System and method for transferring energy from vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for transferring energy from a vehicle. A transfer switch for transferring power to a building is disclosed. The transfer switch may include a detection unit configured to monitor utility power supply from an electrical grid. The transfer switch may also include a processor configured to determine to establish a power supply communication between the transfer switch and the vehicle, and when the power supply communication is established, determine that a predefined condition is satisfied based on an input associated with the utility power supply obtained from the detection unit. The processor may also be configured to enable the vehicle to power the building in response to determining that the first predefined condition is satisfied.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for transferring energy from a vehicle to a building via a transfer switch. Background Art

[0002] Many modern vehicles are configured to use the vehicle's onboard power supply to power external systems / tools (such as a cutting saw, air compressor, and / or other electrical devices). In some cases, vehicles are used to power a building (e.g., a house) in the event of a power outage or to optimize a consumer's spending on energy obtained from the grid (e.g., during those periods of the day when the cost of energy drawn from the grid may be higher).

[0003] To supply power from a vehicle to a building, users may need a separate device and may not simply connect a cable between the vehicle's onboard power source and the building's power plug to transfer power. This is because the outlets associated with the vehicle's onboard power source are ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected outlets and incorporate a neutral generator that cuts off power when the vehicle detects a ground fault. In some scenarios, an automatic transfer switch (ATS) is used to connect the vehicle to the building to transfer power from the vehicle's onboard power source to the building. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure describes a system and method for supplying power to a structure (e.g., a house) via a vehicle (e.g., via an onboard power supply of the vehicle) when utility power from the grid may be interrupted. The system may include a transfer switch that can be installed at the structure. The transfer switch can be communicatively coupled to the vehicle via a network (e.g., a wireless network).

[0005] In some aspects, the switch can be configured to detect a possible interruption in the utility power supply, for example, when there may be no power supply from the grid or the utility power supply may be unstable. In response to detecting the possible interruption in the utility power supply, the switch can disable the power supply connection between the grid and the house and enable the power supply connection between the vehicle and the house to enable the vehicle to supply power to the house. In other aspects, when the vehicle may be supplying power to the house, the switch can detect that the utility power supply may have been restored. In response to such detection, the switch can disable the power supply connection between the vehicle and the house and enable the power supply connection between the grid and the house to allow the grid to supply power to the house. In other words, when the utility power supply may have been restored, the switch can "switch" the power supply from the vehicle back to the grid.

[0006] In another aspect, the switch can determine an appropriate time to switch power supply from the vehicle to the grid when utility power supply may have been restored. For example, when the utility power supply may be stable, the switch can enable a power supply connection between the grid and the property. Furthermore, in a scenario where the vehicle's state of charge (SOC) level (associated with the vehicle's onboard power supply) is less than a first threshold, the switch can enable a power supply connection between the grid and the property even if the utility power supply may be unstable. In another scenario where the load demand at the property may be greater than a second threshold, the switch can enable a power supply connection between the grid and the property even if the utility power supply may be unstable.

[0007] In some aspects, the switch can perform a switchover (e.g., switching from the grid to the vehicle) after determining that power supply communication between the vehicle and the switch is successfully established. The switch can determine that power supply communication between the vehicle and the switch can be successfully established based on input / signals obtained from the vehicle (e.g., an activation signal).

[0008] In an additional aspect, to enable the vehicle to supply power to a premises (e.g., via a power cable), the vehicle user may request the vehicle to activate vehicle power transfer mode. In response to receiving such a request from the user, the vehicle may output a notification requesting the vehicle user to connect one end of the power cable to an outlet associated with the vehicle's onboard power supply (e.g., a 240-volt outlet) without connecting the other end of the cable to any device / component. The vehicle may then perform a "cable integrity test" on the cable and, based on the cable integrity test, determine that the cable is not faulty (and that a valid path for supplying power exists). In response to determining that the cable is not faulty, the vehicle may request the vehicle user to connect the other end of the cable to a switch. The vehicle may then activate vehicle power transfer mode and transmit the aforementioned activation signal to the switch, thereby indicating to the switch that vehicle power transfer mode is activated. The switch may receive the activation signal and, upon receiving the activation signal, determine that power supply communication has been successfully established. In response to determining that power supply communication has been established, the switch may determine that the vehicle is "ready" to supply power to the premises.

