Docking interlock system and method

Abstract

A charging interlock system of an electronic device includes: a driving system; a relay coupled to the drive system; and a controller. The controller receives an indication that the electric device is in a charging mode. The controller also transmits a signal to turn on the relay. Further, the controller determines that the drive system is disabled based at least in part on the turned-on relay.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 352,052, filed on June 14, 2022, entitled “DOCKED INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND METHOD,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Art

[0002] In certain entertainment settings, such as in an amusement park, certain entertainment setting features may be fully or partially battery powered (e.g., electric or hybrid). For example, in an amusement park setting, a ride feature or a show feature may be battery powered so that the ride feature and show feature may be rechargeable. Often, to charge, an electric feature may be charged at a charging station or charging dock. In particular, a user of the electric feature may connect a charging cable of a charging station to a charging port of the electric feature. However, the user may be able to move or drive the feature while the electric feature is charging. That is, the user may manually monitor and move the electric feature. However, for example, monitoring the charging port status of the electric feature along with monitoring other states associated with the electric feature may be difficult.

[0003] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and / or claimed below. It is believed that this discussion is helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as an admission of prior art. Summary of the invention

[0004] Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief overview of certain disclosed embodiments. Indeed, the present disclosure may encompass a wide variety of forms that may be similar or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0005] In one embodiment, a charging interlock system for an electronic device includes a drive system, a relay coupled to the drive system, and a controller. The controller receives an indication that the electric device is in a charging mode. The controller also transmits a signal to open the relay. In addition, the controller determines that the drive system is disabled based at least in part on the open relay.

[0006] In one embodiment, a method includes determining that an electric feature is charging. Additionally, the method includes disabling a drive system of the electric feature using a relay for disconnecting or connecting the drive system in response to determining that the electric feature is charging.

[0007] In one embodiment, a relay of an electric vehicle disables a drive system by opening a switch connected to the drive system in response to an indication that the electric vehicle is in a charging mode. In addition, in response to an indication that the electric vehicle is in a non-charging mode, the relay enables the drive system by closing the switch. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, and in which:

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery powered amusement park electric feature according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 2 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an interlocking system for a charging station having electric characteristics;

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a relay of a charging station interlocking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0012] Figure 4 is a process flow diagram of a method for interlocking power features according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation may be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, many implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. In addition, it should be appreciated that such development work may be complex and time consuming, but will be no more than a routine task of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for a person of ordinary skill who benefits from the present disclosure.

[0014] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a, an" and "the" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements described. The terms "comprising, including" and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements in addition to the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "some embodiments" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the described features. The use of the terms "approximately" or "nearby" should be understood to mean including being close to a target (e.g., design, value, amount), such as within the margin of any suitable or conceivable error (e.g., within 0.1% of a target, within 1% of a target, within 5% of a target, within 10% of a target, within 25% of a target, etc.). As used herein, the term "charging" or "charging an electric feature" refers to charging a battery that powers certain portions of an electric feature. In addition, as used herein, the term "docking" refers to the connection of an electric feature to a charging station via a charging cable. That is, a powered feature may be docked while it is charging, and remain docked after charging is complete.

[0015] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of amusement parks. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques for ensuring that amusement park objects are handled as intended, particularly for docking objects, to prevent or reduce damage that may otherwise occur due to using docking objects in an unintended manner.

[0016] Entertainment settings may often require users to follow protocols or procedures for handling objects to avoid unexpected consequences. By way of example, an electric feature (such as a ride feature or a show feature) in an amusement park setting may include one or more batteries for powering the electric feature. As previously discussed, the battery of the electric feature may be charged at a charging station or charging platform in the amusement park. In order to charge the electric feature, the user may insert the charging cable of the charging station into the charging port of the electric feature. By way of example, when the electric feature is docked (e.g., connected to the charging station via a charging cable for charging the battery that powers the electric feature), the user may attempt to move the electric feature. Moving the electric feature while the electric feature is charging may cause the electric feature, the charging station, or both to operate in an unexpected manner (e.g., caused by damage to the electric feature). For example, moving the electric feature while the electric feature is charging may cause the cable inserted into the charging port of the electric feature to become damaged. Therefore, it may be difficult to manage docked electric features. Therefore, it is now recognized that an improved system is desired to limit the monitoring and complexity of the charging station system.

[0017] It should be noted that although the examples provided herein may be specific to specific electrical features of an amusement park (such as a rechargeable battery that provides power for an electric feature), the technology in the present disclosure may be applied to other conditions and / or contexts. Therefore, the examples presented should be understood as reflecting real-world examples of an amusement park to provide useful context for this discussion, and should not be considered to limit the further applicability of the present method. For example, the present disclosure should be understood to be applicable to additional or alternative situations in which monitoring docking features (e.g., non-electric), battery-powered objects, objects generally connected to cables or wires, or any combination thereof can be utilized, such as for electric vehicles, electrical household and commercial devices, and the like.

