Method for controlling current collector device, computer program, computer-readable medium, control device, current collector device, and vehicle
By using a single sensor on the vehicle to acquire environmental images and combining them with information about overhead lines and supporting structures, the location of overhead lines can be accurately determined. This solves the problem of accurate positioning of current collectors in poor visibility conditions, reduces hardware costs and computational complexity, and improves operational reliability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SCANIA CV AB
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-15
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle current collectors have difficulty accurately determining the location of overhead lines in poor visibility conditions, resulting in short pantograph operating time and safety hazards, as well as high hardware costs and computational complexity.
A single sensor acquires images of the vehicle's surrounding environment. Combined with information on overhead lines and load-bearing structures, the system determines the location of the overhead lines through a control device and provides notifications to the operator or automatically controls the position of the current collector.
It improves the accuracy of overhead line location determination, reduces hardware components and computational complexity, lowers the risk of equipment damage, and extends the uptime of current collector devices.
Smart Images
Figure CN122055280A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to a method for controlling a current collector device for a vehicle. This disclosure also relates to vehicle control devices, current collector devices, computer programs, computer-readable media, and vehicles including current collector devices. Background Technology
[0002] Vehicles powered by electricity offer numerous advantages, particularly in terms of local emissions. Such vehicles comprise one or more electric propulsion motors configured to power the vehicle. These types of vehicles can be classified as pure electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Pure electric vehicles (sometimes referred to as battery electric vehicles, electric-only vehicles, and fully electric vehicles) consist of a purely electric powertrain and do not include an internal combustion engine, and therefore produce no emissions where they are used.
[0003] Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) incorporate two or more different types of power, such as internal combustion engines and electric propulsion systems. The combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric propulsion system offers advantages in terms of energy efficiency, partly because internal combustion engines are less efficient at lower power output levels. Furthermore, some HEVs are capable of operating purely on electric power when needed, such as when traveling in certain areas.
[0004] In electric vehicles (such as pure electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles), electricity is typically stored in an electrical storage system, which usually comprises multiple battery packs, each containing multiple rechargeable battery cells. Several different types of battery cells are used, such as lithium-ion battery cells, lithium-polymer battery cells, and other types of rechargeable battery cells. Multiple battery packs are generally required to ensure sufficient available operating range for the vehicle, system voltage, and power, especially in battery packs used in heavier vehicles.
[0005] The battery packs of electric or hybrid vehicles need to be charged regularly, which can affect the vehicle's uptime.
[0006] An electric road, electronic road, or electric road system (ERS) is a road that provides electricity to vehicles traveling on it. This can be achieved using induction coils embedded in the road or by providing overhead power lines carried by power line-bearing structures such as poles or masts. A current collector is mounted on the vehicle and configured to conduct current from the electric road system to the vehicle when in an operating configuration. In the case of overhead power lines, the current collector can take the form of a pantograph. The pantograph is typically mounted on the roof of the vehicle and is arranged to collect electricity by contacting the overhead power line. Therefore, the pantograph can move between an active position in which the pantograph is in contact with the power line and an inactive position in which the pantograph is not in contact with the power line. Thus, in the active position, current can flow from the power line to the vehicle through the pantograph, and in the inactive position, no current can flow from the power line to the vehicle. By equipping the vehicle with a pantograph, the vehicle's battery can be charged during operation because the vehicle can travel under the power line. This reduces the need for battery charging and can increase the vehicle's uptime. Alternatively or additionally, the amount of battery required in a vehicle can be reduced, thereby consequently reducing the cost and weight of the vehicle.
[0007] While current solutions for using pantographs over overhead power lines work well, certain issues remain associated with the technology. Because pantographs are space-consuming structures that affect vehicle aerodynamics, it is crucial that they are only moved to their active position when there is actually an overhead power line. This is also important from a safety perspective, such as when driving under low-lying structures like bridges or in tunnels. To ensure this, a control system using visual cues (such as lane markings on the road) can be used to determine whether the pantograph can be activated. If the control system determines that the vehicle is in the correct position under the overhead line, the driver receives a notification from the control system and can activate the pantograph. However, if visibility is low, such as due to inclement weather, the control system may have difficulty determining that the pantograph is usable and may automatically deactivate it or fail to properly notify the driver. This can result in shorter uptime for the pantograph.
[0008] In addition, it is generally advantageous if a product (such as a vehicle and associated components, systems and devices) has conditions and / or characteristics suitable for manufacturing and assembling in a cost-effective manner. Summary of the Invention
[0009] The object of this invention is to overcome or at least mitigate some of the problems and disadvantages mentioned above.
