Vehicle to vehicle charging system and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017136881-A1
Application number	US-201615143083-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	May 18, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques for electric vehicle systems, and in particular to a vehicle to vehicle charging system and method of use. In one embodiment, a system for vehicle to vehicle charging comprises: an electrical storage unit disposed on a charging vehicle; a charging plate in electrical communication with the electrical storage unit, the charging plate configured to provide a charge to a receiving vehicle; a charging vehicle arm interconnected to the charging plate and to the charging vehicle, the charging vehicle arm extendable; a charging vehicle controller that determines if the receiving vehicle requires charging and configured to position the charging plate proximate a charging panel of the receiving vehicle; wherein the charging panel receives a charge from the charging plate and charges the receiving vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for vehicle to vehicle charging, the system comprising:
an electrical storage unit disposed on a charging vehicle; a charging plate in electrical communication with the electrical storage unit, the charging plate configured to provide a charge to a receiving vehicle; a charging vehicle arm interconnected to the charging plate and to the charging vehicle, the charging vehicle arm extendable; a charging vehicle controller that determines if the receiving vehicle requires charging and configured to position the charging plate proximate a charging panel of the receiving vehicle; wherein the charging panel receives a charge from the charging plate and charges the receiving vehicle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the charging panel is configured to operate in a plurality of states comprising a retracted state and a deployed state

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising an actuator interconnected to the charging panel and to the receiving vehicle, wherein the actuator is configured to move the charging panel to receive the charge.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one range sensor configured to measure a first measured distance between a first point on the charging panel and a second point on a charging plate.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the first point of the charging panel is positioned at a selectable desired separation distance from the second point on the charging plate, wherein the selectable desired separation distance is selected from a vehicle database.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the positioning of the first point of the charging panel to the selectable desired separation distance is performed automatically by actuation of an actuator interconnected to the charging panel.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the charging vehicle controller receives the first measured distance and automatically actuates the actuator to adjust the position of the charging panel to the desired separation distance.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein charging is performed while both the charging vehicle and the receiving vehicle are in motion.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the charging plate is interconnected to a distal portion of the charging vehicle arm and extends to a position other than below the electric vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein a charging level of the charging is selectable from a vehicle database.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the charging plate is in physical contact with the charging panel.

12 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the charging panel in both a vertical and a lateral direction.

13 . A method for vehicle to vehicle charging, the method comprising:
determining, by a microprocessor, a charge value of an electrical storage unit disposed on a receiving vehicle; determining, by the microprocessor, if the charge value is below a selectable threshold value wherein charging of an electrical storage unit of the receiving vehicle is required; identifying, by the microprocessor, if a charging vehicle is available for charging of the electrical storage unit; and positioning, by the microprocessor, a charging plate of the charging vehicle, the charging plate positioned to provide charging from the charging plate to a charging panel of the receiving vehicle; wherein the charging panel receives charging from the charging plate wherein electrical storage unit of the receiving vehicle is charged.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
measuring, by a sensor, an alignment measurement between the charging panel and the charging plate; transmitting, by the microprocessor, the alignment measurement to an alignment controller; receiving, by the alignment controller, the alignment measurement; determining, by the microprocessor, a required alignment adjustment; and adjusting, by the microprocessor, the position of the charging plate by the required alignment adjustment.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the charging panel is configured to operate in a plurality of states comprising a retracted state and a deployed state.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising an actuator interconnected to the charging panel and to the receiving vehicle, wherein the actuator is configured to move the charging panel to receive the charge.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein charging plate is interconnected to an extendable charging vehicle arm interconnected to the charging vehicle.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the charging plate is configured to extend from the charging vehicle to a position above the receiving vehicle, wherein charging is provided from the charging plate to the charging panel of the receiving vehicle.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the charging plate is in physical contact with the charging panel.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the charging panel in both a vertical and a lateral direction.

Assignees

• Nextev Usa Inc

Inventors

• Ricci Christopher P

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• B60L53/126

  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 title

• H02J7/342

  The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68) · CPC title

• B60L53/38

  specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer · CPC title

• Y04S30/14

  Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing · CPC title