[0018] Considering the above situation, Figure 1 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electric feature 10 (e.g., an electric vehicle and an electric device and the like) of an amusement park float that can utilize the charging station interlock system discussed herein. By way of example, the charging station interlock system can be used to automatically lock, stop or prevent the movement of the electric feature 10 (e.g., when it is docked at a charging station) and automatically release the automatic lock. Although the following discussion describes the electric feature 10 as an electric float of an amusement park float show that is fully battery-powered and charged using one or more charging stations, the electric feature 10 can be any partially or fully battery-powered device with one or more charging ports. In addition, the electric feature 10 can be any feature in an amusement park that can require power, such as a battery-powered (e.g., electric) ride vehicle that moves along a roller coaster, a battery-powered ride facility, a battery-powered show feature, a battery-powered character that moves its limbs to interact with patrons at the amusement park, and the like. As previously mentioned, the electric feature 10 can also be used in non-amusement park related contexts, such as an electric vehicle, a battery-powered vacuum cleaner, a battery-powered lawn mower, and the like.

[0019] As shown, electric feature 10 may include one or more batteries 11. As previously mentioned, electric feature 10 may be fully battery powered, such that electric feature 10 is powered solely by energy stored on battery 11. In additional or alternative embodiments, electric feature 10 may be a hybrid feature, such that electric feature 10 is powered by a combination of electricity (e.g., charging battery 11) and fuel. In such embodiments, the engine used to drive electric feature 10 may be powered by fuel, and other features of electric feature 10 may be powered by battery 11. For either type, electric feature 10 may utilize battery 11 to power electric feature 10 for at least some operations. For example, battery 11 may power electric feature 10 to rotate tire 13 and drive as part of its normal operation.

[0020] In the depicted embodiment, the electric feature 10 is a float for a parade. Thus, the float may include objects related to the theme of the parade. Here, the electric feature 10 depicts reindeer and a sleigh as part of a holiday theme for the parade. The reindeer and sleigh may also be fully or partially battery powered. For example, at least one of the reindeer may have a light feature 14. The light feature 14 may also be powered by a battery 11. Thus, the electric feature 10 may include one or more features that are at least partially battery powered. The battery 11 may be one or more lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lead-acid batteries, supercapacitors, and the like.

[0021] To charge the battery 11, the electric feature 10 may be connected to one or more charging stations, such as a first charging station 12A, a second charging station 12B, or both. The first charging station 12A may be a direct current (DC) charger, and the second charging station 12B may be an alternating current (AC) charger. The DC charger of the first charging station 12A may include a converter within the DC charger itself, so that the first charging station 12A may directly provide current to the battery 11, so that the electric feature 10 does not have to include a converter. In contrast, the AC charger of the second charging station 12B is an on-board charger, where the AC charger provides current to the battery 11 of the electric feature 10. The electric feature 10 may include a converter to convert the AC current into a DC current, which is then provided to the battery 11 for charging. Generally, the second charging station 12B may include a wall socket (e.g., a wall socket of a residential or commercial building). Both the first charging station 12A and the second charging station 12B may be plugged into one or more charging ports 16 of the electric feature 10.

[0022] In some embodiments, user 15 may operate electric feature 10. User 15 may include a human driver, a robot driver, and / or an autonomous vehicle without a human driver. During the parade, user 15 may drive electric feature 10 to maneuver it around or drive (such as via tire 13). In some embodiments, via power from battery 11, tire 13 may rotate to move electric feature 10. User 15 may also drive electric feature 10 to and from charging station 12 (e.g., via rotating tire 13 powered by battery 11). In particular, user 15 may plug charging cable 18 of charging station 12 into charging port 16 of electric feature 10. In additional or alternative embodiments, feature operator 17 may monitor electric feature 10. In particular, feature operator 17 may manually verify that electric feature 10, user 15, or both are in compliance with the process of electric feature 10. However, for compliance, relying on feature operator 17 may result in long delays caused by feature operator 17 resolving compliance issues before resuming the suspended electric feature 10.