[0010] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, this objective is achieved by a method of controlling a current collector device of a vehicle, wherein the method is executed by a control device, wherein the current collector device includes a current collector configured to move relative to the vehicle and configured to interact with an overhead line held by an overhead line support structure, wherein the current collector device includes a first sensor configured to acquire an image of the environment surrounding the vehicle. The method includes the following steps: - Obtain the first image from the first sensor. - Based on information in the first image related to any overhead line and information in the first image related to any overhead line bearing structure, determine the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector, and - To output notifications to the vehicle operator relating to the determined position of any overhead line relative to the current collector, and / or to control the position of the current collector based on the determined position of any overhead line relative to the current collector.
[0011] Therefore, a method is provided that can determine the position of any overhead line relative to a current collector in a very accurate manner, and use this information to control the position of the current collector and / or notify the vehicle operator. The operator can then determine whether to control the position of the current collector. This thus facilitates control of the current collector device.
[0012] Because this method uses information from the first image related to the overhead line and information from the first image related to any overhead line bearing structure, it can achieve a more accurate determination of the location of any overhead line. By combining information about the overhead line bearing structure and the overhead line itself, more information is used to determine the location of the overhead line. Information can be combined and / or compared in different ways to improve accuracy.
[0013] Additionally, this allows for a more accurate determination of whether any overhead power lines actually exist. Therefore, even in conditions of poor visibility, the location of any overhead power lines can be accurately determined.
[0014] Additionally, by using this method, the location of overhead lines can be determined using a single camera positioned on the vehicle, which reduces costs.
[0015] Furthermore, using more precise determination to control the current collector will increase uptime because the control of the current collector will be more accurate. Therefore, the current collector will be less frequently and incorrectly moved from its active position.
[0016] Furthermore, by acquiring images from a single sensor instead of several, the number of hardware components can be kept low, which is beneficial from a cost and material usage perspective. Additionally, computational complexity is reduced because analyzing data from a single source avoids the need to combine data from several different sources. Moreover, processing speed is increased because processing and analyzing data from a single sensor and a single image is much faster. This is advantageous in real-time processing applications such as those described in this application.
[0017] Furthermore, the risk of equipment damage is reduced due to increased accuracy, as the current collector will less frequently remain incorrectly in the active position.
[0018] Therefore, a method is provided that overcomes or at least mitigates some of the problems and disadvantages mentioned above. Thus, the objectives mentioned above are achieved.
[0019] Overhead lines are wires that carry current, and therefore may be referred to interchangeably below as overhead current-carrying lines, overhead power lines, overhead catenary lines, or overhead wires.
[0020] The overhead line support structure can be any structure used to support the overhead line, such as masts, poles, towers, trees, etc.
[0021] Optionally, the method may further include the following steps: - One or more second images are obtained from the first sensor, and the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector is determined based on information obtained from the one or more second images.
[0022] This step can be performed before determining the location of any overhead lines, or it can be performed after one or more second images have been obtained.
[0023] Therefore, a method is provided that can determine the position of any overhead line relative to a current collector, and thus control the current collector device in an even more accurate manner. A more accurate determination of the position of any overhead line is achieved by acquiring one or more second images and also using information from those images to determine the position, because information collected from the first image and one or more second images can be synthesized and / or compared. This increases the accuracy of the determination.
[0024] Optionally, the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector may be determined further based on information relating to the vehicle’s operating characteristics and / or physical characteristics.
[0025] Vehicle operating characteristics may include one or more of the following: vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, steering wheel movement, and vehicle position on the road.
[0026] The physical characteristics of a vehicle may include, for example, one or more of the following: the height of the vehicle, the height of the current collector in the inactive and / or active position, the width of the vehicle, and the mass of the vehicle.
[0027] Therefore, a method is provided that can determine the position of any overhead line relative to a current collector, and thus control the current collector device in an even more precise manner. This is because additional information related to the vehicle's operating characteristics and / or physical characteristics can be combined with information obtained from the first image and optionally one or more second images, or used to confirm or verify that information.
[0028] Optionally, the determination of the position of the overhead line relative to the current collector is further based on additional information relating to the road on which the vehicle is traveling.
[0029] Additional information may include, for example, one or more of the following: road markings / lines, road signs, tunnels, and bridges.
[0030] Therefore, a method is provided that can determine the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector and thus control the current collector device in an even more accurate manner.
[0031] By using additional information related to the road on which the vehicle is traveling, the position of the overhead line relative to the current collector, the position of the vehicle, and therefore the position of the current collector on the vehicle can be determined more accurately.
[0032] Optionally, the first sensor is a camera that captures light within the visible spectrum (e.g., light with wavelengths between 350 nm and 700 nm).
[0033] Optionally, the current collector device further includes one or more second sensors, wherein the method further includes the following steps: - Obtain additional information relating to any overhead line from one or more second sensors, wherein the determination of the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector is further based on the additional information obtained from one or more second sensors.
[0034] Therefore, a method is provided that can determine the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector and thus control the current collector device in an even more accurate manner.
