Method of controlling a current collector arrangement, computer program, computer-readable medium, control arrangement, current collector arrangement, and vehicle

Abstract

A method (100) for controlling a current collector arrangement (1) of a vehicle (2) is disclosed. The method (100) is performed by a control arrangement (10), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a current collector (4) configured movable relative to the vehicle (2) and configured to interact with overhead lines (6) held by overhead line carrying structures (7). The current collector arrangement (1) further comprises a first sensor (9) configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle (2). The method (100) comprises the steps of: - obtaining (101) a first image from the sensor (9), - determining (104) the position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) based on information related to any overhead lines (6) in the first image combined with information related to any overhead line carrying structures (7) in the first image, and - outputting (105a) a notification related to the determined position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) to an operator of the vehicle (2) and / or controlling (105b) the position of the current collector (4) based on the determined position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4). is disclosed The present disclosure further relates to control arrangement for a vehicle, a current collector arrangement for a vehicle, a computer program, a computer-program product, and a vehicle comprising a current collector arrangement. Elected for publication:

Description

[0001] Method of Controlling a Current Collector Arrangement, Computer Program, Computer-Readable Medium, Control Arrangement, Current Collector Arrangement, and Vehicle

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling a current collector arrangement of a vehicle. The present disclosure further relates to a control arrangement of a vehicle, a current collector arrangement, a computer program, a computer-readable medium, as well as a vehicle comprising a current collector arrangement.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] The use of electric drive for vehicles provides many advantages, especially regarding local emissions. Such vehicles comprise one or more electric propulsion motors configured to provide motive power to the vehicle. These types of vehicles can be divided into the categories pure electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Pure electric vehicles, sometimes referred to as battery electric vehicles, only-electric vehicles, and all-electric vehicles, comprise a pure electric powertrain and comprise no internal combustion engine and therefore produce no emissions in the place where they are used.

[0006] A hybrid electric vehicle comprises two or more distinct types of power, such as an internal combustion engine and an electric propulsion system. The combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric propulsion system provides advantages with regard to energy efficiency, partly because of the poor energy efficiency of an internal combustion engine at lower power output levels. Moreover, some hybrid electric vehicles are capable of operating in pure electric drive when wanted, such as when driving in certain areas.

[0007] In electric vehicles, such as pure electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, the electricity is usually stored in an electrical storage system normally comprising a number of battery packs each comprising a number of rechargeable battery cells. Some different types of battery cells are used, such as lithium-ion battery cells, lithium polymer battery cells, as well as other types of rechargeable battery cells. Multiple battery packs are often required to ensure a sufficient available operational range of a vehicle, system voltage and power, especially in battery packs for heavier types of vehicles.

[0008] The battery packs of electric or hybrid vehicles need to be charged at regular intervals which may influence the operational uptime of the vehicle. An electric road, E-road, or electric road system (ERS) is a road which supplies electric power to vehicles travelling on it. This may be implemented using inductive coils embedded in the road or by providing overhead power lines carried by power line carrying structures such as e.g. posts or masts. A current collector is arranged on the vehicle and is configured to conduct current from the electrical road system to the vehicle when in an operational configuration. In the case of overhead power lines the current collector may take the form of a pantograph. The pantograph is usually mounted on the roof of the vehicle and is arranged to collect power through contact with the overhead power lines. Thus, the pantograph may be moved between an active position wherein the pantograph makes contact with the power lines and an inactive position wherein the pantograph does not make contact with the power lines. Hence, in the active position, current may flow from the power lines to the vehicle through the pantograph and in the inactive position no current may flow from the power lines to the vehicle. By equipping the vehicle with a pantograph the batteries of the vehicle may be charged during operation, since the vehicle may travel under the power lines. Thus, the need for recharging the batteries will be reduced and the uptime of the vehicle may be increased. Alternatively or additionally, the amount of batteries needed onboard the vehicle may be reduced, with an associated reduction in cost and mass of the vehicle.

[0009] While current solutions utilizing pantographs for overhead power lines work well, there are still certain problems associated with the technology. Since the pantograph is a quite spacerequiring structure which influence the aerodynamics of the vehicle it is important that it is only moved to its active position when there are in fact power lines overhead. This is also important from a safety perspective, e.g. when travelling under low structures such as bridges or in tunnels. In order to ensure that this is the case control systems using visual cues, such as e.g. the lanes of the road, may be used to determine whether the pantograph may be activated. If the control system determines that the vehicle is travelling in the right position under overhead lines the driver may receive a notification from the control system and may activate the pantograph. However, if there is low visibility, e.g. due to bad weather, the control system may have a hard time determining that the pantograph may be used and may automatically inactivate the pantograph, or may not notify the driver correctly. This may result in a low uptime for the pantograph.

