Wireless vehicle energy sharing

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for a distributed system to provide wireless energy sharing between electrically powered vehicles. In some examples, two or more vehicles traveling on a roadway may be configured to share energy while in route to a destination. The vehicles may be equipped with wireless energy transfer units to enable the vehicles to exchange energy. At least one of the vehicles may be a mobile electric charging station configured to store a large amount of charge and to provide charge to vehicles. The electric charging station may be in communication with a controller, where the controller may be configured to identify vehicles in need of recharge and to identify at least one vehicle having sufficient charge to share. The controller may schedule a time and place for the two vehicles to meet in order to share charge. Additionally, the vehicles may be self-coordinated without a controller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to coordinate wireless energy exchange between vehicles, the method comprising:
 obtaining information that is at least indicative of energy shortage for a first vehicle to reach a destination;   determining a second vehicle based on an intersection of a first route followed by the first vehicle and a second route followed by the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle has energy abundance;   instructing the second vehicle to reserve a particular amount of energy to share with the first vehicle;   determining a path for the first vehicle to approach the second vehicle, wherein the determination of the path is based on one or more of: a current location of the first vehicle, a current location of the second vehicle, a remaining energy level of the first vehicle, a current direction of travel of the first vehicle, a current direction of travel of the second vehicle, a current speed of the first vehicle, and a current speed of the second vehicle; and   transmitting, to the first vehicle, information about the determined path to enable the first vehicle to use the transmitted information to travel along the determined path.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the information comprises obtaining information that is further indicative of the first route and estimated route timings of the first route. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the second vehicle comprises determining the intersection of the first route and the second route based on the first route, the second route, estimated route timings of the first route, and estimated route timings of the second route. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining the intersection of the first route and the second route comprises determining a temporal intersection and a spatial intersection of the first route and the second route. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a time for the first vehicle to approach the second vehicle; and   transmitting the determined time to the first vehicle.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the path comprises determining a route that intersects temporally and spatially with the second route. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the second vehicle comprises selecting the second vehicle from a plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein selecting the second vehicle from the plurality of vehicles comprises determining a subset of vehicles from the plurality of vehicles, wherein the subset of vehicles include vehicles that share at least a portion of respective routes with the first route followed by the first vehicle and that have at least the particular amount of energy to share with the first vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtained information comprises first information, and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving second information that is indicative of energy abundance of the second vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a speed for the first vehicle to approach the second vehicle; and   transmitting the determined speed to the first vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determined speed is different from the current speed of the first vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of vehicles and effective to coordinate wireless energy exchange between the plurality of vehicles, wherein the controller is configured to:   obtain information indicative of energy shortage for a first vehicle, of the plurality of vehicles, to reach a destination;   determine a second vehicle, of the plurality of vehicles, based on an intersection of a first routed followed by the first vehicle and a second route followed by the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle has energy abundance;   transmit an instruction to the second vehicle to reserve a particular amount of energy to share with the first vehicle;   determine a path and a speed for the first vehicle to approach the second vehicle, wherein the determination of the path and the speed is based on one or more of: a current location of the first vehicle, a current location of the second vehicle, a remaining charge level of the first vehicle, a current direction of travel of the first vehicle, a current direction of travel of the second vehicle, a current speed of the first vehicle, and a current speed of the second vehicle; and   transmit, to the first vehicle, information about the determined path and the determined speed to enable the first vehicle to use the transmitted information to travel along the determined path.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the intersection of the first route and the second route. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the intersection of the first route and the second route comprises a temporal intersection and a spatial intersection of the first route and the second route. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first route comprises the determined path. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the determined path comprises an altered version of the first route. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein to determine the second vehicle, the controller is configured to:
 determine a subset of vehicles from the plurality of vehicles, wherein the subset of vehicles include vehicles that share at least a portion of respective mutes with the first route followed by the first vehicle and that have at least the particular amount of energy to share with the first vehicle; and   select the second vehicle from the subset of vehicles based on a temporal intersection and a spatial intersection of the first route and the second route.   
     
