured to electrically couple with an electric vehicle disposed within one of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces, and a power delivery circuit configured to receive an electrical charge from a power source and to controllably provide the electrical charge to the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle charging station comprising:

a track configured to extend across a plurality of vehicle parking spaces;

a movable charging apparatus supported by the track and translatable along the track between the plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the movable charging apparatus including;

a base slidably coupled with the track; and

an end effector in mechanical communication with the base and configured to electrically couple with an electric vehicle disposed within one of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces; and

a power delivery circuit configured to receive an electrical charge from a power source and to controllably provide the electrical charge to the electric vehicle.

2. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to:

detect the presence of the electric vehicle within the parking space;

determine a state of charge of a traction battery associated with the electric vehicle;

direct the movable charging apparatus to provide an electrical charge to the electric vehicle if the state of charge is below a threshold.

3. The vehicle charging station of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an identity of the detected electric vehicle within the parking space;

determine an amount of an electrical charge provided to the electric vehicle by the movable charging apparatus; and

generate an invoice from the determined identity and the amount of provided electrical charge.

4. The vehicle charging station of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to determine a state of charge of a traction battery associated with the electric vehicle through one or more wireless signals received from the vehicle.

5. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the movable charging apparatus further includes a mechanical arm coupling the end effector to the base;

and

wherein the mechanical arm includes a plurality of actuatable joints capable of moving the end effector in at least 5 degrees of freedom.

6. The vehicle charging station of claim 5, further comprising a robotic controller coupled with the plurality of actuatable joints and configured to:

locate a charging receptacle on the vehicle;

obtain access to the charging receptacle;

control the one or more of the actuatable joints to align the end effector with the charging receptacle; and

electrically couple the end effector with the charging receptacle.

7. The vehicle charging station of claim 6, wherein the robotic controller is configured to locate a charging receptacle on the vehicle by receiving a radio frequency locating signal from a location proximate to the charging receptacle.

8. The vehicle charging station of claim 6, wherein the robotic controller is configured to obtain access to the charging receptacle by providing a wireless command to the vehicle to open a charging receptacle door.

9. The vehicle charging station of claim 6, wherein the robotic controller is configured to obtain access to the charging receptacle by controlling the one or more of the actuatable joints such that the end effector opens a door that selectively covers the charging receptacle.

10. The vehicle charging station of claim 6, wherein the robotic controller is configured to locate a charging receptacle on the vehicle by:

receiving at least one of electromagnetic radiation and sound pressure waves; and

identifying indicia of the charging receptacle from the at least one of electromagnetic radiation and sound pressure waves.

11. The vehicle charging station of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic radiation from which the indicia are identified has a wavelength in the range of 400 nm to 750 nm.

12. The vehicle charging station of claim 10, wherein the sound pressure waves from which the indicia are identified have a frequency above 30 kHz.

13. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the movable charging apparatus further includes a flexible electrical cable coupling the end effector to the base.

14. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the provided electrical charge has a voltage in the range of 200-500 VAC or 400-500 VDC.

15. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the movable charging apparatus has a total power consumption is less than 50 kW.

16. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the track is disposed on the ground.

17. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the track is disposed above the ground, such that the movable charging apparatus is substantially located between the ground and the track.

18. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vehicle parking spaces is a first plurality of vehicle parking spaces;

and

wherein the track is disposed between the first plurality of vehicle parking spaces and a second plurality of vehicle parking spaces.

19. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the movable charging apparatus is a first movable charging apparatus;

further comprising a second movable charging apparatus supported by the track and translatable along the track; and

wherein the first movable charging apparatus is substantially identical to the second movable charging apparatus.