US 5,573,090 A · Raodway-powered electric vehicle system having onboard power metering and communication channel features

Abstract

A roadway-powered electric vehicle (RPEV) system includes: (1) an all-electric vehicle; and (2) a roadway network over which the vehicle travels. The all-electric vehicle has one or more onboard energy storage elements or devices that can be rapidly charged or energized with energy obtained from an electrical current, such as a network of electromechanical batteries. The electric vehicle further includes an on-board controller that extracts energy from the energy storage elements, as needed, and converts such extracted energy to electrical power used to propel the electric vehicle. The energy storage elements may be charged while the vehicle is in operation. The charging occurs through a network of power coupling elements, e.g., coils, embedded in the roadway. The RPEV system also includes: (1) an onboard power meter; (2) a wide bandwidth communication channel to allow information signals to be sent to, and received from, the RPEV while it is in use; (3) automated garaging that couples power to the RPEV for both replenishing the onboard energy source and to bring the interior climate of the vehicle to a comfortable level before the driver and/or passengers get in; (4) electronic coupling between "master" and "slave" RPEV's in order to increase passenger capacity; (5) inductive heating coils at passenger loading/unloading zones in order to increase passenger safety; and (6) an ergonomically designed passenger compartment.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A roadway-powered electric vehicle comprising:

a vehicle frame supported by front and rear suspension systems, including front and rear wheels;
an onboard power receiving module mounted on an underneath side of said vehicle frame that receives electrical power coupled thereto from a roadway power transmitting module embedded in a roadway over which the electric vehicle travels;
an onboard energy storage means for storing and delivering electrical energy;
an electric drive means coupled to at least one of said front or rear suspension systems for driving at least one of said front and rear wheels;
an onboard power controller means for receiving electrical power from said onboard power receiving module and directing it to said energy storage means, and for selectively delivering electrical energy from said energy storage means to said electric drive means in order to provide operating power for said electric vehicle;
and
an onboard power meter electrically connected to the onboard power receiving module to monitor the electrical power received through said onboard power receiving module from said roadway power transmitting module, said onboard power meter thereby providing a measure of the amount of electrical power that has been coupled to the electric vehicle.

4 more elements

A roadway-powered electric vehicle system comprising:

a network of highways and roadways that have been electrified with a multiplicity of roadway power transmission modules embedded in the highways and roadways at select locations, each of the roadway power transmission modules being connected to receive power from an electrical utility, the network of highways and roadways including a parking/garaging location, wherein said parking/garaging location is electrified with at least one of the multiplicity of power transmission modules;
a plurality of electric vehicles for traversing the network of highways and roadways using electrical power coupled to the electric vehicles from the electrified highways and roadways as the electric vehicles travel over the locations of the highways and roadways that have been electrified;
communication means for establishing a communication channel with each of the plurality of electric vehicles that transfers communication signals to and from the electric vehicles through the electrified highways and roadways;
and
a charging control circuit coupled to the at least one of the multiplicity of roadway power transmission modules, said charging control circuit including means for sensing the presence of a parked electric vehicle at the parking/garaging location, and coupling means for automatically coupling power to the parked electric vehicle at preselected times during the day.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Raodway-powered electric vehicle system having onboard power metering and communication channel features

Life of this patent

Raodway-powered electric vehicle system having onboard power metering and communication channel features

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18