[0010] Furthermore, generally, it is an advantage if products, such as vehicles and associated components, systems, and arrangements, have conditions and / or characteristics suitable for being manufactured and assembled in a cost- efficient manner. SUMMARY

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least alleviate, at least some of the above-mentioned problems and drawbacks.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, the object is achieved by a method of controlling a current collector arrangement of a vehicle, wherein the method is performed by a control arrangement, wherein the current collector arrangement comprises a current collector configured movable relative to the vehicle and configured to interact with overhead lines held by overhead line carrying structures, wherein the current collector arrangement comprises a first sensor configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining a first image from the first sensor, determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector based on information related to any overhead lines in the first image combined with information related to any overhead line carrying structures in the first image, and outputting a notification related to the determined position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector to an operator of the vehicle and / or controlling the position of the current collector based on the determined position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector.

[0013] Thereby, a method is provided capable of determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector in a very accurate manner, and to use this information to either control the position of the current collector and / or notify an operator of the vehicle. The operator may then in turn determine whether to control the position of the current collector. Thus, the control of the current collector arrangement is facilitated.

[0014] Since the method uses both information related to the overhead lines in the first image, as well as information related to any overhead line carrying structures in the first image, a more accurate determination of the position of any overhead lines may be achieved. By combining information regarding both the overhead line carrying structures and the overhead lines more information is used to determine the position of the overhead lines. The information can be combined and / or compared in different ways in order to increase the accuracy.

[0015] Additionally, it follows that a more accurate determination of whether there are any overhead lines at all is achieved. Thus, even in bad visibility the position of any overhead lines may be accurately determined. Additionally, by using this method, the position of the overhead lines may be determined using a single camera arranged on the vehicle, which reduces cost.

[0016] Furthermore, using a more accurate determination for controlling the current collector arrangement will increase the operational uptime since the control of the current collector arrangement will be more accurate. Hence, the current collector will less frequently be moved away from the active position erroneously.

[0017] In addition, by obtaining the image from one sensor as opposed to several sensors, the number of hardware components can be kept low which is beneficial from a cost and material usage perspective. Additionally, the computational complexity is reduced since data from a single source is analysed, circumventing the need to combine data from several disparate sources. Furthermore, the processing speed will be increased since it is faster to process and analyse data from a single sensor and single image. This is beneficial in realtime processing applications such as the present application.

[0018] Furthermore, the risk of damages to the equipment is also reduced as a result of the increased accuracy since the current collector will less frequently be maintained in the active position erroneously.

[0019] Accordingly, a method is provided overcoming, or at least alleviating, at least some of the above-mentioned problems and drawbacks. As a result, the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0020] The overhead lines are lines carrying electric current and may therefore in what follows also be interchangeably referred to as overhead current carrying lines, overhead power lines, overhead catenary lines, or overhead electrical lines.

[0021] The overhead line carrying structures may be any structure that is used for carrying the overhead lines, e.g. a mast, a pole, a tower, a tree etc.

[0022] Optionally, the method may further comprise the step of: obtaining one or more second images from the first sensor, and wherein the determining of the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector is based also on information obtained from the one or more second images. This step may be performed prior to the step of determining the position of any overhead lines or a further determination may be performed after having obtained the one or more second images.

[0023] Thereby, a method is provided capable of determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector and thereby to control the current collector arrangement in an even more accurate manner. By obtaining one or more second images and use also information from this image to determine the position of any overhead lines a more accurate determination of the position of any overhead lines is achieved since the information gathered from the first and the one or more second images can be compounded and / or compared. This will increase the accuracy of the determination.

[0024] Optionally the determining of the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector is further based on information related to the operational and / or physical characteristics of the vehicle.

[0025] The operational characteristics of the vehicle may comprise e.g. one or more of the velocity of the vehicle, the acceleration of the vehicle, steering wheel movement, and the position of the vehicle on the road.

[0026] The physical characteristics of the vehicle may comprise e.g. one or more of the height of the vehicle, the height of the current collector arrangement in the inactive and / or active position, the width of the vehicle, and the mass of the vehicle.

[0027] Thereby, a method is provided capable of determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector and thereby to control the current collector arrangement in an even more accurate manner. This follows since the additional information related to the operational characteristics of the vehicle and / or the physical characteristics of the vehicle can be combined with or used to corroborate or validate the information obtained from the first image, and optionally the one or more second images.

[0028] Optionally, wherein the determining of the position of the overhead lines relative to the current collector is further based on additional information related to road the vehicle is travelling on.

[0029] The additional information may for example comprise one or more of line markings / lines, road signs, tunnels, and bridges. Thereby, a method is provided capable of determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector and thereby to control the current collector arrangement in an even more accurate manner.

[0030] By using additional information related to the road the vehicle is travelling on the position of the overhead lines relative to the current collector the position of the vehicle, and hence the current collector on the vehicle can be determined more accurately.

[0031] Optionally, the first sensor is a camera capturing light within the visual spectrum, e.g. light with a wavelength of between 350 to 700 nm.

[0032] Optionally, the current collector arrangement further comprises one or more second sensors, wherein the method further comprises the step of: obtaining additional information from the one or more second sensors related to any overhead lines, and wherein the determination of the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector is further based on the additional information obtained from the one or more second sensors.