[0023] Additionally or alternatively to feature operator 17, user 15 may monitor the charging status of electric feature 10 while electric feature 10 is docked. For example, after plugging in charging cable 18 that directs electrical current from charging station 12 through one or more charging ports 16 of electric feature 10 to ultimately charge battery 11 that powers electric feature 10, user 15 may determine the charging status of electric feature 10. For example, electric feature 10 may include dashboard 19 that indicates the status of charging when charging cable 18 is plugged into charging port 16 and the battery level is increasing. Dashboard 19 may also indicate other charging-related status, such as the percentage of battery charge (e.g., 20%, 50%, etc.), battery status (e.g., low battery), proximity of charging station 12 to an amusement park, and the like. Similarly, when battery 11 is fully charged, dashboard 19 may indicate the status of charging completion. In some embodiments, as described with respect to FIG. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As will be discussed, a fully charged battery 11 may facilitate re-enabling a disabled drive system.

[0024] In some embodiments, the electric feature 10 may also include a vehicle stop button 20. The vehicle stop button 20 may disable the drive system. In some embodiments, and in addition or alternatively to disabling the drive system, the vehicle stop button 20 may enable an emergency brake system (e.g., different from the drive system) of the electric feature 10 to prevent the electric feature 10 from driving. In such embodiments, the vehicle stop button 20 may include an electronically controlled parking brake, a mechanically controlled brake, or both. Although the descriptions discussed herein describe disabling the drive system, enabling the emergency brake system, or both, the systems and methods described herein may only utilize a disabled drive system, such as by opening a relay that enables the drive system (e.g., disconnecting the drive system). In particular, the drive system may be disconnected from a power source (e.g., battery 11, another power source, or both) that powers the drive system. Disconnecting the drive system from the power source may render the electric feature 10 incapable of driving, while connecting the drive system to the power source may enable the electric feature 10 to drive.

[0025] A user 15 inside the powered feature 10 who is driving the powered feature 10 or a user 15 outside the powered feature 10 may press a vehicle stop button 20 or similar mechanism for disabling the drive system or activating the emergency brake. In some embodiments, a feature operator 17 may press a vehicle stop button 20 for disabling the drive system or activating the emergency brake. Disabling the drive system or activating the brake may prevent the powered feature 10 from moving, such as by pausing the drive mode of the powered feature 10 or the like. In particular, the vehicle stop button 20 may be used by a user 15 or a feature operator 17 to prevent the powered feature 10 from moving in an unintended manner, such as during an unintended time frame (e.g., when docked).

[0026] Figure 2 Is applied to Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a charging station interlock system 50 for an electric feature 10 (e.g., an electric ride feature) of a vehicle. As shown, the charging station interlock system 50 includes the electric feature 10, a controller 60, and a sensor 70. As will be described herein, the charging station interlock system 50 can efficiently monitor and automatically prevent or stop the electric feature 10 from being driven (e.g., by disabling the drive system, enabling the automatic braking system, or both). Although the systems and methods described herein describe various sensors 70 used in conjunction with the charging port 16 for determining the presence of the electric feature 10, which represents a specific embodiment, the systems and methods described herein may use only the charging port 16 to monitor the electric feature 10 and then prevent the electric feature 10 from moving during an expected time range (e.g., when docked). It should be understood that the illustrated system is intended to be exemplary only, and certain features and components may be omitted, and various other features and components may be added to facilitate performance in accordance with the disclosed embodiments.

[0027] The electric feature 10 may include a battery 11, a charging port 16, a relay 52 (e.g., a switch), a drive system 54, a vehicle stop button 20, a timer 21, a battery tester 23, and a power source 25. As previously discussed, the charging station 12 may be connected to the electric feature 10 via a charging cable 18 that connects from the charging station 12 to the charging port 16 of the electric feature 10. The charging station 12 may charge the battery 11 of the electric feature 10 that is used to power the electric feature 10 (such as for driving the electric feature 10, powering other features in the electric feature 10, or both). In particular, the user 15 may drive the electric feature 10 to the charging station 12. The user 15 may dock the electric feature 10 at the charging station. In particular, the user 15 may dock the electric feature 10 within a predetermined distance threshold from the charging station 12 so that the charging cable 18 can reach the charging port 16 of the electric feature 10 from the charging station 12. However, the electric feature 10 may be movable from the dock of the charging station 12. For example, the electric feature 10 may be able to be driven while docked.

[0028] In some examples, the powered feature 10 may be moved away from the charging station 12 while the charging cable 18 is plugged into the charging port 16 of the powered feature 10. Thus, by moving the powered feature 10 while it is still connected to the charging station 12 (e.g., docked), the powered feature 10 may be handled in an unintended manner. To prevent unintended consequences to the charging station 12, the powered feature 10, or both, the charging station interlock system 50 may interlock the drive system 54 of the powered feature 10 using the relay 52. ​​That is, the interlock system 50 may disable the drive system 54, enable the brake system, or both.

