VEHICLE CHARGING STATION LOCATOR

Abstract

A method for displaying charging stations for vehicles, wherein the vehicle comprises a navigation system for determining the current position of the vehicle, the location of the charging stations with which a vehicle battery of the vehicle may be charged being stored in said navigation system, and at least one headlight, comprises determining the current position of the vehicle and comparing the current position of the vehicle to the location of at least one of the stored charging stations by the navigation system and if the current position of the vehicle is within a selectable distance from the location of a charging station, activating the headlight with a pattern that may be selected.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A method, comprising: determining a current position of a vehicle via a navigation system in the vehicle; comparing the current position of the vehicle with a stored location of a charging station; and upon determining that the current position of the vehicle is within a threshold distance from the stored location of the charging station, activating a headlight of the vehicle according to a pattern selected to indicate the stored location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising activating the headlight in a manner such that the charging station is illuminated.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the headlight is configured to produce a cone of light, the method further comprising changing an orientation of the cone of light in a manner such that the charging station is illuminated.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the headlight is configured to produce a cone of light that projects a symbol, the method further comprising activating the light to project a symbol that points to the charging station.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving a transmission from the charging station specifying a present state of the charging station; and selecting the charging station to be indicated by the headlight upon determining that the present state renders the charging station able to charge a vehicle battery.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a transmission from the charging station specifying the location of the charging station.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising: measuring a state of charge of a vehicle battery; and comparing the current position of the vehicle with the stored location of the charging station upon determining that the state of charge is below a predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising: measuring a vehicle speed; and comparing the current position of the vehicle with the stored location of the charging station upon determining that the vehicle speed is below a predetermined threshold.

18. A vehicle system, comprising programming to: determine a current position of a vehicle via a navigation system in the vehicle; compare the current position of the vehicle with a stored location of a charging station; and upon determining that the current position of the vehicle is within a threshold distance from the stored location of the charging station, activate a headlight of the vehicle according to a pattern selected to indicate the stored location.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising programming to activate the headlight in a manner such that the charging station is illuminated.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the headlight is configured to produce a cone of light, the system further comprising programming to change an orientation of the cone of light in a manner such that the charging station is illuminated.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the headlight is configured to produce a cone of light that projects a symbol, the system further comprising programming to activate the light to project a symbol that points to the charging station.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising programming to receive a transmission from the charging station specifying a present state of the charging station; and select the charging station to be indicated by the headlight upon determining that the present state renders the charging station able to charge a vehicle battery.

23. The system of claim 18, further comprising programming to receive a transmission from the charging station specifying the location of the charging station.

24. The system of claim 18, further comprising programming to: determine a state of charge of a vehicle battery; and compare the current position of the vehicle with the stored location of the charging station upon determining that the state of charge is below a predetermined threshold.

25. The system of claim 18, further comprising programming to: determine a vehicle speed; and compare the current position of the vehicle with the stored location of the charging station upon determining that the vehicle speed is below a predetermined threshold.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings:

[0036] FIG. 1 illustrates a basic plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of a vehicle that may be operated using a disclosed method;

[0037] FIG. 2 illustrates a basic plan view of a second exemplary embodiment of a vehicle that may be operated using a disclosed method; and

[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates a basic plan view of a third exemplary embodiment of a vehicle that may be operated using a disclosed method.

DESCRIPTION

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a vehicle 101 with reference to a basic plan view and said vehicle may be operated according to the disclosed method. The vehicle 101 may be an electric vehicle having an electric vehicle (not illustrated) but also said vehicle may be a vehicle 101 having an internal combustion engine that is likewise not illustrated. In both cases, the vehicle 101 comprises a vehicle battery 12 in which it is possible to store the electrical energy that is required to operate power units (not illustrated), by way of example the electric motor, and to operate electronic components. The vehicle battery 12 may be charged by means of a charging station 14, by way of example via a plug-socket cable connection that is not illustrated.

[0040] The vehicle 101 comprises a navigation system 16 with which it is possible to determine the current position of the vehicle 101. The navigation system 16 simultaneously also assumes open-loop control functions for implementing the method in accordance with the present disclosure, with the result that the navigation system 16 also comprises an open-loop control unit that is not illustrated separately. The navigation system 16 also uses map material on which the location of the charging station 14 is stored. The navigation system 16 is supplied with electrical energy from the vehicle battery 12, and electrical lines 18 are provided for this purpose.