[0033] Thereby, a method is provided capable of determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector and thereby to control the current collector arrangement in an even more accurate manner.

[0034] By using additional sensor data from one or more second sensors, additional information is obtained which may be used to determine the position of any overhead lines in relation to the current collector. The one or more seconds sensors may e.g. be placed in positions such that a different or larger field of view is covered, thereby the overhead lines or the line carrying structures may be detected by the additional sensors even though the first sensor did not detect the lines. Furthermore, the one or more second sensors may detect electromagnetic waves of a different or only partly overlapping wavelength than the first sensor. Thereby the one or more second sensors may detect the overhead lines or the overhead line carrying structures at times when the visibility is low for the first sensor. The one or more second sensors may e.g. include an IR-camera.

[0035] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, the object is achieved by a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present disclosure. Since the computer program comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to some embodiments described herein, a computer program is provided which provides conditions for overcoming, or at least alleviating, at least some of the above-mentioned drawbacks. As a result, the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0036] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, the object is achieved by a computer- readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present disclosure. Since the computer-readable medium comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to some embodiments described herein, a computer-readable medium is provided which provides conditions for overcoming, or at least alleviating, at least some of the above- mentioned drawbacks. As a result, the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0037] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the object is achieved by a control arrangement for controlling a current collector arrangement of a vehicle, wherein the current collector arrangement comprises a current collector configured movable relative to the vehicle and configured to interact with overhead lines held by overhead line carrying structures, wherein the current collector arrangement comprises a first sensor configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle. The control arrangement is configured to: obtain a first image from the sensor, determine the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector based on information related to any overhead lines in the first image combined with information related to any overhead line carrying structures in the first image, and provide the information related to the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector to an operator of the vehicle and / or control the position of the current collector based on the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector.

[0038] Thereby a control arrangement is provided capable of determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector in a very accurate manner, and to use this information to either control the position of the current collector and / or notify an operator of the vehicle. The operator may then in turn determine whether to control the position of the current collector. Thus, the control of the current collector arrangement is facilitated. Thus, a control arrangement is provided which provides conditions for overcoming, or at least alleviating, at least some of the above-mentioned drawbacks. As a result, the above- mentioned object is achieved.

[0039] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the object is achieved by a current collector arrangement of a vehicle, wherein the current collector arrangement comprises a current collector configured movable relative to the vehicle and configured to interact with overhead lines held by overhead line carrying structures, wherein the current collector arrangement comprises a first sensor configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle, and wherein the current collector arrangement comprises a control arrangement according to some embodiments of the fourth aspect of the present disclosure.

[0040] Thereby a current collector arrangement is provided capable of determining the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector in a very accurate manner, and to use this information to either control the position of the current collector and / or notify an operator of the vehicle. The operator may then in turn determine whether to control the position of the current collector. Thus, the control of the current collector arrangement is facilitated.

[0041] Thus, a current collector arrangement is provided which provides conditions for overcoming, or at least alleviating, at least some of the above-mentioned drawbacks. As a result, the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0042] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the object is achieved by a vehicle comprising a current collector arrangement according to some embodiments of the fifth aspect of the present disclosure.

[0043] Since the vehicle comprises an current collector arrangement according to some embodiments of the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided having at least some of the above-mentioned advantages.

[0044] Optionally, the vehicle is a heavy road vehicle, such as a truck or a bus.

[0045] Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following detailed description.

[0046] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various aspects of the invention, including its particular features and advantages, will be readily understood from the example embodiments discussed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0047] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a truck comprising a current collector arrangement according to some embodiments herein.

[0048] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a truck comprising a current collector arrangement during use according to some embodiments herein.

[0049] Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a method of controlling a current collector arrangement of a vehicle, and

[0050] Fig. 4 schematically illustrates a computer-readable medium.

[0051] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Aspects of the present invention will now be described more fully. Like reference signs refer to like elements throughout. Well-known functions or constructions will not necessarily be described in detail for brevity and / or clarity.

[0053] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle 2, according to some embodiments. According to the illustrated embodiments, the vehicle 2 is a truck, i.e. , a type of heavy road vehicle. According to further embodiments, the vehicle 2, as referred to herein, may be another type of heavy or lighter type of manned or unmanned vehicle for land-based propulsion such as e.g. a lorry, or a bus.

[0054] The vehicle 2 comprises an electric powertrain 8. According to the illustrated embodiments, the electric powertrain 8 is configured to provide motive power to the vehicle 2 via wheels 47 of the vehicle 2. The electric powertrain 8 comprises an electric propulsion motor. The electric propulsion motor is capable of providing motive power to the vehicle 2 via wheels 47 of the vehicle 2 as well as providing regenerative braking of the vehicle 2. Thus, according to the illustrated embodiments, the electric propulsion motor is capable of operating as an electric motor as well as an electric generator. The electric propulsion motor of the vehicle 2 may also be referred to as an electric propulsion machine. The electric propulsion motor of the vehicle 2 is not indicated in Fig. 1 for reasons of brevity and clarity.

