Charge related processing for a personal transportation system with removable battery
AssigneeKitty Hawk Corporation
InventorsSebastian Thrun, Damon Vander Lind
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes a first battery in a vehicle. The vehicle is capable of being coupled at least temporarily with a second, removable battery and is powered by at least one of the first or the second battery. The system also includes a controller in the vehicle which is configured to estimate an amount of travel-related charge based at least in part on a pickup and drop off location. It is decided whether to charge the first battery using the second battery based at least in part on the amount of travel-related charge and a measured amount of stored charge in the second battery. If it is decided to do so, the first battery is charged using the second battery.
Claims6
A system, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
- receive a travel request which includes a pickup location and a drop off location;
- estimate an amount of travel-related charge associated with traveling between the pickup location and the drop off location;
- receive an amount of stored charge in a removable battery;
- determine whether the amount of stored charge in the removable battery is equal to or exceeds the amount of travel-related charge;
- and
- in response to a determination that the amount of stored charge in the removable battery fails to equal or exceed the amount of travel-related charge, respond to the travel request, comprising:
- estimate a second amount of travel-related charge associated with traveling between a starting location and the pickup location;
- estimate a third amount of travel-related charge associated with traveling between the drop off location and an ending location;
- receive an amount of stored charge in a battery;
- determine if a first sum of the amount of stored charge in the removable battery plus the amount of stored charge in the battery exceeds a second sum of the travel-related charge plus the second amount of travel-related charge plus the third amount of travel-related charge;
- in response to determining that the first sum exceeds the second sum, respond to the travel request:
- indicating that the travel request is accepted;
- and
- charging an internal battery from the removable battery.
A system, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
- receive a travel request which includes a pickup location and a drop off location;
- estimate an amount of travel-related charge associated with traveling between the pickup location and the drop off location, wherein the estimating of the amount of travel- related charge comprises to:
- estimate the amount of travel-related charge based on one or more of the following:
- a weight of an aircraft, a weight of an occupant, a weight of the removable battery, a selected flight path, and/or travel conditions, wherein the selected flight path includes avoid a no-fly zone, and/or stay within predefined travel corridors or routes;
- receive an amount of stored charge in a removable battery;
- determine whether the amount of stored charge in the removable battery is equal to or exceeds the amount of travel-related charge;
- and
- in response to a determination that the amount of stored charge in the removable battery is equal to or exceeds the amount of travel-related charge:
- respond to the travel request, including by indicating that the travel request is accepted;
- and
- charge an internal battery from the removable battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.