Emergency Heating System for Electric Vehicle (EV) Running Out of Power
AssigneeState Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
InventorsAaron Williams, Joseph Robert Brannan, John Donovan, Brian N. Harvey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for providing emergency heating in an electric vehicle (EV) running out of power are described herein. An on-board computer or mobile device in an EV may determine that an amount of charge remaining for powering the EV is below a threshold charge level. The on-board computer or mobile device may then route the remaining amount of charge to power a heating system in the EV to maintain a temperature in the EV above a threshold temperature level, and shut down power to other components within the EV.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method for providing emergency heating in an electric vehicle (EV) running out of power, the method comprising:
- receiving, by one or more processors in an EV, an indication of an amount of charge remaining for powering the EV;
- determining, by the one or more processors, a threshold charge level based on a distance to a nearest charging station;
- determining, by the one or more processors, that the amount of charge remaining is below the threshold charge level;
- sending, by the one or more processors, control signals to the EV to cause the EV to pull over to a side of a road in response to determining the amount of charge remaining is below the threshold charge level;
- automatically transmitting, by the one or more processors, a notification to an emergency services provider requesting emergency services;
- and
- routing, by the one or more processors, at least some of the remaining amount of charge to power a heating system in the EV until emergency services arrives.
A computer system configured to provide emergency heating in an electric vehicle (EV) running out of power, the computer system comprising one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors configured to:
- receive an indication of an amount of charge remaining for powering an EV;
- determine a threshold charge level based on a distance to a nearest charging station;
- determine that the amount of charge remaining is below the threshold charge level;
- send control signals to the EV to cause the EV to pull over to a side of a road in response to determining the amount of charge remaining is below the threshold charge level;
- automatically transmit a notification to an emergency services provider requesting emergency services;
- and
- route at least some of the remaining amount of charge to power a heating system in the EV until emergency services arrives.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors in an electric vehicle (EV), cause the one or more processors to:
- receive an indication of an amount of charge remaining for powering an EV;
- determine a threshold charge level based on a distance to a nearest charging station;
- determine that the amount of charge remaining is below the threshold charge level;
- send control signals to the EV to cause the EV to pull over to a side of a road in response to determining the amount of charge remaining is below the threshold charge level;
- automatically transmit a notification to an emergency services provider requesting emergency services;
- and
- route at least some of the remaining amount of charge to power a heating system in the EV until emergency services arrives.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.