[0035] Additional information is obtained by using supplemental sensor data from one or more second sensors, which can be used to determine the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector. The one or more second sensors can be positioned, for example, to cover different or larger fields of view, so that the supplemental sensors can detect the overhead line or line-bearing structure even if the first sensor does not detect the line. Furthermore, the one or more second sensors can detect electromagnetic waves of different wavelengths or only partially overlapping with those of the first sensor. Therefore, the one or more second sensors can detect the overhead line or line-bearing structure when the visibility of the first sensor is low. The one or more second sensors may, for example, include an IR camera.
[0036] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, this objective is achieved by a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform according to... Methods according to some embodiments of the first aspect of this disclosure. Since a computer program includes instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods according to some embodiments described herein, a computer program is provided that provides conditions for overcoming or at least mitigating at least some of the disadvantages mentioned above. Thus, the aforementioned objectives are achieved.
[0037] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, this objective is achieved by a computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to some embodiments of the first aspect of this disclosure. Because the computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to some embodiments described herein, a computer-readable medium is provided that provides conditions for overcoming or at least mitigating at least some of the disadvantages mentioned above. Thus, the objective mentioned above is achieved.
[0038] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, this objective is achieved by a control device for controlling a current collector device for a vehicle, wherein the current collector device includes a current collector configured to move relative to the vehicle and configured to interact with an overhead line held by an overhead line support structure, wherein the current collector device includes a first sensor configured to acquire an image of the environment surrounding the vehicle. The control device is configured to: - Obtain the first image from the sensor. - Based on information related to any overhead line in the first image, combined with information related to the overhead line's supporting structure in the first image, the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector is determined, and - Provide the vehicle operator with information relating to the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector, and / or control the position of the current collector based on the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector.
[0039] Therefore, a control device is provided that can determine the position of any overhead line relative to a current collector in a very accurate manner, and use this information to control the position of the current collector and / or notify the vehicle operator. The operator can then determine whether to control the position of the current collector. This facilitates control of the current collector device.
[0040] Therefore, a control device is provided that provides conditions for overcoming or at least mitigating at least some of the disadvantages mentioned above. Thus, the aforementioned objective is achieved.
[0041] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, the objective is achieved by a current collector device of a vehicle, wherein the current collector device includes a current collector configured to move relative to the vehicle and configured to interact with an overhead line held by an overhead line support structure, wherein the current collector device includes a first sensor configured to acquire an image of the environment surrounding the vehicle, and wherein the current collector device includes control means according to some embodiments of a fourth aspect of this disclosure.
[0042] Therefore, a current collector device is provided that can determine the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector in a very accurate manner, and use this information to control the position of the current collector and / or notify the vehicle operator. The operator can then determine whether to control the position of the current collector. This facilitates control of the current collector device.
[0043] Therefore, a current collector device is provided that provides conditions for overcoming or at least mitigating at least some of the disadvantages mentioned above. Thus, the objectives mentioned above are achieved.
[0044] According to the sixth aspect of this disclosure, this objective is achieved by a vehicle that includes a current collector device according to some embodiments of the fifth aspect of this disclosure.
[0045] Since the vehicle includes a current collector device according to some embodiments of the fifth aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle having at least some of the advantages mentioned above is provided.
[0046] Optionally, the vehicle is a heavy road vehicle, such as a truck or a bus.
[0047] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent when examined in light of the appended claims and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description
[0048] Various aspects of the invention, including its particular features and advantages, will be readily understood from the exemplary embodiments discussed in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A truck including a current collector is illustrated according to some embodiments of this document.
[0049] Figure 2 A truck including a current collector device during use is illustrated schematically according to some embodiments of this document.
[0050] Figure 3 A method for controlling a vehicle's current collector is schematically illustrated, and Figure 4 A computer-readable medium is illustrated schematically. Detailed Implementation
[0051] The aspects of the invention will now be described more fully. The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or constructions will not be described in detail.
[0052] Figure 1 Vehicle 2 is schematically illustrated according to some embodiments. According to the illustrated embodiment, vehicle 2 is a truck, i.e., a type of heavy-duty road vehicle. According to other embodiments, as mentioned herein, vehicle 2 can be another type of heavy or lighter manned or unmanned vehicle for land-based propulsion, such as, for example, a van or bus.
[0053] Vehicle 2 includes an electric powertrain 8. According to the illustrated embodiment, the electric powertrain 8 is configured to provide power to vehicle 2 via the wheels 47 of vehicle 2. The electric powertrain 8 includes an electric propulsion motor. The electric propulsion motor is capable of providing power to vehicle 2 via the wheels 47 of vehicle 2, and also providing regenerative braking to vehicle 2. Therefore, according to the illustrated embodiment, the electric propulsion motor can operate as both an electric motor and a generator. The electric propulsion motor of vehicle 2 can also be referred to as an electric propulsion machine. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, Figure 1 The electric propulsion motor of vehicle 2 is not indicated in the text.
