ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
Computer-implemented methods and computer systems are disclosed herein as implemented by a controller operatively coupled to a network of electric vehicles. The methods and systems include the controller (i) receiving a notification that an electric vehicle is stranded without sufficient power to operate; (ii) receiving information regarding the stranded electric vehicle; (iii) detecting one or more other electric vehicles in a vicinity of the stranded electric vehicle; (iv) receiving information regarding the detected one or more other electric vehicles; and/or (v) determining, based upon the received information, which of the detected one or more other electric vehicles to send a power source request. Alternatively, the notification may indicate that an electric vehicle has a low state of charge (SOC), or is otherwise has a battery in need of being recharged to facilitate the electric vehicle traveling to a destination.
1 . A computer system for managing charging of an electric vehicle, the computer system comprising:
at least one memory with instructions stored thereon; and
at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
identify a plurality of homes that are within a vicinity of the electric vehicle and are configured to charge electric vehicles;
determine availability of the plurality of homes to charge the electric vehicle;
select a home of the plurality of homes to charge the electric vehicle based at least in part upon the availability of the selected home;
schedule a charging time for the electric vehicle at the selected home, wherein the charging time satisfies a home occupancy preference for the selected home, the home occupancy preference being one of the selected home being occupied or unoccupied; and
transmit a notification associated with the selected home and the charging time to the electric vehicle.
2 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the vicinity comprises a predefined distance.
3 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to rank the plurality of homes based upon a plurality of factors.
4 . The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the factors for each respective home of the plurality of homes comprise at least one of a distance between the electric vehicle and the respective home, charging equipment of the respective home, neighborhood of the respective home, ease of access to the respective home, or whether the respective home is located along a route of the electric vehicle.
5 . The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to select the selected home further based at least in part upon a rank of the selected home.
6 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
generate route information from a location of the electric vehicle to the selected home; and
cause the route information to be transmitted to the electric vehicle.
7 . The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the route information is included in the notification.
8 . The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the electric vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and wherein the notification causes the electric vehicle to route to the selected home.
9 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon for managing charging of an electric vehicle, wherein the instructions, in response to execution by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
identify a plurality of homes that are within a vicinity of the electric vehicle and are configured to charge electric vehicles;
determine availability of the plurality of homes to charge the electric vehicle;
select a home of the plurality of homes to charge the electric vehicle based at least in part upon the availability of the selected home;
schedule a charging time for the electric vehicle at the selected home, wherein the charging time satisfies a home occupancy preference for the selected home, the home occupancy preference being one of the selected home being occupied or unoccupied; and
transmit a notification associated with the selected home and the charging time to the electric vehicle.
10 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the vicinity comprises a predefined distance.
11 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to rank the plurality of homes based upon a plurality of factors.
12 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the factors for each respective home of the plurality of homes comprise at least one of a distance between the electric vehicle and the respective home, charging equipment of the respective home, neighborhood of the respective home, ease of access to the respective home, or whether the respective home is located along a route of the electric vehicle.
13 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to select the selected home further based at least in part upon a rank of the selected home.
14 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
generate route information from a location of the electric vehicle to the selected home; and
cause the route information to be transmitted to the electric vehicle.
15 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the route information is included in the notification.
16 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the electric vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and wherein the notification causes the electric vehicle to route to the selected home.
17 . A computer-implemented method for managing charging of an electric vehicle, the computer-implemented method implemented by at least one processor in communication with at least one memory, the computer-implemented method comprising:
identifying a plurality of homes that are within a vicinity of the electric vehicle and are configured to charge electric vehicles;
determining availability of the plurality of homes to charge the electric vehicle;
selecting a home of the plurality of homes to charge the electric vehicle based at least in part upon the availability of the selected home;
scheduling a charging time for the electric vehicle at the selected home, wherein the charging time satisfies a home occupancy preference for the selected home, the home occupancy preference being one of the selected home being occupied or unoccupied; and
transmitting a notification associated with the selected home and the charging time to the electric vehicle.
18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein the vicinity comprises a predefined distance.
19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising ranking the plurality of homes based upon a plurality of factors, the plurality of factors for each respective home of the plurality of homes including at least one of a distance between the electric vehicle and the respective home, charging equipment of the respective home, neighborhood of the respective home, ease of access to the respective home, or whether the respective home is located along a route of the electric vehicle.
20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising:
generating route information from a location of the electric vehicle to the selected home; and
including the route information in the notification.