Guiding power exchange system and method for unmanned vehicle, storage medium and power exchange station

CN119705357BActive Publication Date: 2026-09-18北京胜能能源科技有限公司
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411920032.3
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-12-24
Publication Date
2026-09-18
Estimated Expiration
2044-12-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

然而,在无人驾驶车辆的引导换电过程中,会存在停止不到位的情况,这会影响到无人驾驶车辆换电安全性和换电效率

Benefits of technology

[0036] The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a vehicle position detection module located at a predetermined position in the battery swapping channel of the battery swapping station. This module detects the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, generates a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sends the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system. The control system is connected to the vehicle position detection module and the vehicle movement indication module. It receives the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module and controls the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal. The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system in this application includes a vehicle position detection module, a control system, and a vehicle movement indication module. The vehicle position detection module detects the driving position of the unmanned vehicle in the battery swapping channel in real time and generates vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. The control system then controls the vehicle movement indication module to send corresponding vehicle movement signals to the unmanned vehicle based on the vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. This enables the unmanned vehicle to decelerate, stop, and perform other operations at the corresponding positions in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signals, thereby facilitating the unmanned vehicle to stop at the battery swapping position in the battery swapping channel and improving the parking accuracy of the unmanned vehicle at the battery swapping position.

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a guiding unmanned vehicle battery swapping system, a battery swapping method, a storage medium and a battery swapping station. The guiding unmanned vehicle battery swapping system comprises a vehicle position detection module configured to detect a vehicle position when an unmanned vehicle enters a battery swapping channel, generate a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and send the vehicle position trigger signal to a control system; and the control system is configured to receive the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module, control a vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal indicating that the unmanned vehicle moves in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal, so that the unmanned vehicle moves in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal, thereby realizing the operation of the unmanned vehicle slowing down, stopping and the like at a corresponding position in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal, and further facilitating the unmanned vehicle to stop at a battery swapping position in the battery swapping channel, so as to improve the parking accuracy of the unmanned vehicle at the battery swapping position.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of new energy vehicle technology, and in particular to a battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles, a method for guiding battery swapping of unmanned vehicles, a storage medium, and a battery swapping station. Background Technology

[0002] In the fields of vehicle control or adjustment, power transmission, and the control, warning, or monitoring of vehicle assistance systems or driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles have become a new type of transportation with broad application prospects. However, during the guided battery swapping process of autonomous vehicles, there are instances where the vehicle does not stop properly, which can affect the safety and efficiency of battery swapping. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present disclosure aims to provide a system for guiding unmanned vehicle battery swapping, a method for guiding unmanned vehicle battery swapping, a storage medium, and a battery swapping station.

[0004] The technical solution disclosed herein is implemented as follows:

[0005] In one aspect, this disclosure provides a system for guiding battery swapping of unmanned vehicles.

[0006] The battery swapping system for guided unmanned vehicles provided in this embodiment is applied at a battery swapping station, and the system includes:

[0007] The vehicle position detection module is located at a predetermined position in the battery swapping channel of the battery swapping station. It is used to detect the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, and generate a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and send the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system.

[0008] The control system is connected to the vehicle position detection module and the vehicle movement indication module. It is used to receive the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module, and control the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal, so that the unmanned vehicle can move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal.

[0009] In some embodiments, the vehicle position detection module includes at least a first position detection sensor and a second position detection sensor;

[0010] The first position detection sensor is located on the battery compartment side of the battery swapping channel. It is used to detect the first position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel, and to generate a first position trigger signal based on the first position of the vehicle, and to send the first position trigger signal to the control system. The first position of the vehicle is the position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system.

[0011] The second position detection sensor is located at the V-shaped groove of the centering system of the battery swapping channel. It is used to detect the second position of the vehicle when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, and to generate a second position trigger signal based on the second position of the vehicle, and send the second position trigger signal to the control system. The second position of the vehicle is the vehicle position of the unmanned vehicle entering the centering system of the battery swapping channel.