[0054] According to the illustrated embodiment, the electric powertrain 8 of vehicle 2 is a pure electric powertrain 8, that is, a powertrain that does not include an internal combustion engine. According to another embodiment, the electric powertrain 8 of vehicle 2 can be a so-called hybrid powertrain. The electric powertrain 8, in addition to the electric propulsion motor used to power the vehicle 2, also includes an internal combustion engine.
[0055] Vehicle 2 includes an electrical storage system 3. The electrical storage system 3 may include one or more propulsion battery packs, each propulsion battery pack including multiple rechargeable battery cells, such as lithium-ion battery cells, lithium polymer battery cells, nickel-metal hydride battery cells, etc. The battery cells may be arranged in battery modules, wherein each of the one or more propulsion battery packs may include multiple battery modules.
[0056] Vehicle 2 includes a current collector 1. As explained in more detail herein, the electrical storage system 3 of vehicle 2 is configured to receive charging current via the current collector 1. In some places herein, for the sake of brevity and clarity, the current collector 1 is simply referred to as "component 1".
[0057] The current collector device 1 includes a current collector 4. The current collector 4 is configured to be movable relative to the vehicle 2, i.e., the current collector 4 can move relative to the vehicle 2. The current collector 4 can, for example, be movable relative to the vehicle 2 in a vertical direction. The vertical direction herein refers to the direction parallel to the local gravity vector when the vehicle 2 is parked on a horizontal surface perpendicular to the local gravity vector. The current collector 4 can also be movable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the vehicle 2.
[0058] Therefore, the current collector 4 can be moved from an inactive position, in which it is arranged close to the top surface of the vehicle 2, to an active position. The active position will be described in further detail below. In the inactive position, the current collector 4 can be arranged, for example, in a compartment (not shown) configured to house the current collector when not in use, or alternatively moved downwards close to the top of the surface of the vehicle 2 to achieve low air resistance. Figure 1 Arrow M in the diagram illustrates the possible movement of current collector 4. Current collector 4 can be, for example, a so-called pantograph.
[0059] Figure 2 The vehicle 2 is illustrated schematically during operation (e.g., traveling along road 5). Figure 2 An example is also shown of an electrical road system arranged adjacent to a road. The electrical road system includes an overhead line 6 configured to conduct current. This current can be supplied by a conductor traveling on road 5 and equipped with… The necessary technology for electric vehicles will be described later. Overhead line 6 is illustrated as... Figure 2 The overhead line support structure 7 of the vertical structure 7 is maintained. The overhead line support structure 7 can, of course, take other shapes, as long as they can securely support the overhead line 6 at the correct height on the road. In practice, such electrical road systems must comply with any existing laws or regulations in the area where they are installed, and therefore will generally have a specific and well-known appearance.
[0060] A current collector 4, mounted on vehicle 2, is configured to interact with overhead line 6. When the current collector is in the active position, the current collector 4 interacts with overhead line 6. For example... Figure 1 As illustrated, in the active position, the current collector 4 extends away from the vehicle 2 toward the overhead line 6. In the active position, the current collector 4 contacts the overhead line. The current collector 4 includes electrical conductors that can be connected to the high-voltage electrical system of the vehicle 2. Therefore, when the current collector 4 is in the active position and contacts the overhead line, electrical energy can be transferred from the overhead line 6 to the high-voltage electrical system of the vehicle 2. The electrical energy can be stored in the electrical storage system 3 or used directly by the electric powertrain 8 to power the vehicle 2. This is technology well known to those skilled in the art and will not be further explained herein.
[0061] The current collector device 1 also includes a first sensor 9. The first sensor 9 is configured to acquire / obtain images of the environment surrounding the vehicle 2. The first sensor 9... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The central mounting is illustrated as being positioned on top of the cab, but it can be positioned anywhere suitable for acquiring images of the environment surrounding the vehicle 2. Figure 2 In the diagram, the dashed lines emanating from the first sensor 9 illustrate the field of view of the first sensor 9. The first sensor 9 can be a camera that captures light within the visible spectrum (e.g., light with wavelengths between 350 nm and 700 nm). Alternatively, the first sensor 9 can be any sensor capable of acquiring images of the surrounding environment, such as lidar, radar, infrared sensors, etc.
[0062] In this context, "image acquisition" refers to the ability of a sensor to detect signals that can be converted into images (e.g., visual images). Images can also be referred to as frames.
[0063] The current collector device 1 may also include one or more second sensors (not shown). The one or more second sensors may include an IR camera. This will be explained further below.
[0064] like Figure 1 As illustrated, vehicle 2 also includes a control device 10. Control device 10 is configured to control the current collector 1, for example, by controlling the position of the current collector 1. As an example, control device 10 may be configured to move the current collector 4 of current collector 1 from an inactive position to an active position, or vice versa. Control device 10 is configured to acquire a first image from a first sensor 9.
