Method and system for controlling energy demand of vehicles on a network
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- monitoring an available amount of electrical energy on an electrical power grid for powering one or more loads at one time, the available amount of electrical energy representing an amount of electrical energy that may be consumed at one time without exceeding a grid capacity;
monitoring an electrical energy demand of plural electric vehicles traveling on a network of routes that includes one or more conductive pathways extending along the routes for delivering the electrical energy from the electrical power grid to the electric vehicles; and
controlling movements of the electric vehicles such that the electrical energy demand of the electric vehicles does not exceed the available amount of electrical energy on the electrical power grid;
wherein monitoring the electrical energy demand comprises monitoring energy usage plans of the respective electric vehicles, the energy usage plans detailing the electrical energy demand along the routes traveled by the respective electric vehicles, and determining a projected energy demand at a future time by totaling the electrical energy demand from the energy usage plans at the future time; and
wherein controlling movements of the electric vehicles comprises modifying the energy usage plans based on at least one of a trip re-plan, an addition of another electric vehicle traveling on the network, or a projected energy demand that exceeds the available amount of electrical energy at a future time, and communicating the energy usage plans that are modified to the electric vehicles traveling on the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes monitoring an available amount of electrical energy on an electrical power grid for powering one or more loads at one time. The available amount of electrical energy represents an amount of electrical energy that may be consumed at one time without exceeding a grid capacity. The method also includes monitoring an electrical energy demand of plural electric vehicles traveling on a network of routes that includes one or more conductive pathways extending along the routes for delivering the electrical energy from the electrical power grid to the electric vehicles. The method further includes controlling movements of the electric vehicles such that the electrical energy demand of the electric vehicles does not exceed the available amount of electrical energy on the electrical power grid.
11 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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monitoring an available amount of electrical energy on an electrical power grid for powering one or more loads at one time, the available amount of electrical energy representing an amount of electrical energy that may be consumed at one time without exceeding a grid capacity; monitoring an electrical energy demand of plural electric vehicles traveling on a network of routes that includes one or more conductive pathways extending along the routes for delivering the electrical energy from the electrical power grid to the electric vehicles; and controlling movements of the electric vehicles such that the electrical energy demand of the electric vehicles does not exceed the available amount of electrical energy on the electrical power grid; wherein monitoring the electrical energy demand comprises monitoring energy usage plans of the respective electric vehicles, the energy usage plans detailing the electrical energy demand along the routes traveled by the respective electric vehicles, and determining a projected energy demand at a future time by totaling the electrical energy demand from the energy usage plans at the future time; and wherein controlling movements of the electric vehicles comprises modifying the energy usage plans based on at least one of a trip re-plan, an addition of another electric vehicle traveling on the network, or a projected energy demand that exceeds the available amount of electrical energy at a future time, and communicating the energy usage plans that are modified to the electric vehicles traveling on the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A network planner system comprising:
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a grid monitoring device configured to monitor an available amount of electrical energy on an electrical power grid for powering one or more loads at one time, the available amount of electrical energy representing an amount of electrical energy that may be consumed at one time without exceeding a grid capacity, the electrical power grid configured to transmit electrical energy through one or more conductive pathways extending along a network of routes over which plural electric vehicles travel for delivery to the electric vehicles to power the electric vehicles, the electric vehicles having on-board trip planner systems; and one or more processors configured to communicate with the grid monitoring device and the trip planner systems on the electric vehicles to control movements of the electric vehicles such that an electrical energy demand of the electric vehicles does not exceed the available amount of electrical energy on the electrical power grid; wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive from the trip planner systems vehicle-specific energy usage plans, created by the trip planner systems, that detail the vehicle-specific energy demands along the routes traveled by the respective electric vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A network planner system comprising:
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a grid monitoring device configured to monitor an available amount of electrical energy on an electrical power grid for powering one or more loads at one time, the available amount of electrical energy representing an amount of electrical energy that may be consumed at one time without exceeding a grid capacity; an energy demand monitoring device configured to monitor an electrical energy demand of plural electric vehicles traveling on a network of routes that includes one or more conductive pathways extending along the routes for delivering the electrical energy from the electrical power grid to the electric vehicles to power the electric vehicles; and one or more processors configured to control movements of the electric vehicles such that the electrical energy demand of the electric vehicles does not exceed the available amount of electrical energy on the electrical power grid, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control the movements of the electric vehicles by modifying energy usage plans submitted by the electric vehicles traveling on the network.
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Specification