Method of providing information relating to state of electric vehicle

Abstract

A method of providing information related to a state of charge of an electric vehicle includes monitoring, with a system controller in communication with an electrical system within the vehicle, the information related to the state of charge of the vehicle, and displaying, with the system controller, the information related to the state of charge of the vehicle to a person in the vicinity of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing information related to the charging status of an electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] As the number of electric vehicles increases and the number of available charging stations is limited, it is important to use the charging infrastructure efficiently to reduce waiting times and provide users and others in queue with real-time information about the charging status, charging rate, and estimated time remaining to obtain a desired charge, as well as to report malfunctioning charging stations to owners to keep maintenance service providers informed and ensure timely repairs.

[0003] Therefore, while current systems and methods achieve their intended purposes, a need remains for a new and improved system and method for providing information related to the charging status of an electric vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a method for providing information related to a charging status of an electric vehicle includes: monitoring information related to the charging status of the vehicle using a system controller that communicates with an electrical system within the vehicle; and displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a person near the vehicle using the system controller.

[0005] According to another aspect, monitoring information related to the charging status of the vehicle using a system controller that communicates with an electrical system within the vehicle also includes using the system controller to monitor at least one of: the charge of the electrical system within the vehicle; the charge rate of the electrical system within the vehicle when the vehicle is connected to a charging station; the time remaining for the vehicle to charge to a predetermined threshold when the vehicle is connected to the charging station; and the operating status of the charging station connected to the vehicle.

[0006] According to another aspect, when the vehicle is connected to the charging station, monitoring, using the system controller, the time remaining for the vehicle to charge to a predetermined threshold further includes calculating the predetermined threshold based on one of: when the vehicle is fully charged; and when the vehicle is charged with enough power to allow it to travel from the charging station to a planned destination.

[0007] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status to people near the vehicle using a system controller also includes: displaying using an internal / external display system that communicates with the system controller and is suitable for projecting the information related to the vehicle's charging status onto a window surface of the vehicle, wherein the projected information is visible from inside the vehicle and outside the vehicle.

[0008] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a person near the vehicle using the system controller also includes at least one of: actuating at least one exterior light of the vehicle using a lighting system within the vehicle and in communication with the system controller; and actuating a sound emitting device using the system controller.

[0009] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status to persons near the vehicle using the system controller further includes displaying the information related to the vehicle's charging status on a surface adjacent to the vehicle using an externally mounted projector in communication with the system controller.

[0010] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to people near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: using an externally mounted projector in communication with the system controller to display light from the vehicle outward onto floating particles near the vehicle and create a three-dimensional image that includes the information related to the charging status of the vehicle.

[0011] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a person near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: sending information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a connected charging station using the system controller; and displaying the information related to the charging status of the vehicle using a display associated with the charging station.

[0012] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a person near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: sending the information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a personal device associated with the individual using the system controller; and displaying the information related to the charging status of the vehicle using the personal device.

[0013] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status to a person near the vehicle using the system controller further comprises displaying using a vehicle infotainment system that is in communication with the system controller and is adapted to display the information related to the vehicle's charging status within a human-machine interface of the infotainment system.

[0014] According to another aspect, displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status to a person near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status to a person near the vehicle using the system controller when a status request is initiated by at least one of the following: a manual request by a person inside the vehicle; a manual request by a remote person via a personal device; automatically based on the distance to the destination, the travel time to the destination, and the current charge of the vehicle; and automatically based on the vehicle's current charging status and the vehicle's proximity to a charging station.

[0015] According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a system for providing information related to the charging status of an electric vehicle includes: a system controller that communicates with an electrical system within the vehicle, the system controller being adapted to: monitor information related to the charging status of the vehicle, the information including at least one of: the charge of the electrical system within the vehicle; the charge rate of the electrical system within the vehicle when the vehicle is connected to a charging station; the time remaining for the vehicle to charge to a predetermined threshold when the vehicle is connected to the charging station, wherein the system controller is adapted to calculate the predetermined threshold based on one of: when the vehicle is fully charged; and when the vehicle is charged with enough power to allow it to travel from the charging station to a planned destination; and the operating status of the charging station connected to the vehicle; and display at least one of the following to a person near the vehicle: the charge of the electrical system within the vehicle; the charge rate of the electrical system within the vehicle when the vehicle is connected to the charging station; the time remaining for the vehicle to charge to the predetermined threshold when the vehicle is connected to the charging station; and the operating status of the charging station connected to the vehicle.

[0016] According to another aspect, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle, the system controller is further adapted to display using an interior / exterior display system that communicates with the system controller and is adapted to project the information related to the charging status of the vehicle onto a window surface of the vehicle, wherein the projected information is visible from both inside and outside the vehicle.

[0017] According to another aspect, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle, the system controller is further adapted to at least one of: actuate at least one exterior light of the vehicle using a lighting system within the vehicle and in communication with the system controller; and actuate a sound emitting device using the system controller.