[0012] In some embodiments, the control system is configured to control the vehicle movement indication module to send a first vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle upon receiving a vehicle first position trigger signal generated by the first position detection sensor; wherein the first vehicle movement signal is used to instruct the unmanned vehicle to decelerate in the battery swapping lane; and

[0013] Upon receiving the vehicle second position trigger signal generated by the second position detection sensor, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a second vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle; the second vehicle movement signal is used to instruct the unmanned vehicle to stop driving in the battery swapping channel.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first location detection sensor includes radar;

[0015] The second position detection sensor includes a through-beam sensor;

[0016] The vehicle movement indication module includes signal indicator lights;

[0017] The first vehicle movement signal includes a first color light signal emitted by the signal indicator, and the second vehicle movement signal includes a second color light signal emitted by the signal indicator.

[0018] Secondly, this disclosure provides a method for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries, which is applied to a battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles at a battery swapping station. The unmanned vehicle battery swapping system includes a vehicle position detection module and a vehicle movement indication module.

[0019] The method includes:

[0020] The vehicle position detection module detects the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, generates a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sends the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system.

[0021] Based on the vehicle position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle can move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal.

[0022] In some embodiments, the vehicle position detection module includes at least a first position detection sensor and a second position detection sensor;

[0023] The first position detection sensor is located on the battery compartment side of the battery swapping channel; the second position detection sensor is located at the V-shaped groove of the centering system of the battery swapping channel.

[0024] The method of detecting the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping lane using a vehicle position detection module, generating a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sending the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system includes:

[0025] The first position of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the first position detection sensor when it enters the battery swapping channel, and a first position trigger signal is generated based on the first position of the vehicle and sent to the control system; wherein, the first position of the vehicle is the position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system.

[0026] The second position of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the second position detection sensor when it enters the battery swapping channel, and a second position trigger signal is generated based on the second position of the vehicle and sent to the control system; wherein, the second position of the vehicle is the vehicle position of the centering system when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel.

[0027] In some embodiments, the vehicle movement indication module, which controls the vehicle movement based on the vehicle position trigger signal, sends a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping lane, so that the unmanned vehicle can move within the battery swapping lane based on the vehicle movement signal, including:

[0028] Based on the vehicle's first position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a first vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle can decelerate in the battery swapping channel based on the first vehicle movement signal.

[0029] Based on the vehicle's second position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module sends a second vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle stops at the entrance of the battery swapping channel based on the second vehicle movement signal.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first location detection sensor includes radar;

[0031] The second position detection sensor includes a through-beam sensor;

[0032] The vehicle movement indication module includes signal indicator lights;

[0033] The first vehicle movement signal includes a first color light signal emitted by the signal indicator, and the second vehicle movement signal includes a second color light signal emitted by the signal indicator.

[0034] Thirdly, this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for guiding unmanned vehicle battery swapping, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method for guiding unmanned vehicle battery swapping described in the first aspect.

[0035] Fourthly, this disclosure provides a battery swapping station, including the battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles described in the first aspect above.

[0036] The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a vehicle position detection module located at a predetermined position in the battery swapping channel of the battery swapping station. This module detects the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, generates a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sends the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system. The control system is connected to the vehicle position detection module and the vehicle movement indication module. It receives the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module and controls the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal. The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system in this application includes a vehicle position detection module, a control system, and a vehicle movement indication module. The vehicle position detection module detects the driving position of the unmanned vehicle in the battery swapping channel in real time and generates vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. The control system then controls the vehicle movement indication module to send corresponding vehicle movement signals to the unmanned vehicle based on the vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. This enables the unmanned vehicle to decelerate, stop, and perform other operations at the corresponding positions in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signals, thereby facilitating the unmanned vehicle to stop at the battery swapping position in the battery swapping channel and improving the parking accuracy of the unmanned vehicle at the battery swapping position.

[0037] Additional aspects and advantages of this disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a battery swapping system for a guided unmanned vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery swapping channel for unmanned vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a guided battery swapping process for an unmanned vehicle, illustrated according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a guided battery swapping process for an unmanned vehicle, illustrated according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 ;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for guiding battery swapping of unmanned vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this disclosure, and should not be construed as limiting this disclosure.

[0044] In the fields of vehicle control or adjustment, power transmission, and the control, warning, or monitoring of vehicle assistance systems or driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles have become a promising new mode of transportation. However, during the guided battery swapping process of autonomous vehicles, there are instances where the vehicle does not stop properly, which can affect the safety and efficiency of battery swapping. For example, due to a lack of accurate judgment of traffic light status, the vehicle may decelerate too early or too late, affecting driving safety and efficiency. Secondly, without clear prompts during the vehicle's positioning process, the vehicle may not be able to accurately stop at the centering system, thus affecting the smooth progress of battery swapping.