[0065] The first image captured by the first sensor 9 will contain information about the environment surrounding the vehicle 2. More specifically, when an electrical road system is present, the first image will contain information related to the electrical road system, information related to the overhead line 6, and information related to the overhead line support structure 7. The control device 10 is configured to determine the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4 based on the information in the first image related to any overhead line 6, combined with any information in the first image related to any overhead line support structure 7. The position of the current collector 4 relative to the vehicle 2 is known, for example, by sensors on the vehicle 2. The control device 10 can obtain information about the position of the current collector 4 relative to the vehicle 2 and uses this information when determining the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4.
[0066] By combining information related to any overhead structure 7 and any overhead line 6, a more accurate determination of the relative position between the current collector 4 and the overhead line 6 is achieved because more information is used in the determination. The overhead line-bearing structure 7 is easier to identify than the overhead line 6 because it is a larger structure. However, if only the overhead line-bearing structure 7 is identified, there is a risk that another large structure may be misidentified or misclassified as an overhead line-bearing structure. An example of this is misclassifying a tree as an overhead line-bearing structure. Attempting to identify only the overhead line 6 also presents certain problems. Line 6 is typically very thin and may be difficult to identify depending on visibility, lighting, and other factors. Therefore, by using information about both the overhead line 6 and the overhead line-bearing structure 7, a more accurate determination can be performed, mitigating the problems associated with using only one of the two characteristics.
[0067] Information can be combined and / or compared in different ways to improve accuracy. For example, if the overhead line support structure 7 is identified, the location of the overhead line 6 can be calculated, thus helping to determine the location of the overhead line 6.
[0068] Using more accurate determination to control the current collector 1 will increase its uptime because the current collector 4 will move to an inactive position less frequently due to inaccurate determinations of the current situation, such as mistakenly determining that there is no overhead line 6 during low visibility when there actually is, thus causing the current collector 4 to move to an inactive position. Furthermore, the risk of equipment damage is reduced when the frequency of misdetermination decreases. For example, the risk of mistakenly determining that the current collector 4 can remain in its active position when it should actually be moved to an inactive position will be reduced.
[0069] As described above, information relating to overhead line support structure 7 and overhead line 6 is embedded in a first image obtained from a first sensor 9, which may be, for example, a camera. The first image is then processed to determine the location of any overhead line 6 and any overhead line support structure 7. The image can be processed in any manner known in the art, including various machine learning techniques such as neural networks, deep networks, support vector machines, Bayesian algorithms, convolutional neural networks, feature packets, decision tree algorithms, etc. More specific algorithms may include Canny edge detection, SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform), SURF (Speed-Up Robust Features), and HOG (Histogram of Oriented Gradients). In any case, information relating to both overhead line support structure 7 and overhead line 6 is used.
[0070] As already described, the information to be analyzed can be obtained from only one sensor (i.e., the first sensor 9). In this way, the number of hardware components required to accurately determine the location of any overhead line 6 remains low. This reduces material usage and cost. Additionally, for real-time monitoring purposes, using a single data source (such as the first sensor 9) may be beneficial. This is because data from a single sensor is generally faster to process and analyze. This is particularly advantageous in the current situation where rapid processing speed will reduce the risk of accidents and increase the uptime of the current collector 4.
[0071] Furthermore, information to be analyzed can be obtained from just one image (i.e., the first image). Having a single data source reduces the complexity of cleaning and managing data and improves the consistency of the collected data. Computational complexity will also be reduced.
[0072] The control device 10 can then control the position of the current collector 4 based on the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4. Therefore, once the control device 10 determines that an overhead line 6 exists in a location advantageous for transmitting electrical power to the vehicle 2, the current collector 4 can automatically move to the active position. This may require the vehicle 2 to travel with the overhead line 6 directly above the current collector 4. Similarly, once the control device 10 determines that the overhead line 6 is no longer in a favorable position, the current collector 4 can move down to the inactive position. This could be, for example, when the electrical road system ends, leaving no overhead line 6 above the vehicle 2. Another possibility is that the vehicle 2 has already moved in a manner where it is no longer directly below the overhead line 6.
[0073] Alternatively or additionally, the control device may provide the operator of vehicle 2 with information relating to the position of any overhead line 6 relative to current collector 4. In this way, the operator of the vehicle is notified that current collector 4 can be moved to an active position, or that the current collector should be moved to an inactive position. The operator can then control current collector 1 to move current collector 4, for example, by pressing a button. Alternatively, the operator is notified, but control of current collector 10 is automatically executed, and therefore control of current collector 4 is also automatically executed. When any overhead line 6 is in a position that allows the current collector to be moved to an active position, the notification may be, for example, a green light. The notification may also be tactile or audible.