[0029] In particular, the relay 52 may be a switch for interlocking the drive system 54. When the electric feature 10 is docked at the charging station 12, such that the electric feature 10 is connected to the charging station 12 via the charging cable 18, the relay 52 may be turned on (e.g., the on state of the switch). In particular, and as described with respect to Figure 3 As will be discussed, the relay 52 may utilize the emergency stop system of the vehicle stop button 20 to disable the drive system 54 from the power source 25, activate the emergency brake to resist the drive system 54, or both. That is, the vehicle stop button 20 may be associated with a system that is often used in emergency situations and is activated via the vehicle stop button 20 to prevent the electric feature 10 from operating in an unexpected manner. Specifically, when the charging port 16 is in use, so that the charging station 12 is connected to the electric feature 10 via the charging cable 18, the relay 52 may be turned on (e.g., the disconnected state of the switch) to disconnect the drive system 54 from the power source 25 to prevent the electric feature 10 from driving. The power source 25 may include any source that provides energy or power to the drive system 54. The power source 25 may include one or more batteries, electric power sources, gasoline, biodiesel, natural gas, and the like. In some embodiments, the power source 25 may be a battery 11. Disconnecting the drive system 54 using the relay 52 may include decoupling the drive system 54 from the power source 25 so that the drive system 54 is no longer activated. When the charging port 16 is not in use (e.g., the charging cable 18 has been placed back in the charging station 12), the relay 52 can be closed (e.g., closed state) and reconnect the drive system 54. The drive system 54 may be able to enable driving or moving the electric feature 10. In this way, the relay 52 can enable the drive system 54 when the charging port 16 is not in use, and disable the drive system 54 when the charging port 16 is in use (when the electric feature 10 is charging). In addition, as previously mentioned, the relay 52 can similarly connect the emergency brake to disable driving, or disconnect the emergency brake to enable driving.

[0030] In additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor 70 may be in communication with or integrated with the electric feature 10, the controller 60, or both (as shown). For example, a charging port cover sensor 77 may be integrated with the electric feature 10 (e.g., coupled to or disposed at the charging port 16 of the electric feature 10). The sensor 70 may additionally or alternatively indicate that the charging port 16 is in use or may be in use, so that the relay 52 may be opened to disable the drive system 54 to stop or reduce unintended consequences. The sensor data from the sensor 70 may be used in conjunction with other data (e.g., timing data from the timer 21, battery charge data from the battery tester 23, etc.) to indicate that the electric feature 10 is charging, charging is complete, etc. In particular, the sensor 70 may include one or more of the following devices: a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 72, a camera 74, a weight sensor 76, a charging port cover sensor 77, an infrared (IR) tag 78, and / or an electronic reader 79. In some embodiments, sensor 70 may be placed or positioned in the docking area in an area where powered feature 10 is expected to dock, such as within a threshold distance or a predetermined distance (e.g., to provide sufficient slack for charging cable 18, such as approximately 1.5 meters (m) or less from charging station 12). In addition, in some embodiments, powered feature 10 may form a near field communication connection with one or more of sensors 70, charging station 12, or both. That is, charging station 12 may be equipped with a device (e.g., a Bluetooth device) capable of near field communication. Near field communication may include a wireless communication protocol that enables communication between electronic devices over a short distance (such as between 4 centimeters (cm) and 10 cm). Near field communication may indicate that powered feature 10 is in charging mode (e.g., docked and charging). For example, based on near field communication, docking within a predetermined distance may also indicate that battery 11 will likely be charged or that it is in charging mode. Sensor 70 may provide other data indicating that powered feature is expected to dock in the docking area (such as based on exceeding a predetermined weight in the docking area, image data indicating that powered feature 10 is near charging station 12, etc.). Sensor data from sensor 70 may indicate that electric feature 10 is located at a dock, and therefore may indicate that relay 52 may benefit from being activated to reduce or prevent unintended consequences to electric feature 10, charging station 12, or both. Specifically, electric feature 10 may activate relay 52 to disable drive system 54 based on sensor data indicating that electric feature 10 is below a threshold distance from charging station 12 and before a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

[0031] Timer 21 may include a clock that measures time in seconds, minutes, etc. Timer 21 may track time over a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time or predetermined time range may be related to the time range used to fully charge electric feature 10. Therefore, the predetermined period of time may indicate that electric feature 10 is in charging mode. Relay 52 may close after the predetermined period of time has passed so that drive system 54 can be re-enabled to drive electric feature 10. The passage of the predetermined period of time may indicate that charging of battery 11 is complete. Additionally or alternatively, the change in battery charge determined and indicated by battery tester 23 (and as described in relation to the battery charge) may be detected by a battery tester 23. Figure 4 The battery tester 23 may generally indicate the battery's current charge level or the percentage of the battery charge (e.g., 20%, 50%, etc.), a change in charge level, a battery status (e.g., low battery), and / or completion of charging.