[0055] According to the illustrated embodiments, the electric powertrain 8 of the vehicle 2 is a pure electric powertrain 8, i.e., a powertrain comprising no internal combustion engine. According to further embodiments, the electric powertrain 8 of the vehicle 2 may be a so-called hybrid electric powertrain 8 comprising a combustion engine in addition to the electric propulsion motor for providing motive power to the vehicle 2.

[0056] The vehicle 2 comprises an electrical storage system 3. The electrical storage system 3 may comprise one or more propulsion battery packs each comprising a number of rechargeable battery cells, such as lithium-ion battery cells, lithium polymer batteries cells, nickel-metal hydride battery cells, or the like. The battery cells may be arranged in battery modules, wherein each of the one or more propulsion battery packs may comprise a number of battery modules.

[0057] The vehicle 2 comprises a current collector arrangement 1. As is explained in greater detail herein, the electrical storage system 3 of the vehicle 2 is configured to receive a charging current via the current collector arrangement 1. In some places herein, the current collector arrangement 1 is simply referred to as “the assembly 1” for reasons of brevity and clarity.

[0058] The current collector arrangement 1 comprises a current collector 4. The current collector 4 is configured movable to the vehicle 2, i.e. the current collector 4 can move relative to the vehicle 2. The current collector 4 may e.g. be able to move in the vertical direction in relation to the vehicle 2. With the vertical direction is herein meant a direction parallel with the local gravity vector when the vehicle 2 is standing on a horizontal surface which is perpendicular to the local gravity vector. The current collector 4 may be movable in a direction perpendicular direction to the longitudinal extension of the vehicle 2.

[0059] Thus, the current collector 4 can be moved from an inactive position wherein the current collector 4 is arranged close to the vehicle 2 top surface to an active position. The active position will be described in further detail below. In the inactive position the current collector 4 may e.g. be arranged in a compartment (not shown) configured for housing the current collector when not used or alternatively moved down snugly to the top of the surface of the vehicle 2 such that a low air resistance is obtained. The arrow M in Fig. 1 illustrates a possible movement of the current collector 4. The current collector 4 may e.g. be a so called pantograph.

[0060] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a vehicle 2 during operation, e.g. driving along a road 5. Fig. 2 also illustrate an electrical road system arranged adjacent to the road. The electrical road system comprises overhead lines 6 which are configured for conducting current. This current may be used by electric vehicles travelling on the road 5 and equipped with the necessary technology, which will be described shortly. The overhead lines 6 are held by overhead line carrying structures 7, illustrated as vertical structures 7 in Fig. 2. The overhead line carrying structures 7 may of course take other shapes as long as they are capable of carrying the overhead lines 6 securely at the right height to the road. In reality, such electrical road systems need to comply with any laws or regulations which prevail in the region where they are installed and will therefore often have a specific and well-known appearance.

[0061] The current collector 4 arranged on the vehicle 2 is configured to interact with the overhead lines 6. The current collector 4 interacts with the overhead lines 6 when the current collector is in the active position. As is illustrated in Fig. 1 , the current collector 4 is extended away from the vehicle 2 towards the overhead lines 6 in the active position. In the active position the current collector 4 contacts the overhead lines. The current collector 4 comprises electrical conductors which can be connected to the high voltage electrical system of the vehicle 2. Thus, when the current collector 4 is in the active position and contacts the overhead lines, electrical energy can be transferred from the overhead lines 6 to the high voltage electrical system of the vehicle 2. The electrical energy may either be stored in the electrical storage system 3 or used by the electric powertrain 8 directly to provide motive power to the vehicle 2. This is technology which is well known by the person skilled in the art and will not be further explained herein.

[0062] The current collector arrangement 1 further comprises 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 is in Figs. 1 and 2 illustrated as arranged on the top of the cab, but it can be arranged in any position suitable for acquiring images from the environment surrounding the vehicle 2. In Fig. 2 the dashed lines emanating from the first sensor 9 illustrate the field of view of the first sensor 9. The first sensor 9 may be a camera capturing light within the visual spectrum, e.g. light having a wavelength between 350 to 700 nm. The first sensor 9 may alternatively be any sensor capable of acquiring images of the surrounding environment, e.g. a lidar, a radar, an infrared sensor, etc.

[0063] With “acquiring an image” is herein meant that the sensor is capable of sensing signals which can be converted into images, e.g. visual images. The image mage also be referred to as a frame. The current collector arrangement 1 may further comprise 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] As illustrated in Fig. 1, the vehicle 2 furthermore comprise a control arrangement 10. The control arrangement 10 is configured to control the current collector arrangement 1 , e.g. by controlling the position of the current collector arrangement 1. As an example the control arrangement 10 may be configured to move the current collector 4 of the current collector arrangement 1 from the inactive position to the active position, or vice versa. The control arrangement 10 is configured to obtain a first image from the first sensor 9.