[0074] The control device 10 may be further configured to acquire one or more second images from the first sensor 9 before determining the position. The control device 10 may then be configured to determine the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4 based on information acquired from the one or more second images. Thus, in this case, the first sensor 9 acquires at least two images (a first image and one or more second images), which the control device 10 processes to determine the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4.
[0075] A more accurate determination of the location of any overhead power line 6 is achieved by acquiring one or more second images and also using information from these second images, because the information collected from the first image and one or more second images can be synthesized and / or compared. This increases the accuracy of the determination. By acquiring several images, information from each image can be combined, which will produce better accuracy of the determination over time. If, for example, the first image does not capture the environment around vehicle 2 well, information from one or more second images can provide additional or better information. The first image may be, for example, blurry, or the overhead power line 6 may be obscured by something. Then, collecting more images will help in the process of determining the location of the overhead power line.
[0076] Of course, the first sensor 9 will continuously acquire images, possibly with an update rate of less than 1 ms. The determination of the position of any overhead line 6 can then be performed continuously on each captured image. However, as described above, determinations from several images can also be combined to improve the overall determination through cross-checking and comparison.
[0077] To reduce the required computational power, it may not be necessary to determine the location of any overhead line 6 on every acquired image. Instead, information from every nth image can be used to determine the location of any overhead line 6. The nth image can be selected, for example, from the interval 1-100, i.e., every 1-100 images are used for determination. Alternatively, n can be chosen such that the update frequency is less than 100 ms, i.e., the location determination is performed every 10 ms or every 50 ms, etc.
[0078] Control device 10 can be further configured to determine the position of any overhead line 6 relative to current collector 4 based on information related to the operating characteristics and / or physical characteristics of vehicle 2.
[0079] The operational characteristics of vehicle 2 may include one or more of the following: vehicle 2 speed, vehicle 2 acceleration, vehicle 2 steering wheel movement, and vehicle 2 position on road 5. The physical characteristics of vehicle 2 may include one or more of the following: vehicle 2 height, height of current collector 1 in inactive and / or active position, vehicle 2 width, and vehicle 2 mass.
[0080] For example, by knowing the vehicle's speed and the position of the overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4 determined using the first image, the position of the overhead line 6 and / or any overhead line support structure 7 in one or more second images can be predicted. The determination of the position of the overhead line 6 and / or overhead line support structure 7 based on one or more second images can then be compared with the predicted position, and any potential errors can be used as input to further enhance the position determination. Therefore, the prediction performed based on information from the first image can be cross-checked using information from second images taken at a later time point (e.g., 1 to 10 seconds later). Any errors can be used to improve the accuracy of the upcoming determination.
[0081] As another example, the vehicle's height can change due to road disturbances and irregularities, causing compression or extension of the suspension at each wheel, and consequently altering the chassis's height above the road. Taking this information into account will allow for a more accurate determination of the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4.
[0082] The control device 10 can be further configured to determine the position of the overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4 based on additional information related to the road 5 on which the vehicle 2 is traveling. This additional information may include, for example, one or more of road markings / lines, road signs, tunnels, and bridges. This additional information can be obtained from images acquired from the first sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the additional information may be obtained from one or more second sensors or from a combination of map data and / or GPS data.
[0083] By using additional information related to the road on which vehicle 2 is traveling, the position of overhead line 6 relative to current collector 4, the position of vehicle 2, and therefore the position of current collector 4 on vehicle 2 can be determined more accurately.
[0084] For example, if vehicle 2 is detected crossing the lane markings on either side, it can be determined that vehicle 2 is no longer directly below overhead line 6. Therefore, this information can be combined with information about the position of overhead line 6 in the image to improve the determination of the position of overhead line 6 relative to current collector 4.
[0085] Another example is that if the road curves ahead, one can expect any overhead line 6 to follow the road, or the electric road to stop and there will be no overhead line 6 during the curve. This kind of information can be taken into account when determining the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4.
[0086] When the current collector 1 includes one or more additional second sensors, the control device 10 can be configured to obtain additional information related to any overhead line 6 from the one or more additional second sensors. The determination of the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4 is then further based on the additional information obtained from the one or more additional second sensors. This further improves the accuracy of determining the position of the overhead line 6.
[0087] One or more second sensors can be positioned appropriately to cover different or larger fields of view. Therefore, even if the first sensor 9 does not detect the overhead line 6, the additional sensors can detect the overhead line 6 or the overhead line support structure 7. Furthermore, one or more second sensors can detect electromagnetic waves of different wavelengths or only partially overlapping with those of the first sensor. Therefore, one or more second sensors can detect the overhead line 6 or the overhead line support structure 7 when the visibility of the first sensor 9 is low. One or more second sensors can include, for example, one or more of the following: an IR camera, an RGB camera, a depth camera, a lidar (light detection and ranging), radar, an ultrasonic sensor, a thermal camera, an IR motion sensor, a stereo camera, and a monocular camera with depth estimation.