[0009] In some aspects, when vehicle power transfer mode is activated, the vehicle may inhibit vehicle movement to prevent interruption of power to the property. For safety purposes, the vehicle may also disable the 110-volt power outlet and / or activate the vehicle's lights in a predetermined pattern to notify / indicate that the vehicle may be supplying power to the property. While vehicle power transfer mode is activated, the vehicle may also output an alert notification when a person / object may be approaching the vehicle.

[0010] This disclosure discloses a system and method for providing power to a property via the power grid and a vehicle. The system includes an intelligent transfer switch that communicates with a vehicle via a wireless network and enables the vehicle to efficiently transfer power to the property. Furthermore, the switch shields ground faults, thereby enabling the vehicle to provide power to the property. Furthermore, the switch automatically detects the appropriate time to enable a power supply connection between the power grid and the property based on vehicle operating parameters and / or power supply from the power grid.

[0011] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Detailed description of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0013] Figure 1 An example environment is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0014] Figure 2 Depicted is a block diagram of an example transfer switch and vehicle according to the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3 Depicted are example snapshots of a vehicle user connecting a cable to a vehicle power source in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 4 Depicted is a flow chart of an example method for supplying energy from a vehicle to a building via a transfer switch according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown and which are not intended to be limiting.

[0018] Figure 1An example environment 100 is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented. Environment 100 may include a vehicle 102 and a building 104 (or house 104). Vehicle 102 may take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as, for example, a car, a work vehicle, a crossover, a truck, a van, a minivan, a taxi, a bus, etc. Vehicle 102 may be a manually driven vehicle and / or may be configured to operate in a partially or fully autonomous mode. In some aspects, vehicle 102 may include any powertrain, such as a gasoline engine, a hybrid powertrain, etc.

[0019] The premises 104 may include one or more premises devices that may be powered by power from the utility grid 106 and / or the vehicle 102 (e.g., via the vehicle's onboard power supply, Figure 2 104 to power the home appliances. Examples of home appliances include, but are not limited to, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, fans, lights, refrigerators, electronic devices, and the like. In some aspects, the vehicle 102 can supply energy to the home 104 to power the home appliances when the utility power supply from the utility grid 106 may be interrupted (e.g., when there is no power or when the power from the utility grid 106 is unstable), when the energy demand of the home 104 may be greater than the energy that the utility grid 106 can provide, or when the home / vehicle owner (via a user device) requests that the vehicle 102 supply energy to the home 104.

[0020] The scenarios described above for supplying energy from vehicle 102 to house 104 are exemplary in nature and are provided for illustrative purposes only. The scenarios described should not be construed as limiting. A vehicle or house owner may request that vehicle 102 supply energy to house 104 at any time based on user needs and / or energy supply or demand conditions.

[0021] The premises 104 may include a transfer switch 108 (hereinafter referred to as switch 108) that may enable power to be delivered to the premises 104 via the utility grid 106 and / or the vehicle 102. In some aspects, the switch 108 may be installed at the premises 104. The switch 108 may be configured to automatically switch between different power sources to power the premises 104. For example, the switch 108 may be connected to a utility power supply (associated with the utility grid 106) and an onboard power source of a vehicle, and the switch 108 may be configured to switch the power supply to the premises 104 from the utility grid 106 to the vehicle 102, and vice versa. In other aspects, the switch 108 may include a small battery / power source configured to power one or more transfer switch components when power may be unavailable.

[0022] In some aspects, switch 108 can be a sequentially switched, two-pole manual transfer switch with a third pole for neutral. Switch 108 can be configured to shield ground faults associated with the vehicle's onboard power supply, enabling vehicle 102 to efficiently deliver power to premises 104.

[0023] In some aspects, the switch 108 can be connected via a network ( Figure 2 The network 202 is shown in FIG. 1 as a network 202) communicatively coupled to the vehicle 102. The network illustrates an exemplary communication infrastructure in which the connected devices discussed in various embodiments of the present disclosure may communicate. The network may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols, such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High Speed Packet Access (HSPDA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name a few.