[0032] In addition, the controller 60 may include an input device 62, a processor 64, a memory 66, and a communication circuit module 68. The input device 62 may receive input data from the sensor 70 and the electric feature 10 (e.g., the charging port 16). Based on the input data received at the input device 62, the controller 60 may adjust the relay 52, and in turn adjust the drive system 54, or adjust other features that may prevent or reduce unintended consequences caused by unintended use of the electric feature 10 when the electric feature 10 is docked at the charging station 12.

[0033] RFID tag 72 may communicate with electronic reader 79 to indicate the presence of an object, such as electric feature 10, so that charging station interlock system 50 may then open or close relay 52 to disable or enable drive system 54, respectively. In particular, RFID tag 72 may be incorporated on electric feature 10 (e.g., inside, on the side, below, or on an entryway of electric feature 10). Thus, electronic reader 79 may be positioned in a manner that allows scanning of RFID tag 72. By way of example, electronic reader 79 may be positioned on a dock so that when electric feature 10 passes by electronic reader 79, electronic reader 79 scans RFID tag 72 on electric feature 10, thereby indicating that electric feature 10 is connected to a charging cable and should therefore be disabled from driving and / or moving. After a predetermined time frame has passed, electric feature 10 may be re-enabled for driving.

[0034] In some embodiments, as previously discussed, the camera 74 may be placed or positioned in an area based on where the electric feature 10 can dock near the charging station 12. The camera 74 may determine the presence of the electric feature 10 based on images or videos captured by the camera 74. Additionally or alternatively, a weight sensor 76 of the charging station 12 may indicate the presence of the electric feature 10. In particular, the weight sensor 76 may be mounted on a dock or designated charging area and may indicate the presence of the electric feature 10 based on a measured weight exceeding a predetermined weight threshold (e.g., an approximate weight corresponding to the electric feature 10). In addition, the charging port cover sensor 77 may include a sensor that detects an open or closed cover for the charging port 16 (such as a door or hatch covering the charging port 16). The charging port cover sensor 77 may include a contact sensor (e.g., having a switch and / or a magnet) and the like to detect an open or closed cover. An open cover may indicate that the electric feature 10 is in a charging mode, while a closed cover may indicate that the electric feature 10 is in a non-charging mode. Controller 60 may transmit a signal to open relay 52 to disconnect power source 25 from drive system 54 to disable actuation of powered feature 10, thereby reducing or preventing unintended consequences to powered feature 10, charging station 12, or both. Additionally, IR marker 78 placed on powered feature 10 may reflect light recognized by camera 74 to indicate the presence of powered feature 10 at the dock.

[0035] The controller 60 may enable the communication circuit module 68 to interface with various electronic devices of the amusement park, such as a monitoring system, a service desk, etc. The monitoring system and / or the service desk may communicate with the controller 60 to receive and / or send information to ensure that the charging station interlock system 50, the electric feature 10, or both are operating as expected. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 60 may enable the communication circuit module 68 to interface with components of the electric feature 10, such as the relay 52, the drive system 54, and / or the brake system associated with the vehicle stop button 20, etc.

[0036] For example, the communication circuit module 68 may allow the controller 60 to be communicatively coupled to a network, such as a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), and / or a wide area network (WAN). Thus, in some embodiments, the controller 60 may process data from the input device 62, determine the presence of the electric feature 10 docked at the charging station 12, and communicate modifications to the electric feature 10 (e.g., opening or closing the relay 52) via the communication circuit module 68. For example, after processing data from the input device 62 indicating that the charging port 16 is in use, the processor 64 may determine a control signal that enables the communication circuit module 68 to wirelessly transmit the control data to the electric feature 10 to enable opening or closing the relay 52 (e.g., stopping the electric feature 10 by disconnecting the drive system 54). In other embodiments, the communication circuit module 68 may be connected to the electric feature 10 via a wired connection.

[0037] The processor 64 may include one or more processing devices that receive input signals from the input device 62 related to the docking of the electric feature 10, which can be used to determine possible modifications to the electric feature 10 using the techniques described herein. The memory 66 may include one or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media. By way of example, such machine-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired algorithm (e.g., program code) in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and can be accessed by the processor 64 or other processor-based device. In particular, the processor 64 may include a processing core for executing the machine-executable instruction algorithm stored in the memory 66. The processor 64 may also include a processor-side interface for software applications that run on the processing core to interact with hardware components on one or more electric features 10 associated with the processor 64.

[0038] By way of example, in an amusement park setting, the stored algorithms may include, but are not limited to, algorithms that determine the presence of an electric feature 10 within the amusement park through docking of a charging station 12 or electric feature 10 based on the state of the charging port 16, sensor data from the sensor 70, timing data from the timer 21, and / or battery charge data. The algorithms may also include algorithms that determine changes to the relay 52 based on the determination of the electric feature 10, algorithms that determine the location of the electric feature 10 within the amusement park relative to the charging station 12, algorithms that determine the current drive state of the electric feature 10, algorithms that determine the use or charging state of the charging port 16, and the like.

[0039] Figure 3is a flow chart of a relay process 80 (e.g., switch) of the charging station interlock system 50. As shown, the flow chart of the relay process 80 may include the charging port 16, the relay 52, the power source 25, and the drive system 54. Although the relay process 80 describes the flow of conditions and data in a particular order, which represents a particular embodiment, the data and conditions may occur in any order. In addition, and as previously mentioned, in addition to or as an alternative to the indication that the charging port 16 is in use, sensor data, timing data, and / or battery charge data may also be used to determine that the electric feature 10 is docked at the charging station 12 to open the relay 52. ​​The indication that the charging port 16 is in use may be based on a message or signal received in the electric feature 10 (e.g., at the dashboard 19).

[0040] The charging port 16 may include a port for the electric feature 10 for charging the battery 11. The charging port 16 may be a point at which a charging cable 18 from the charging station 12 may be inserted into the electric feature 10. In some embodiments, the electric feature 10 may include only one port, or may include multiple ports. By way of example, the various ports may be designated for different power speeds (e.g., fast charging using DC charging or relatively slow charging using AC charging), for different connectors for the charging cable 18, and the like. As previously discussed, when the electric feature 10 is inserted into the charging station 12 so that the electric feature 10 is docked at or near the charging station 12 (e.g., within a predetermined distance from the charging station 12 that enables sufficient slack for the charging cable 18 from the charging station 12 to the electric feature 10), the electric feature 10 may be rendered immobile. That is, when the charging cable 18 is inserted, the electric feature 10 may be expected to be in a stationary orientation so that the electric feature 10 may not move from the docked orientation to prevent unintended consequences to the electric feature 10.

[0041] To prevent a user 15 (e.g., inside or outside of a powered feature 10) from moving a powered feature 10 (e.g., inadvertently actuating a powered feature 10), the systems and methods described herein may utilize a relay 52 to utilize an existing disabled drive system associated with a vehicle stop button 20 that disables the drive system 54. In some embodiments, the relay 52 may utilize an existing braking system (e.g., different from the disabled drive system) associated with the vehicle stop button 20. The disabled drive system may be a primary (e.g., main) system, and the braking system may be an auxiliary (e.g., backup) system to stop or prevent the powered feature 10 from moving. For example, the vehicle stop button 20 may be used when the user 15 notices that the powered feature 10 continues to drive or move forward when it is indicated to be in a parked or stationary state. That is, the user 15 may use the vehicle stop button 20 to prevent or stop the powered feature 10 from operating in an unintended manner. Therefore, the relay process 80 described herein may use a relay 52 associated with a vehicle stop button 20 to provide similar automatic braking to stop or prevent the powered feature 10 from moving when the powered feature 10 is docked. In particular, and as previously discussed, the charging state may be determined based on the charging port 16 being in use, such as with respect to Figure 2 and Figure 3 Additionally or alternatively, the charge state may be determined based on sensor data, timing data, and / or battery charge data, wherein the sensor data indicates that the electric feature 10 is currently docked at the charging station 12 or may be docked at the charging point 12. Furthermore, because the systems and methods described herein utilize existing disabling drive systems and / or enabling brake systems, the systems and methods may not include additional components and circuit modules to implement a process for stopping the electric feature 10 from operating in an unintended manner. Therefore, the systems and methods described herein may efficiently provide the relay process 80 while saving space that would otherwise be associated with additional components and circuit modules used to implement the stopping process.

[0042] When the electric feature 10 is docked, the relay 52 may be automatically turned on, such as based on an indication that the charging port 16 is in use. In some embodiments, the relay 52 may enable or disable the drive system 54. Specifically, when the relay 52 is closed (e.g., connected or open), the drive system 54 is coupled to components (e.g., electrical and / or mechanical components, power supply 25, etc.) that enable driving or moving the electric feature 10. On the other hand, when the relay 52 is turned on (e.g., disconnected or closed), the drive system 54 is decoupled from the components that enable driving the electric feature. By way of example, and as shown, the turned-on relay 52 may disconnect the power supply 25 from the drive system 54 to disable the drive of the electric feature 10. On the other hand, the closed relay 52 may connect the power supply 25 to the drive system 54 so that the electrical feature 10 can be driven. Therefore, by turning on the relay 52, the power and circuit modules that enable the drive system 54 may be disconnected to disable the drive system 54. In this manner, the relay process 80 provides an automatic or default system to disable the electric feature 10 drive and, therefore, prevent or stop the electric feature 10 from operating in an unintended manner that could result in unintended consequences. For example, the unintended consequences could result in damage to the following: the charging port 16 of the electric feature 10, the battery 11, etc., the charging cable 18, the charging station 12, the structure attached or connected to the charging station 12 (e.g., the building used to mount the charging station 12), etc.