[0088] Figure 3 A method 100 for controlling a current collector device 1 of a vehicle 2 is illustrated. The current collector device 1 includes a current collector 4 configured to move relative to the vehicle 2 and configured to interact with an overhead line 6 held by an overhead line support structure 7. The current collector device 1 includes a first sensor 9 configured to acquire an image of the environment surrounding the vehicle 2. The current collector device 1 may be as described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The described current collector device. The vehicle may be as referenced. Figure 1Vehicle 2 as described. Therefore, the following also refers to... Figures 1 to 3 .
[0089] Method 100 is a method for controlling the current collector device 1 of vehicle 2. The method is executed by a control device. Method 100 includes the following steps: acquiring a first image 101 from sensor 9, - Based on information related to any overhead line 6 in the first image and information related to any overhead line bearing structure 7 in the first image, determine the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4, and - Output 105a a notification to the operator of vehicle 2 relating to the determined position of any overhead line relative to collector 4, and / or control 105b the position of collector 4 based on the determined position of any overhead line 6 relative to collector 4.
[0090] According to some implementation schemes, the method also includes the following steps: - Obtain one or more second images from the first sensor 9, and The determination of the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4 is also based on information obtained from one or more second images.
[0091] According to some implementation schemes, the position of any overhead line 6 relative to the current collector 4 is determined further based on information related to the operating characteristics and / or physical characteristics of the vehicle 2.
[0092] According to some implementation schemes, the position of overhead line 6 relative to current collector 4 is determined further based on additional information related to the road on which vehicle 2 is traveling.
[0093] According to some implementation schemes, the first sensor 9 is a camera that captures light within the visible spectrum.
[0094] According to some embodiments, the current collector device 1 further includes one or more second sensors, wherein the method further includes the following steps: - Obtain 103 additional information related to any overhead line from one or more second sensors, wherein the determination of the position of any overhead line relative to the current collector is further based on the additional information obtained from one or more second sensors.
[0095] According to some implementations, one or more second sensors include an IR camera.
[0096] It should be understood that all the various implementation schemes described for method 100 can be combined with the control device 10 as described herein. That is, control The apparatus 10 can be configured to perform any one of the method steps 101, 102, 103, 104, 105a and 105b of method 100.
[0097] Figure 4 A computer-readable medium 200 is illustrated, comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform method 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. According to some embodiments, the computer-readable medium 200 includes a computer program that includes instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform method 100 according to some embodiments. The computer may be included in a control device 10. In some embodiments, the computer-readable medium may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a tangible electronic, magnetic, optical, infrared, electromagnetic, and / or semiconductor system, apparatus, and / or device.
[0098] Those skilled in the art will understand that the method 100 for controlling the operation of the current collector device 1 can be implemented by programming instructions. These programming instructions typically constitute a computer program that, when executed in the control device 10, ensures that the control device 10 performs desired control, such as method steps 101, 102, 103, 104, 105a, and 105b described herein. This computer program is typically part of a computer program product 200, which includes a suitable digital storage medium on which the computer program is stored, such as… Figure 4 The computer-readable medium 200 is illustrated herein. In other words, a computer program product may be a computer-readable medium 200, and a computer program may be stored in a computer-readable medium 200.
[0099] The control device 10 may include a computing unit, which may take the form of substantially any suitable type of computer, processor circuitry, or microcomputer, i.e., any hardware or hardware / firmware device implemented using processing circuitry, such as, but not limited to, a processor, central processing unit (CPU), controller, arithmetic logic unit (ALU), digital signal processor, microcomputer, field-programmable gate array (FPGA), system-on-a-chip (SoC), programmable logic unit, microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other device capable of performing operations electronically in a defined manner.
[0100] The control device 10 may further include a memory unit, wherein the computing unit can be connected to the memory unit, which can provide the computing unit with, for example, stored program code and / or stored data that the computing unit may need to enable it to perform calculations. The computing unit may also be adapted to process partial or final results of calculations. The results are stored in a memory cell. The memory cell may include a physical device for temporarily or permanently storing data or programs (i.e., sequences of instructions). According to some embodiments, the memory cell may include an integrated circuit comprising silicon-based transistors. In various embodiments, the memory cell may include, for example, a memory card, flash memory, USB storage, a hard disk, or another similar volatile or non-volatile memory cell for storing data, such as, for example, ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), etc.
[0101] Control device 10 can be connected to components of current collector 1, components of electric powertrain 8, components of electrical storage system 3, and / or other parts of vehicle 2 that receive and / or transmit input and output signals. These input and output signals may include waveforms, pulses, or other properties that can be detected as information by the input signal receiving device and converted into signals that can be processed by control device 10. These signals can then be supplied to the computing unit. One or more output signal transmitting devices may be arranged to convert calculation results from the computing unit into output signals for transmission to other parts of the vehicle control system and / or to one or more components to which the signals are directed. Each connection for receiving and transmitting input and output signals to the corresponding components of current collector 1, components of electric powertrain 8, components of electrical storage system 3, and / or other parts of vehicle 2 may take the form of one or more of cables, data buses (e.g., CAN (Controller Area Network) bus, MOST (Media Directed System Transmission) bus, or some other bus configuration), or wireless connections.