[0065] The first image taken by the first sensor 9 will contain information regarding the environment surrounding the vehicle 2. More specifically, when there is an electrical road system, the first image will contain information related to the electrical road system, the first image will contain information related to the overhead lines 6 as well as information related to the overhead line carrying structures 7. The control arrangement 10 is configured to determine the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 based on information related to any overhead lines 6 in the first image combined with any information related to any overhead line carrying structures 7 in the first image. The position of the current collector 4 in relation to the vehicle 2 is known e.g. through sensors onboard the vehicle 2. The control arrangement 10 may obtain information regarding the position of the current collector 4 in relation to the vehicle 2 and use this information when determining the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4.

[0066] By combining information related to any overhead structures 7 with information related to any overhead lines 6, a more accurate determination of the relative position between the current collector 4 and the overhead lines 6 is achieved since more information is used in the determination. The overhead line carrying structures 7 are more easily identified than just the overhead lines 6 since it is a larger structure than the overhead lines 6. However, if only the overhead carrying structures 7 were to be identified there is a risk that another large structure is misidentified or misclassified as an overhead line carrying structure. An example of this would be the misclassification of a tree as an overhead line carrying structure. Trying to identify only the overhead lines 6 is also associated with certain problems. The lines 6 are often quite thin and may be hard to identify depending on the visibility, lighting and other factors. Thus, by using information regarding both the overhead lines 6 and the overhead line carrying structures 7 a more accurate determination can be performed, mitigating the problems of using only one of the two features. The information can be combined and / or compared in different ways in order to increase the accuracy. For example, if an overhead line carrying structure 7 is identified, it is possible to compute where the overhead line 6 is most probably located, aiding in determining the position of the overhead line 6.

[0067] Using a more accurate determination for controlling the current collector arrangement 1 will increase the operational uptime of the current collector arrangement 1 since the current collector 4 will less frequently be moved to the inactive position due to inaccurate determination of the present situation, e.g. during low visibility mistakenly determining that there are no overhead lines 6 when in fact there are, causing the current collector 4 to be moved to the inactive position. Furthermore, the risk of damages to the equipment is also reduced when the frequency of faulty determinations is reduced. For example, the risk of erroneously determining that the current collector 4 can be maintained in its active position when it in reality should be moved to the inactive position, will be reduced.

[0068] As has been described above, the information related to the overhead line carrying structures 7 and the overhead lines 6 is embedded in the first image obtained from the first sensor 9, which may e.g. be a camera. The first image is therefore processed in order to determine the position of any overhead lines 6 and any overhead line carrying structures 7. The image may be processed in any manner known from the art, including various machine learning techniques using e.g. neural networks, deep networks, support vector machines, Bayesian algorithms, convolutional neural networks, bag of features, decision tree algorithms etc. More specific algorithms may comprise Canny Edge Detection, SIFT (Scale-Invariant Feature Transform), SURF (Speeded-Up Robust Features), and HOG (Histogram of Oriented Gradients). In any case information related to both the overhead line carrying structure 7 and the overhead lines 6 is used.

[0069] As has been described, the information to be analysed may be obtained from only one sensor, i.e. the first sensor 9. In this way the number of hardware components needed to accurately determine the position of any overhead lines 6 is kept low. This reduces the material usage as well as cost. Additionally, for real-time monitoring purposes it may be beneficial to use a single source of data, such as the first sensor 9. This is because data from a single sensor is typically faster to process and analyse. This is very beneficial in the present case where fast processing speeds will reduce the risk of accidents and improve the uptime of the current collector 4. Furthermore, the information to be analysed may be obtained from only one image, i.e. the first image. Having a single data source will reduce the complexity of the cleaning and managing the data as well improve the consistency of the data collected. The computational complexity will also be reduced.

[0070] The control arrangement 10 may then control the position of the current collector 4 based on the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4. Thereby the current collector 4 may automatically be moved to the active position as soon as the control arrangement 10 determines that there is overhead lines 6 in a position which is favourable for transferring of electrical energy to the vehicle 2. This may entail that the vehicle 2 is travelling in such a way that the overhead lines 6 are right above the current collector 4. In a similar manner, as soon as the control arrangement 10 determines that the overhead lines 6 are not in a favourable position the current collector 4 may be moved down to the inactive position. This may e.g. be the case when the electrical road system ends so that no overhead lines 6 are arranged above the vehicle 2 anymore. Another possibility may be that the vehicle 2 has moved in such a way that it is no longer straight under the overhead lines 6.

[0071] Alternatively, or additionally, the control arrangement may provide the information related to the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 to an operator of the vehicle 2. In this manner the operator of the vehicle is notified that the current collector 4 can be moved into an active position, or that the current collector should be moved to the inactive position. The operator may then control the current collector arrangement 1 such that the current collector 4 is moved, e.g. through the push of a button. Alternatively the operator is notified, but the control of the current collector arrangement 10, and thus the current collector 4 is performed automatically. The notification could e.g. be a green light when any overhead lines 6 are in a position such that the current collector can be moved into an active position. The notification may also be tactile or audible.