[0018] According to another aspect, when displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status, the system controller is further adapted to at least one of: display the information related to the vehicle's charging status onto a surface adjacent to the vehicle using an externally mounted projector in communication with the system controller; and display light outward from the vehicle onto floating particles near the vehicle using an externally mounted projector in communication with the system controller and create a three-dimensional image that includes the information related to the vehicle's charging status.

[0019] According to another aspect, when displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status, the system controller is further adapted to: send the information related to the vehicle's charging status to a connected charging station; and display the information related to the vehicle's charging status using a display associated with the charging station.

[0020] According to another aspect, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle, the system controller is further adapted to: send the information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a personal device associated with the individual; and display the information related to the charging status of the vehicle using the personal device.

[0021] According to another aspect, when displaying information related to the vehicle's charging status, the system controller is further adapted to display using a vehicle infotainment system that communicates with the system controller and is adapted to display the information related to the vehicle's charging status within a human-machine interface of the infotainment system.

[0022] According to another aspect, the system controller is further adapted to display information related to the vehicle's charging status to persons near the vehicle when a status request is initiated by at least one of: a manual request by a person within the vehicle; a manual request by a remote person via a personal device; automatically based on distance to a destination, travel time to a destination, and a current charge of the vehicle; and automatically based on the vehicle's current charging status and the vehicle's proximity to a charging station.

[0023] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle having a system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a system according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic front view of a vehicle connected to a charging station;

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 a schematic side elevation view of the vehicle shown;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a mixed augmented reality head-up display system for the system;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a substrate for a vehicle windshield according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0031] Figure 7 yes Figure 4 The enlarged part, such as Figure 6As shown in the circle marked with "7";

[0032] Fig. 8A is a schematic front view of a vehicle connected to a charging station, wherein a headlight of the vehicle is flashing;

[0033] Figure 8B yes Figure 8B A schematic side view of the vehicle shown in ;

[0034] Fig. 9 is a schematic front view of a vehicle connected to a charging station, wherein an externally mounted projector displays information on a surface adjacent to the vehicle;

[0035] Fig.10 is a schematic front view of a vehicle connected to a charging station, wherein a system controller sends information to a personal device associated with an individual;

[0036] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 a schematic diagram of the interior of the vehicle shown; and

[0037] Fig.12 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0038] These figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be enlarged or reduced, such as to illustrate details of a particular component. In some cases, well-known components, systems, materials, or methods are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to use the present disclosure in various ways. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application or use. In addition, it is not intended to be constrained by any express or implied theory presented in the aforementioned technical field, background technology, content of the invention or the following specific embodiments. It should be understood that in all drawings, the corresponding reference numerals represent the same or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic and / or processor device, individually or in any combination, including but not limited to: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuit, processor (shared, dedicated or grouped) and memory, combinational logic circuit and / or other suitable components providing the function that execute one or more software or firmware programs. Although the drawings shown in this article describe examples with certain element arrangements, additional intermediate elements, devices, features or components may be present in actual embodiments. It should also be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and may not be drawn to scale.

[0040] As used herein, the term "vehicle" is not limited to automobiles. Although the present technology is described primarily in conjunction with automobiles herein, the present technology is not limited to automobiles. These concepts can be used in a variety of applications, such as in connection with aircraft, ships, other vehicles, and consumer electronic components.

[0041] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 An electric vehicle 10 is shown having an associated system 11 for providing information associated with the charging state of the electric vehicle 10 according to various embodiments. Typically, the system 11 works with other systems within the vehicle 10 to display various information and infotainment content for passengers. The vehicle 10 generally includes a chassis 12, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. The body 14 is disposed on the chassis 12 and generally substantially surrounds the components of the vehicle 10. The body 14 and the chassis 12 may together form a frame. The front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 are each rotatably coupled to the chassis 12 near respective corners of the body 14.

[0042] In various embodiments, the vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle, and the system 11 is incorporated into the autonomous vehicle 10. The autonomous vehicle 10 is, for example, a vehicle 10 that is automatically controlled to transport passengers from one location to another. The vehicle 10 is depicted as a passenger car in the illustrated embodiment, but it should be understood that any other vehicle including motorcycles, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), etc. may also be used. In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle 10 is equipped with what is commonly known as a level 4 or level 5 automation system. The level 4 system represents "high automation" and refers to the driving mode-specific performance of the autonomous driving system in all aspects of the dynamic driving task even if the human driver does not respond appropriately to the intervention request. The level 5 system represents "full automation" and refers to the full-time performance of the autonomous driving system in all aspects of the dynamic driving task under all road and environmental conditions that can be managed by the human driver.

[0043] As shown, the vehicle 10 generally includes a propulsion system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, a braking system 26, a sensor system 28, an actuator system 30, at least one data storage device 32, a vehicle controller 34, and a communication system 36. In an embodiment where the vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle, there may be no transmission system 22. In various embodiments, the propulsion system 20 may include an internal combustion engine, an electric machine such as a traction motor, and / or a fuel cell propulsion system. The transmission system 22 is configured to transmit power from the propulsion system 20 to the front wheels 16 and rear wheels 18 of the vehicle according to a selectable speed ratio. According to different embodiments, the transmission system 22 may include a stepped ratio automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission, or an appropriate transmission. The braking system 26 is configured to provide braking torque to the front wheels 16 and rear wheels 18 of the vehicle. In various embodiments, the braking system 26 may include friction brakes, line brakes, regenerative braking systems such as electric machines, and / or other appropriate braking systems. The steering system 24 affects the position of the front wheels 16 and rear wheels 18. Although depicted as including a steering wheel for purposes of illustration, in some embodiments contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure, the steering system 24 may not include a steering wheel.

[0044] The sensor system 28 includes one or more sensing devices 40a-40n that sense observable conditions of the external environment and / or internal environment of the autonomous vehicle 10. The sensing devices 40a-40n may include, but are not limited to, radar, lidar, global positioning system, optical camera, thermal camera, ultrasonic sensor, and / or other sensors. The camera may include two or two or more digital cameras at a selected distance, wherein the two or more digital cameras are used to obtain stereo images of the surrounding environment in order to obtain a three-dimensional image. A plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n are used to determine information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n include at least one of a motor speed sensor, a motor torque sensor, an electric drive motor voltage and / or current sensor, an accelerator pedal position sensor, a coolant temperature sensor, a cooling fan speed sensor, and a transmission oil temperature sensor. In another exemplary embodiment, the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n also include sensors for determining information about the environment surrounding the vehicle 10, for example, an ambient air temperature sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, and / or a camera and / or video camera positioned to observe the environment in front of the vehicle 10. In another exemplary embodiment, at least one of the plurality of sensing devices 40 a - 40 n is capable of measuring distances in the environment surrounding the vehicle 10 .

[0045] In a non-limiting example where the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n include cameras, the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n measure distance using an image processing algorithm configured to process images from the camera and determine the distance between objects. In another non-limiting example, the plurality of vehicle sensors 40a-40n include a stereo camera with distance measurement capabilities. In one example, at least one of the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n is fixed to the interior of the vehicle 10, such as in the roof of the vehicle 10, with a view through the windshield 56 of the vehicle 10. In another example, at least one of the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n is fixed to the exterior of the vehicle 10, such as on the roof of the vehicle 10, with a view of the environment surrounding the vehicle 10. It should be understood that various additional types of sensing devices, such as LiDAR sensors, ultrasonic ranging sensors, radar sensors, and / or time-of-flight sensors are within the scope of the present disclosure. The actuator system 30 includes one or more actuator devices 42 a - 42 n that control one or more features of the vehicle 10 , such as, but not limited to, the propulsion system 20 , the transmission system 22 , the steering system 24 , and the braking system 26 .

[0046] The vehicle controller 34 includes at least one processor 44 and a computer readable storage device or medium 46. The at least one data processor 44 can be any custom or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an auxiliary processor of several processors associated with the vehicle controller 34, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), a macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or any device generally used to execute instructions. The computer readable storage device or medium 46 can include volatile and non-volatile storage in, for example, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM). KAM is a persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables when the at least one data processor 44 is powered off. The computer readable storage device or medium 46 can be implemented using any of a variety of known storage devices, such as PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (electrical PROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM), flash memory, or any other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combination storage device capable of storing data, some of which represents executable instructions used by the controller 34 in controlling the vehicle 10.

[0047] The instructions may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. When executed by at least one processor 44, the instructions receive and process signals from the sensor system 28, perform logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms for automatically controlling components of the vehicle 10, and generate control signals to the actuator system 30 based on the logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms to automatically control components of the vehicle 10. Although in Figure 1 Only one controller 34 is shown, but embodiments of vehicle 10 may include any number of controllers 34 that communicate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication mediums and cooperate to process sensor signals, execute logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms, and generate control signals to automatically control features of autonomous vehicle 10.

[0048] In various embodiments, one or more instructions of the vehicle controller 34 are included in the trajectory planning system and, when executed by at least one data processor 44, generate trajectory outputs that solve the kinematic and dynamic constraints of the environment. For example, the instructions receive process sensor and map data as input. The instructions execute a graph-based approach with a customized cost function to handle different road scenarios in urban and highway roads.

[0049] The communication system 36 is configured to wirelessly transmit information to and from other remote entities 48, such as, but not limited to, other vehicles ("V2V" communication), infrastructure ("V2I" communication), remote systems, remote servers, cloud computers, and / or personal devices. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication system 36 is a wireless communication system configured to communicate via a wireless local area network (WLAN) using the IEEE 802.11 standard or by using cellular data communications. However, additional or alternative communication methods such as dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) channels are also considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. A DSRC channel refers to a one-way or two-way short-range to medium-range wireless communication channel dedicated to automotive use and a corresponding set of protocols and standards.

[0050] The vehicle controller 34 is a non-general purpose electronic control device having a pre-programmed digital computer or processor, a memory or non-transitory computer readable medium for storing data such as control logic, software applications, instructions, computer code, data, look-up tables, etc., and a transceiver [or input / output port]. Computer readable media include any type of media that can be accessed by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, compact disk (CD), digital video disk (DVD), or any other type of memory. "Non-transitory" computer readable media do not include wired, wireless, optical or other communication links that transmit temporary electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer readable media include media in which data can be permanently stored and media in which data can be stored and later rewritten, such as rewritable optical disks or erasable storage devices. Computer code includes any type of program code, including source code, object code, and executable code.

[0051] refer to Figure 2 , the system 11 is shown in more detail, wherein the system 11 includes a system controller 34A. The system controller 34A may be the vehicle controller 34, or the system controller 34A may be a separate controller that communicates with the vehicle controller 34. The system controller 34A communicates with an electrical system 52 of the electric vehicle 10 via a vehicle communication bus 50. The electrical system 52 includes a battery pack 54, a power inverter 56, an electric motor 58, an onboard battery charger 60, and a battery management system 62.

[0052] The system controller 34A is adapted to monitor information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller 34A is adapted to monitor at least one of the charge level of the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10, the charge rate of the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is connected to the charging station 64, the time remaining for the vehicle 10 to charge to a predetermined threshold when the vehicle 10 is connected to the charging station 64, and the operating status of the charging station 64 connected to the vehicle 10.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller 34A is adapted to calculate the predetermined threshold based on one of: when the vehicle is fully charged, and when the vehicle is charged with enough charge to allow the vehicle to travel from the charging station to the planned destination. For example, the predetermined threshold may be based on when the vehicle 10 is fully charged, wherein when the vehicle 10 is plugged into the charging station, the system controller 34A will monitor the charging of the vehicle 10, and the time remaining until the vehicle 10 is charged to the predetermined threshold will be the time remaining until the vehicle 10 is fully charged. In another example, the vehicle 10 may be located at a charging station 64 one hundred miles from the owner's home. In order to ensure that the vehicle owner spends as little time as possible at the charging station, the predetermined threshold is based on when the vehicle 10 is charged with enough charge to allow the vehicle 10 to travel from the charging station 64 to the owner's home or the next charging station 64, it is possible that the vehicle 10 will only need to be charged to 35% or more to ensure that the electric vehicle 10 will be able to travel the one hundred miles to the owner's home, wherein the owner can plug the vehicle 10 into the home charger to fully charge the vehicle 10.

[0054] The system controller 34A is also suitable for displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for a person 66 near the vehicle 10, including at least one of (1) the charge level of the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10, (2) the charge rate of the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is connected to the charging station 64, (3) the time remaining for the vehicle 10 to charge to a predetermined threshold when the vehicle 10 is connected to the charging station 64, and (4) the operating status of the charging station 64 connected to the vehicle 10.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10, the system controller 34A is further adapted to display using an interior / exterior display system 68 that communicates with the system controller 34A and is adapted to project the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 onto a window surface 70 of the vehicle 10, wherein the projected information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 is visible from both inside the vehicle 10 and outside the vehicle 10.

[0056] refer to Figure 3 In an exemplary embodiment, the interior / exterior display system 68 includes a hybrid augmented reality head-up display (HUD) 68. The system controller 34A uses the HUD 68 to display the charging status 72 (e.g., including but not limited to active, complete, paused, faulty) of the vehicle 10 plugged into the charging station 64 on the front windshield 70A of the vehicle 10. Similarly, referring to Figure 4In another exemplary embodiment, the system controller 34A uses the HUD 68 to display the remaining time 74 (based on a predetermined threshold) for charging the vehicle 10 and the current charge 76 of the vehicle 10 on the side window 70B. The displayed charging status 72, remaining time 74, and current charge 76 may be represented by text information, such as Figure 4 The remaining time 74 may be displayed in the display, or may be represented by a graphic that provides an illustrative representation of the information, such as Figure 3 , wherein the charging status 72 includes a graphical image of a battery and illustrates the charging status by highlighting 1-5 bars within the battery graphic (as shown, one bar is highlighted).

[0057] Displaying information such as the charging status 72, remaining time 74, and current charge 76 using an interior / exterior display system 68 such as a HUD 68 allows occupants 66 inside the vehicle 10 and occupants 66 outside the vehicle 10 to view the charging status 72, remaining time 74, and current charge 76, such as the HUD 68. Figure 3 As shown, the displayed information is seen from a distance. Thus, the driver can park the vehicle 10 at the charging station 64 and leave the vehicle 10 and be located at a certain distance from the vehicle 10 while the vehicle 10 is charging and still receiving information from the system 11. For example, the person 66 can be sitting at a picnic table near the charging station 64 and can periodically glance at the vehicle 10 to see the status of charging. In addition, in another example, when the vehicle 10 detects that the vehicle 10 is approaching the charging station 64 via communication with an external source 48 (with the communication system 36), such as but not limited to GPS, maps, infrastructure databases, etc., the driver of the vehicle 10 can be notified of the current charge of the vehicle 10. The system controller 34A can also provide the location of additional charging stations and their availability information. Therefore, the driver of the vehicle 10 can decide to stop or continue driving at the upcoming charging station 64 after receiving information about the current charge of the vehicle 10 and being notified of the availability of the upcoming charging station 64 and the location of other charging stations.