[0024] In some aspects, to enable power supply from vehicle 102 to house 104, switch 108 can first determine whether power supply communication between switch 108 and vehicle 102 (e.g., the vehicle's onboard power supply) is effectively established. Power supply communication can be established when a power transfer cable ("cable") can be connected between switch 108 and vehicle 102. As described herein, a cable can be any cable that can transfer power / energy from vehicle 102 to switch 108 (and therefore to house 104). In some aspects, switch 108 can determine whether power supply communication is established based on a signal / confirmation obtained from vehicle 102. For example, when vehicle 102 transmits an activation signal to switch 108, switch 108 can determine that power supply communication can be established. The activation signal can indicate to switch 108 that the vehicle power transfer mode is activated in vehicle 102, thereby indicating that power supply communication has been successfully established. In some aspects, after performing the cable integrity test (or cable continuity test), when the vehicle 102 determines that the cable is not faulty, the vehicle 102 can transmit an activation signal to the switch 108. Figure 2 Additional details of the activation signal transmitted by the vehicle 102 and the cable integrity test performed by the vehicle 102 are described.

[0025] In response to determining that power supply communication with vehicle 102 can be established, switch 108 can monitor the power supply from utility grid 106. When the power supply from utility grid 106 may be interrupted (e.g., when there may be no power from utility grid 106 or the power supply may be unstable), switch 108 can enable vehicle 102 to provide power to premises 104. In other words, when the power supply from utility grid 106 may be interrupted, switch 108 can disable the power supply connection between utility grid 106 and premises 104 and enable the power supply connection between vehicle 102 and premises 104 to enable vehicle 102 to provide power to premises 104. In this way, switch 108 "switches" the power supply to premises 104 from utility grid 106 to vehicle 102 when the utility power supply may be interrupted.

[0026] In addition, in response to enabling the power supply connection between vehicle 102 and house 104, switch 108 may continue to monitor the utility power supply. When switch 108 (e.g., based on monitoring the power supply) determines that the power supply from utility grid 106 may have been restored and stabilized, switch 108 may switch the power supply to house 104 back to utility grid 106. In other words, when the utility power supply may have been restored and stabilized, switch 108 may enable utility grid 106 to supply power to house 104. In this case, switch 108 may disable the power supply connection between vehicle 102 and house 104 and enable the power supply connection between utility grid 106 and house 104 to enable utility grid 106 to supply power to house 104.

[0027] As described above, when the utility power supply is likely to be stable, the switch 108 can enable the utility grid 106 to supply power to the house 104. To check whether the utility power supply is likely to be stable, the switch 108 can monitor the grid power voltage and phase, and can determine that the power supply is likely to be stable when the amplitude and the variation relative to the expected waveform are within certain variability thresholds for a predefined duration. In a scenario where the utility power supply is likely to be unstable (but has been restored), the switch 108 may not enable the power supply connection between the utility grid 106 and the house 104, and may continue to supply power from the vehicle 102 to the house 104.

[0028] In another aspect, when the vehicle 102 may be supplying power to the premises 104, the switch 108 may obtain one or more vehicle operating parameters from the vehicle 102 at a predefined frequency. The vehicle operating parameters may include, but are not limited to, a current state of charge (SOC) level associated with the vehicle's onboard power supply, real-time load power consumption of the premises 104, a discharge power limit, etc. In response to obtaining the vehicle operating parameters, the switch 108 may determine, based on the vehicle operating parameters, an appropriate time to switch the power supply to the premises 104 from the vehicle 102 to the utility grid 106 or to disable the power supply from the vehicle 102 to the premises 104. As an example, when the switch 108 determines that the vehicle SOC level may be less than a predetermined threshold (e.g., 20%), the switch 108 may disable the power supply connection between the vehicle 102 and the premises 104 (and enable the power supply connection between the utility grid 106 and the premises 104 if utility power is restored / available). In some aspects, in this situation, where the utility power supply may have been restored but not yet stabilized, the switch 108 may still switch the power supply from the vehicle 102 to the utility grid 106 .