[0043] Figure 4 is a process flow diagram of a method 100 for interlocking a power feature 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Although the method 100 is described using actions in a particular order, it should be understood that the described actions may be performed in a sequence different from the sequence shown, and that some of the described actions may be skipped or not performed in their entirety. In general, at least some of the steps of the method 100 may be at least partially performed by Figure 2 Specifically, these steps may be implemented at least in part by the processor 64 of the controller 60 and / or the controller 60 executing instructions stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a memory 66. In alternative or additional embodiments, at least some of the steps of the method 100 may be implemented by any other suitable components or control logic and the like.

[0044] When interlocking the power feature 10, the processor 64 may determine (decision block 102) whether the power feature 10 is docked. For example, the processor 64 may determine that the power feature 10 is docked based at least on a determination that the charging port 16 is in use. In particular, the charging port 16 may be in use when the charging cable 18 is plugged into the charging port 16 to charge the battery 11. In additional or alternative embodiments, and as previously mentioned, the processor 64 may determine that the power feature 10 is docked based on a determination that the charging port 16 is in use. Figure 2The sensor data, timing data, and / or battery charge data discussed herein determine whether the electric feature 10 is docked. The data may indicate that the electric feature 10 is docked or may be docked at the charging station 12, as well as indicating the status of charging and when charging may be completed. In particular, the charging port usage data, sensor data, timing data, and / or battery charge data may indicate that the electric feature 10 is in a charging mode (when charging) and in a non-charging mode (when charging has been completed). By way of example, the data may indicate that the electric feature 10 is parked and within a predetermined distance or a threshold distance (e.g., less than 1.5 m) from the charging station 12. Therefore, the data indicates that the electric feature 10 may be docked. In some instances, the sensor data may be based on a weight measured by a weight sensor 76 that is above a predetermined weight threshold (e.g., in a docking area), image data from a camera 74 indicating that the electric feature 10 is parked at the charging station 12, and the like.

[0045] Additionally, sensor data indicating that electric feature 10 is parked and within a predetermined distance or threshold distance from charging station 12, along with the passage of a predetermined time period indicated by timing data and / or a change in battery charge data, may indicate that electric feature 10 has completed charging and drive system 54 should be re-enabled. For example, battery charge data may indicate a change in battery charge, such as a threshold charge changed by charging (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%, etc.), reaching a threshold battery charge when the battery charge was initially below a threshold battery charge (e.g., 50%), and / or reaching a full battery charge (e.g., 100% charge). By way of another example, relay 52 may be closed after the battery charge has stabilized and a time period has elapsed so that drive system 54 may be re-enabled for use in driving electric feature 10. Generally, relay 52 may be closed after determining that electric feature 10 should no longer be docked (such as by a change in battery charge, timing for charging, etc.).

[0046] After determining that the electric feature 10 is engaged, the processor 64 may open (processing block 104) the relay 52, as described with respect to Figure 3As discussed above. Specifically, the processor 64 may transmit a signal that causes the relay 52 to open so as to disconnect the drive system 54 from the power source 25 that powers the drive system 54 (e.g., disable the drive system 54). Disconnecting from the drive system 54 may stop or prevent the electric feature 10 from moving to reduce unexpected consequences that are otherwise associated with the electric feature 10 operating in an unexpected manner (e.g., driving while charging). The processor 64 may optionally (as indicated by the dashed box) determine (processing box 106) that the drive system 54 is disabled or disconnected after the processor 64 indicates that the relay 52 is turned on, thereby decoupling from the drive system 54. As previously discussed, the electric feature 10 may also utilize an emergency braking system other than the vehicle stop button 20, which may disable the drive system 54. The processor 64 may automatically recheck whether the electric feature 10 is still docked. For example, the processor 64 may check after changes in the use of the charging port 16, sensor data, past time range data, and / or battery charge data. In some embodiments, processor 64 may periodically recheck whether powered feature 10 is still docked. For example, the time frame for rechecking may be based on the average time frame for charging battery 11 from the current charge level to a full charge.

