Electric vehicle charging station system and method of use

• US 9,944,192 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NIO Technology Company Limited (Shanghai Anbin Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nio Usa Inc.
• Inventors: Ricci, Christopher P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parihar, Suchin
• Application Number:
  US15/048,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20170136902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• 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

Abstract

Techniques for electric vehicle systems, and in particular to an electric vehicle charging system and method of use. In one embodiment, a system for charging an electric vehicle is provided, the system comprising: an electrical storage unit disposed on the electric vehicle; a charging panel in electrical communication with the electrical storage unit; a robotic unit comprising an external power source, a charging plate and a robotic arm, the charging plate interconnected to the robotic arm and configured to provide a charge to the charging panel; and a vehicle controller configured to communicate with the robotic unit and position the charging plate with respect to the charging panel; wherein the charging panel receives the charge from the external power source and charges the electrical storage unit.

Claims

1. A system for charging an electric vehicle, the system comprising:

an electrical storage unit disposed on the electric vehicle;

a charging panel disposed on the electric vehicle and in electrical communication with the electrical storage unit;

a robotic unit, comprising;

an external power source;

a charging plate;

a database including charging compatibility data stored therein, wherein the charging compatibility data defines charging capability information and charging requirements information for the robotic unit; and

a robotic arm, the charging plate interconnected to the robotic arm and configured to provide a charge to the charging panel disposed on the electric vehicle; and

a vehicle controller configured to communicate with the robotic unit, request the charging compatibility data from the database of the robotic unit, and only when the robotic unit is determined to be compatible with the charging panel, direct the robotic unit to position the charging plate with respect to the charging panel;

wherein the charging panel receives the charge from the external power source and charges the electrical storage unit disposed on the electric vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm positions the charging plate at a charging separation distance from the charging panel, and wherein a measurement of the charging separation distance is defined by a separation distance range stored in the database.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle controller comprises a user interface configured to receive, from a user, positioning commands to position the charging panel with respect to the charging plate.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface and is disposed on at least one of a vehicle instrument panel and a mobile device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the robotic unit further comprises at least one distance sensor configured to measure a first measured distance between a first point on the charging plate and a second point on the charging panel.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the robotic unit further comprises a robotic unit controller, the robotic unit controller receiving the first measured distance and configured to maneuver the robotic arm to adjust the position of the charging plate to the charging separation distance.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the charging separation distance is maintained while the charging panel receives the charge from the external power source.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the robotic unit controller receives the first measured distance and automatically maneuvers the robotic arm to adjust the position of the charging panel to the charging separation distance.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the first measured distance is displayed on a user interface of the vehicle controller, the user interface configured to receive, from a user, positioning commands to position the charging plate of the robotic unit with respect to the charging panel disposed on the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle controller queries the database to determine if the external power source is compatible with the vehicle electrical storage unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the charging capability information includes compatible charging panel type, charge rate, and an available automation level for the robotic unit.

12. A method for charging an electric vehicle, the method comprising:

sending, by a first microprocessor, a request to a robotic unit for charging compatibility data stored in a database of the robotic unit, wherein the database includes charging compatibility data stored therein, and wherein the charging compatibility data defines charging capability information and charging requirements information for the robotic unit;

receiving, by the first microprocessor, the charging compatibility data for the robotic unit;

determining, by the first microprocessor and based on the received charging compatibility data for the robotic unit, if an external power source associated with the robotic unit is compatible with an electrical storage unit of the electric vehicle, wherein the external power source is electrically interconnected to the robotic unit, the robotic unit comprising a charging plate and a robotic arm, the charging plate interconnected to the robotic arm and configured to provide a charge to a charging panel of the electric vehicle;

determining, by the first microprocessor and based on the received charging compatibility data for the robotic unit, if the charging plate of the robotic unit is compatible with the charging panel, the charging panel being in electrical communication with the vehicle electrical storage unit; and

positioning, by the first microprocessor, the charging plate of the robotic unit to a charging separation distance from the charging panel of the electric vehicle;

wherein the charging panel receives charge from the charging plate only when the external power source and charging plate associated with the robotic unit are determined to be compatible with the vehicle electrical storage unit and the charging panel of the electric vehicle, respectively, and wherein the electrical storage unit is charged.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising a vehicle controller configured to communicate with the robotic unit and direct the robotic unit to maintain a position of the charging plate at the charging separation distance while the charging panel receives the charge from the external power source.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

measuring, by a distance sensor, a first measured distance between a first point on the charging plate and a second point on the charging panel;

transmitting, by the first microprocessor, the first measured distance to a robotic unit controller;

receiving, by the robotic unit controller, the first measured distance; and

maneuvering the robotic arm to adjust the position of the charging panel to the charging separation distance based on the first measured distance received.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle controller comprises a user interface configured to receive, from a user, positioning commands to position the charging panel with respect to the charging plate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface and is disposed on at least one of a vehicle instrument panel and a mobile device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the desired charging separation distance is selected from the database comprising a charging separation distance range for a type the robotic unit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the robotic unit controller receives the first measured distance and automatically maneuvers the robotic arm to adjust the position of the charging panel to the charging separation distance.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first measured distance is displayed on a user interface of the vehicle controller, the user interface configured to receive, from a user, positioning commands to position the charging plate of the robotic unit with respect to the charging panel of the electric vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of identifying, by the first microprocessor, if the external power source is available for charging of the electrical storage unit.