[0045] In response to the above situation, this disclosure provides a battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles, which can be applied to battery swapping stations. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a guided battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 As shown, the battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles includes:

[0046] The vehicle position detection module 01 is located at a predetermined position in the battery swapping channel of the battery swapping station. It is used to detect the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, and generate a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and send the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system.

[0047] The control system 02 is connected to the vehicle position detection module 01 and the vehicle movement indication module 03. It is used to receive the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module 01, and control the vehicle movement indication module 03 to send a vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal, so that the unmanned vehicle can move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal.

[0048] In this exemplary embodiment, the control system can be either the station control system of the battery swapping station or a PLC control system. The vehicle position trigger signal generated by the vehicle position detection module detecting the unmanned vehicle's position can be actively sent to the control system. After receiving the vehicle position trigger signal from the vehicle position detection module, the control system can control the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel, allowing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal.

[0049] In this exemplary embodiment, the unmanned vehicle is equipped with a module device capable of receiving and identifying vehicle movement signals. For example, if the vehicle movement signal is an indicator light color signal, the unmanned vehicle is equipped with a camera module and an image processing module to collect the indicator light signal and identify the color of the image, etc.

[0050] In this exemplary embodiment, the predetermined location of the battery swapping channel can be a location near the battery swapping channel that facilitates the detection of unmanned vehicles entering the channel. For example, the location on one side of the battery compartment of the battery swapping channel, etc. The specific location can be set as needed; this is merely an example and is not intended to be limiting.

[0051] The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a vehicle position detection module located at a predetermined position in the battery swapping channel of the battery swapping station. This module detects the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, generates a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sends the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system. The control system is connected to the vehicle position detection module and the vehicle movement indication module. It receives the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module and controls the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal. The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system in this application includes a vehicle position detection module, a control system, and a vehicle movement indication module. The vehicle position detection module detects the driving position of the unmanned vehicle in the battery swapping channel in real time and generates vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. The control system then controls the vehicle movement indication module to send corresponding vehicle movement signals to the unmanned vehicle based on the vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. This enables the unmanned vehicle to decelerate, stop, and perform other operations at the corresponding positions in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signals, thereby facilitating the unmanned vehicle to stop at the battery swapping position in the battery swapping channel and improving the parking accuracy of the unmanned vehicle at the battery swapping position.

[0052] In some embodiments, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery swapping lane for guided unmanned vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2As shown, the vehicle position detection module includes at least a first position detection sensor 011 and a second position detection sensor 012;

[0053] The first position detection sensor 011 is located on the battery compartment 014 side of the battery swapping channel. It is used to detect the first position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel, and to generate a first position trigger signal based on the first position of the vehicle, and to send the first position trigger signal to the control system. The first position of the vehicle is the position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system.

[0054] The second position detection sensor 012 is located at the V-shaped groove 013 of the centering system of the battery swapping channel. It is used to detect the second position of the vehicle when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, and generate a second position trigger signal based on the second position of the vehicle, and send the second position trigger signal to the control system. The second position of the vehicle is the vehicle position of the unmanned vehicle entering the centering system of the battery swapping channel.

[0055] In this exemplary embodiment, the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle moves in the battery swapping channel can include a first vehicle position and a second vehicle position; wherein, the first vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system; the second vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the centering system of the battery swapping channel. The centering system is the location where the battery swapping vehicle needs to stop for battery replacement. In this application, the centering system has a parking V-shaped groove, and the battery can be replaced when the unmanned vehicle stops on the V-shaped groove. In this application, the centering system can also be a centering structure. The centering system includes the aforementioned parking V-shaped groove, etc. When the vehicle stops at the parking V-shaped groove, battery swapping can be performed. That is, battery swapping can be performed when the vehicle stops at the centering structure.