[0058] The interior / exterior display system 68 may use any suitable transparent display technology to display information onto a window surface 70 of the vehicle 10 for viewing by personnel from both the interior and exterior, or, alternatively, only by personnel outside the vehicle 10 . Figure 5 In an exemplary embodiment, the HUD 68 includes a digital light projector (DLP) 78 that is adapted to project an image 80 onto the window surface 70 of the vehicle 10. The DLP 78 projects the image 80 containing various information, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4The charging state 72, the remaining time 74, and the current charge 76 are shown. The DLP 78 is capable of projecting two-dimensional and three-dimensional images. In an exemplary embodiment, the DLP 78 includes a light source 82 suitable for projecting an excitation light 84, a focusing lens 86 suitable for focusing the excitation light 84 from the light source 82, a color filter 88 (color wheel) suitable for separating the focused excitation light 84 into red light, green light, and blue light, a shaping lens 90 suitable for focusing the excitation light 84 passing through the color filter 88, a digital micromirror device (DMD) 92 suitable for redirecting the excitation light 84, and a projection lens 94 suitable for receiving the excitation light 84 from the digital micromirror device (DMD) 92 and projecting the excitation light 84 onto the vehicle window surface 70.

[0059] refer to Figure 3 , the vehicle controller 34 includes a DLP engine 96. The DLP engine 96 includes a programmable processor that includes a program for monitoring various inputs and determining what information is appropriate to display. The DLP engine 96 can communicate directly with various systems and components, or the DLP engine 96 can communicate via a LAN / CAN system alternatively or additionally. The window surfaces 70, 70A, 70B are equipped with features that can display images projected thereon while remaining transparent or substantially transparent, so that occupants within the vehicle 10 can clearly see the displayed image 80 and still observe the exterior of the vehicle 10 through the window surfaces 70, 70A, 70B, and people 66 outside the vehicle 10 can clearly see the displayed image 80 and still observe the interior of the vehicle 10 through the window surfaces 70, 70A, 70B.

[0060] The DLP engine 96 includes display software or programming to translate requests to display information from the DLP engine 96 in a graphical representation that describes the information. The DLP engine 96 includes programming to compensate for curved and tilted surfaces of the window surfaces 70, 70A, 70B. The DLP engine 96 controls the light source 82, which includes a laser or projector device that produces excitation light 84 to project the image 80.

[0061] The window surface 70, 70A, 70B serves as a medium through which the relevant features can be observed and as a display device on which an image 80, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 The charging state 72, the remaining time 74 and the current charge 76 of the vehicle window surface 70, 70A, 70B are transparent and can display the image projected by the excitation light 84. Figure 6 and Figure 7, person 66 can see any object (e.g., cube 98) through substrate 100 located on window surface 70, 70A, 70B. Substrate 100 can be transparent or substantially transparent. When person 66 sees any object 98 through substrate 100, person 66 can also see images (e.g., circle 102 and triangle 104) created at substrate 100. Substrate 100 can be a portion of window surface 70, 70A, 70B, a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, a polymer substrate, or other transparent (or substantially transparent) media that will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Other substrates can supplement substrate 100 to provide coloring, substrate protection, light filtering (e.g., filtering external ultraviolet light), and other functions.

[0062] Figure 7 The illumination of the transparent display is depicted by illumination with excitation light 84 (e.g., ultraviolet light or infrared light) from a light source 82. The substrate 100 receives the excitation light 84 from the light source 82. The received excitation light 84 can be absorbed by the luminescent material 106 at the substrate 100. When the luminescent material receives the excitation light 84, the luminescent material 106 emits visible light. Therefore, by selectively illuminating the substrate 100 with the excitation light 84, an image (e.g., a circle 102 and a triangle 104) can be generated at the substrate 100.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminescent material 106 includes a transparent phosphor embedded in the substrate 100. The transparent phosphor is a luminescent particle that fluoresces in response to being excited by the excitation light 84. In an exemplary embodiment, the transparent phosphor is a red, green, and blue (RGB) phosphor, allowing full color. The use of monochromatic and / or dual-color phosphors is also within the scope of the present disclosure. When the excitation light 84 is absorbed by the transparent phosphor, the transparent phosphor emits visible light. The excitation light 84 is provided by the light source 82. The use of the substrate 100 and the luminescent material 106 to display graphics is discussed in more detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 17 / 749,464, entitled “Mixed Augmented Reality Head-Up Display for Creating Edge-to-Edge Augmented Reality Views,” filed on May 20, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the excitation light 84 may be ultraviolet light. If the excitation light 84 is ultraviolet light, when the luminescent material 90 emits visible light in response to the ultraviolet light, a down-conversion physics phenomenon occurs. Specifically, ultraviolet light has a shorter wavelength and higher energy than visible light. Therefore, when the luminescent material 106 absorbs ultraviolet light and emits lower energy visible light, the ultraviolet light is down-converted into visible light because the energy level of the ultraviolet light decreases when it is converted into visible light.

