Automated electric vehicle charging system and method

Abstract

A system and method for charging an electric vehicle includes identifying vehicle information corresponding to the electric vehicle based on an electronic image of the electric vehicle, retrieving from an electronically stored database a location of a charging port on the electric vehicle based on the vehicle information, and robotically moving a charging connector according to the retrieved location to engage the charging port of the electric vehicle to charge a battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system of charging an electric vehicle, comprising:
 a camera configured to acquire an electronic image of the electric vehicle;   a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to read data stored in an RFID tag mounted on the electric vehicle; and   a processor configured to identify vehicle information corresponding to the electric vehicle based on the electronic image of the electric vehicle acquired by the camera and the data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein identifying the vehicle information comprises comparing the electronic image of the electric vehicle with a plurality of vehicle model candidates stored in an electronic database,   wherein the processor is further configured to:   calculate a similarity measurement for each of the vehicle model candidates stored in the electronic database; and   select a vehicle model candidate having a highest similarity measurement,   wherein the vehicle information is identified using the selected vehicle model candidate.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve from the electronic database a charging location on the electric vehicle based on the selected vehicle model candidate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to verify the retrieved charging location on the electric vehicle using the data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a robotic device configured to move a charging device according to the retrieved charging location to align the charging device with the charging location to charge a battery.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to verify the selected vehicle model candidate using the data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to verify the vehicle information identified based on the electronic image using the data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the identified vehicle information includes at least one of a make of the electric vehicle, a model of the electric vehicle, and a year of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to verify the at least one of the make of the electric vehicle, the model of the electric vehicle, and the year of the electric vehicle using the data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader. 
     
     
         10 . A method of charging an electric vehicle, comprising:
 acquiring an electronic image of the electric vehicle;   reading data stored in a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag mounted on the electric vehicle; and   identifying vehicle information corresponding to the electric vehicle based on the electronic image of the electric vehicle and the data read from the RFID tag.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 ,
 wherein identifying the vehicle information comprises comparing the electronic image of the electric vehicle with a plurality of vehicle model candidates stored in an electronic database,   wherein the method further comprises:   calculating a similarity measurement for each of the vehicle model candidates stored in the electronic database; and   selecting a vehicle model candidate having a highest similarity measurement,   wherein the vehicle information is identified using the selected vehicle model candidate.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 retrieving from the electronic database a charging location on the electric vehicle based on the selected vehicle model candidate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 verifying the retrieved charging location on the electric vehicle using the data read from the RFID tag.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 moving a charging device according to the retrieved charging location to align the charging device with the charging location to charge a battery.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 verifying the selected vehicle model candidate using the data read from the RFID tag.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 verifying the vehicle information identified based on the electronic image using the data read from the RFID tag.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the identified vehicle information includes at least one of a make of the electric vehicle, a model of the electric vehicle, and a year of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 verifying the at least one of the make of the electric vehicle, the model of the electric vehicle, and the year of the electric vehicle using the data read from the RFID tag.   
     
     
         19 . A system of charging an electric vehicle, comprising:
 a charging station, comprising:
 a camera configured to acquire an electronic image of the electric vehicle; and 
 a communication link; and 
   a remote system disposed external to the charging station, and comprising:
 a processor; and 
 an electronic database; 
   wherein the charging station is configured to communicate with the remote system via the communication link,   wherein the processor is configured to identify vehicle information corresponding to the electric vehicle based on the electronic image of the electric vehicle acquired by the camera.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 ,
 wherein identifying the vehicle information comprises comparing the electronic image of the electric vehicle with a plurality of vehicle model candidates stored in the electronic database;   wherein the processor is further configured to:   calculate a similarity measurement for each of the vehicle model candidates stored in the electronic database; and   select a vehicle model candidate having a highest similarity measurement,   wherein the vehicle information is identified using the selected vehicle model candidate.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 retrieve from the electronic database a charging location on the electric vehicle based on the selected vehicle model candidate.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the charging station further comprises:
 a robotic device,   wherein the charging station is configured to receive the retrieved charging location from the remote system via the communication link,   wherein the robotic device is configured to move a charging device according to the retrieved charging location to align the charging device with the charging location to charge a battery.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the camera is further configured to acquire a plurality of images of a field of view; and   the processor is further configured to:   determine whether the electric vehicle has entered the field of view based on an analysis of the plurality of images;   extract a plurality of features of the electric vehicle from each image; and   track a position and pose of the electric vehicle while the electric vehicle is in motion using the extracted features.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the camera is further configured to acquire a plurality of images of a field of view; and   the processor is further configured to:   determine whether the electric vehicle has entered the field of view based on an analysis of the plurality of images;   extract a plurality of features of the electric vehicle from each image; and   verify a location of a charging location on the electric vehicle and guide a charging device towards the charging location by tracking a position and pose of the electric vehicle while the electric vehicle is in motion using the extracted features.