[0029] In additional aspects, the vehicle 102 can be configured to perform one or more predefined actions when the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104 or may be "ready" to provide power to the premises 104 (i.e., when the vehicle power transfer mode may be activated). For example, when the vehicle power transfer mode may be activated, the vehicle 102 may inhibit vehicle movement to prevent interruption of power to the premises 104. As another example, when the vehicle power transfer mode may be activated, the vehicle 102 may activate one or more vehicle exterior lights and / or interior lights in a predetermined pattern to indicate to one or more users who may be near the vehicle 102 that the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104. In an exemplary aspect, the vehicle 102 may flash the vehicle exterior lights once every three seconds to indicate that the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104.

[0030] As yet another example, the vehicle 102 (via vehicle cameras / sensors) may monitor the vehicle's surroundings while the vehicle power transfer mode may be activated and detect the presence of an object near the vehicle 102. In response to detecting the object, the vehicle 102 may output an alert notification (e.g., via a vehicle speaker) to indicate to the object that the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104. As yet another example, the vehicle 102 may disable the vehicle's 110-volt receptacle for onboard power while the vehicle power transfer mode may be activated (e.g., for safety purposes because a ground fault may have been blocked for powering the premises 104).

[0031] The above examples should not be construed as limiting, and the vehicle 102 may perform additional actions without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0032] In some aspects, some of the above steps may be performed by the switch 108 instead of the vehicle 102. Similarly, some of the above steps may be performed by the vehicle 102 instead of the switch 108. Figure 2 Details of the vehicle 102 and the switch 108 are described.

[0033] The vehicle 102 and the switch 108 implement and / or perform operations as described herein in accordance with the vehicle owner's manual and safety guidelines. Additionally, any actions taken by the user based on notifications provided by the vehicle 102 and / or the switch 108 should comply with all regulations (e.g., federal, state, country, city, etc.) specific to the location and operation of the vehicle 102. Notifications as provided by the vehicle 102 and / or the switch 108 should be considered advisories and followed only in accordance with any regulations specific to the location and operation of the vehicle 102.

[0034] Figure 2 A block diagram of a transfer switch 108 and a vehicle 102 is depicted in accordance with the present disclosure. Figure 3 To describe Figure 2 .

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the switch 108 can be communicatively coupled to the vehicle 102 via one or more networks 202 (or networks 202). Figure 1 An example of network 202 is described.

[0036] The vehicle 102 may include multiple units including, but not limited to, a vehicle detection unit 204, a vehicle transceiver 206, a vehicle memory 208, a vehicle processor 210, a vehicle human-machine interface 212 (or HMI 212), and a power source 214 (e.g., an onboard vehicle power source) that may be communicatively coupled to one another.

[0037] In some aspects, the power supply 214 can be configured to provide power to the premises 104 via a cable or "cable" and the switch 108. In an exemplary aspect, the power supply 214 can have a power capacity of 7,200 watts. The power supply 214 can include any number of outlets having the same or different voltages. For example, the power supply 214 can include one 240-volt outlet and multiple 110-volt (or 120-volt) outlets, which can be located on or near a vehicle bed (e.g., a truck bed or cargo bed).

[0038] The vehicle detection unit 204 may include one or more components including, but not limited to, a vehicle camera, an ultrasonic sensor, a radio detection and ranging (radar) sensor, a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor, a thermal camera, etc. In an exemplary aspect, the vehicle detection unit 204 may be configured to monitor the vehicle's surroundings while the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104 via the switch 108. In further aspects, the vehicle detection unit 204 may be configured to monitor vehicle operating parameters including, but not limited to, a current state of charge (SOC) level associated with the power source 214, a real-time load power consumption of the premises 104 (when the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104), a discharge power limit, etc.

[0039] The vehicle transceiver 206 may be configured to transmit / receive signals / information / data to / from external systems and devices via the network 202. For example, the vehicle transceiver 206 may transmit information / signals / data (including an activation signal) to the switch 108 via the network 202. As another example, the vehicle transceiver 206 may receive information from the vehicle detection unit 204 via the network 202 and transmit the information to the switch 108.