[0065] like Figure 5As shown, excitation light 84 is output by light source 82 of DLP 78. In an exemplary embodiment, light source 82 is a micromirror array (MMA) projector (e.g., digital light processing (DLP) projector 78). In DLP 78, image 80 is produced by microscopic small mirrors in a matrix arranged on a semiconductor chip in DMD92. MMA projectors that output ultraviolet light can be similar to MMA projectors that output visible light, except that color filter 68 has a filter suitable for the ultraviolet spectrum. In other embodiments, DLP 78 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) projector. In an embodiment, DLP 78 can be a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) projector. In an embodiment, DLP 78 can be an analog projector (e.g., a slide projector or a movie film projector). Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand other types of projectors that can be used to project ultraviolet light onto substrate 100.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10, the system controller 34A is further adapted to at least one of: (1) actuate at least one exterior light of the vehicle 10 using a lighting system 108 within the vehicle 10 and in communication with the system controller 34A, and (2) actuate a sound device 114 using the system controller 34A. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one exterior light includes one or more of the vehicle headlights 110 and the vehicle taillights 112. Fig. 8A and Figure 8B , the system controller 34A communicates the information by activating the headlights and / or taillights of the vehicle 10. Figure 3 As shown, a person 66 outside of the vehicle 10 can receive information from a distance. Thus, a driver can park the vehicle 10 at the charging station 64 and leave the vehicle 10 and be located a distance away from the vehicle 10 while the vehicle 10 is charging and still receiving information from the system 11. For example, the person 66 can be sitting at a picnic table near the charging station 64 and can periodically glance at the vehicle 10 to see if the headlights and / or taillights have been activated.

[0067] As a non-limiting example, the headlights 110 and / or taillights 112 may periodically flash on / off while the vehicle 10 is charging, flash on / off more frequently as the vehicle 10 becomes closer to being fully charged, and remain on when the vehicle 10 is fully charged. Thus, the person 66 understands the charging status based on what the headlights 110 and / or taillights 112 are doing at any given moment. In another non-limiting example, the system controller 34A may periodically beep a sound emitting device 114, such as a car horn, while the vehicle 10 is charging, wherein the sound emitting device 114 beeps more frequently as the vehicle 10 becomes closer to being fully charged, and beeps three times quickly when the vehicle 10 is fully charged. Thus, the person 66 understands the charging status based on hearing the beeps of the sound emitting device 114 and how often they occur.

[0068] In another exemplary embodiment, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10, the system controller 34 is further adapted to at least one of: (1) display the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 onto a surface 118 adjacent to the vehicle 10 using an externally mounted projector 116 in communication with the system controller 34A, and (2) display light outward from the vehicle 10 onto floating particles near the vehicle 10 using an externally mounted projector 120 in communication with the system controller 34A, and create a three-dimensional image 122 that includes the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10.

[0069] refer to Fig. 9 , the externally mounted projector 116 will Figure 4 The remaining time 74 and the current charge 76 are projected onto the surface 118, as shown. Fig. 9 As shown, the surface is the ground near the vehicle 10. In addition, the externally mounted projector 120 projects light (such as laser) outwardly, which utilizes particles such as dust and mist floating in the air near the vehicle 10 to generate a light source including Figure 4 The three-dimensional image 122 of the remaining time 74 and the current power 76 is shown. Fig. 9 As shown, the external projector 120 can use known methods to generate floating three-dimensional images by reflecting lasers from dust and mist particles floating in the air, or generate a three-dimensional image 122 including the remaining time 74 and the current power 76 by other volume display methods. The system that uses floating particles to generate the three-dimensional image 122 relies on the consistency of the matrix of floating particles to generate a "screen" for displaying (reflecting) the projected light. The system that generates such a floating particle matrix can be installed in the vehicle, such as under the hood, to project such floating particles outward, wherein the three-dimensional image 122 appears to float directly above the hood of the vehicle 10.

[0070] like Fig. 9 The displayed information shown, such as the remaining time 74 and the current charge 76, allows the displayed information to be seen by both the person 66 inside the vehicle 10 and the person 66 outside the vehicle 10 from a distance. Thus, a driver may park the vehicle 10 at the charging station 64 and leave the vehicle 10 and be located a distance away from the vehicle 10 while the vehicle 10 is charging and still receiving information from the system 11. For example, the person 66 may be sitting at a picnic table near the charging station 64 and be able to periodically glance toward the vehicle 10 to see the remaining time 74 and the current charge 76 displayed by either or both of the externally mounted projectors 116, 120.

[0071] In another exemplary embodiment, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10, the system controller 34A is further adapted to transmit information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 to the connected charging station 64 and display the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 using the display 124A, 124B associated with the charging station. The system controller 34A may communicate with the charging station 64 via a direct connection between the vehicle 10 and the charging station 64 when the vehicle is plugged into the charging station 64 or wirelessly by known methods using the communication system 36.

