METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20110077809A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PowerHydrant LLC
• Original Assignee: PowerHydrant LLC
• Inventors: Leary, Kevin Walter
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/36 of vehicles
• 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 53/34 Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38
• 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 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

An electric vehicle charger determines the presence of an electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is in proximity to the charger. Validation of account data associated with the electric vehicle occurs over a network. A docking interface on the charger aligns to a receptacle on the electric vehicle. The docking interface and the receptacle are coupled when the docking interface is within a predetermined distance to the receptacle. The charger supplies power to the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

determining a presence of an electric vehicle proximate to a charger;

validating a user account data associated with the electric vehicle;

aligning a docking interface on the charger to a receptacle on the electric vehicle;

coupling the docking interface to the receptacle when a proximity is less than a predetermined distance; and

supplying power from the charger to the electric vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein aligning the docking interface to the receptacle comprises detecting a plurality of features on the receptacle and positioning the docking interface relative to the receptacle in response thereto.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein positioning the docking interface is further responsive to at least one of a coaxial alignment of the docking interface relative to the receptacle, the proximity of the docking interface relative to the receptacle, a roll alignment of the docking interface relative to the receptacle, a pitch alignment of the docking interface relative to the receptacle and a yaw alignment of the docking interface relative to the receptacle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein responding to the coaxial alignment comprises maintaining an equal distance between a centroid feature on the receptacle and each of at least three other features on the receptacle disposed along a spherical arc that is concentric to the centroid feature.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein responding to the proximity comprises maximizing a distance between two of the features.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein responding to the roll alignment comprises minimizing an angular difference between a reference line and an alignment line that intersects two features of the plurality of features.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein responding to the pitch alignment comprises minimizing a vertical distance between a centroid feature on the receptacle and a center of a field of view, and responding to the yaw alignment comprises minimizing a horizontal distance between the centroid feature on the receptacle and the center of the field of view.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein validating the user account data comprises:

transmitting the user account data from the electric vehicle to the charger; and

transmitting the user account data from the charger to a validation module through a network, the validation module comprising a user database storing account data for a plurality of users.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein aligning the docking interface further comprises measuring a delay of a signal transmitted from the docking interface, reflected by the receptacle and received by the docking interface, the delay being less than a delay threshold when the docking interface is within the predetermined distance.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a control signal through a network to the charger to control a device of the electric vehicle.

11. A system for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

a robotic arm configured for coupling to an electric power source;

a docking interface coupled to the robotic arm;

an imager coupled to the docking interface and in communication with a controller configured to control a position of the robotic arm; and

a plurality of electrical connectors disposed in the docking interface, at least one of the electrical connectors configured for electrical communication with the electric power source.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the docking interface is configured to couple to a receptacle on an electric vehicle, the receptacle including a plurality of features for detection by the imager and a plurality of electrical receptors, each electrical receptor configured to electrically couple to a respective one of the electrical connectors in the docking interface.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising an engagement mechanism to secure the docking interface to the receptacle.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of features includes a west feature, a north feature, and an east feature each disposed in a spherical arc concentric to a centroid feature, the west feature, the east feature and the centroid feature collinear with each other, and the north feature equidistant from the west feature and the east feature.

15. The system of claim 12 further comprising a coordinator in communication with a plurality of chargers through a network, the coordinator determining a plurality of communication paths from one of the chargers to the coordinator, each of the chargers configured to retransmit a beacon from one of the coordinator, one of the other chargers or a receptacle of an electric vehicle through at least one of the communication paths, and the receptacle configured to retransmit the beacon from one of the coordinator, the chargers or another receptacle through at least one of the communication paths.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the receptacle further comprises a virtual meter for storing charging event data in a memory device of the electric vehicle, the virtual meter accessible for determining a charging behavior of the electric vehicle based on the charging event data.

17. A system for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

a behaviors module comprising a usage database to store data indicating a charging behavior of an electric vehicle; and

a charging apparatus having a power switch and configured for communication with the behaviors module through a communications network, the charging apparatus configured to electrically couple the electric vehicle and a power grid through the switch in response to a request from an electric power source on the power grid.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the charging apparatus comprises a robotic arm and a docking interface thereon to electrically couple the electric vehicle and the power grid.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the electric vehicle is one of a plurality of devices each capable of generating or consuming electric power, the system further comprising an arbiter to determine at least one of the devices to connect to the power grid, the arbiter reading the usage database for each of the devices to determine an ability of the device to supply electrical power to the power grid.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the usage database includes at least one of a date when the electric vehicle was charged, a time when the electric vehicle was charged, a duration of a charging event, and a location of the charging event.