[0056] In some embodiments, the control system is configured to control the vehicle movement indication module to send a first vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle upon receiving a vehicle first position trigger signal generated by the first position detection sensor; wherein the first vehicle movement signal is used to instruct the unmanned vehicle to decelerate in the battery swapping lane; and

[0057] Upon receiving the vehicle second position trigger signal generated by the second position detection sensor, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a second vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle; the second vehicle movement signal is used to instruct the unmanned vehicle to stop driving in the battery swapping channel.

[0058] In this exemplary embodiment, the first vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping lane but does not enter the centering system. This can be understood as the position near the centering system within the battery swapping lane, at which point the unmanned vehicle needs to decelerate. When the control system receives a vehicle first position trigger signal generated by the first position detection sensor, it controls the vehicle movement indication module to send a first vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle. This first vehicle movement signal instructs the unmanned vehicle to decelerate within the battery swapping lane. The second vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the centering system within the battery swapping lane. When the unmanned vehicle enters the centering system of the battery swapping lane, its wheels enter the V-shaped groove, and the second position detection sensor generates a vehicle second position trigger signal. The control system can then control the vehicle movement indication module to send a second vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle based on this second position trigger signal. This second vehicle movement signal instructs the unmanned vehicle to stop within the battery swapping lane, causing the unmanned vehicle to stop on the V-shaped groove of the centering system, thereby effectively improving the accuracy of the unmanned vehicle's parking position and thus enhancing battery swapping safety and efficiency.

[0059] In some embodiments, the first location detection sensor includes radar;

[0060] The second position detection sensor includes a through-beam sensor;

[0061] The vehicle movement indication module includes signal indicator lights;

[0062] The first vehicle movement signal includes a first color light signal emitted by the signal indicator, and the second vehicle movement signal includes a second color light signal emitted by the signal indicator.

[0063] In this exemplary embodiment, the first position detection sensor can be a radar, positioned on the battery compartment side at a predetermined location in the battery swapping channel to detect the approach of the unmanned vehicle to the centering system in a timely manner. The second position detection sensor can be a through-beam sensor, fixed on both sides of the left and right V-shaped grooves. When the unmanned vehicle enters the V-shaped groove, it can block the photoelectric signal emitted by the through-beam sensor, thereby allowing the through-beam sensor to detect the vehicle's entry. This facilitates the determination of the unmanned vehicle's entry position through the through-beam sensor, enabling the unmanned vehicle to receive a second vehicle movement signal instructing it to stop in a timely manner.

[0064] Figure 3 This is a guided battery swapping process for an unmanned vehicle, illustrated according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 .like Figure 3 As shown, the process for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries includes:

[0065] Step 30: The vehicle enters the battery swapping station;

[0066] Step 31: Turn on the device;

[0067] Step 32: Determine if the PLC has enabled automatic battery swapping mode;

[0068] Step 33: The PLC starts the automatic battery swapping mode and determines whether the radar is triggered;

[0069] Step 34: If the radar is triggered, the yellow light will turn on, the green light will turn off, and the red light will turn off.

[0070] Step 35: Determine whether the left and right V-groove through-beam sensors are triggered;

[0071] Step 36: If the left and right V-groove photoelectric sensors are triggered, the red light will illuminate, the yellow light will turn off, and the green light will turn off.

[0072] Step 37: Determine if the vehicle has come to a complete stop;

[0073] Step 38: Once the vehicle has come to a complete stop, determine whether the battery swap is finished.

[0074] Step 39: If the battery replacement is complete, the yellow light will turn off, the green light will turn on, and the red light will turn off.

[0075] Step 40: Determine if the vehicle has left. If the vehicle has left, repeat step 32.

[0076] Figure 4 This is a guided battery swapping process for an unmanned vehicle, illustrated according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 .like Figure 4 As shown, the process for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries includes:

[0077] Step 41: The vehicle enters the battery swapping station;

[0078] Step 42: Determine if the radar is triggered. If the radar is triggered, the yellow signal light will illuminate. The vehicle will detect the radar and the yellow light will illuminate. The unmanned vehicle will then grasp the radar and slowly decelerate.

[0079] Step 43: When the V-groove photoelectric trigger is activated, the red signal light will illuminate, and the front wheels of the vehicle will drive into the V-groove.

[0080] Step 44: Battery swapping complete. The green indicator light will illuminate, and the vehicle will be prompted to leave the battery swapping station once the swapping is finished.

