US 12,441,210 B2
Fleet charging station architecture
Vamsi Krishna Pathipati, San Carlos, CA (US)
Assigned to Zoox, Inc., Foster City, CA (US)
Filed by Zoox, Inc., Foster City, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 25, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/358,767.
Prior Publication US 2022/0410755 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. B60L 53/67 (2019.01); B60L 53/36 (2019.01); B60L 53/62 (2019.01); B60L 58/12 (2019.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 53/67 (2019.02) [B60L 53/36 (2019.02); B60L 53/62 (2019.02); B60L 58/12 (2019.02); G05D 1/0225 (2013.01); H02J 7/0013 (2013.01); H02J 7/0047 (2013.01); H02J 7/04 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
connecting a first electric vehicle to a first output of a charging station, the charging station comprising a power converter configured to convert a received first type of electrical power to a second type of electrical power electrical power different to the first type of electrical power, the second type of power comprising DC electrical power, the power converter connected to the first output such that DC electrical power is providable to the first output; charging the first electric vehicle using DC electrical power provided from the power converter to the first output;
comparing a first parameter indicative of a state of a first battery of the first electric vehicle to a second parameter indicative of a state of a second battery of a second electric vehicle, the second electric vehicle an autonomous electric vehicle;
directing, based at least in part on comparing the first parameter indicative of the state of the first battery to the second parameter indicative of the state of charge of the second battery, the second electric vehicle to the charging station when the first electric vehicle is connected to the first output, the charging station comprising a communication module configured to transmit signals to autonomous electric vehicles;
i. where the first parameter is greater than the second parameter:
disconnecting the first electric vehicle from the first output and connecting the second electric vehicle to a second output of the charging station, the power converter connected to the second output such that DC electrical power is available to the second output;
charging the second electric vehicle using DC electrical power provided from the power converter to the second output;
where the second parameter reaches a level within a first pre-determined threshold of the first parameter, reconnecting the first electric vehicle to the first output; and
simultaneously charging the first electric vehicle and the second electric vehicle using DC electrical power provided from the power converter to the respective first and second outputs; and
ii. where the first parameter is less than the second parameter:
waiting for the first parameter to reach a level within a second pre-determined threshold of the second parameter;
connecting the second electric vehicle to the second output; and
simultaneously charging the first electric vehicle and the second electric vehicle using DC electrical power supplied from the power converter to the respective first and second outputs.