Granted Patent B2

US 12,269,363 · App. 17/959,297 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Inventors: Norman Lu (Fairview, TX); Maximilian Parness (Takoma Park, MD)

Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

B60L53/62B60L58/12

Abstract

Claims (68)

1. A method, comprising:

determining a plurality of vehicles and a first charge level of the vehicles utilizing a first charging location;

determining a portion of the plurality of vehicles and a second charge level of the portion of the plurality of vehicles utilizing a second charging location; and

determining a new charging location based on the plurality of vehicles, the first charge level, the portion of the plurality of vehicles, and the second charge level.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of vehicles and the first charge level comprises:

receiving a notification that each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles has arrived at the first charging location; and

obtaining an identification of each vehicle and the first charge before utilizing the first charging location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the portion of the plurality of the vehicles and the second charge level comprises:

determining a common identification of vehicles of the plurality of vehicles and vehicles of the portion; and

obtaining the second charge level of each vehicle of the commonly identified vehicles before utilizing the second charging location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the new charging location comprises:

determining the first and the second charge levels are below a threshold;

determining a range of the vehicle based on a lower of the first and the second charge levels; and

identifying the new charging location based on the range.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vehicles and the portion of the plurality of vehicles utilize the first and second charging locations within a time period, wherein the method comprises:

determining new charging locations for other time periods, wherein the other time periods have a same length as the time period; and

determining a final new charging location based on combining the new charging locations.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining a third charging location is proximate to the new charging location; and

designating the third charging location as the new charging location.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining a weighting based on a difference between a lower of the first charge level and the second charge level and a threshold; and

adjusting the new charging location to be closer to the location corresponding to the lower of the first and second charge levels than the location corresponding to a higher of the first and second charge levels, based on the weighting.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, comprising instructions that when executed by the processor are configured to:

determine a plurality of vehicles and a first charge level of the vehicles that utilize a first charge location;

determine a portion of the plurality of vehicles and a second charge level of the portion of the plurality of vehicles that utilize a second charge location; and

determine a new charge location based on the plurality of vehicles, the first charge level, the portion of the plurality of vehicles, and the second charge level.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor determines the plurality of vehicles and the first charge level comprises the instructions are configured to:

receive a notification that each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles has arrived at the first charge location; and

obtain an identification of each vehicle and the first charge before the first charge location is utilized.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor determines the portion of the plurality of vehicles and the second charge level comprises the instructions are configured to:

determine a common identification of vehicles of the plurality of vehicles and vehicles of the portion; and

obtain the second charge level of each vehicle of the commonly identified vehicles before the second charge location is utilized.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor determines the other charge location comprises the instructions are configured to:

determine the first and the second charge levels are below a threshold;

determine a range of the vehicle based on a lower of the first and the second charge levels; and

identify the new charge location based on the range.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of vehicles and the portion of the plurality of vehicles utilize the first and second charge locations within a time period comprises the instructions are configured to:

determine new charge locations for other time periods, wherein the other time periods have a same length as the time period; and

determine a final new charge location based on the new charge locations are combined.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are configured to:

determine a third charge location is proximate to the new charge location; and

designate the third charge location as the new charge location.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are configured to:

determine a weight based on a difference between a lower of the first charge level and the second charge level and a threshold; and

adjust the new charge location to be closer to the location that corresponds to the lower of the first and second charge levels than the location that corresponds to a higher of the first and second charge levels, based on the weight.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

determining a plurality of vehicles and a first charge level of the vehicles utilizing a first charging location;

determining a portion of the plurality of vehicles and a second charge level of the portion of the plurality of vehicles utilizing a second charging location; and

determining a new charging location based on the plurality of vehicles, the first charge level, the portion of the plurality of vehicles, and the second charge level.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the plurality of vehicles and the first charge level of the vehicles comprises the instructions cause the processor to perform:

receiving a notification that each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles has arrived at the first charging location; and

obtaining an identification of each vehicle and the first charge before utilizing the first charging location.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the portion of the plurality of vehicles and the second charge level comprises the instructions cause the processor to perform:

determining a common identification of vehicles of the plurality of vehicles and vehicles of the portion; and

obtaining the second charge level of each vehicle of the commonly identified vehicles before utilizing the second charging location.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the other charging location comprises the instructions cause the processor to perform:

determining the first and the second charge levels are below a threshold;

determining a range of the vehicle based on a lower of the first and the second charge levels; and

identifying the new charging location based on the range.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of vehicles and the portion of the plurality of vehicles utilize the first and second charging locations within a time period comprises the instructions cause the processor to perform:

determining new charging locations for other time periods, wherein the other time periods have a same length as the time period; and

determining a final new charging location based on combining the new charging locations.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform:

determining a third charging location is proximate to the new charging location; and

designating the third charging location as the new charging location.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (23)