[0072] Reference again Figure 3 The charging station 64 is equipped with a display including a display screen 124A, which is adapted to display information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10. Figure 3 As shown, the display screen 124A shows Figure 4 The remaining time 74 and the current charge 76 are shown. In addition, the charging station 64 is equipped with a display including a light pole 124B having a plurality of lights positioned thereon that are suitable for displaying information related to the charging of the vehicle 10. As a non-limiting example, the light pole 124B includes three lights 126A, 126B, 126C. The first light 126A is a red light that is suitable for flashing on / off or remaining on when the vehicle 10 is charging and is less than 50% fully charged. The second light 126B is a yellow light that is suitable for flashing on / off or remaining on when the vehicle is charging and is greater than 50% fully charged but not yet fully charged. The third light 126C is a green light that is suitable for flashing on / off or remaining on when the vehicle is fully charged.

[0073] like Figure 3As shown, display information such as remaining time 74 and current charge 76 on display screen 124A of charging station 64, or display information using light pole 124B allows personnel 66 inside vehicle 10 and personnel 66 outside vehicle 10 to see the displayed information from a distance. Thus, a driver may park vehicle 10 at charging station 64 and leave vehicle 10 and be located a distance away from vehicle 10 while vehicle 10 is charging and still receiving information from system 11. For example, personnel 66 may be sitting at a picnic table near charging station 64 and be able to periodically glance toward vehicle 10 to see remaining time 74 and current charge 76 displayed on display screen 124A, or to see which of lights 126A, 126B, 126C of light pole 124B are turned on or flashing.

[0074] In another exemplary embodiment, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 , the system controller 34A is further adapted to send the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 to a personal device 128 associated with the person 66 , and to display the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 using the personal device 128 .

[0075] refer to Fig.10 As a non-limiting example, the communication system 36 wirelessly transmits information to a personal device 128, such as, as shown, a cell phone of person 66. Thus, while the vehicle 10 is charging, person 66, sitting in the vehicle 10 or located a distance from the vehicle 10, can receive information such as the current charge level of the vehicle 10 or the time remaining for the vehicle 10 to be charged to a predetermined level by simply glancing at the personal device 128, such as a cell phone, smart watch, or tablet.

[0076] In another exemplary embodiment, when displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 , the system controller 34A is further adapted to display using a vehicle infotainment system 130 that communicates with the system controller 34A and is adapted to display information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 within a human-machine interface 132 of the infotainment system 130 .

[0077] refer to Fig.11, a person 66 sitting in the vehicle 10 can receive information related to the charging status of the vehicle via the human-machine interface 132 of the infotainment system 130. Therefore, when the vehicle 10 is stationary or when the vehicle 10 is traveling along the road, the person 66 sitting in the vehicle 10 can receive information such as the current charge of the vehicle 10 or the remaining time for the vehicle 10 to be charged to a predetermined level by simply glancing at the human-machine interface 132. In addition, in another example, when the vehicle 10 detects that the vehicle 10 is approaching the charging station 64 by communicating with the external source 48 (with the communication system 36) (for example, but not limited to GPS, map, infrastructure database, etc.), the driver of the vehicle 10 can be notified of the current charge of the vehicle 10 via the human-machine interface 132. The system controller 34A can also provide information on the location of additional charging stations and their availability. Therefore, after receiving the information on the current charge of the vehicle 10 and being notified of the availability of the upcoming charging station 64 and the location of other charging stations, the driver of the vehicle 10 can decide to stop at the upcoming charging station 64 or continue driving.

[0078] In another exemplary embodiment, the system controller 34A is further adapted to display information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 to a person 66 near the vehicle 10 when a status request is initiated by at least one of: (1) a manual request by the person 66 within the vehicle 10, (2) a manual request by the remote person 66 via the personal device 128, (3) automatically based on the distance to the destination, the travel time to the destination, and the current charge of the vehicle 10, and (4) automatically based on the current charging status of the vehicle 10 and the proximity of the vehicle to the charging station 64.

[0079] As a non-limiting example, when the system controller 34A calculates that the vehicle 10 will not be able to travel all the way to the destination with the current charge of the vehicle 10 based on the distance to the current destination and the current charge of the vehicle 10, the system controller 34A initiates the display of information related to the charge status of the vehicle 10. In this case, the system controller 34A may display such information to the driver of the vehicle 10 via the HUD 68, the personal device 128, or the human-machine interface 132 of the infotainment system 130 to alert the driver that the current charge of the vehicle 10 is low and to alert the driver of the nearby charging station 64.

[0080] refer to Fig.12 The method 200 for providing information related to the charging status of the electric vehicle 10 includes, starting from box 202, using the system controller 34A in communication with the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10 to monitor the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10, and moving to box 204, using the system controller 34A to display the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for the person 66 near the vehicle 10.

[0081] In an exemplary embodiment, at box 202, monitoring information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A that communicates with the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10 also includes monitoring at least one of the following using the system controller 34A: moving to box 206, the charge of the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10, when the vehicle 10 is connected to the charging station 64, moving to box 208, the charge rate of the electrical system 52 within the vehicle 10, when the vehicle 10 is connected to the charging station 64, moving to box 210, the time remaining for the vehicle 10 to charge to a predetermined threshold, and moving to box 212, the operating status of the charging station 64 connected to the vehicle 10.