     
         18 . A method performed by a vehicle to coordinate wireless energy exchange with one or more other vehicles, the method comprising;
 determining energy shortage, tier the vehicle to reach a destination;   sending a request to a server to provide a list of vehicles that have energy abundance and that are within a particular range of the vehicle;   receiving the list of vehicles from the server;   selecting another vehicle, from a plurality of vehicles indicated in the list of vehicles, to wirelessly receive energy from the selected other vehicle;   positioning the vehicle near the selected other vehicle; and   receiving the energy wirelessly from the selected other vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein determining the energy shortage for the vehicle comprises determining the energy shortage based on a distance to the destination, a current speed of travel of the vehicle, and current energy usage by the vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein selecting the other vehicle comprises selecting a vehicle that can transfer maximum energy from among the plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein selecting the other vehicle comprises selecting a vehicle that can transfer minimum energy from among the plurality of vehicles, and wherein the minimum energy that can be transferred by the selected vehicle is greater than the energy shortage for the vehicle to reach the intended destination. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising;
 receiving information indicative of at least one of respective planned routes and respective destinations of the plurality of vehicles,   wherein selecting the other vehicle comprises selecting a vehicle based on at least one of the respective planned routes and the respective destinations of the plurality of vehicles, and   wherein selecting the other vehicle based on the respective planned routes of the plurality of vehicles comprises determining a temporal intersection and a spatial intersection of a route followed by the first vehicle and the respective planned route of each of the plurality of vehicles.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein selecting the other vehicle comprises determining a respective amount of energy that can be shared by each of the plurality of vehicles based on a respective initial amount of energy available with each of the plurality of vehicles and a respective planned route of each of the plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein positioning the first vehicle near the selected other vehicle comprises altering a route hallowed by the first vehicle to reach the destination. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein positioning the first vehicle near the selected other vehicle comprises altering a current speed of the first vehicle to reach the destination. 
     
     
         26 . A vehicle effective to wirelessly exchange energy with one or more other vehicles, the vehicle comprising:
 wireless communication hardware configured to communicate with the one or more other vehicles and a server;   a power storage unit (PSU) configured to store energy;   a wireless energy transfer (WET) unit operatively coupled to the PSU and configured to wirelessly exchange energy with the one or more other vehicles positioned near the vehicle; and   a controller operatively coupled to the wireless communication hardware, the PSU, and the WET unit, wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine energy shortage for the vehicle to reach a destination; 
 transmit, via the wireless communication hardware, a request to the server to provide a list of vehicles that have energy abundance and that are within a particular range of the vehicle; 
 obtain, via the wireless communication hardware, the list of vehicles from the server; 
 select another vehicle, from a plurality of vehicles indicated in the list of vehicles, to wirelessly receive energy from the selected other vehicle; 
 position the vehicle near the selected other vehicle; 
 operate the WET unit to receive the energy wirelessly from the selected other vehicle; and 
 operate the PST to store the received energy.. 
   
     
     
         27 . The vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein the wireless communication hardware is configured to communicate with the one or more other vehicles by visible light communication. 
     
     
         28 . The vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the controller is further configured to receive information indicative of respective planned routes of the plurality of vehicles, and   to select the other vehicle, the controller is configured to determine a temporal intersection and a spatial intersection of a route followed by the first vehicle and a respective planned route of each of the plurality of vehicles.   
     
     
         29 . The vehicle of  claim 28 , wherein the temporal intersection of the route followed by the first vehicle and a particular route followed by a particular vehicle comprises an amount of time for which the first vehicle and the particular vehicle will be travelling on a same path. 
     
     
         30 . The vehicle of  claim 26  wherein to position the first vehicle near the selected vehicle, the controller is configured to alter a route followed by the first vehicle to reach the destination. 
     
     
         31 . The vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein the WET unit is positioned on a front side or a rear side of the vehicle. 
     
     
         32 . A vehicle effective to wirelessly exchange energy with one or more vehicles, the vehicle comprising:
 wireless communication hardware configured to communicate with the plurality of vehicles;   a power storage unit (PSU) configured to store energy;   a wireless energy transfer (WET) unit operatively coupled to the PSI and configured to wirelessly exchange energy with a plurality of vehicles positioned near the vehicle; and   a controller operatively coupled to the wireless communication hardware, the PSU, and the WET unit, wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine energy shortage for the vehicle to reach a destination; 
 transmit, via the wireless communication hardware, a query for energy abundance to the plurality of vehicles; 
 obtain, via the wireless communication hardware and from at least two vehicles among the plurality of vehicles, an affirmative response to the query; 
 select another vehicle, from the at least two vehicles, to wirelessly receive energy based at least on a temporal overlap and a spatial overlap of a mute followed by the vehicle and a respective route followed by each of the at least two vehicles; 
 position the vehicle near the selected other vehicle; 
 operate the WET unit to receive the energy wirelessly from the selected other vehicle; and 
 operate the PST to store the received energy.