[0040] The vehicle processor 210 may be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., vehicle memory 208 and / or Figure 2 The vehicle processor 210 may utilize the vehicle memory 208 to store programs and / or store data in code to perform various aspects of the present disclosure. The vehicle memory 208 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory that stores program code that enables the vehicle processor 210 to perform operations according to the present disclosure. The vehicle memory 209 may include any one or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0041] The HMI 212 can be configured to receive user input and / or user requests to control vehicle operation. For example, the HMI 212 can be configured to receive a user request to activate a vehicle power transfer mode to supply power to the house 104 (e.g., via the switch 108). Additionally, the HMI 212 can be configured to output one or more notifications to the vehicle operator / user. For example, the HMI 212 can output a notification to connect a cable to the vehicle 102 and / or the switch 108 to enable power to be supplied from the vehicle 102 to the house 104 via the switch 108. In this case, the cable can transfer power from the vehicle 102 to the house 104 via the switch 108.

[0042] The switch 108 may include multiple components including, but not limited to, a switch detection unit 216, a switch transceiver 218, a switch processor 220, and a switching power supply 222, which may be communicatively coupled to one another. The switching power supply 222 may include a small battery / power supply configured to power the switch 108 when power may be unavailable.

[0043] The switch detection unit 216 can be configured to monitor the utility power supply from the utility grid 106 and / or the power consumption of the premises 104. The switch transceiver 218 can be configured to transmit / receive signals / information / data to / from external systems and devices (including the vehicle 102) (e.g., via the vehicle transceiver 206). For example, the switch transceiver 218 can transmit input associated with monitoring the utility power supply to the vehicle 102.

[0044] The switch processor 220 may be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (eg, switch memory and / or Figure 2 In some aspects, the switch memory can be similar to the vehicle memory 208, and the switch processor 220 can be similar to the vehicle processor 210.

[0045] In operation, a vehicle user may park the vehicle 102 in a garage associated with the house 104. The vehicle user may then use the HMI 212 to request the vehicle 102 to activate the vehicle power transfer mode so that the vehicle 102 can supply power to the house 104 via the switch 108. The vehicle processor 210 may obtain the request from the HMI 212. In response to obtaining the request, the vehicle processor 210 may output a first notification (e.g., a notification message) to the vehicle user via the HMI 212. Figure 3302 ), requesting the vehicle user to connect the proximal end 304 of the cable to the power source 214 without connecting the distal end of the cable to any device / component. In some aspects, the first notification requests the vehicle user to connect the proximal end 304 of the cable to a 240-volt outlet of the power source 214 to enable power to be supplied to the house 104. The vehicle user can view the first notification and can connect the proximal end 304 of the cable to the power source 214, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 After connecting / plugging the proximal end 304 of the cable to the power source 214, the vehicle user can confirm via the HMI 212 that the vehicle user has plugged / connected the proximal end 304 of the cable. The vehicle processor 210 can obtain the user confirmation from the HMI 212.

[0046] In response to obtaining the user confirmation, the vehicle processor 210 can perform a cable integrity test on the cable. The cable integrity test can be performed to check for continuity between the wires and for breaks in the cable. Based on the cable integrity test, the vehicle processor 210 can determine that the cable is likely not faulty (i.e., there is no continuity between the wires and no breaks in the cable).

[0047] In response to determining that the cable is not faulty, the vehicle processor 210 may output a second notification to the vehicle user via the HMI 212 (and / or via the vehicle's sound actuator) requesting the vehicle user to connect the remote end of the cable to the switch 108. The vehicle user may view the second notification and may insert / connect the remote end of the cable to the switch 108. After inserting / connecting the remote end of the cable, the vehicle user may confirm via the HMI 212 that the vehicle user has inserted the remote end of the cable. The vehicle processor 210 may then obtain user confirmation from the HMI 212.

[0048] In response to obtaining user confirmation, the vehicle processor 210 can activate the vehicle power transfer mode to enable power to be transferred from the power source 214 to the premises 104 via the switch 108. In other words, when the cable distal end can be connected to the switch 108 (and the cable proximal end 304 can be connected to the power source 214), the vehicle processor 210 can activate the vehicle power transfer mode. In response to activating the vehicle power transfer mode, the vehicle processor 210 can transmit an activation signal to the switch 108 via the vehicle transceiver 206 and the switch transceiver 218, thereby indicating that the vehicle power transfer mode is activated.