[0081] In this application, a through-beam photoelectric sensor and radar are added to the lane of the battery swapping station for unmanned vehicles to determine the status of external traffic light equipment. The through-beam photoelectric sensor and radar can determine the real-time status by sensing the on / off state of the traffic lights.

[0082] Vehicle-mounted sensors collect traffic light information via cameras and use image processing algorithms to determine the real-time status of the traffic lights. Unmanned vehicles can collect status information such as red, yellow, and green lights.

[0083] During the battery swapping process, corresponding prompts and controls are provided based on the status of the indicator lights. The specific steps are as follows:

[0084] a. Gradual deceleration: When a vehicle enters the lane and is detected by the radar, and the signal light turns yellow, the vehicle will judge based on the collected signal light information and begin to decelerate gradually.

[0085] b. Vehicle positioning: When the wheels enter the V-shaped groove, the vehicle will further sense the status of the signal lights. If the red light is on, the vehicle will indicate that it is stopped in the V-shaped groove to wait for battery swapping.

[0086] c. Battery swap complete: Once the battery swap is complete, the vehicle will receive a green light notification, indicating that it can leave the battery swap station and continue driving. The above is a specific implementation of this embodiment, in which the traffic light status is perceived through photoelectric sensors and a camera, and the judgment is made using image processing algorithms. In this way, the autonomous vehicle can accurately determine the traffic light status, provide clear vehicle arrival prompts, and complete the battery swap operation in a timely manner, thereby improving driving safety and efficiency.

[0087] 1. By adding sensors to the autonomous vehicle lanes, the status of external traffic light equipment can be determined. These sensors can be photoelectric sensors, cameras, etc., used to detect the on / off state of the traffic lights.

[0088] 2. Vehicle-side sensing collects traffic light information and determines the real-time status by capturing the traffic lights. The vehicle will collect status information such as red, yellow, and green lights.

[0089] 3. During the battery swapping process, provide corresponding prompts and controls based on the status of the indicator lights. The specific steps are as follows:

[0090] a) Slow deceleration: When the traffic light is yellow, the vehicle will judge based on the collected traffic light information and begin to slow down slowly.

[0091] b) Vehicle positioning: When the wheels enter the V-shaped groove, the vehicle will further sense the status of the signal lights. If the red light is on, the vehicle will indicate that it is stopped in the V-shaped groove to wait for battery swapping.

[0092] c) Battery swap complete: Once the battery swap is complete, the vehicle will receive a green light indicating that it can leave the battery swap station and continue driving. These battery swap guidance methods enable autonomous vehicles to accurately determine traffic light status, provide clear vehicle arrival prompts, and complete the battery swap operation in a timely manner, thereby improving driving safety and efficiency.

[0093] d) Improve driving safety and efficiency: By adding sensors to detect external traffic light equipment and capturing the real-time status of the traffic lights, changes in traffic lights can be accurately determined, avoiding situations where vehicles slow down too early or too late, thereby improving driving safety and efficiency.

[0094] e) Provide clear vehicle arrival indication signal: During the vehicle arrival process, this solution provides a clear vehicle arrival indication signal by indicating that the vehicle is accurately parked in the V-shaped groove through the movement of the wheels into the groove, thus avoiding errors during the battery swapping process and improving the smoothness of the battery swapping.

[0095] f) Effective Battery Swap Completion Notification: After battery swapping is completed, this solution clearly informs the vehicle that the swapping is finished by displaying a green light, preventing the vehicle from leaving the swapping station prematurely or staying for too long, thus improving overall operational efficiency. During the autonomous vehicle-guided battery swapping process, this solution provides more accurate signal light status judgment, clear vehicle arrival indication signals, and an effective battery swapping completion notification method, thereby improving the safety and efficiency of the battery swapping process.