[0041] Furthermore, the vehicle 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment comprises two headlights 20 that are embodied as front-headlights 22. The headlights 20 are connected via electrical lines 18 to the navigation system 16 and may be controlled by the navigation system 16 that is further explained below.

[0042] Moreover, the vehicle 101 comprises a speed measuring device 24 with which it is possible to determine the speed of the vehicle 101. The speed measuring device 24 comprises two rotary encoders 26 that are arranged respectively on a wheel 27 of the vehicle 101 and that may determine the rotational speed of the wheels. The signals that are generated by the rotary encoders 26 are relayed via electrical lines 18 to the navigation system 16.

[0043] Furthermore, the vehicle 101 comprises a measuring device 28 for measuring the state of charge of the vehicle battery 12. The signals that are generated by the measuring device 28 are also relayed to the navigation system 16.

[0044] The charging station 14 is fitted with a state determining device 30 that may determine the state of the charging station 14. The state of the charging station 14 comprises in particular the functionality of the charging station 14. Moreover, the state includes whether the charging station 14 is vacant or if it is occupied and if it is occupied, how long it will take until the charging station 14 becomes vacant again. Furthermore, the charging station 14 comprises a transmitting device 32 with which the states of the charging station 14 that are determined by the state determining device 30 may be transmitted to the vehicle 101 and in particular to the navigation system 16. The vehicle 101 is fitted with an antenna 33 that may be used to receive by way of example GPS signals. This antenna 33 may be used to receive signals that are transmitted by the transmitting device 32.

[0045] Furthermore, the charging station 14 comprises a position transmitter 34 that transmits details regarding the location of the charging station 14 to the navigation system 16. In this case, the already mentioned antenna 33 of the vehicle 101 may also be used to receive the signals that are related to the location of the charging station 14, said signals being transmitted by the position transmitter 34.

[0046] The vehicle 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment may be operated by way of example in the following manner:

[0047] Whilst driving, the measuring device 28 determines that the state of charge of the vehicle battery 12 has fallen below a predetermined value and that the vehicle battery should be charged so as to maintain mobility. The navigation system 16 determines in this case the location of the closest charging station 14 and checks with reference to the signals of the state determining device 30 whether the charging station 14 is in operation and may be used to charge the vehicle battery 12. If this is the case, the navigation system 16 guides the driver to said charging station. The navigation system 16 may provide a corresponding notification to the driver with the result that the driver is not irritated by the fact he is directed to a destination that deviates from the destination that is input.

[0048] The navigation system 16 compares the current position of the vehicle 101 with the location of the charging station 14. If the vehicle 101 has approached the charging station 14 at a predetermined distance, by way of example 2 km (kilometers), the navigation system 16 checks the state of the charging station 14 for whether the charging station 14 is vacant or is not. If the charging station 14 is currently occupied, the navigation system 16 may direct the driver to a vacant charging station 14 that is situated nearby. If a further charging station 14 is not present in the area, the navigation system 16 indicates to the driver an expected waiting time and directs him to a waiting area.

[0049] If the charging station 14 is vacant and the vehicle 101 approaches the charging station 14 at a specific distance A, by way of example 100 m (meters), the navigation system 16 thus checks with reference to the signals of the speed measuring device 24 whether the vehicle 101 is travelling slower than a speed that may be predetermined, by way of example slower than 30 km/h. If this is the case, the navigation system 16 activates at least one of the headlights 20 by means of a pattern that may be predetermined, in order to alert the driver to the fact that he has reached the charging station 14. By way of example, the navigation system 16 may turn up the brightness of the headlights three times.

[0050] The front-headlight 22 of the vehicle 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment produces a changeable cone of light 36. In addition to turning up the headlights, the cone of light 36 may be changed in such a manner that it is oriented to the charging station 14 and illuminates said charging station as illustrated in FIG. 1. As a consequence, the charging station 14 may be particularly easily identified, in particular at dusk or in darkness. In FIG. 1, only the cone of light 36 of the right-hand headlight of the two front-headlights 22 is oriented to the charging station 14 whilst the cone of light 36 of the left-hand front-headlight 22 remains unchanged.