[0049] The switch transceiver 218 may receive the activation signal from the vehicle transceiver 206 and may transmit the activation signal to the switch processor 220. The switch processor 220 may obtain the activation signal from the switch transceiver 218 and may determine that power supply communication may be established between the vehicle 102 and the switch 108 in response to obtaining the activation signal.

[0050] When power supply communication between the vehicle 102 and the switch 108 can be established, the switch processor 220 can monitor the utility power supply to determine whether a first predefined condition can be met. In some aspects, the switch processor 220 can determine that the first predefined condition can be based on input associated with the utility power supply obtained from the switch detection unit 216 (e.g., based on monitoring the utility power supply from the utility grid 106). In some aspects, the first predefined condition can be met when the utility power supply may be interrupted. When the first predefined condition can be met, the switch processor 220 can enable the vehicle 102 (e.g., the power source 214) to supply power to the house 104 via the switch 108. In other words, when the first predefined condition can be met, the switch processor 220 can disable the power supply connection between the utility grid 106 and the house 104 and enable the power supply connection between the vehicle 102 and the house 104 to enable the vehicle 102 to supply power to the house 104. In this manner, the switch processor 220 “switches” the power supply from the utility grid 106 to the vehicle 102 when a first predefined condition may be satisfied.

[0051] In some aspects, to enable the vehicle 102 to provide power to the premises 104 when the first predefined condition is met, the switch processor 220 can, in response to determining that the first predefined condition can be met, transmit a wake-up signal to the vehicle 102 via the switch transceiver 218. In response to receiving the wake-up signal from the switch processor 220, the vehicle 102 can begin providing power to the premises 104 via the switch 108. In other words, when the vehicle 102 receives the wake-up signal from the switch processor 220, the vehicle 102 can begin providing power to the premises 104 from the power source 214.

[0052] In response to enabling the vehicle 102 to supply power to the premises 104, the switch processor 220 may continue to monitor the utility power supply and may determine, based on the monitoring, that a second predefined condition may be satisfied. The switch processor 220 may determine that the second predefined condition may be satisfied based on input associated with the utility power supply obtained from the switch detection unit 216 (e.g., based on monitoring the utility power supply from the utility grid 106). In some aspects, the second predefined condition may be satisfied when the utility power supply may be restored and stabilized. When the second predefined condition may be satisfied, the switch processor 220 may enable the utility grid 106 to supply power to the premises 104 via the switch 108. In other words, when the second predefined condition may be satisfied, the switch processor 220 may disable the power supply connection between the vehicle 102 and the premises 104 and enable the power supply connection between the utility grid 106 and the premises 104 to enable the utility grid 106 to supply power to the premises 104. In this manner, when a second predefined condition may be met, switch 108 "switches" the power supply from vehicle 102 back to utility grid 106. At this point, if the vehicle user disconnects the cable from vehicle 102 and / or switch 108, vehicle processor 210 may disable vehicle power transfer mode.

[0053] In some aspects, to confirm whether the utility power supply is likely to be stable, the switch processor 220 can monitor the grid power voltage and phase (via the switch detection unit 216) and can determine that the utility power supply is likely to be stable when the amplitude and variation relative to the expected waveform are within certain variability thresholds for a predefined duration (e.g., 2 to 5 minutes). In a scenario where the utility power supply is unstable (but has been restored), the switch processor 220 may not enable the power supply connection between the utility grid 106 and the premises 104 and may continue to supply power from the vehicle 102 to the premises 104.

[0054] In another aspect, the switch processor 220 can obtain vehicle operating parameters (such as the vehicle SOC level) from the vehicle 102 (via the vehicle transceiver 206 and the switch transceiver 218) at a predefined frequency or when the vehicle 102 can supply power to the premises 104 via the switch 108. Based on the vehicle operating parameters, the switch processor 220 can determine whether a third predefined condition can be met. In some aspects, the third predefined condition can be met when the vehicle SOC level can be less than a first predetermined threshold (e.g., less than 20%). When the third predefined condition can be met, the switch processor 220 can disable the vehicle 102 from supplying power to the premises 104. In this case, when the third predefined condition can be met (even if the power supply from the utility grid 106 may be unstable), the switch processor 220 can disable the power supply connection between the vehicle 102 and the premises 104 and enable the power supply connection between the utility grid 106 and the premises 104.