[0072] The control arrangement 10 may further be configured to obtain one or more second images from the first sensor 9 prior to determining the position. The control arrangement 10 may then be configured to determine the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 also based on information obtained from the one or more second images. Thus, in this case the first sensor 9 acquires at least two images (the first image and the one or more second images) in procession which the control arrangement 10 processes in order to determine the position of any overhead lines 6 in relation to the current collector 4. By obtaining one or more second images and use also information from this / these second image / s to determine the position of any overhead lines 6 a more accurate determination of the position of any overhead lines 6 is achieved since the information gathered from the first and the one or more second images can be compounded and / or compared. This will increase the accuracy of the determination. By obtaining several images the information from each image may be combined which will result in a better accuracy of the determination over time. If for example the first image does not capture the environment surrounding the vehicle 2 in a good manner information from the one or more second images may give further or better information. The first image may e.g. be blurry, or the overhead lines 6 may be obscured by something. Collecting more images will then help the process of determining the position of the overhead lines.

[0073] Of course, the first sensor 9 will acquire images continuously, perhaps with an update rate of less than 1 ms. The determination of the position of any overhead lines 6 may then be performed on each captured image continuously. However, as has been described above, the determination from several images may also be combined to improve the determination overall, by cross-checking and comparison.

[0074] In order to reduce the computational power needed, the determination of the position of any overhead lines 6 may not need to be done on every acquired image. Instead information from every n:th image may be used to determine the position of any overhead lines 6. The n:th image may e.g. be chosen in the interval 1-100, i.e. that every 1 -1 OO:th image is used for the determination. Alternatively n may be chosen such that the update frequency is below 100 ms, i.e. that a determination of the position is performed e.g. every 10 ms, or every 50 ms, etc.

[0075] The control arrangement 10 may further be configured to determine the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 based further on information related to the operational and / or physical characteristics of the vehicle 2.

[0076] The operational characteristics of the vehicle 2 may comprise e.g. one or more of the velocity of the vehicle 2, the acceleration of the vehicle 2, the steering wheel movement of the vehicle 2, and the position of the vehicle 2 on the road 5. The physical characteristics of the vehicle 2 may comprise e.g. one or more of the height of the vehicle 2, the height of the current collector arrangement 1 in the inactive and / or active position, the width of the vehicle 2, and the mass of the vehicle 2. For example, by knowing the speed of the vehicle and the position of the overhead lines 6 in relation to the current collector 4 determined using the first image, the position of the overhead lines 6 and / or any overhead line carrying structures 7 in one or more second images can be predicted. The determination of the position of the overhead lines 6 and / or overhead line carrying structures 7 based on the one or more second images can then be compared to the predicted position and any potential error may be used as input for further enhancement of the determination of the position. Thus, the prediction performed based on the information from the first image may be cross-checked using information from a second image taken at later point in time, e.g. 1-10 seconds later. Any error may be used to increase the accuracy in the coming determinations.

[0077] As another example, the height of the vehicle may change due to road disturbances and irregularities, resulting in a compression or extension of the suspension at each wheel with an accompanied change of chassis height from the road. Taking this information into consideration will lead to a more accurate determination of the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4.

[0078] The control arrangement 10 may further be configured to determine the position of the overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 also based on additional information related to road 5 the vehicle 2 is travelling on. This additional information can e.g. comprise one or more of line markings / lines, road signs, tunnels, and bridges. This additional information can be obtained from the images acquired from the first sensor. The additional information can alternatively or additionally be obtained from the one or more second sensors or from map data combined and / or GPS data.

[0079] By using additional information related to the road the vehicle 2 is travelling on the position of the overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4, the position of the vehicle 2, and hence the current collector 4 on the vehicle 2 can be determined more accurately.

[0080] For example, if it would be detected that the vehicle 2 crosses the line markings on either side it can be determined with a high degree of certainty that the vehicle 2 is no longer in a position directly below the overhead lines 6. Such information can therefore be used in conjunction with the information regarding the position of the overhead lines 6 in the image to improve the determination of the position of the overhead lines 6 in relation to the current collector 4. Another example would be if the road is turning up ahead, then it would be expected that any overhead lines 6 would follow the road, or that the electric road would stop and there would be no overhead lines 6 during the curve. Such information can be taken into consideration when determining the position of any overhead lines 6 in relation to the current collector 4.

[0081] In case the current collector arrangement 1 comprises one or more additional second sensors, the control arrangement 10 may be configured to obtain additional information from the one or more additional second sensors related to any overhead lines 6. The determination of the position of any overhead lines 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 will increase the accuracy of the determination of the position of the overhead lines 6 even more.

