Vehicle-to-vehicle energy market system

• US 10,304,099 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Basak, Jayanta, Seetharamakrishnan, Devasenapathi P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/748,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,347 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

The use of a just-in-time market for EV'"'"'s (electric vehicles) to buy and sell energy from each other directly. Such a market enables the following: sellers to advertise the amount of energy they are willing to sell and the minimum selling price; buyers to advertise the amount of energy they are interested in buying and the maximum buying price. The market works at any location and at any time as long as there is a buyer and seller. The communications are directly between buyers and sellers without the involvement of any third parties.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

utilizing a processor of a computer embedded in an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle having an energy storage and a circuit to measure the amount of remaining charge in the energy storage and at least partly powered by electric power from the energy storage to execute computer code configured to perform the steps of;

ascertaining an electric energy imbalance in the electric vehicle, wherein the ascertaining comprises measuring, with the circuit, an amount of energy available in the energy storage; and

comparing the amount of energy available with a preset threshold;

in response to determining that the amount of energy available exceeds the threshold, performing the following steps directly with respect to one or more other electric vehicles at least partly powered by electric power;

broadcasting the imbalance to one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the broadcasting comprises broadcasting a message regarding a surplus of energy over a wireless network of the electric vehicle;

said broadcasting comprising broadcasting an opening price to sell the surplus energy and an amount of energy corresponding to the surplus;

listening, using the wireless network, for one or more advertisements comprising bids to purchase the surplus of energy from the one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the bids comprise a price with regard to the surplus;

deciding on whether to accept a bid from another electric vehicle, wherein the deciding comprises comparing the price of the bid with the opening price and accepting a bid associated based upon the price of the bid and a reliability of the another electric vehicle providing the bid;

collecting identifying information from a purchasing electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy from which a bid is accepted, wherein the collecting comprises recording an identification of the electric vehicle from which a bid is accepted, an accepted price for the electrical energy, and an amount of energy for transfer; and

transferring, based upon the accepted bid and using the identifying information, electrical energy from the electric vehicle having the surplus of electric energy to the purchasing electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy;

in response to determining that the amount of energy available falls below the threshold performing the following steps directly with respect to one or more other electric vehicles at least partly powered by electric power;

broadcasting the imbalance to one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the broadcasting comprises broadcasting a message regarding a deficit of energy over a wireless network of the electric vehicle;

said broadcasting comprising broadcasting an opening price to purchase surplus energy and an amount of energy corresponding to the deficit;

listening, using the wireless network, for one or more advertisements comprising bids to sell energy to redress the deficit from the one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the bids comprise a price with regard to the deficit;

deciding on whether to accept a bid from another electric vehicle, wherein the deciding comprises comparing the price of the bid with the opening price and accepting a bid associated based upon the price of the bid and a reliability of the another electric vehicle providing the bid;

collecting identifying information from a selling electric vehicle having a surplus of electric energy from which a bid is accepted, wherein the collecting comprises recording an identification of the electric vehicle from which a bid is accepted, an accepted price for the electrical energy, and an amount of energy for transfer; and

transferring, based upon the accepted bid and using the identifying information, electrical energy from the selling electric vehicle having a surplus of electric energy to the electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle at least partly powered by electrical power is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle at least partly powered by electrical power is a plug-in electric vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said broadcasting ceases upon lack of response from other vehicles after a predetermined period of time and initiates a broadcast sleep period.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising waking from the sleep period responsive to a broadcast from another vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle for which an electric energy imbalance is ascertained includes:

an energy storage arrangement;

an arrangement for measuring an amount of remaining charge in the energy storage arrangement;

an embedded computer which handles the bids;

a transceiver which communicates with the one or more other vehicles;

a user interface which permits interaction with respect to a human operator;

a perceivable unique identifier; and

a localization system to assist in locating the vehicle for which an electric energy imbalance is ascertained with respect to at least one of the one or more other vehicles.

6. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors of a computer embedded in an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle having an energy storage and a circuit to measure the amount of remaining charge in the energy storage and at least partly powered by electric power from the energy storage; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied thereon and executable by the one or more processors, the computer readable program code being configured to, when executed, cause the one or processors to perform operations comprising;

ascertaining an electric energy imbalance in the electric vehicle, wherein the ascertaining comprises measuring, with the circuit, an amount of energy available in the energy storage; and

comparing the amount of energy available with a preset threshold;

in response to determining that the amount of energy available exceeds the threshold, performing the following steps directly with respect to one or more other electric vehicles at least partly powered by electric power;

broadcasting the imbalance to one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the broadcasting comprises broadcasting a message regarding a surplus of energy over a wireless network of the electric vehicle;

said broadcasting comprising broadcasting an opening price to sell the surplus energy and an amount of energy corresponding to the surplus;

listening, using the wireless network, for one or more advertisements comprising bids to purchase the surplus of energy from the one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the bids comprise a price with regard to the surplus;

