Enhanced management of electrical resources for electric vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608016-B2
Application number	US-202117316833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2021
Priority date	May 11, 2021
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for management of electrical resources for electric vehicles. A method may include receiving, by a vehicle, sensor data indicative of a first luminosity of a location, and determining that the first luminosity of the location exceeds a luminosity threshold. The method may include determining, based on the first luminosity exceeding the luminosity threshold, a second luminosity to apply to lights of the vehicle while the vehicle is at the location, the second luminosity greater than zero. The method may include applying the second luminosity to the lights while the vehicle is at the location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by at least one processor of a vehicle, sensor data indicative of a first luminosity of a location;
determining, by the at least one processor, that the first luminosity of the location exceeds a luminosity threshold;
determining, by the at least one processor, based on the first luminosity exceeding the luminosity threshold, a second luminosity to apply to lights of the vehicle while the vehicle is at the location, the second luminosity greater than zero;
applying, by the at least one processor, the second luminosity to the lights while the vehicle is at the location;
receiving second sensor data indicative of a third luminosity of a second location;
generating, using the sensor data and second sensor data, a luminosity map indicative of the location, the first luminosity, the second location, and the third luminosity; and
selecting, based on a comparison of the first luminosity to the third luminosity, the location,
wherein determining the second luminosity to apply to the lights of the vehicle is based on the selection of the location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first luminosity of the location is associated with a first time of day, the method further comprising:
receiving second sensor data indicative of a third luminosity of the location associated with a second time of day,
wherein determining the second luminosity to apply to the lights of the vehicle is based on the first time of day.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data, solar data, and infrared data, the method further comprising:
determining, based on the LIDAR data, the solar data, and the infrared data, the first luminosity.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the first luminosity comprises determining a sum of a first scaling factor multiplied by the LIDAR data, a second scaling factor multiplied by the solar data, and a third scaling factor multiplied by the infrared data.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating first luminosity map data indicative of the first luminosity;
determining a metric associated with visibility; and
generating, based on a comparison of the metric to a visibility threshold, second luminosity map data indicative of a third luminosity of the location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data is detected by a second vehicle.

7. A device of a vehicle, the device comprising memory coupled to at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to:
receive sensor data indicative of a first luminosity of a location;
determine that the first luminosity of the location exceeds a luminosity threshold;
determine, based on the first luminosity exceeding the luminosity threshold, a second luminosity to apply to lights of the vehicle while the vehicle is at the location, the second luminosity greater than zero, a second luminosity to apply to lights of the vehicle; and
apply the second luminosity to the lights while the vehicle is at the location,
wherein the first luminosity of the location is associated with a first time of day, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive second sensor data indicative of a third luminosity of the location associated with a second time of day, and
wherein to determine the second luminosity to apply to the lights of the vehicle is based on the first time of day.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive second sensor data indicative of a third luminosity of a second location;
generate, using the sensor data and second sensor data, a luminosity map indicative of the location, the first luminosity, the second location, and the third luminosity; and
select, based on a comparison of the first luminosity to the third luminosity, the location,
wherein to determine the second luminosity to apply to the lights of the vehicle is based on the selection of the location.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the sensor data comprises light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data, solar data, and infrared data, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine, based on the LIDAR data, the solar data, and the infrared data, the first luminosity.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein to determine the first luminosity comprises to determine a sum of a first scaling factor multiplied by the LIDAR data, a second scaling factor multiplied by the solar data, and a third scaling factor multiplied by the infrared data.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
generate first luminosity map data indicative of the first luminosity;
determine a metric associated with visibility; and
generate, based on a comparison of the metric to a visibility threshold, second luminosity map data indicative of a third luminosity of the location.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the sensor data is detected by a second vehicle.

13. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a LIDAR sensor, a solar sensor, and an infrared sensor, wherein the sensor data are detected by the LIDAR sensor, the solar sensor, and the infrared sensor.

14. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
generate first luminosity map data indicative of the first luminosity;
determine a metric associated with visibility; and
generate, based on a comparison of the metric to a visibility threshold, second luminosity map data indicative of a third luminosity of the location.

15. A vehicle system comprising:
a LIDAR sensor;
a solar sensor;
an infrared sensor; and
memory coupled to at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to:
receive sensor data from the LIDAR sensor, the solar sensor, and the infrared sensor, the sensor data indicative of a first luminosity of a location;
determine that the first luminosity of the location exceeds a luminosity threshold;
determine, based on the first luminosity exceeding the luminosity threshold, a second luminosity to apply to lights of the vehicle while the vehicle is at the location, the second luminosity greater than zero, a second luminosity to apply to lights of the vehicle; and
apply the second luminosity to the lights while the vehicle is at the location,
wherein the sensor data comprises LIDAR data, solar data, and infrared data, and wherein to determine the first luminosity comprises to determine a sum of a first scaling factor multiplied by LIDAR data, a second scaling factor multiplied by the solar data, and a third scaling factor multiplied by the infrared data.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive second sensor data indicative of a third luminosity of a second location;
generate, using the sensor data and second sensor data, a luminosity map indicative of the location, the first luminosity, the second location, and the third luminosity; and
select, based on a comparison of the first luminosity to the third luminosity, the location,
wherein to determine the second luminosity to apply to the lights of the vehicle is based on the selection of the location.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first luminosity of the location is associated with a first time of day, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive second sensor data indicative of a third luminosity of the location associated with a second time of day,
wherein to determine the second luminosity to apply to

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dudar Aed M
• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Roychowdhury Rajarshi
• Eifert Mark

Classifications

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title

• B60L2260/54

  Energy consumption estimation · CPC title

• B60L2240/665

  Light intensity · CPC title