# US 10,870,352 B2 · Method for controlling a safety system in a vehicle using an electric road system

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- Number: US 10,870,352 B2
- Document ID: US10870352B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/777,760
- Filed: 2015-12-18
- Published: 2018-12-06
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-18
- Assignees: Volvo Truck Corporation
- Applicants: Volvo Truck Corporation
- Inventors: Mikaela Öhman; Richard Sebestyen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870352B2

## CPC

- B60L 3/0015: {Prevention of collisions}
- B60L 5/04: using rollers or sliding shoes in contact with trolley wire (B60L5/40 takes precedence)
- B60L 5/36: with means for collecting current simultaneously from more than one conductor, e.g. from more than one phase
- B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer
- B60M 7/003: {for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)}
- B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
- B60L 5/38: for collecting current from conductor rails (B60L5/40 takes precedence)
- B60L 2250/10: by alarm
- B60L 2250/16: by display
- B60M 2200/00: Specific problems related to power supply lines not otherwise provided for
- B60W 2554/00: Input parameters relating to objects
- 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 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- 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
- B60M: POWER SUPPLY LINES, AND DEVICES ALONG RAILS, FOR ELECTRICALLY- PROPELLED VEHICLES (control of points and safety arrangements along railway lines B61L; construction of rails and points in general E01B)
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method is provided for controlling a vehicle safety system in a vehicle provided with a current collector arranged to transmit electric power from a current conductor in the surface of a road. The current collector is controllable for vertical and transverse displacement relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle to contact and track the current conductor. The method involves performing the steps of detecting that an obstacle is located in the path of the current collector; transmitting data from the forward looking data collecting system to the electronic control unit; performing an object classification to determine a damage level for the dynamic charging system; determining an action to be taken by the safety system based on the determined damage level; and initiating the action in dependence of at least the determined damage level.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Method for controlling a vehicle safety system in a vehicle provided with a current collector arranged to transmit electric power from a current conductor located in a predetermined transverse position in a surface of a road, wherein the current collector is controllable for vertical and transverse displacement relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle to contact and track the current conductor, a safety system comprising; at least one forward looking data collecting system for detecting obstacles on the road prior to impact with the current collector; and an electronic control unit for controlling at least power transmission and displacement of the current collector; comprising: detecting that an obstacle is located in a path of the current collector; transmitting data from the forward looking data collecting system to the electronic control unit; performing an object classification to determine a damage level for a dynamic charging system based on the transmitted data; determining an action to be taken by the safety system based on a determined damage level; and initiating the action in dependence of at least the determined damage level when the damage level exceeds a threshold value, wherein the safety system initiates at least one of an interruption of power transmission from the current conductor; and a vertical retraction of the current collector into an at least partially retracted position when the damage level exceeds the threshold value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising determining that the damage level exceeds a second threshold value, exceeding at least the threshold value, wherein a safety system initiates at least the vertical retraction of the current collector into a retracted position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising determining that the damage level exceeds a third threshold value, exceeding at least the threshold value, wherein a safety system initiates an evasive action.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising initiating an additional action involving a vehicle steering action to perform a lane change.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising initiating an additional action involving the vehicle retarding action to brake or stop the vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising initiating the action in dependence of an estimated time to impact based on the transmitted data.

### Claim 7

A vehicle comprising a safety system for a current collector arranged to transmit electric power from a current conductor located in a predetermined transverse position in a surface of a road, wherein the current collector is arranged to be controllable for vertical and transverse displacement relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, in order to maintain optimal contact, with a conductor and/or track the current conductor; the safety system comprising; at least one forward looking data collecting system for detecting obstacles on the road prior to impact with the current collector; and an electronic control unit for controlling at least power transmission in and displacement of the current collector; wherein that the at least one forward looking data collecting system is arranged to detect that an obstacle is located in a path of the current collector and to transmit data from the forward looking data collecting system to the electronic control unit; that the electronic control unit is arranged to perform an object classification to determine a damage level for the current collector based on transmitted data and to determine an action to be taken by the safety system based on a determined damage level; and that the electronic control unit is arranged to initiate the action in dependence of at least the determined damage level when the damage level exceeds a threshold, wherein the safety system initiates at least one of an interruption of power transmission from the current conductor; and a vertical retraction of the current collector into an at least partially retracted position when the damage level exceeds the threshold.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the electronic control unit is arranged to at least interrupt power transmission through the current conductor, if the determined damage level indicates that the object is in the path of the current collector.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein that the electronic control unit is arranged to at least partially retract the current collector if the determined damage level indicates damage to the current collector in a current transmitting position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein that the electronic control unit is arranged to initiates an evasive steering and/or retarding action if the determined damage level indicates damage to the current collector in a retracted position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A computer comprising a computer program for performing the steps of claim 1 for controlling the vehicle safety system when the computer program is run on the computer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying a computer program for performing claim 1 for controlling the vehicle safety system when the computer program is run on a computer.

### Claim 13

A control unit for controlling a vehicle safety system, the control unit being configured to perform the steps of:
controlling the vehicle safety system with a current collector arranged to transmit electric power from a current conductor located in a predetermined transverse position in a surface of a road, wherein the current collector is controllable for vertical and transverse displacement relative to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle to contact and track the current conductor, a safety system comprising; at least one forward looking data collecting system for detecting obstacles on the road prior to impact with the current collector; and an electronic control unit for controlling at least power transmission and displacement of the current collector; comprising: detecting that an obstacle is located in a path of the current collector; transmitting data from the forward looking data collecting system to the electronic control unit; performing an object classification to determine a damage level for a dynamic charging system based on the transmitted data; determining an action to be taken by the safety system based on a determined damage level; and initiating the action in dependence of at least the determined damage level when the damage level exceeds a threshold, wherein the safety system initiates at least one of an interruption of power transmission from the current conductor; and a vertical retraction of the current collector into an at least partially retracted position when the damage level exceeds the threshold.