[0102] In the illustrated embodiment, the current collector 1 includes a control device 10, but alternatively, it may be implemented wholly or partially in two or more control devices or two or more control units.
[0103] Control systems in modern vehicles typically include a communication bus system, which comprises one or more communication buses for connecting multiple electronic control units (ECUs) or controllers to various components on the vehicle. Such control systems may include a large number of control units, and it should be noted that specific functions may be shared among two or more of them. Therefore, as those skilled in the art will certainly appreciate, vehicles of the type of concern herein are typically equipped with more... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The document describes significantly more control devices.
[0104] The computer program product 200 may be provided, for example, in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for executing at least some of the method steps 101, 102, 103, 104, 105a, and 105b according to some embodiments when loaded into one or more computing units of the control device 10. The data carrier may be, for example, a CD-ROM disk (e.g.,...). Figure 4 The device may be a ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), hard disk, memory stick, optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any other suitable medium that can retain machine-readable data in a non-transient manner, such as a disk or magnetic tape. The computer program product may also be provided as computer program code on a server and may be remotely downloaded to the control device 10, for example, via an Internet or intranet connection or through other wired or wireless communication systems.
[0105] It should be understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of various exemplary embodiments, and the invention is defined solely by the appended independent claims. Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended independent claims, and different features of the exemplary embodiments can be combined to produce embodiments other than those described herein.
[0106] As used herein, the term “comprising / comprises” is open-ended and includes one or more of the stated features, elements, steps, components, or functions, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, components, functions, or groups thereof.
Claims
1. A method (100) for controlling a current collector device (1) of a vehicle (2), wherein the method (100) is performed by a control device (10), wherein the current collector device (1) includes a current collector (4) configured to move relative to the vehicle (2) and configured to interact with an overhead line (6) held by an overhead line support structure (7), wherein the current collector device (1) includes a first sensor (9) configured to acquire an image of the environment surrounding the vehicle (2). And the method (100) described therein includes the following steps: - Obtain (101) a first image from the first sensor (9), - Based on information related to any overhead line (6) in the first image and information related to any overhead line bearing structure (7) in the first image, determine (104) the position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4), and - Output (105a) a notification to the operator of the vehicle (2) relating to the determined position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4), and / or control (105b) the position of the current collector (4) based on the determined position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4).
2. The method (100) according to claim 1, wherein the method (100) further comprises the following step: - Obtain one or more second images (102) from the first sensor (9), and determine the position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4) based on information obtained from the one or more second images.
3. The method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein determining the position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4) is further based on information related to the operating characteristics and / or physical characteristics of the vehicle (2).
4. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein determining the position of the overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4) is further based on additional information relating to the road on which the vehicle (2) is traveling.
5. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first sensor (9) is a camera that captures light in the visible spectrum.
6. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the current collector device (1) further comprises one or more second sensors, and wherein the method (100) further comprises the following steps: - Obtain additional information relating to any overhead line (6) from the one or more second sensors, and wherein the determination of the position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4) is further based on the additional information obtained from the one or more second sensors.
7. The method (100) of claim 6, wherein the one or more second sensors comprise an IR camera.
8. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
9. A computer-readable medium (200) including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
10. A control device (10) for controlling a current collector device (1) of a vehicle (2), wherein the current collector device (1) includes a current collector (4) configured to move relative to the vehicle (2) and configured to interact with an overhead line (6) held by an overhead line support structure (7), wherein the current collector device (1) includes a first sensor (9) configured to acquire an image of the environment surrounding the vehicle (2). And the control device (10) is configured to: - Obtain a first image from the first sensor (9), - Based on the information in the first image related to any overhead line (6) and the information in the first image related to any overhead line bearing structure (7), determine the position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4), and - Provide the operator of the vehicle (2) with information relating to the position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4), and / or control the position of the current collector (4) based on the position of any overhead line (6) relative to the current collector (4).
11. A current collector device (1) for a vehicle (2), wherein the current collector device (1) includes a current collector (4) configured to move relative to the vehicle (2) and configured to interact with an overhead line (6) held by an overhead line support structure (7), wherein the current collector device (1) includes a first sensor (9) configured to acquire an image of the environment surrounding the vehicle (2), wherein the current collector device (1) includes a control device (10) according to claim 10.
12. A vehicle (2) comprising a current collector (1) according to claim 11.
13. The vehicle (2) according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle (2) is a heavy road vehicle, such as a truck or a bus.