A rotatable LIDAR device including contactless electrical couplings is disclosed. An example rotatable LIDAR device includes a vehicle electrical coupling including (i) a first conductive ring, (ii) a second conductive ring, and (iii) a first coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device further includes a LIDAR electrical coupling including (i) a third conductive ring, (ii) a fourth conductive ring, and (iii) a second coil. The example rotatable LIDAR device still further includes a rotatable LIDAR electrically coupled to the LIDAR electrical coupling. The first conductive ring and the third conductive ring form a first capacitor configured to transmit communications to the rotatable LIDAR, the second conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring form a second capacitor configured to transmit communications from the rotatable LIDAR, and the first coil and the second coil form a transformer configured to provide power to the rotatable LIDAR.

An autonomous urban transport vehicle (AUTV) to transport a user, including a tricycle including brakes and steering and a controller. The controller includes an autonomous mode processor to control the brakes and steering when the AUTV is in an autonomous mode. The controller also includes a manual mode processor to control manual mode functions of the AUTV when the AUTV is in a manual mode. The manual mode functions are exclusive of actuation of the brakes and steering.

An apparatus comprising an onboard energy storage device, an onboard power conversion device configured to be electrically coupled to an external power source for receiving electrical power therefrom, and at least one drive system electrically coupled to the onboard energy storage device and the onboard power conversion device, wherein the onboard energy storage device and the onboard power conversion device cooperatively provide electrical power for the at least one drive system. A vehicle and a method for managing power supply are also disclosed.

An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

A motor vehicle has an electric drive and a primary energy source for the electric drive. The vehicle also has a solar cell module for supplying the primary energy source. The solar cell module can be designed in such a manner that it can be moved to an expanded position while in use in order to increase its surface area, and then moved to a constricted position to reduce its size when not in use. The solar cell module is designed so that it can be rolled out, fanned out or erected in order to increase its surface area.

The present disclosure relates to a reconfigurable battery system and method of operating the same. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to determine a state of charge of a battery, determine a closed circuit voltage of the battery, determine a value of a parameter based on a ratio of the state of charge and the closed circuit voltage, and control a switch coupled to the battery based on the value of the parameter, the controlling of the switch to either cause the battery to be coupled to a battery string or cause the battery to be disconnected from the battery string.

A solar powered electric ship system comprises an electric ship, multiple inflatable barges, and multiple inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems. The entire system is configured with the multiple inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems mounted on the inflatable barges, and with the inflatable barges mechanically and electrically connected to the electric ship. When in operation, the electric ship dragged the barges to navigate together with it, and have the inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based photovoltaic system to power it. The configuration dramatically reduce the battery bank size of the electric ship and make the portable floating concentrating photovoltaic system ultra-high efficiency, extremely low cost, and super light.

An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

A solar concentrator device is provided. The solar concentrator device includes a waveguide having a luminophore and a first refractive index; a photovoltaic component operably coupled to the waveguide; and a film disposed onto a surface of the waveguide, the film having a second refractive index. The second refractive index of the film is lower than the first refractive index of the waveguide. The waveguide and the film are visibly transparent.

The present invention is related to a control method for controlling a power converter including a first power conversion circuit 11 and a second power conversion circuit 12 by using a control circuit 13. The first power conversion circuit 11 is connected to a solar cell module 1 and a capacitor 2, converts output power of the solar cell module 1, and outputs the converted power to the capacitor 2, the second power conversion circuit 12 is connected to the capacitor 2, and converts a voltage at a connection terminal connected to the capacitor 2. The control method comprises step of controlling operation of the second power conversion circuit 12 based on the output voltage of the solar cell module 1, to use output power of the second power conversion circuit 12 for charging the capacitor 2.