deciding on whether to accept a bid from another electric vehicle, wherein the deciding comprises comparing the price of the bid with the opening price and accepting a bid associated based upon the price of the bid and a reliability of the another electric vehicle providing the bid;

collecting identifying information from a purchasing electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy from which a bid is accepted, wherein the collecting comprises recording an identification of the electric vehicle from which a bid is accepted, an accepted price for the electrical energy, and an amount of energy for transfer; and

transferring, based upon the accepted bid and using the identifying information, electrical energy from the electric vehicle having the surplus of electric energy to the purchasing electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy;

in response to determining that the amount of energy available falls below the threshold, performing the following steps directly with respect to one or more other electric vehicles at least partly powered by electric power;

broadcasting the imbalance to one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the broadcasting comprises broadcasting a message regarding a deficit of energy over a wireless network of the electric vehicle;

said broadcasting comprising broadcasting an opening price to purchase surplus energy and an amount of energy corresponding to the deficit;

listening, using the wireless network, for one or more advertisements comprising bids to sell energy to redress the deficit from the one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the bids comprise a price with regard to the deficit;

deciding on whether to accept a bid from another electric vehicle, wherein the deciding comprises comparing the price of the bid with the opening price and accepting a bid associated based upon the price of the bid and a reliability of the another electric vehicle providing the bid;

collecting identifying information from a selling electric vehicle having a surplus of electric energy from which a bid is accepted, wherein the collecting comprises recording an identification of the electric vehicle from which a bid is accepted, an accepted price for the electrical energy, and an amount of energy for transfer; and

transferring, based upon the accepted bid and using the identifying information, electrical energy from the selling electric vehicle having a surplus of electric energy to the electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle at least partly powered by electrical power is a plug-in electric vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle at least partly powered by electrical power is a plug-in electric vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said computer readable program code is further configured to cause the one or more processors to cease broadcasting upon lack of response from other vehicles after a predetermined period of time and initiate a broadcast sleep period.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said computer readable program code is further configured to cause the one or more processors to wake from the sleep period responsive to a broadcast from another vehicle.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied thereon, the computer readable program code being configured to, when executed, cause one or processors of a computer embedded in an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle having an energy storage and a circuit to measure the amount of remaining charge in the energy storage and at least partly powered by electric power from the energy storage to perform operations comprising;

ascertaining an electric energy imbalance in the electric vehicle, wherein the ascertaining comprises measuring, with the circuit, an amount of energy available in the energy storage; and

comparing the amount of energy available with a preset threshold;

in response to determining that the amount of energy available exceeds the threshold, performing the following steps directly with respect to one or more other electric vehicles at least partly powered by electric power;

broadcasting the imbalance to one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the broadcasting comprises broadcasting a message regarding a surplus of energy over a wireless network of the electric vehicle;

said broadcasting comprising broadcasting an opening price to sell the surplus energy and an amount of energy corresponding to the surplus;

listening, using the wireless network, for one or more advertisements comprising bids to purchase the surplus of energy from the one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the bids comprise a price with regard to the surplus;

deciding on whether to accept a bid from another electric vehicle, wherein the deciding comprises comparing the price of the bid with the opening price and accepting a bid associated based upon the price of the bid and a reliability of the another electric vehicle providing the bid;

collecting identifying information from a purchasing electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy from which a bid is accepted, wherein the collecting comprises recording an identification of the electric vehicle from which a bid is accepted, an accepted price for the electrical energy, and an amount of energy for transfer; and

transferring, based upon the accepted bid and using the identifying information, electrical energy from the electric vehicle having the surplus of electric energy to the purchasing electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy;

in response to determining that the amount of energy available falls below the threshold, performing the following steps directly with respect to one or more other electric vehicles at least partly powered by electric power;

broadcasting the imbalance to one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the broadcasting comprises broadcasting a message regarding a deficit of energy over a wireless network of the electric vehicle;

said broadcasting comprising broadcasting an opening price to purchase surplus energy and an amount of energy corresponding to the deficit;

listening, using the wireless network, for one or more advertisements comprising bids to sell energy to redress the deficit from the one or more other electric vehicles, wherein the bids comprise a price with regard to the deficit;

deciding on whether to accept a bid from another electric vehicle, wherein the deciding comprises comparing the price of the bid with the opening price and accepting a bid associated based upon the price of the bid and a reliability of the another electric vehicle providing the bid;

collecting identifying information from a selling electric vehicle having a surplus of electric energy from which a bid is accepted, wherein the collecting comprises recording an identification of the electric vehicle from which a bid is accepted, an accepted price for the electrical energy, and an amount of energy for transfer; and

transferring, based upon the accepted bid and using the identifying information, electrical energy from the selling electric vehicle having a surplus of electric energy to the electric vehicle having a deficit of electric energy.