AUTONOMOUS ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING
Methods and systems for autonomous vehicle recharging or refueling are disclosed. Autonomous electric vehicles may be automatically recharged by routing the vehicles to available charging stations when not in operation, according to methods described herein. A charge level of the battery of an autonomous electric vehicle may be monitored until it reaches a recharging threshold, at which point an on-board computer may generate a predicted use profile for the vehicle. Based upon the predicted use profile, a time and location for the vehicle to recharge may be determined. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be controlled to automatically travel to a charging station, recharge the battery, and return to its starting location in order to recharge when not in use.
1 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . A computer-implemented method for automatically recharging an autonomous electric vehicle, comprising:
generating, by one or more processors, a predicted use profile for the autonomous electric vehicle, including a next predicted use;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether a charge level of a battery of the autonomous electric vehicle is sufficient to facilitate completion of the next predicted use by the autonomous electric vehicle;
determining, by the one or more processors, that the autonomous electric vehicle is at a break location and not in use;
determining, by the one or more processors, a charge location at which to charge the battery based upon the predicted use profile;
controlling, by the one or more processors, the autonomous electric vehicle to travel fully autonomously to the determined charge location for charging of the battery; and
controlling, by the one or more processors, the autonomous electric vehicle to travel fully autonomously to a return location after charging of the battery.
22 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , wherein controlling the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the return location comprises controlling the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the return location that is different than the break location.
23 . The computer-implemented method of claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises determining the return location based upon the predicted use profile.
24 . The computer-implemented method of claim 23 , wherein determining the return location comprises determining the return location based upon the next predicted use.
25 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors based on the predicted use profile, whether a sufficient amount of time exists to charge the battery before the next predicted use; and
controlling the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the determined charge location comprises causing the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the determined charge location based upon a determination that a sufficient amount of time exists to charge the battery before the next predicted use.
26 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , further comprising:
causing, by the one or more processors, a notification to be provided to one or more operators of the autonomous electric vehicle that the autonomous electric vehicle is one or both of traveling to the charge location or traveling for charging of the battery.
27 . The computer-implemented method of claim 26 , wherein:
causing the notification to be provided comprises causing the notification to include an estimated duration of unavailability of the autonomous electric vehicle and a request for confirmation; and
controlling the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the charge location comprises controlling the autonomous electric vehicle in response to and after receipt of a confirmation to the request for confirmation.
28 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors, to proceed with recharging of the battery even though a sufficient amount of time does not exist to charge the battery before the next predicted use because the next predicted use would be infeasible without charging the battery; and
controlling the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the determined charge location comprises causing the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the determined charge location based upon the determination to proceed even though a sufficient amount of time does not exist to charge the battery before the next predicted use.
29 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , wherein determining a charge location comprises selecting the charge location from a plurality of locations based at least in part upon availability of a charging station at the charge location,
30 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , further comprising:
identifying, using one or more geolocation components within the autonomous electric vehicle, a current location of the autonomous electric vehicle;
identifying, by the one or more processors, one or more charging stations in an area surrounding the current location of the autonomous electric vehicle from a database including location data for a plurality of charging stations;
wherein the location at which to charge the battery is selected from the location data associated with the one or more charging stations based at least in part upon distance from the current location.
31 . A computer system for automatically recharging an autonomous electric vehicle, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to:
generate a predicted use profile for the autonomous electric vehicle, including a next predicted use;
determine whether a charge level of a battery of the autonomous electric vehicle is sufficient to facilitate completion of the next predicted use by the autonomous electric vehicle;
determine that the autonomous electric vehicle is at a break location and not in use;
determine a charge location at which to charge the battery based upon the predicted use profile;
control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel fully autonomously to the charge location for charging of the battery; and
control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel fully autonomously to a return location after charging of the battery.
32 . The computer system of claim 31 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the return location that is different than the break location.
33 . The computer system of claim 32 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to determine the return location based upon the predicted use profile.
34 . The computer system of claim 33 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to determine the return location based upon the next predicted use.
35 . The computer system of claim 31 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to:
determine, based on the predicted use profile, whether a sufficient amount of time exists to charge the battery before the next predicted use; and
control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the determined charge location based upon a determination that a sufficient amount of time exists to charge the battery before the next predicted use.
36 . The computer system of claim 35 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to provide a notification to one or more operators of the autonomous electric vehicle that the autonomous electric vehicle is one or both of traveling to the charge location or traveling for charging of the battery.
37 . The computer system of claim 36 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to:
cause the notification to include an estimated duration of unavailability of the autonomous electric vehicle and a request for confirmation; and
control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the charge location in response to and after receipt of a confirmation to the request for confirmation.
38 . The computer system of claim 35 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to:
determine to proceed with recharging of the battery even though a sufficient amount of time does not exist to charge the battery before the next predicted use because the next predicted use would be infeasible without charging the battery; and
control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel to the determined charge location based upon the determination to proceed even though a sufficient amount of time does not exist to charge the battery before the next predicted use.
39 . A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions for automatically recharging an autonomous electric vehicle that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to:
generate a predicted use profile for the autonomous electric vehicle, including a next predicted use;
determine whether a charge level of a battery of the autonomous electric vehicle is sufficient to facilitate completion of the next predicted use by the autonomous electric vehicle;
determine that the autonomous electric vehicle is at a break location and not in use;
determine a charge location at which to charge the battery based upon the predicted use profile;
control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel fully autonomously to the charge location for charging of the battery; and
control the autonomous electric vehicle to travel fully autonomously to a return location after charging of the battery.
40 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39 , further storing the executable instructions that cause the computer system to determine the return location based upon the predicted use profile.