[0096] This solution has wide applications in the field of guided battery swapping for autonomous vehicles, including vehicle control or adjustment, power transmission, and control, warning, or monitoring of vehicle or driver assistance systems. In vehicle control or adjustment, this solution provides accurate traffic light status judgment, enabling accurate deceleration of autonomous vehicles during guided battery swapping, further improving driving safety and efficiency. In power transmission, this solution can sense traffic light information on the vehicle and determine its real-time status by capturing traffic light data, ensuring the vehicle makes correct actions based on traffic light changes during battery swapping, thus achieving efficient guided battery swapping for autonomous vehicles. In the control, warning, or monitoring of vehicle or driver assistance systems, this solution adds sensors to identify external traffic light equipment, providing real-time interaction between the vehicle and traffic lights to adjust behavior accordingly based on traffic light status, thereby achieving precise guided battery swapping for autonomous vehicles. Based on these application areas, this solution has broad market demand in the field of guided battery swapping for autonomous vehicles. With the continuous development of autonomous driving technology and the expansion of application scenarios, guided battery swapping for autonomous vehicles, as an important technological application, will receive widespread attention and demand from transportation, logistics, urban management, and other fields. Especially given the growing demands for improved energy efficiency and environmental protection in urban areas, autonomous vehicle-guided battery swapping technology has enormous market potential.

[0097] This disclosure provides a method for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries, which is applied to a battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles at a battery swapping station. The unmanned vehicle battery swapping system includes a vehicle position detection module and a vehicle movement indication module. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for guiding battery swapping of an unmanned vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 5 As shown,;

[0098] The method includes:

[0099] Step 10: Detect the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel using the vehicle position detection module, generate a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and send the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system.

[0100] Step 11: Based on the vehicle position trigger signal, control the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle can move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal.

[0101] In this exemplary embodiment, the control system can be either the station control system of the battery swapping station or a PLC control system. The vehicle position trigger signal generated by the vehicle position detection module detecting the unmanned vehicle's position can be actively sent to the control system. After receiving the vehicle position trigger signal from the vehicle position detection module, the control system can control the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel, allowing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal.

[0102] In this exemplary embodiment, the unmanned vehicle is equipped with a module device capable of receiving and identifying vehicle movement signals. For example, if the vehicle movement signal is an indicator light color signal, the unmanned vehicle is equipped with a camera module and an image processing module to collect the indicator light signal and identify the color of the image, etc.

[0103] The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes a vehicle position detection module located at a predetermined position in the battery swapping channel of the battery swapping station. This module detects the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, generates a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sends the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system. The control system is connected to the vehicle position detection module and the vehicle movement indication module. It receives the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module and controls the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal. The guided unmanned vehicle battery swapping system in this application includes a vehicle position detection module, a control system, and a vehicle movement indication module. The vehicle position detection module detects the driving position of the unmanned vehicle in the battery swapping channel in real time and generates vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. The control system then controls the vehicle movement indication module to send corresponding vehicle movement signals to the unmanned vehicle based on the vehicle position trigger signals corresponding to different driving positions. This enables the unmanned vehicle to decelerate, stop, and perform other operations at the corresponding positions in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signals, thereby facilitating the unmanned vehicle to stop at the battery swapping position in the battery swapping channel and improving the parking accuracy of the unmanned vehicle at the battery swapping position.

[0104] In some embodiments, the vehicle position detection module includes at least a first position detection sensor and a second position detection sensor;

[0105] The first position detection sensor is located on the battery compartment side of the battery swapping channel; the second position detection sensor is located at the V-shaped groove of the centering system of the battery swapping channel.

[0106] The method of detecting the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping lane using a vehicle position detection module, generating a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sending the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system includes:

[0107] The first position of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the first position detection sensor when it enters the battery swapping channel, and a first position trigger signal is generated based on the first position of the vehicle and sent to the control system; wherein, the first position of the vehicle is the position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system.

[0108] The second position of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the second position detection sensor when it enters the battery swapping channel, and a second position trigger signal is generated based on the second position of the vehicle and sent to the control system; wherein, the second position of the vehicle is the vehicle position of the centering system when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel.

[0109] In this exemplary embodiment, the vehicle position of the unmanned vehicle when moving in the battery swapping channel can include a first vehicle position and a second vehicle position; wherein, the first vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system; the second vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the centering system of the battery swapping channel. The centering system is the location where the battery swapping vehicle needs to stop for battery replacement. In this application, the centering system has a parking V-shaped groove, and the battery replacement can be performed when the unmanned vehicle stops on the V-shaped groove.