[0055] In other aspects, the third predefined condition may be satisfied when the load demand associated with the premises 104 may be greater than a second predetermined threshold or when a power discharge limit associated with the vehicle 102 (e.g., the power source 214) may be reached. Furthermore, in this case, in response to determining that the third predefined condition may be satisfied, the switch processor 220 may disable the power connection between the vehicle 102 and the premises 104.

[0056] In another aspect, when the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104 or is "ready" to provide power to the premises 104 (i.e., when the vehicle power transfer mode may be activated), the vehicle processor 210 may prohibit vehicle movement (or lock the vehicle 102 in a garage) to prevent interruption of power to the premises 104. In an additional aspect, when the vehicle power transfer mode may be activated, the vehicle processor 210 may activate one or more vehicle lights in a predetermined pattern. For example, the vehicle 102 may flash a particular light every three seconds to indicate that the vehicle 102 may be providing power to the premises 104.

[0057] In another aspect, when the vehicle power transfer mode can be activated, the vehicle processor 210 (e.g., via the vehicle detection unit 204) can monitor the vehicle's surroundings. When the vehicle processor 210 detects the presence of an object (e.g., a user) near the vehicle 102, the vehicle processor 210 can output an alert notification to the object via one or more vehicle components in response to the detection. For example, the vehicle processor 210 can output the alert notification by activating an exterior vehicle sound actuator, an exterior display, or by rapidly flashing the vehicle's exterior lights or increasing the intensity of the flashing lights, thereby indicating to the object that the vehicle 102 may be supplying power to the house 104. In another aspect, when the vehicle power transfer mode can be activated, the vehicle processor 210 can disable the 110-volt outlet of the power source 214 (e.g., for safety purposes, because a ground fault may be blocked in order to power the house 104).

[0058] In another aspect, when the vehicle user anticipates a future power outage scenario, the vehicle user can park the vehicle 102 in a garage and activate the vehicle power transfer mode in the manner described above. When power from the utility grid 106 is likely to be interrupted, the switch processor 220 can transmit a wake-up signal to the vehicle processor 210 and enable the vehicle 102 (e.g., the power source 214) to supply power to the premises 104 via the switch 108, as described above.

[0059] Figure 4 A flow chart depicts an example method 400 for supplying energy from a vehicle 102 to a structure (eg, a house 104) via a switch 108 according to the present disclosure. Figure 4 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Furthermore, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than shown or described herein, and may include the steps in an order different from that described in the example embodiments below.

[0060] Method 400 begins at step 402. At step 404, method 400 may include determining, by switch processor 220, that power supply communication can be established between switch 108 and vehicle 102. Switch processor 220 may determine that power supply communication can be established based on an activation signal received from vehicle 102. The description of the activation signal may be understood in conjunction with the above-described figures.

[0061] At step 406, method 400 may include determining, by switch processor 220, that a predefined condition may be satisfied when power supply communication may be established. In some aspects, switch processor 220 may determine that the predefined condition may be satisfied based on input associated with the utility power supply obtained from switch detection unit 216. As described above, the predefined condition may be satisfied when the utility power supply may be interrupted.

[0062] At step 408 , the method 400 may include enabling, by the switch processor 220 , the vehicle 102 to provide power to the premises 104 in response to determining that the first predefined condition may be satisfied.

[0063] At step 410 , the method 400 may stop.

[0064] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the above disclosure, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It will be understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc. indicate that the embodiment being described may include certain features, structures, or characteristics, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the certain features, structures, or characteristics. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when features, structures, or characteristics are described in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0065] Furthermore, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be implemented in one or more of hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to implement one or more of the systems and procedures described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0066] It should also be understood that the word "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-limiting in nature. More specifically, the word "example" used herein indicates one of several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is placed on the particular example being described.

[0067] Computer-readable media (also known as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0068] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, and the like described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes can be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps can be performed simultaneously, other steps can be added, or certain steps described herein can be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of the processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0069] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Upon reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but rather with reference to the appended claims and the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and expected that the technology discussed herein will develop in the future, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the present application is capable of modification and variation.

