Intelligent autonomous vehicle charging system
First Claim
1. A system for charging a fleet of autonomous vehicles throughout a network of charging stations, comprising:
- vehicle charging equipment installed on each autonomous vehicle in the fleet, the vehicle charging equipment including a vehicle charging control system and a power receiving system operably connected to the vehicle charging control system;
station charging equipment installed at each charging station in the network, the station charging equipment including a power transmitting system connected to a power supply and a station charging control system operably connected to the power transmitting system; and
a remote control system in communication with the vehicle charging equipment on each autonomous vehicle in the fleet and the station charging equipment at each charging station in the network;
wherein the vehicle charging control system transmits to the remote control system a unique vehicle ID, real-time vehicle location data and real-time power charge status data corresponding to the autonomous vehicle on which the vehicle charging control system is installed;
wherein the station charging control system transmits to the remote control system a unique station ID, station location data and real-time station availability data corresponding to the charging station where the station charging control system is installed;
wherein the remote control system assigns a selected autonomous vehicle to a selected charging station for a power charging session;
wherein the remote control system sends the station location data for the selected charging station to the vehicle charging control system of the selected autonomous vehicle for guiding the autonomous vehicle to the charging station;
wherein the station charging control system at the selected charging station transmits alignment signals to the vehicle charging control system of the selected autonomous vehicle for aligning the autonomous vehicle with respect to the power transmitting system at the selected charging station; and
wherein the power transmitting system at the selected charging station transfers electric power to the power receiving system of the selected autonomous vehicle.
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Abstract
An intelligent vehicle charging system for charging a fleet of autonomous vehicles throughout a network of charging stations dispersed throughout a geographic area. The intelligent vehicle charging system includes a remote control system that is in operative communication with each of the autonomous vehicles in the fleet and each of the charging stations in the network. When an autonomous vehicle is in need of a power charge, or as directed by the remote control system, the remote control system will identify an available charging station, guide the autonomous vehicle to the charging station, verify that the autonomous vehicle has arrived at the charging station, initiate the power charging process, account and bill appropriate fees for the charging process, and log all associated activity. The remote control system is also capable of remotely and instantaneously terminating the power charging process to dynamically return a vehicle back to service.
89 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A system for charging a fleet of autonomous vehicles throughout a network of charging stations, comprising:
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vehicle charging equipment installed on each autonomous vehicle in the fleet, the vehicle charging equipment including a vehicle charging control system and a power receiving system operably connected to the vehicle charging control system; station charging equipment installed at each charging station in the network, the station charging equipment including a power transmitting system connected to a power supply and a station charging control system operably connected to the power transmitting system; and a remote control system in communication with the vehicle charging equipment on each autonomous vehicle in the fleet and the station charging equipment at each charging station in the network; wherein the vehicle charging control system transmits to the remote control system a unique vehicle ID, real-time vehicle location data and real-time power charge status data corresponding to the autonomous vehicle on which the vehicle charging control system is installed; wherein the station charging control system transmits to the remote control system a unique station ID, station location data and real-time station availability data corresponding to the charging station where the station charging control system is installed; wherein the remote control system assigns a selected autonomous vehicle to a selected charging station for a power charging session; wherein the remote control system sends the station location data for the selected charging station to the vehicle charging control system of the selected autonomous vehicle for guiding the autonomous vehicle to the charging station; wherein the station charging control system at the selected charging station transmits alignment signals to the vehicle charging control system of the selected autonomous vehicle for aligning the autonomous vehicle with respect to the power transmitting system at the selected charging station; and wherein the power transmitting system at the selected charging station transfers electric power to the power receiving system of the selected autonomous vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of charging a fleet of autonomous vehicles throughout a network of charging stations, comprising the steps of:
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a remote control system communicating with vehicle charging equipment on each autonomous vehicle in the fleet and station charging equipment at each charging station in the network; wherein the vehicle charging equipment includes a vehicle charging control system and a power receiving system operably connected to the vehicle charging control system; wherein the station charging equipment includes a power transmitting system connected to a power supply and a station charging control system operably connected to the power transmitting system; the vehicle charging control system transmitting to the remote control system a unique vehicle ID, real-time vehicle location data and real-time power charge status data corresponding to the autonomous vehicle on which the vehicle charging control system is installed; the station charging control system transmitting to the remote control system a unique station ID, station location data and real-time station availability data corresponding to the charging station where the station charging control system is installed; the remote control system assigning a selected autonomous vehicle to a selected charging station for a power charging session; the remote control system sending the station location data for the selected charging station to the vehicle charging control system of the selected autonomous vehicle for guiding the autonomous vehicle to the charging station; the station charging control system at the selected charging station transmitting alignment signals to the vehicle charging control system of the selected autonomous vehicle for aligning the autonomous vehicle with respect to the power transmitting system at the selected charging station; and the power transmitting system at the selected charging station transferring electric power to the power receiving system of the selected autonomous vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification