# US 11,897,349 B2 · Soft hitch vehicle platooning system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,897,349 B2
- Document ID: US11897349B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/790,507
- Filed: 2020-02-13
- Published: 2020-08-13
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-13
- Assignees: DRiV Automotive Inc.
- Applicants: DRiV Automotive Inc.
- Inventors: Rod Hadi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897349B2

## CPC

- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/66: Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
- B60D 1/01: Traction couplings or hitches characterised by their type
- B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75)
- B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle
- B60L 53/57: Charging stations without connection to power networks
- B60L 53/60: Monitoring or controlling charging stations
- B60L 53/68: Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60L 2240/622: by satellite navigation
- B60L 2260/32: Auto pilot mode
- 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 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- 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 30/12: Remote or cooperative charging
- 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
- B60D: VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
- 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

A system includes a first hitch provided on a first vehicle and configured to connect to a second hitch provided on a second vehicle. The system includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that are executable by the processor. The instructions include determining whether the first hitch is connected to the second hitch. The instructions include performing a charging control operation based on the determination of whether the first hitch is connected to the second hitch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a first hitch provided on a first vehicle and configured to connect to a second hitch provided on a second vehicle;
a first soft hitch module disposed in the first vehicle; and
a second soft hitch module disposed in the second vehicle, wherein the first soft hitch module and the second soft hitch module communicate with each other, each of the first and second soft hitch comprising a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that are executable by the processor, wherein the instructions include:
transmitting, by the second soft hitch module, a charge request signal when an electrical charge of the second vehicle is less than a threshold;
receiving, by the first soft hitch module, the charge request signal;
transmitting, by the first soft hitch module, a charge verification signal to the second soft hitch module when the first vehicle and the second vehicle are disconnected and moving within a threshold distance;
positioning the first hitch relative to the second hitch to allow the first hitch to be connected to the second hitch when the first and second vehicles are moving;
determining whether the first hitch is connected to the second hitch;
performing, by the first soft hitch module, a charging control operation based on the determination of whether the first hitch is connected to the second hitch when the first and second vehicles are moving.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first hitch includes a first plurality of contact terminals arranged to contact a second plurality of contact terminals of the second hitch when the first hitch and the second hitch are connected.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the first plurality of contact terminals includes at least one contact terminal that electrically couples to the second vehicle when the first hitch and the second hitch are connected.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the first plurality of contact terminals includes at least one data terminal that communicatively couples to the second vehicle when the first hitch and the second hitch are connected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first hitch includes a connection interface and a contact surface surrounding the connection interface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the connection interface includes a protruding portion configured to be received by the second hitch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the connection interface includes a concave receptacle configured to receive the second hitch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the contact surface is elastomeric.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first hitch includes a magnet and the first hitch and the second hitch are magnetically coupled via the magnet when the first hitch and the second hitch are connected.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for performing the charging control operation comprises providing the electrical charge to the second vehicle from the first vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein in response to the charge request signal, the first hitch of the first vehicle is selectively positioned such that the first hitch is provided within the second hitch of the second vehicle to connect the first hitch and the second hitch and electrically couple a first battery of the first vehicle and a second battery of the second vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the charge request signal is transmitted from the second soft hitch module directly to the first soft hitch module.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the charge verification signal is transmitted from the first soft hitch module to the second soft hitch module upon receipt of the charge request signal by the first soft hitch module.

### Claim 14

A method for electrical charging moving vehicles by way of a first hitch and a second hitch, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a second soft hitch module of a second vehicle, a charge request signal when an electrical charge of the second vehicle is less than a threshold and when the second vehicle is moving;
acquiring, by a first soft hitch module of a first vehicle, the charge request signal when the first vehicle and the second vehicle are moving, wherein the first hitch is provided on the first vehicle and the second hitch is provided on the second vehicle;
transmitting, by the first soft hitch module, a charge verification signal to the second soft hitch module when the first vehicle and the second vehicle are disconnected and moving within a threshold distance;
positioning the first hitch relative to the second hitch to allow the first hitch to be connected to the second hitch when the first and second vehicles are moving;
determining whether the first hitch is connected to the second hitch, wherein each of the first hitch and the second hitch includes a connection interface, a contact surface surrounding the connection interface, and a plurality of contact terminals, wherein the plurality of contact terminals of the first hitch and the plurality of contact terminals of the second hitch each include at least one contact terminal to electrically couple a first battery of the first vehicle and a second battery of the second vehicle when the first hitch and the second hitch are connected; and
performing, by the first soft hitch module, a charging control operation when the first hitch is connected to the second hitch and when the first and second vehicles are moving.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of contact terminals of the first hitch and the plurality of contact terminals of the second hitch each include at least one data terminal to exchange data.