[0110] In some embodiments, the vehicle movement indication module, which controls the vehicle movement based on the vehicle position trigger signal, sends a vehicle movement signal instructing the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping lane, so that the unmanned vehicle can move within the battery swapping lane based on the vehicle movement signal, including:

[0111] Based on the vehicle's first position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a first vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle can decelerate in the battery swapping channel based on the first vehicle movement signal.

[0112] Based on the vehicle's second position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module sends a second vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle stops at the entrance of the battery swapping channel based on the second vehicle movement signal.

[0113] In this exemplary embodiment, the first vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping lane but does not enter the centering system. This can be understood as the position near the centering system within the battery swapping lane, at which point the unmanned vehicle needs to decelerate. When the control system receives a vehicle first position trigger signal generated by the first position detection sensor, it controls the vehicle movement indication module to send a first vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle. This first vehicle movement signal instructs the unmanned vehicle to decelerate within the battery swapping lane. The second vehicle position is the position where the unmanned vehicle enters the centering system within the battery swapping lane. When the unmanned vehicle enters the centering system of the battery swapping lane, its wheels enter the V-shaped groove, and the second position detection sensor generates a vehicle second position trigger signal. The control system can then control the vehicle movement indication module to send a second vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle based on this second position trigger signal. This second vehicle movement signal instructs the unmanned vehicle to stop within the battery swapping lane, causing the unmanned vehicle to stop on the V-shaped groove of the centering system, thereby effectively improving the accuracy of the unmanned vehicle's parking position and thus enhancing battery swapping safety and efficiency.

[0114] In some embodiments, the first location detection sensor includes radar;

[0115] The second position detection sensor includes a through-beam sensor;

[0116] The vehicle movement indication module includes signal indicator lights;

[0117] The first vehicle movement signal includes a first color light signal emitted by the signal indicator, and the second vehicle movement signal includes a second color light signal emitted by the signal indicator.

[0118] In this exemplary embodiment, the first position detection sensor can be a radar, positioned on the battery compartment side at a predetermined location in the battery swapping channel to detect the approach of the unmanned vehicle to the centering system in a timely manner. The second position detection sensor can be a through-beam sensor, fixed on both sides of the left and right V-shaped grooves. When the unmanned vehicle enters the V-shaped groove, it can block the photoelectric signal emitted by the through-beam sensor, thereby allowing the through-beam sensor to detect the vehicle's entry. This facilitates the determination of the unmanned vehicle's entry position through the through-beam sensor, enabling the unmanned vehicle to receive a second vehicle movement signal instructing it to stop in a timely manner.

[0119] This disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries. When the program is executed by a processor, it implements the method for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries as described in the above embodiments.

[0120] This disclosure provides a battery swapping station, including the battery swapping system for unmanned vehicles described in the above embodiments.

[0121] It should be noted that the logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (such as a computer-based system, a processor-included system, or other system that can fetch and execute instructions from, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media include: an electrical connection having one or more wires (electronic device), a portable computer disk drive (magnetic device), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and editable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable optical disc read-only memory (CDROM). Furthermore, computer-readable media can even be paper or other suitable media on which programs can be printed, because programs can be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other media, followed by editing, interpreting, or otherwise processing as necessary, and then stored in computer memory.

[0122] It should be understood that various parts of this disclosure can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0123] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0124] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.

[0125] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated in this embodiment. Therefore, features defined with terms such as "first" and "second" in the embodiments of this disclosure can explicitly or implicitly indicate that the embodiment includes at least one of those features. In the description of this disclosure, the word "multiple" means at least two or more, such as two, three, four, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified in the embodiments.

[0126] In this disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited in the embodiments, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., appearing in the embodiments should be interpreted broadly. For example, a connection can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can also be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, etc. Of course, it can also be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication between two components, or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure based on the specific implementation.

[0127] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0128] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery swapping system for guided unmanned vehicles, characterized in that, The system, applied to battery swapping stations, includes: The vehicle position detection module is located at a predetermined position in the battery swapping channel of the battery swapping station. It is used to detect the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, and generate a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and send the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system. The control system is connected to the vehicle position detection module and the vehicle movement indication module. It is used to receive the vehicle position trigger signal sent by the vehicle position detection module, and control the vehicle movement indication module to send a vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle position trigger signal, so that the unmanned vehicle can move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal. The vehicle position detection module includes at least a first position detection sensor and a second position detection sensor; The first position detection sensor is located on the battery compartment side of the battery swapping channel; The second position detection sensor is located at the V-groove of the centering system of the battery swapping channel; The first position detection sensor includes a radar; The second position detection sensor includes a through-beam sensor; The vehicle movement indication module includes signal indicator lights.

