Systems and methods for charging an electric vehicle at a charging station

• US 10,723,231 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2019
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: Sarkar, Reuben, Finnern, Michael Alan, Walker, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pacheco, Alexis B
• Application Number:
  US16/502,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20190351777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 320106
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/10 for automatic control superimposed on human control to limit the acceleration of the vehicle, e.g. to prevent excessive motor current electric devices for safety purposes B60L3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/30 Trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0038 relating to sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0076 relating to braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/36 : with means for collecting current simultaneously from more than one conductor, e.g. from more than one phase
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 : for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 : using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 : DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• 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 53/32 : by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• 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 53/36 : by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 : Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 : Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/54 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/55 : Capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 : involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 : responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 : for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 : Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 : for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• 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 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: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.

Claims

1. A method of charging an electric vehicle having charge-receiving electrodes at a charging station having charging electrodes, comprising:

transmitting data between the electric vehicle and the charging station;

docking the electrical vehicle at the charging station based at least on a portion of the transmitted data, wherein the docking includes;

positioning the electric vehicle at the charging station such that the charge-receiving electrodes of the vehicle are positioned proximate the charging electrodes of the charging station;

automatically connecting the charge-receiving electrodes of the vehicle with the charging electrodes of the charging station; and

automatically engaging a brake of the electric vehicle; and

activating current flow from the charging station to the electric vehicle for charging after automatically engaging the brake.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting data includes transmitting the data when the electric vehicle is approaching the charging station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting data includes transmitting data including at least one of (i) a state of charge of a battery of the electric vehicle, (ii) location of the electric vehicle relative to the charging station, (iii) electric vehicle identification information, and (iv) orientation of the electric vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further including automatically identifying the electric vehicle as the electric vehicle approaches the charging station.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the automatically identifying includes using an RFID reader on the charging station to read an RFID tag on the electric vehicle as the electric vehicle moves towards the charging station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the electric vehicle includes using data from one or more sensors located on the electric vehicle or the charging station to position the electric vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further including detecting movement of the electric vehicle during charging and stopping the charging if movement is detected.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the electric vehicle includes moving the electric vehicle towards the charging station at a speed controlled by the charging station.

9. The method of claim 1, further including determining if the approaching electric vehicle is supposed to be charged at the charging station using the transmitted data, and wherein docking the electric vehicle includes docking the electric vehicle only if it is determined that the approaching electric vehicle is supposed to be charged at the charging station.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is a heavy duty vehicle.

11. A method of charging an electric vehicle having charge-receiving electrodes at a charging station having charging electrodes, comprising:

exchanging data between the electric vehicle and the charging station as the electric vehicle approaches the charging station;

positioning the electric vehicle at the charging station such that the charge-receiving electrodes of the vehicle are positioned proximate the charging electrodes of the charging station;

after the positioning, automatically decreasing a gap between the charging electrodes and the charge-receiving electrodes;

connecting the charging electrodes with the charge-receiving electrodes;

automatically locking movement of the vehicle; and

activating current flow from the charging station to the electric vehicle for charging after automatically locking movement.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein decreasing the gap includes moving the charging electrodes towards the charge-receiving electrodes.

13. The method of claim 11, further including identifying the electric vehicle using the data.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically locking movement includes automatically shifting a transmission of the electric vehicle to neutral.

15. The method of claim 11, further including determining whether the electric vehicle approaching the charging station is supposed to be charged at the charging station using the data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein decreasing the gap includes decreasing the gap only if it is determined that the approaching electric vehicle is supposed to be charged at the charging station.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the electric vehicle is a heavy duty vehicle.

18. A method of charging an electric vehicle having charge-receiving electrodes at a charging station having charging electrodes, comprising:

exchanging data between the electric vehicle and the charging station as the electric vehicle approaches the charging station;

using one or more sensors positioned on the charging station or the electric vehicle to assist in aligning the electric vehicle with the charging station as the electric vehicle approaches the charging station;

positioning the electric vehicle such that the charge-receiving electrodes of the electric vehicle are positioned proximate the charging electrodes of the charging station;

decreasing a gap between the charging electrodes and the charge-receiving electrodes;

establishing electrical connection between the charging electrodes and the charge-receiving electrodes;

automatically engaging a brake of the electric vehicle to resist movement of the vehicle; and

charging the electric vehicle after automatically engaging the brake.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein automatically engaging the brake includes automatically shifting a transmission of the electric vehicle to neutral.

20. The method of claim 18, further including determining that the electric vehicle approaching the charging station is supposed to be charged at the charging station prior to decreasing the gap.