ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING NETWORK SERVICES

• US 20130179057A1
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airbiquity Incorporated
• Inventors: Fisher, Sheldon, Zhade, Bheemrao
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• 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

Abstract

To provide remote services, including dynamic, interactive assistance to electric vehicle (EV) users, a central server is arranged for electronic communications with EVs (15) and with client devices (11). The server also communicates with at least one EV charging station network, which in turn communicate with individual charging stations (30). Remote services may include trip planning, locating charging stations, checking availability and suitability of charging stations, making reservations at charging stations, and updating plans en route. The server collects data from the EV and analyzes the data to determine various statistics. The system advises a user on readiness of the EV to complete a proposed trip before recharging the EV batteries. Client devices may include smart phones, computers, or a head unit in the EV. Application software programs are executable on the client devices to provide user interfaces for accessing the remote services and for communicating with the central server.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

storing historical driving data for an electric vehicle (EV) in a memory, the driving data reflecting a plurality of driving trips of the EV;

including in the historical driving data, for each trip of the EV, at least data indicating a distance traveled, a corresponding change in vehicle charge level, and a date or day of the week;

in a processor, analyzing the historical driving data to determine a corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for at least one day of the week;

determining a current charge level of the vehicle;

comparing the current charge level of the vehicle to the corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for the present day of the week to determine a readiness status; and

displaying an indication of the readiness status on an electronic display screen.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 and further comprising:

including traffic data in the historical driving data for the EV;

identifying a likely route based on the historical driving data for the EV;

determining current or statistically projected traffic conditions along the likely route;

comparing the current or statistically projected traffic conditions to the traffic data included in the historical driving data used to determine the corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for the present day of the week; and

adjusting the indication of readiness status responsive to the said traffic condition comparison.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 and further comprising:

including temperature data in the historical driving data for the EV;

determining a current local temperature;

comparing the current local temperature to an average temperature reflected in the historical driving data used to determine the corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for the present day of the week; and

adjusting the indication of readiness status responsive to the said temperature comparison.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 and further comprising:

analyzing the historical driving data for the EV to determine a battery charge-discharge profile for the EV.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 and further comprising:

providing a server computer;

arranging the server computer for communications with the EV to acquire the historical driving data from the EV and to determine the current charge level of the EV;

determining the readiness status in the server computer;

further arranging the central server computer for communications with a client device; and

transmitting the readiness status from the server computer to the client device for display of the indication of the readiness status on an electronic display screen of the client device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 and further comprising:

providing a server computer;

providing an application program executable on a client device and arranged to acquire the historical driving data from the EV; and

transmitting the acquired historical driving data from the client device to the server computer for storage in a database of historical driving data for the EV.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the client device comprises a smart phone or tablet computing device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the client device comprises a head unit of the EV.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein:

the step of analyzing the historical driving data to determine a corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for at least one day of the week is carried out in the server computer, and results of the analysis are communicated from the server computer to the client device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 and further comprising:

including vehicle speed versus time data and identification of a driver in the acquired historical driving data for the EV; and

analyzing the historical driving data at the server to determine an acceleration and braking profile for the identified driver of the EV.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

providing a server computer;

arranging the server computer for communications with the EV to acquire historical driving data from the EV and to determine a current charge level of the EV;

analyzing the acquired historical driving data and comparing results of the analysis to the current charge level of the vehicle to estimate a range;

receiving and storing user input defining a proposed trip using the EV, the trip comprising at least a destination location, and optionally a series of one or more route points;

determining a proposed route to implement the proposed trip;

comparing the estimated range to the proposed route to determine a readiness status;

if the estimated range is not sufficient to traverse the proposed route, identifying a charging station located generally along the proposed route; and

proposing a modification of the proposed route to include a recharging stop at the identified charging station.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 including:

providing an application program executable on a client device, the application program implementing a user interface for interaction with the server computer; and

wherein

the user input defining the proposed trip is entered using the user interface; and

the proposed modification of the proposed route is presented to a user via the user interface.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 and wherein said identifying a charging station located generally along the proposed route includes, in the server computer, communicating with at least one charging station network, and relaying charging station information to the application program to present to the user in the user interface.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 and further comprising:

estimating an arrival time of day (ETA) at the identified charging station;

via the server computer, communicating a reservation request for using the identified charging station to recharge the EV, beginning at the ETA; and

automatically updating the proposed route to include a stop for recharging the EV at the identified charging station beginning at the ETA.

15. A computer-readable storage media storing executable program instructions that when executed on a processor carry out substantially the steps of:

storing historical driving data for an electric vehicle (EV) in a memory, the driving data reflecting a plurality of driving trips of the EV;

including in the historical driving data, for each trip of the EV, at least data indicating a distance traveled, a corresponding change in vehicle charge level, and a date or day of the week;

in a processor, analyzing the historical driving data to determine a corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for at least one day of the week;

determining a current charge level of the vehicle;

comparing the current charge level of the vehicle to the corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for the present day of the week to determine a readiness status; and

displaying an indication of the readiness status on an electronic display screen.

16. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15 wherein the stored application program instructions are further arranged for

including traffic data in the historical driving data for the EV;

identifying a likely route based on the historical driving data for the EV;

determining current or statistically projected traffic conditions along the likely route;

comparing the current or statistically projected traffic conditions to the traffic data included in the historical driving data used to determine the corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for the present day of the week; and

adjusting the indication of readiness status responsive to the said traffic condition comparison.

17. The computer-readable storage media of claim 15 wherein the stored application program instructions are further arranged for

including temperature data in the historical driving data for the EV;

determining a current local temperature;

comparing the current local temperature to an average temperature reflected in the historical driving data used to determine the corresponding average change in vehicle charge level for the present day of the week; and

adjusting the indication of readiness status responsive to the said temperature comparison.