[0070] Unless otherwise expressly indicated to the contrary, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meaning as understood by the skilled person described herein. Specifically, unless a claim states an express limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as "one", "the", "said" and the like should be interpreted as describing one or more of the elements indicated. Unless otherwise specifically stated, or otherwise understood in the context of use, conditional language such as "can", "may", "possibly" or "may" is generally intended to express that although some embodiments may include, other embodiments may not include certain features, elements and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element and / or step in any way.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the processor is further configured to inhibit vehicle movement when the vehicle power transfer mode is activated.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the processor is further configured to activate the vehicle lights in a predetermined pattern when the vehicle power transfer mode is activated.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the processor is further configured to: monitor the vehicle surroundings when the vehicle power transfer mode is activated; detect the presence of an object near the vehicle based on the monitoring; and output an alert notification in response to the detection.

[0074] According to the present invention, a method performed by a transfer switch configured to deliver power to a building includes: determining, by a processor, to establish power supply communication between the transfer switch and a vehicle; determining, by the processor, that a predefined condition is satisfied based on input associated with a utility power supply from a power grid obtained from a detection unit when the power supply communication is established, wherein the detection unit is configured to monitor the utility power supply from the power grid; and enabling, by the processor, the vehicle to supply power to the building in response to determining that the predefined condition is satisfied.

[0075] In one aspect of the invention, a predefined condition is met when the utility power supply is interrupted.

Claims

1. A transfer switch for delivering power to a building, the transfer switch comprising: a detection unit configured to monitor a utility power supply from a power grid; as well as a processor communicatively coupled to the detection unit, wherein the processor is configured to: determining to establish power supply communication between the transfer switch and the vehicle; determining that a first predefined condition is satisfied based on input associated with the utility power supply obtained from the detection unit; and The vehicle is enabled to provide power to the building in response to determining that the first predefined condition is satisfied. 2 . The transfer switch of claim 1 , wherein the first predefined condition is satisfied when the utility power supply is interrupted.

3. The transfer switch of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to: obtaining an activation signal from the vehicle, wherein the activation signal indicates that a vehicle power transfer mode is activated; and Establishing the power supply communication between the transfer switch and the vehicle is determined in response to obtaining the activation signal.

4. The transfer switch of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: determining that a second predefined condition is satisfied based on the input obtained from the detection unit, and wherein the second predefined condition is satisfied when the utility power supply is restored and stabilized; and The grid is enabled to supply power to the building.

5. The transfer switch of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: obtaining vehicle operating parameters from the vehicle, wherein the vehicle operating parameters include a vehicle state of charge (SOC) level; determining, based on the vehicle operating parameter, that a third predefined condition is satisfied, wherein the third predefined condition is satisfied when the vehicle SOC level is less than a first predetermined threshold; and The vehicle is prohibited from supplying power to the building.

6. The transfer switch of claim 5, wherein the third predefined condition is satisfied when a load demand associated with the building is greater than a second predetermined threshold.

7. The transfer switch of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: transmitting a wake-up signal to the vehicle in response to determining that the first predefined condition is satisfied; and The vehicle is enabled to provide power to the structure in response to transmitting the wake-up signal.

8. The transfer switch of claim 1, wherein the transfer switch is installed at the building.

9. A vehicle comprising: a power source configured to supply power to the building via the transfer switch; a processor communicatively coupled to the power supply, wherein the processor is configured to: obtaining a request to activate a vehicle power transfer mode; performing a cable integrity test on a cable after obtaining the request, wherein the cable is configured to deliver power from the power source to the building via the transfer switch; determining that the cable is not faulty based on the cable integrity test; activating the vehicle power transfer mode in response to determining that the cable is not faulty; and An activation signal is transmitted to the transfer switch indicating that the vehicle power transfer mode is activated.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to obtain the request from a vehicle user via a vehicle human machine interface (HMI). 11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to output a first notification to the vehicle user via the vehicle HMI in response to obtaining the request to connect a proximal end of a cable to the power source.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first notification requests the vehicle user to connect the proximal end of the cable to a 240 volt receptacle of the power source.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to output a second notification to the vehicle user via the vehicle HMI to remotely connect a cable to the transfer switch in response to determining that the cable is not faulty.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the activation signal when the remote end of the cable is connected to the transfer switch.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to disable a 110-volt outlet of the power source when the vehicle power transfer mode is activated.

Images