[0047] On the other hand, if the electric feature 10 is not docked or has completed charging (such as based on the use of the charging port 16, sensor data, an elapsed time period, battery charge data, and / or the status of the charging station 12 (e.g., indicating that charging is complete)), the processor 64 may transmit a signal to close the relay 52 (processing box 108), thereby connecting the drive system 54 to the power source 25 (e.g., enabling the drive system 54). That is, the processor 64 may enable the drive system 54 to operate or continue to operate so that disabling the drive system 54 is not achieved. The processor 64 may optionally determine (processing box 110) that the drive system is enabled (e.g., re-enabled) (as indicated by a dashed box). In some embodiments, closing the relay 52 may also release an automatic emergency braking system (e.g., which is not the drive system 54). In some embodiments, the drive system 54 may also include a manual braking system. Thus, the drive system 54 may be activated and the electric feature 10 may be driven, but the user may manually utilize the manual braking system of the drive system 54 to stop or prevent the electric feature 10 from driving (if desired). In some embodiments, this braking system may not be associated with the vehicle stop button 20 or the relay 52 .

[0048] Thus, the systems and methods described herein facilitate efficiently stopping or preventing the electric feature 10 from driving or moving while charging. In addition, the systems and methods can utilize the emergency disabling of the electric feature's drive system, brake system, or both. When the electric feature 10 is charging, the disabling process can be efficiently provided using existing systems without adding new circuit modules, thereby saving space in the electric feature 10.

[0049] Although only certain features of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that any of the features described or illustrated with respect to the drawings discussed above may be combined in any suitable manner.

[0050] The technology presented and claimed herein is cited and applied to specific examples and substantial objects that demonstrably improve the practical nature of the art, and is therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. In addition, if any claim attached at the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "a means for (performing) ... (function)" or "a step for (performing) ... (function)", it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Claims

1. A charging interlock system for an electric device, the charging interlock system comprising: Drive system; a relay coupled to the drive system; as well as A controller, wherein the controller is configured to: receiving an indication that the electric device is in a charging mode; in response to receiving the indication that the electric device is in the charging mode, transmitting a signal to open the relay; as well as The drive system is determined to be disabled based at least in part on the opened relay.

2. The charging interlock system according to claim 1, wherein: The opened relay disconnects the drive system from a battery of the electric device, the battery being operable to power the drive system when connected to the drive system.

3. The charging interlock system according to claim 1, wherein: The indication is based at least in part on usage of a charging port of the electrically powered device.

4. The charging interlock system according to claim 1, wherein: The indication is based at least in part on sensor data indicating that the electric device is within a predetermined threshold distance from a charging station and based at least in part on a predetermined time range indicating that the electric device is in the charging mode.

5. The charging interlock system according to claim 1, wherein: The indication is based at least in part on sensor data indicating that the electric device exceeds a predetermined weight threshold in a docking area of ​​a charging station.

6. The charging interlock system according to claim 1, wherein: The relay is coupled to a brake system associated with emergency braking of the electric device, the brake system being configured to disable the electric device from driving.

7. The charging interlock system according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is configured to transmit a signal to close the relay or maintain the relay in a closed configuration in response to the electric device being outside a predetermined threshold distance from a charging station and based on a predetermined time frame indicating that the electric device is in the charging mode.

8. An electric characteristic charging method, comprising: making a determination that the electric feature is charging; as well as In response to the determination that the electric feature is charging, a relay connecting a drive system of the electric feature to a power source of the electric feature is opened and the drive system is disconnected.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising: determining that the electric feature is not charging; and In response to determining that the electric feature is not charging, the drive system of the electric feature is enabled using the relay.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein: The relay in a closed state enables the drive system for driving.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein: The relay in an open state disables the drive system for driving.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein: The relay is associated with an emergency brake system for connecting and disconnecting the drive system from a power source for the electric feature.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein: The motorized features include floats, rides, vehicles, show features, or any combination thereof at an amusement park.

14. The method of claim 8, comprising: An indication is received that the powered feature is charging, the indication based at least in part on near field communication.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein: Determining that the powered feature is charging includes determining that a charging cable is plugged into a charging port of the powered feature.

16. A relay for an electric vehicle, the relay being configured as follows: In response to an indication that the electric vehicle is in a charging mode, opening a switch connected to the drive system so that the drive system is disabled; and In response to an indication that the electric vehicle is in a non-charging mode, the switch is closed, thereby enabling the drive system.

17. The relay according to claim 16, wherein: The electric vehicles include vehicles used in amusement park rides, amusement park shows, or both.

18. The relay according to claim 16, wherein: The indication that the electric vehicle is in the charging mode is based at least in part on usage of a charging port of the electric vehicle.

19. The relay according to claim 16, wherein: Disabling the drive system includes disconnecting at least a battery of the electric vehicle from the drive system.

20. The relay of claim 16, wherein: The indication is based at least in part on sensor data indicating that the electric vehicle is within a predetermined threshold distance from a charging station.

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