Systems and methods for reorienting solar panel array on in-motion vehicles using energy comparisons

1 . A reconfigurable solar panel array system of a vehicle, comprising:

a reconfigurable solar panel array mounted on the vehicle and comprising one or more solar panels,

wherein the reconfigurable solar panel array:

is secured at a first end and secured at a second end, and

is configured to charge a battery of a vehicle;

a bending mechanism configured to physically adjust an orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array relative to a direction of sunlight; and

a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

when the vehicle is in motion, determine whether an amount of sunlight is above a threshold;

when the amount of sunlight is above the threshold, determine a navigation route of the vehicle and divide the navigation route into a plurality of trip segments; and

for each of the plurality of trip segments:

predict a first amount of energy expected to be generated by the reconfigurable solar panel array when the reconfigurable solar panel array is adjusted to an optimal orientation with respect to the direction of sunlight for the trip segment;

predict a second amount of energy required to mechanically actuate the bending mechanism to adjust the reconfigurable solar panel array to the optimal orientation; and

compare the first amount of energy and the second amount of energy to determine a first net energy gain associated with adjusting the reconfigurable solar panel array; and

control the bending mechanis n to physically adjust the orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array during vehicle motion only when the first net energy gain is positive;

wherein electrical energy generated by the reconfigurable solar panel array is supplied to charge the battery of the vehicle.

2 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 1 , further comprising a clear outer shell configured to encase the reconfigurable solar panel array.

3 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 1 , wherein:

the bending mechanism comprises:

a cylinder positioned under the reconfigurable solar panel array; and

an actuator configured to move the cylinder between the first end and the second end to physically adjust the orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array relative to the direction of sunlight.

4 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further configured to cause the processor to determine whether the vehicle is in motion.

5 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 1 , wherein the optimal orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array relative to the direction of sunlight is based on input from one or more sensors coupled to the vehicle.

6 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

one or more LiDAR sensors;

one or more radar sensors;

one or more cameras;

one or more position determining sensors;

one or position orientation sensors;

one or more light sensors; and

one or more motion sensors.

7 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the plurality of trip segments, an average traveling direction falls within a predetermined threshold traveling direction.

8 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 1 , further comprising a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the reconfigurable solar panel array.

9 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 1 , further comprising the vehicle.

10 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 9 , wherein:

the vehicle is an electric vehicle truck (EV truck), and

the solar panel array is positioned on a truck bed cap of the EV truck.

11 . A method for reorienting solar panel arrays of a vehicle, comprising:

when a vehicle is in motion, determining, using a computing device comprising a processor and a memory, whether an amount of sunlight is above a threshold;

when the amount of sunlight is above the threshold, determining a navigation route of the vehicle and dividing the navigation route into a plurality of trip segments; and

for each of the plurality of trip segments:

predicting a first amount of energy expected to be generated by a reconfigurable solar panel array when the reconfigurable solar panel array is adjusted to an optimal orientation relative to a direction of sunlight for the trip segment;

wherein the reconfigurable solar panel array:

is mounted on the vehicle

comprises one or more solar panels,

is secured at a first end and secured at a second end, and

is configured to charge a battery of the vehicle;

predicting a second amount of energy required to mechanically actuate a bending mechanism to adjust the reconfigurable solar panel array to the optimal orientation;

comparing the first amount of energy and the second amount of energy to determine a first net energy gain associated with adjusting the reconfigurable solar panel array;

controlling the bending mechanism to physically adjust the orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array during vehicle motion only when the first net energy gain is positive; and

supplying electrical energy generated by the reconfigurable solar panel array to charge the battery of the vehicle.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein+the bending mechanism comprises:

a cylinder positioned under the reconfigurable solar panel array; and

an actuator configured to move the cylinder between the first end and the second end to physically adjust the orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array relative to the direction of sunlight.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, using the computing device, whether the vehicle is in motion.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the optimal orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array relative to the direction of sunlight is based on input from one or more sensors coupled to the vehicle.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

one or more LiDAR sensors;

one or more radar sensors;

one or more cameras;

one or more position determining sensors;

one or position orientation sensors;

one or more light sensors; and

one or more motion sensors.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein, for each of the plurality of trip segments, an average traveling direction falls within a predetermined threshold traveling direction.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the vehicle is an electric vehicle truck (EV truck), and

the solar panel array is positioned on a truck bed cap of the EV truck.

18 . The reconfigurable solar panel array system of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further configured to, when the vehicle is not in motion, cause the processor to:

predict a third amount of energy expected to be generated by the reconfigurable solar panel array when the reconfigurable solar panel array is adjusted to the optimal orientation to the direction of sunlight;

predict a fourth amount of energy required to mechanically actuate the bending mechanism to adjust the reconfigurable solar panel array to the optimal orientation;

compare the third amount of energy and the fourth amount of energy to determine a second net energy gain associated with adjusting the reconfigurable solar panel array; and

control the bending mechanism to physically adjust the orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array during vehicle motion only when the second net energy gain is positive.

19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, using the computing device:

predicting a third amount of energy expected to be generated by the reconfigurable solar panel array when the reconfigurable solar panel array is adjusted to the optimal orientation to the direction of sunlight;

predicting a fourth amount of energy required to mechanically actuate the bending mechanism to adjust the reconfigurable solar panel array to the optimal orientation; and

comparing third first amount of energy and fourth second amount of energy to determine a second net energy gain associated with adjusting the reconfigurable solar panel array.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising controlling the bending mechanism to physically adjust the orientation of the reconfigurable solar panel array only when the second net energy gain is positive.