[0082] In an exemplary embodiment, when the vehicle 10 is connected to the charging station 64 at box 210, monitoring the time remaining for the vehicle 10 to charge to the predetermined threshold using the system controller 34A also includes calculating the predetermined threshold based on one of: moving to box 214, when the vehicle 10 is fully charged, and moving to box 216, when the vehicle 10 is charged with enough electricity to allow the vehicle 10 to travel from the charging station 64 to a planned destination.

[0083] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for a person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes: moving to box 218, displaying using a mixed augmented reality head-up display system 68, which communicates with the system controller 34A and is suitable for projecting information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 onto the window surface 70 of the vehicle 10.

[0084] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for a person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes at least one of the following: moving to box 220, actuating at least one of the vehicle headlights 110 and the vehicle taillights 112 of the vehicle 10 using the lighting system 108 within the vehicle 10 and in communication with the system controller 34A; and moving to box 222, actuating the sound device 114 using the system controller 34A.

[0085] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 to a person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes: moving to box 224, displaying the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 on a surface 118 adjacent to the vehicle 10 using an externally mounted projector 116 that communicates with the system controller 34A.

[0086] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 to a person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes: moving to box 226, using an externally mounted projector 120 in communication with the system controller 34A to display light from the vehicle 10 outward onto floating particles near the vehicle 10, and creating a three-dimensional image 122, which includes information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10.

[0087] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for a person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes: moving to box 228, sending the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 to the connected charging station 64 using the system controller 34A, and moving to box 230, displaying the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 using the display 124A, 123B associated with the charging station 64.

[0088] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for a person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes: moving to box 232, using the system controller 34A to send the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 to a personal device 128 associated with the person 66, and moving to box 234, using the personal device 128 to display the information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for a person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes: moving to box 236, displaying using the vehicle infotainment system 130, which is in communication with the system controller 34A and is suitable for displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 within the human-machine interface 132 of the infotainment system 130.

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment, displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for the person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A at box 204 also includes: displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle 10 for the person 66 near the vehicle 10 using the system controller 34A when a status request is initiated by at least one of the following: moving from box 202 to box 238, a manual request by the person 66 inside the vehicle 10, moving from box 202 to box 240, a manual request by the remote person 66 via the personal device 128, moving from box 202 to box 242, automatically based on the distance to the destination, the travel time to the destination, and the current charge of the vehicle 10, and moving from box 202 to box 244, automatically based on the current charging status of the vehicle 10 and the vehicle's proximity to the charging station 64.

[0091] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such variations should not be regarded as departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for providing information related to a charging state of an electric vehicle, comprising: monitoring information related to a charging status of the vehicle using a system controller in communication with an electrical system within the vehicle; as well as Information related to the charging status of the vehicle is displayed to a person near the vehicle using the system controller.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Monitoring, with a system controller in communication with an electrical system within the vehicle, information related to the state of charge of the vehicle further comprises monitoring, with the system controller, at least one of: the electrical capacity of the electrical system in the vehicle; a charge rate of the electrical system within the vehicle when the vehicle is connected to a charging station; when the vehicle is connected to a charging station, the time remaining for the vehicle to charge to a predetermined threshold; as well as An operational status of a charging station connected to the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: When the vehicle is connected to a charging station, monitoring, with the system controller, the time remaining for the vehicle to charge to a predetermined threshold further comprises calculating the predetermined threshold based on one of: When the vehicle is fully charged; as well as When the vehicle is charged with enough electricity to allow it to travel from the charging station to the planned destination.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to people near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: displaying using an internal / external display system, which is in communication with the system controller and is suitable for projecting information related to the charging status of the vehicle onto a window surface of the vehicle, wherein the projected information is visible from inside the vehicle and outside the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a person near the vehicle using the system controller also includes at least one of the following: actuating at least one exterior light of the vehicle using a lighting system within the vehicle and in communication with the system controller; and A sound generating device is actuated using the system controller.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to persons near the vehicle using the system controller further includes displaying the information related to the charging status of the vehicle on a surface adjacent to the vehicle using an externally mounted projector in communication with the system controller.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Using the system controller to display information related to the charging status of the vehicle to people near the vehicle also includes: using an externally mounted projector in communication with the system controller to display light from the vehicle outward onto floating particles near the vehicle and create a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image including the information related to the charging status of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a person near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: transmitting, using the system controller, information related to a charging status of the vehicle to a connected charging station; and Information related to the charging status of the vehicle is displayed using a display associated with the charging station.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a person near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: transmitting, using the system controller, information related to the charging status of the vehicle to a personal device associated with the individual; and Information related to the charging status of the vehicle is displayed using the personal device.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle to people near the vehicle using the system controller also includes: displaying using a vehicle infotainment system, which is in communication with the system controller and is suitable for displaying information related to the charging status of the vehicle within a human-machine interface of the infotainment system.

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