[0082] The one or more seconds sensors may e.g. be placed in positions such that a different or larger field of view is covered. Thereby the overhead lines 6 or the overhead line carrying structures 7 may be detected by the additional sensors even though the first sensor 9 did not detect the overhead lines 6. Furthermore, the one or more second sensors may detect electromagnetic waves of a different or only partly overlapping wavelength than the first sensor. Thereby the one or more second sensors may detect the overhead lines 6 or the overhead line carrying structures 7 at times when the visibility is low for the first sensor 9. The one or more second sensors may e.g. comprise one or more of IR-cameras, RGB cameras, depth cameras, LiDARs (Light Detection and Ranging), radar, ultrasonic sensors, thermal cameras, IR motion sensors, stereo cameras, and monocular cameras with depth estimation.

[0083] Fig. 3 illustrates a method 100 of controlling a current collector arrangement 1 of a vehicle 2. The current collector arrangement 1 comprises a current collector 4 configured movable relative to the vehicle 2 and configured to interact with overhead lines 6 held by overhead line carrying structures 7. The current collector arrangement 1 comprises a first sensor 9 configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle 2. The current collector arrangement 1 may be a current collector arrangement as described with reference to Fig. 1 and 2 above. The vehicle may be a vehicle 2 as described with reference to Fig. 1. Therefore, below, simultaneous reference is made to Fig. 1 - Fig. 3.

[0084] The method 100 is a method of controlling a current collector arrangement 1 of a vehicle 2. The method is performed by a control arrangement. The method 100 comprises the steps of obtaining 101 a first image from the sensor 9, determining 104 the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 based on information related to any overhead lines 6 in the first image combined with information related to any overhead line carrying structures 7 in the first image, and outputting 105a a notification related to the determined position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector 4 to an operator of the vehicle 2 and / or controlling 105b the position of the current collector 4 based on the determined position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4.

[0085] According to some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of: obtaining 102 one or more second images from the first sensor 9, and wherein the determining of the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 is based also on information obtained from the one or more second images.

[0086] According to some embodiments, the determining of the position of any overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 is further based on information related to the operational and / or physical characteristics of the vehicle 2.

[0087] According to some embodiments, the determining of the position of the overhead lines 6 relative to the current collector 4 is further based on additional information related to road the vehicle 2 is travelling on.

[0088] According to some embodiments, the first sensor 9 is a camera capturing light within the visual spectrum.

[0089] According to some embodiments, the current collector arrangement 1 further comprises one or more second sensors, wherein the method further comprises the step of: obtaining 103 additional information from the one or more second sensors related to any overhead lines, and wherein the determination of the position of any overhead lines relative to the current collector is further based on the additional information obtained from the one or more second sensors.

[0090] According to some embodiments, the one or more second sensor include an IR-camera.

[0091] It will be appreciated that the various embodiments described for the method 100 are all combinable with the control arrangement 10 as described herein. That is, the control arrangement 10 may be configured to perform any one of the method steps 101, 102, 103, 104, 105a, and 105b of the method 100.

[0092] Fig. 4 illustrates a computer-readable medium 200 comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. According to some embodiments, the computer- readable medium 200 comprises a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method 100 according to some embodiments. The computer may be comprised in the control arrangement 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.

[0093] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the method 100 of controlling operation of a current collector arrangement 1 may be implemented by programmed instructions. These programmed instructions are typically constituted by a computer program, which, when it is executed in the control arrangement 10, ensures that the control arrangement 10 carries out the desired control, such as the method steps 101, 102, 103, 104, 105a, and 105b described herein. The computer program is usually part of a computer program product 200 which comprises a suitable digital storage medium on which the computer program is stored, such as the computer-readable medium 200 illustrated in Fig. 4. In other words, the computer program product may be a computer readable medium 200 and the computer program may be stored in the computer readable medium 200..

[0094] The control arrangement 10 may comprise a calculation unit which may take the form of substantially any suitable type of computer, processor circuit or microcomputer, i.e. any hardware or hardware / firmware device implemented using processing circuity such as, but not limited to, a processor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a System-on-Chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other device capable of electronically performing operations in a defined manner..

[0095] The control arrangement 10 may further comprise a memory unit, wherein the calculation unit may be connected to the memory unit, which may provide the calculation unit with, for example, stored program code and / or stored data which the calculation unit may need to enable it to do calculations. The calculation unit may also be adapted to store partial or final results of calculations in the memory unit. The memory unit may comprise a physical device utilised to store data or programs, i.e., sequences of instructions, on a temporary or permanent basis. According to some embodiments, the memory unit may comprise integrated circuits comprising silicon-based transistors. The memory unit may comprise e.g., a memory card, a flash memory, a USB memory, a hard disc, or another similar volatile or non-volatile storage unit for storing data such as e.g., ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), etc. in different embodiments.

