The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for assisting a battery electric vehicle (BEV) execute a battery charging operation. In an example method, a processor of a battery charging advisory system in a BEV obtains information about a battery charging lot and evaluates the information to identify a battery charging station having a first charging cable that includes a first type of plug which is compatible for coupling to a charging port of the BEV. The processor may then identify a location of the charging port on the BEV and uses this information to determine an orientation of the BEV with respect to the battery charging station. The processor then provides an advisory for maneuvering the BEV into a position that allows coupling of the first charging cable of the battery charging station to the charging port of the BEV.

The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for assisting a battery electric vehicle (BEV) execute a battery charging operation. In an example method, a processor of a battery charging advisory system in a BEV obtains information about a battery charging lot and evaluates the information to identify a battery charging station having a first charging cable that includes a first type of plug which is compatible for coupling to a charging port of the BEV. The processor may then identify a location of the charging port on the BEV and uses this information to determine an orientation of the BEV with respect to the battery charging station. The processor then provides an advisory for maneuvering the BEV into a position that allows coupling of the first charging cable of the battery charging station to the charging port of the BEV.

Methods and systems for communicating between autonomous vehicles are described herein. Such communication may be performed for signaling, collision avoidance, path coordination, and/or autonomous control. A computing device may receive data for the same road segment from autonomous vehicles, including (i) an indication of a location within the road segment, and (ii) an indication of a condition of the road segment. The computing device may generate, from the data for the same road segment, an overall indication of the condition of the road segment, which may include a recommendation to vehicles approaching the road segment. Additionally, the computing device may receive a request from a computing device within a vehicle approaching the road segment to display vehicle data. The overall indication for the road segment may then be displayed on a user interface of the computing device.

Systems and methods are described herein for providing wireless power to a mobile device, such as an aerial mobile device like an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A navigational constraint model may prescribe a navigation path along which a wireless power transmission system can provide wireless power to the mobile device. Deviations from the prescribed path may require the mobile device to self-power. The prescription of a navigation path allows for the use of reduced-complexity wireless power transmitters that are fully capable of servicing the prescribed path. Multiple embodiments of prescribed paths with various limitations and features are set forth herein, along with multiple embodiments of wireless power transmission systems of reduced complexity and functionality to fully service the various embodiments of prescribed paths.

Systems and methods are described herein for providing wireless power to a mobile device, such as an aerial mobile device like an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A navigational constraint model may prescribe a navigation path along which a wireless power transmission system can provide wireless power to the mobile device. Deviations from the prescribed path may require the mobile device to self-power. The prescription of a navigation path allows for the use of reduced-complexity wireless power transmitters that are fully capable of servicing the prescribed path. Multiple embodiments of prescribed paths with various limitations and features are set forth herein, along with multiple embodiments of wireless power transmission systems of reduced complexity and functionality to fully service the various embodiments of prescribed paths.

A vehicle connection device of a vehicle battery charging system has a vehicle contact unit including a base with a contacting area in which at least one first contact electrode, at least one second contact electrode and at least one third contact electrode are provided. The vehicle connection device is moveable towards the ground contact unit in a contact direction (R.sub.K) and an aligning actuator of the vehicle connection device is connected to the base in such a way that it can rotate the base about an axis of rotation that runs substantially in the contact direction (R.sub.K). Moreover, a ground contact unit, an automatic vehicle coupling system as well as a method for automatically, conductively connecting a vehicle contact unit to a ground contact unit.

Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of robots, and disclose a method and a device for automatically charging a robot, a charging station and a robot. The method for automatically charging a robot in the present application, applied to the robot, includes the steps of: detecting a distance to a charging station according to a laser ranging signal; starting laser feature recognition when the distance is determined less than a preset distance, where the laser feature recognition is configured to identify the charging station; and performing docking process according to a recognition result of the laser feature recognition, a laser ranging signal and an infrared guiding signal. The method for automatically charging a robot in the embodiments enables the intelligent robot to quickly and accurately find the charging station, and accurately perform the docking process and automatically charging.

Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of robots, and disclose a method and a device for automatically charging a robot, a charging station and a robot. The method for automatically charging a robot in the present application, applied to the robot, includes the steps of: detecting a distance to a charging station according to a laser ranging signal; starting laser feature recognition when the distance is determined less than a preset distance, where the laser feature recognition is configured to identify the charging station; and performing docking process according to a recognition result of the laser feature recognition, a laser ranging signal and an infrared guiding signal. The method for automatically charging a robot in the embodiments enables the intelligent robot to quickly and accurately find the charging station, and accurately perform the docking process and automatically charging.

A fleet management system dispatches autonomous electric vehicles (AEVs) as on-demand power sources. The fleet management system receives a request for a power source including a location and data describing the amount of power requested. The fleet management system selects an AEV of the fleet to service the request based on the relative locations of the AEVs to the requested location, and based on the amount of power requested. The fleet management system instructs the selected AEV to drive to the location and supply power. The fleet management system instructs the selected AEV to disconnect and return to the charging station, and may instruct another AEV to continue fulfilling the request if additional power is needed.

A fleet management system dispatches autonomous electric vehicles (AEVs) as on-demand power sources. The fleet management system receives a request for a power source including a location and data describing the amount of power requested. The fleet management system selects an AEV of the fleet to service the request based on the relative locations of the AEVs to the requested location, and based on the amount of power requested. The fleet management system instructs the selected AEV to drive to the location and supply power. The fleet management system instructs the selected AEV to disconnect and return to the charging station, and may instruct another AEV to continue fulfilling the request if additional power is needed.