[0051] As mentioned, the charging station 14 is fitted with the position transmitter 34. The position transmitter 34 transmits details regarding the location to the navigation system 16, by way of example the coordinates. The navigation system 16 may itself perform a procedure of determining the position of the vehicle 101 in relation to the charging station 14 using the signal that is transmitted by the position transmitter 34. The GPS signal has a certain inaccuracy with the result that the headlight 20 could be activated too far ahead of or behind the charging station 14 and consequently may only partially aid the driver when locating the charging station 14. In particular if the cone of light 36 is to be oriented at the charging station 14, a particularly precise knowledge of the position of the vehicle 101 in relation to the charging station 14 is necessary. The position of the vehicle 101 in relation to the charging station 14 may be determined with the required accuracy using the position transmitter 34. Moreover, the position of the vehicle 101 in relation to the charging station 14 may then also be determined if the GPS signal cannot be received.

[0052] During the course of efforts to prepare vehicles 101 for autonomous driving, the vehicles 101 are fitted with various types of monitoring devices in order to be able to monitor the area surrounding the vehicles 101. By way of example, vehicles of this type comprise cameras, laser scanners, ultrasonic and/or radar capabilities. The charging station 14 may be fitted as such and/or the position transmitter 34 may be fitted in such a manner that said charging station may be readily identified by said monitoring devices as a charging station 14 or being associated with a charging station 14. The position of the vehicle 101 in relation to the charging station 14 may be determined therefrom with a sufficient accuracy independently of the navigation system 16 as soon as the vehicle 101 is located within a specific distance A with respect to the charging station 14.

[0053] FIG. 2 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the vehicle 102 with reference to a basic plan view and said vehicle may be operated according to the method. The fundamental construction of the vehicle 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment corresponds to that of the vehicle 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment. The vehicle 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment is essentially also operated in the same manner as the vehicle 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment. However, the vehicle 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment also comprises, in addition to the front-headlights 22, a left-hand and a right-hand side-headlight 38, that are typically then activated if the steering wheel is rotated particularly intensely, which by way of example is the case if the driver wants to turn from a road into a road that is branching off. The relevant side-headlight 38 illuminates the region of the road that is branching off and which is not illuminated by the front-headlights 22.

[0054] In the vehicle 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment, the side-headlights 38 are used in order to illuminate the charging station 14 and thus to facilitate the driver locating the charging station. The side-headlights 38 are then activated if their cone of light 36 may illuminate the charging station 14. In the second exemplary embodiment, the vehicle 102 does not require front-headlights 22 that are capable of changing their cone of light 36.

[0055] Typically, vehicles that comprise a front-headlight 22 that may change their cone of light 36 are also fitted with a side-headlight 38. In this case, it is possible both to orient the cone of light 36 of at least one front-headlight 22 to the charging station 14 as well as to illuminate the charging station 14 with the side-headlight 38. This is in particular therefore expedient because the cone of light 36 of the front-headlight 22 may not be oriented arbitrarily to the side of the vehicle 101. If the vehicle 102 is in the position that is illustrated in FIG. 2, it is no longer possible or it is only very conditionally possible to illuminate the charging station 14 using the front-headlight 22. In this respect, the illumination of the charging station 14 using the side-headlights 38 as illustrated in FIG. 2 may be preceded by an illumination using the changeable cone of light 36 of the front-headlight 22, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0056] FIG. 3 illustrates a third exemplary embodiment of the vehicle 103 with reference to a basic plan view and said vehicle may be operated according to the method. The fundamental construction of the vehicle 103 according to the third exemplary embodiment corresponds to that of the vehicle 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment. The vehicle 103 according to the third exemplary embodiment is essentially operated in the same manner as the vehicle 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment. However, the front-headlights 22 are embodied in this case in such a manner that they may project symbols 40 onto the road or another surface, in this case arrows 42 that point toward the charging station 14. The arrows 42 may be adjusted in their orientation with the changing position of the vehicle 101 in relation to the charging station 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0057] 10, 101 to 103 Vehicle [0058] 12 Vehicle battery [0059] 14 Charging station [0060] 16 Navigation system [0061] 18 Electrical lines [0062] 20 Headlight [0063] 22 Front-headlight [0064] 24 Speed measuring device [0065] 26 Rotary encoder [0066] 27 Wheel [0067] 28 Measuring device [0068] 30 State determining device [0069] 32 Transmitting device [0070] 33 Antenna [0071] 34 Position sensor [0072] 36 Cone of light [0073] 38 Side-headlight [0074] 40 Symbol [0075] 42 Arrow [0076] A Distance