[0096] The control arrangement 10 may be connected to components of the current collector arrangement 1 , components of the electrical powertrain 8, components of the electrical storage system 3, and / or other parts of the vehicle 2 receiving and / or sending input and output signals. These input and output signals may comprise waveforms, pulses, or other attributes which the input signal receiving devices can detect as information and which can be converted to signals processable by the control arrangement 10. These signals may then be supplied to the calculation unit. One or more output signal sending devices may be arranged to convert calculation results from the calculation unit to output signals for conveying to other parts of the vehicle's control system and / or the component or components for which the signals are intended. Each of the connections to the respective components of the current collector arrangement 1, components of the electrical powertrain 8, components of the electrical storage system 3, and / or other parts of the vehicle 2, for receiving and sending input and output signals may take the form of one or more from among a cable, a data bus, e.g., a CAN (controller area network) bus, a MOST (media orientated systems transport) bus or some other bus configuration, or a wireless connection.

[0097] In the embodiments illustrated, the current collector arrangement 1 comprises a control arrangement 10 but might alternatively be implemented wholly or partly in two or more control arrangements or two or more control units.

[0098] Control systems in modern vehicles generally comprise a communication bus system consisting of one or more communication buses for connecting a number of electronic control units (ECUs), or controllers, to various components on board the vehicle. Such a control system may comprise a large number of control units and taking care of a specific function may be shared between two or more of them. Vehicles of the type here concerned are therefore often provided with significantly more control arrangements than depicted in Fig. 1 and 2, as one skilled in the art will surely appreciate. The computer program product 200 may be provided for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing at least some of the method steps 101, 102, 103, 104, 105a, and 105b according to some embodiments when being loaded into one or more calculation units of the control arrangement 10. The data carrier may be, e.g. a CD ROM disc, as is illustrated in Fig. 4, or a ROM (read-only memory), a PROM (programable read-only memory), an EPROM (erasable PROM), a flash memory, an EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM), a hard disc, a memory stick, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device or any other appropriate medium such as a disk or tape that may hold machine readable data in a non-transitory manner. The computer program product may furthermore be provided as computer program code on a server and may be downloaded to the control arrangement 10 remotely, e.g., over an Internet or an intranet connection, or via other wired or wireless communication systems.

[0099] It is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments and that the invention is defined only by the appended independent claims. A person skilled in the art will realize that the example embodiments may be modified, and that different features of the example embodiments may be combined to create embodiments other than those described herein, without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended independent claims.

[0100] As used herein, the term "comprising" or "comprises" is open-ended, and includes one or more stated features, elements, steps, components, or functions but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, components, functions, or groups thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method (100) for controlling a current collector arrangement (1) of a vehicle (2), wherein the method (100) is performed by a control arrangement (10), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a current collector (4) configured movable relative to the vehicle (2) and configured to interact with overhead lines (6) held by overhead line carrying structures (7), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a first sensor (9) configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle (2), and wherein the method (100) comprises the steps of: obtaining (101) a first image from the first sensor (9), determining (104) the position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) based on information related to any overhead lines (6) in the first image combined with information related to any overhead line carrying structures (7) in the first image, and outputting (105a) a notification related to the determined position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) to an operator of the vehicle (2) and / or controlling (105b) the position of the current collector (4) based on the determined position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4).

2. The method (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the method (100) further comprises the step of: obtaining (102) one or more second images from the first sensor (9), and wherein the determining of the position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) is based also on information obtained from the one or more second images.

3. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the determining of the position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) is further based on information related to the operational and / or physical characteristics of the vehicle (2).

4. The method (100) according to claim any one of the preceding claims, wherein the determining of the position of the overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) is further based on additional information related to road the vehicle (2) is travelling on.

5. The method (100) according to claim any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first sensor (9) is a camera capturing light within the visual spectrum.

6. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the current collector arrangement (1) further comprises one or more second sensors, wherein the method (100) further comprises the step of: obtaining additional information from the one or more second sensors related to any overhead lines (6), and wherein the determination of the position of any overhead lines (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) according to claim 6, wherein the one or more second sensor include an IR-camera.

8. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method (100) according to any one of the claims 1 - 7.

9. A computer-readable medium (200) comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method (100) according to any one of the claims 1 - 7.

10. A control arrangement (10) for controlling a current collector arrangement (1) of a vehicle (2), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a current collector (4) configured movable relative to the vehicle (2) and configured to interact with overhead lines (6) held by overhead line carrying structures (7), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a first sensor (9) configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle (2), and wherein control arrangement (10) is configured to: obtain a first image from the first sensor (9), determine the position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) based on information related to any overhead lines (6) in the first image combined with information related to any overhead line carrying structures (7) in the first image, and provide the information related to the position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4) to an operator of the vehicle (2) and / or control the position of the current collector (4) based on the position of any overhead lines (6) relative to the current collector (4).

11. A current collector arrangement (1) of a vehicle (2), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a current collector (4) configured movable relative to the vehicle (2) and configured to interact with overhead lines (6) held by overhead line carrying structures (7), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a first sensor (9) configured to acquire images of the environment surrounding the vehicle (2), wherein the current collector arrangement (1) comprises a control arrangement (10) according to claim 10.

12. A vehicle (2) comprising a current collector arrangement (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.

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