2. The battery swapping system for guided unmanned vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first position detection sensor is used to detect the first position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel, and to generate a first position trigger signal based on the first position of the vehicle, and to send the first position trigger signal to the control system; wherein, the first position of the vehicle is the position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system. The second position detection sensor is used to detect the second position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel, and to generate a second position trigger signal based on the second position of the vehicle, and to send the second position trigger signal to the control system; wherein, the second position of the vehicle is the vehicle position of the centering system of the unmanned vehicle entering the battery swapping channel.

3. The battery swapping system for guided unmanned vehicles according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control system is configured to control the vehicle movement indication module to send a first vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle upon receiving a vehicle first position trigger signal generated by the first position detection sensor; wherein the first vehicle movement signal is used to instruct the unmanned vehicle to decelerate in the battery swapping lane; and Upon receiving the vehicle second position trigger signal generated by the second position detection sensor, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a second vehicle movement signal to the unmanned vehicle; the second vehicle movement signal is used to instruct the unmanned vehicle to stop driving in the battery swapping channel.

4. The battery swapping system for guided unmanned vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first vehicle movement signal includes a first color light signal emitted by the signal indicator, and the second vehicle movement signal includes a second color light signal emitted by the signal indicator.

5. A method for guiding battery swapping in unmanned vehicles, characterized in that, The unmanned vehicle battery swapping system as described in any one of claims 1-4, applied to a battery swapping station, wherein the unmanned vehicle battery swapping system includes a vehicle position detection module and a vehicle movement indication module; The method includes: The vehicle position detection module detects the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel, generates a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sends the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system. Based on the vehicle position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle can move in the battery swapping channel based on the vehicle movement signal.

6. The method for guiding battery swapping of unmanned vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vehicle position detection module includes at least a first position detection sensor and a second position detection sensor; The first position detection sensor is located on the battery compartment side of the battery swapping channel; the second position detection sensor is located at the V-shaped groove of the centering system of the battery swapping channel. The method of detecting the vehicle position when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping lane using a vehicle position detection module, generating a vehicle position trigger signal based on the vehicle position, and sending the vehicle position trigger signal to the control system includes: The first position of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the first position detection sensor when it enters the battery swapping channel, and a first position trigger signal is generated based on the first position of the vehicle and sent to the control system; wherein, the first position of the vehicle is the position of the unmanned vehicle when it enters the battery swapping channel but does not enter the centering system. The second position of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the second position detection sensor when it enters the battery swapping channel, and a second position trigger signal is generated based on the second position of the vehicle and sent to the control system; wherein, the second position of the vehicle is the vehicle position of the centering system when the unmanned vehicle enters the battery swapping channel.

7. The method for guiding battery swapping of unmanned vehicles according to claim 6, characterized in that, The vehicle movement indication module, based on the vehicle position trigger signal, sends a vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move within the battery swapping lane, so that the unmanned vehicle can move within the battery swapping lane based on the vehicle movement signal, including: Based on the vehicle's first position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module is controlled to send a first vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle can decelerate in the battery swapping channel based on the first vehicle movement signal. Based on the vehicle's second position trigger signal, the vehicle movement indication module sends a second vehicle movement signal to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move in the battery swapping channel, so that the unmanned vehicle stops at the entrance of the battery swapping channel based on the second vehicle movement signal.

8. The method for guiding battery swapping of unmanned vehicles according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first position detection sensor includes a radar; The second position detection sensor includes a through-beam sensor; The vehicle movement indication module includes signal indicator lights; The first vehicle movement signal includes a first color light signal emitted by the signal indicator, and the second vehicle movement signal includes a second color light signal emitted by the signal indicator.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores a program for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries. When the program is executed by the processor, it implements the method for guiding unmanned vehicles to swap batteries as described in any one of claims 5-8.

10. A battery swapping station, characterized in that, Includes the battery swapping system for guided unmanned vehicles as described in any one of claims 1-4.

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