# US 10,369,974 B2 · Control and coordination of driverless fuel replenishment for autonomous vehicles

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- Number: US 10,369,974 B2
- Document ID: US10369974B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/650,766
- Filed: 2017-07-14
- Published: 2019-01-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-14
- Assignees: NIO USA, Inc.
- Applicants: Nio USA, Inc.
- Inventors: Jamie P. Carlson; Yadunandana Yellambalese
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369974B2

## CPC

- B60S 5/02: Supplying fuel to vehicles; General disposition of plant in filling stations (apparatus for transferring measured quantities of petrol, oil, or the like from storage space to vehicles B67D)
- B60L 53/65: involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
- B60L 53/66: Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
- B60W 60/0023: {in response to energy consumption}
- B62D 15/0285: {Parking performed automatically}
- F17C 5/007: {for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles (filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00)}
- F17C 13/02: Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment (measuring in general G01)
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G06Q 10/00: Administration; Management
- G06Q 10/04: Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202)
- B60L 2240/24: Steering angle
- B60L 2240/622: by satellite navigation
- B60L 2260/32: Auto pilot mode
- F17C 2221/012: Hydrogen
- F17C 2221/033: Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
- F17C 2223/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
- F17C 2223/0161: cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
- F17C 2223/033: Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
- F17C 2223/036: Very high pressure (>80 bar)
- F17C 2250/034: using wireless transmissions
- F17C 2250/0478: Position or presence
- F17C 2250/0621: Volume
- F17C 2265/065: for refuelling vehicle fuel tanks
- F17C 2270/0139: Fuel stations
- Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/167: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
- Y04S 30/14: Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
- B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

Various embodiments relate generally to autonomous vehicles and associated mechanical, electrical and electronic hardware, computing software, including autonomy applications, image processing applications, etc., computing systems, and wired and wireless network communications to facilitate autonomous control of vehicles, and, more specifically, to systems, devices, and methods configured to control driverless vehicles to facilitate coordination of driverless fuel replenishment. In some examples, a method may include monitoring an amount of fuel relative to a threshold, predicting fuel expenditure of an autonomous vehicle, identifying a candidate time frame, transmitting electronic messages from the autonomous vehicle to reserve a replenishment station, and activating the autonomous vehicle to drive autonomously to receive a fuel replenishment from the reserved replenishment station.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
monitoring an amount of fuel units based on data representing a threshold indicative of a portion of a fuel reservoir capacity;
predicting a fuel expenditure of an autonomous vehicle to identify a predicted fuel expenditure during a range of time in which the amount of fuel units is predicted to be equivalent to the threshold, comprising:
accessing an energy expenditure profile describing rates of energy expended during time intervals during the range of time; and
calculating an amount of energy expenditure over one or more of the time intervals at which the amount of fuel units is predicted to be equivalent to the threshold;
identifying a subset of time during the range of time as a candidate time frame to replenish at least a portion of the fuel reservoir capacity;
transmitting electronic messages from the autonomous vehicle to reserve a replenishment station at a specific time associated with the candidate time frame and a geographic location; and
activating, via an autonomy controller, the autonomous vehicle to drive autonomously to the geographic location to receive a fuel replenishment from the replenishment station.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of fuel units indicate an amount of charge.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the amount of charge is expressed in either kilowatts-hours (“kWh”) or ampere-hours (“A-hr”).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
identifying one or more intervening time periods as candidate time frames during which the autonomous vehicle is vacant.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
transmitting a request to reserve the replenishment station in a network of replenishment stations as a function of the candidate time frame and the predicted fuel expenditure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting a request to reserve the replenishment station comprises:
transmitting data representing autonomous vehicle characteristics with which to determine the replenishment station.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting data representing autonomous vehicle characteristics comprises:
transmitting a type of replenishment interface with which to receive the fuel replenishment and a range of charge rates with which a battery of the autonomous vehicle is charged.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
receiving an electronic message including data specifying a list of replenishment stations from a coordination computing system; and
causing presentation of the list of replenishment stations in a user interface for selection.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface is disposed on a mobile computing device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
detecting a user input including data representing a selected replenishment station as the replenishment station; and
transmitting a confirmatory electronic message to logic in the autonomous vehicle to enable a driverless transit to receive the fuel replenishment.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving data representing a preprogrammed path of travel from an entry point to the replenishment station;
executing a subset of instructions to implement the data representing the preprogrammed path of travel; and
controlling the autonomous vehicle to terminate a driverless transit at the replenishment station.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting the amount of fuel units is equivalent to the threshold;
transmitting a state of fuel of the fuel reservoir capacity of the autonomous vehicle to request an authorization to replenish the fuel;
receiving the authorization to replenish the fuel; and
causing, via the autonomy controller, the autonomous vehicle to drive autonomously to the geographic location to receive the fuel replenishment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting an amount of the fuel replenishment is equivalent to data representing a targeted amount of fuel replenishment;
releasing a lock automatically that engages a type of charging interface to the autonomous vehicle; and
causing the autonomous vehicle to drive autonomously from the replenishment station.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of fuel units indicate an amount of hydrogen fuel.

### Claim 15

An apparatus, comprising
a memory including executable instructions; and
a processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, that is programmed to:
monitor an amount of fuel units relative to data representing a threshold indicative of a portion of a fuel reservoir capacity;
predict a fuel expenditure of an autonomous vehicle to identify a predicted fuel expenditure during a range of time in which the amount of fuel units is predicted to be equivalent to the threshold;
access an energy expenditure profile describing rates of energy expended during time intervals during the range of time;
calculate an amount of energy expenditure over one or more of the time intervals at which the amount of fuel units is predicted to be equivalent to the threshold;
identify a subset of time during the range of time as a candidate time frame to replenish at least a portion of the fuel reservoir capacity;
transmit electronic messages from the autonomous vehicle to reserve a replenishment station at a specific time associated with the candidate time frame and a geographic location;
activate, via an autonomy controller, the autonomous vehicle to drive autonomously to the geographic location to receive a fuel replenishment from the replenishment station; and
identify one or more intervening time periods as candidate time frames during which the autonomous vehicle is vacant.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the amount of fuel units indicate an amount of charge and the charge is electricity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
transmit a request to reserve the replenishment station in a network of replenishment stations as a function of the candidate time frame and the predicted fuel expenditure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect the amount of fuel units is equivalent to the threshold;
transmit a state of a fuel of the autonomous vehicle to request an authorization to replenish the fuel;
receive the authorization to replenish the fuel; and
cause, via the autonomy controller, the autonomous vehicle to drive autonomously to the geographic location to receive the fuel replenishment.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive an electronic message including data specifying a list of replenishment stations from a coordination computing system; and
cause presentation of the list of replenishment stations in a user interface for selection.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect an amount of the fuel replenishment is equivalent to data representing a targeted amount of fuel replenishment;
release a lock automatically that engages a type of charging interface to the autonomous vehicle; and
cause, via the autonomy controller, the autonomous vehicle to drive autonomously from the replenishment station.