CHARGING BEACON

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that provide for receiving a notification of a vehicle to be charged by a charging station having a plurality of chargers. Information identifying a first one of the plurality of chargers may be communicated to the vehicle in response to the notification. Example systems for charging vehicles via a plurality of chargers may include a processor configured to receive a notification of a vehicle approaching a charging station comprising the plurality of chargers. The processor may also be configured to determine a first one of the plurality of chargers for charging the vehicle. The system may also include a first visual identifier located at a first one of the plurality of chargers. The processor may be configured to activate the selective visual identifier to communicate the first one of the plurality of chargers to the vehicle.

Description

Claims

1. A method, comprising: receiving a notification of a vehicle to be charged by a charging station comprising a plurality of chargers;in response to the notification, determining a first one of the plurality of chargers to be used to charge the vehicle; andvisually communicating information identifying the first one of the plurality of chargers to be used.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the first one of the plurality of chargers based upon a state of charge of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first one of the plurality of chargers is determined based upon a comparison of the state of charge of the vehicle to a state of charge of an additional vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the first one of the plurality of chargers based upon a charging capacity of a first charging source supplying electrical power to a first subset of the plurality of chargers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first one of the plurality of chargers is determined based upon a comparison of the charging capacity of the first charging source with a charging capacity of a second charging source supplying electrical power to a second subset of the plurality of chargers, exclusive of the first subset of the plurality of chargers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein visually communicating information identifying the first one of the plurality of chargers to the user of the vehicle includes activating a first visual identifier at the one of the plurality of chargers, wherein the first visual identifier includes a first color associated to the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein visually communicating information identifying the first one of the plurality of chargers to the user of the vehicle further comprises the vehicle displaying the first color to the user on a vehicle display.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising visually communicating information identifying a second one of the plurality of chargers to an additional vehicle approaching the charging station with a second visual identifier comprising a second color distinct from the first color.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising communicating a second one of the plurality of chargers to an additional vehicle approaching the charging station with a second visual identifier, wherein the first visual identifier and the second visual identifier each include a variation synchronized with a time window.

10. A system for charging vehicles via a plurality of chargers, the system comprising: a processor, configured to: receive a notification of a vehicle to be charged by a charging station comprising the plurality of chargers; andin response to the notification, determine a first one of the plurality of chargers for charging the vehicle; anda first visual identifier located at a first one of the plurality of chargers, wherein the processor is configured to activate the first visual identifier to communicate the first one of the plurality of chargers to be used.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine the first one of the plurality of chargers based upon a state of charge of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to determine the first one of the plurality of chargers based upon a comparison of the state of charge of the vehicle to a state of charge of an additional vehicle.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine the first one of the plurality of chargers based upon a charging capacity of a first charging source supplying electrical power to a first subset of the plurality of chargers.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to determine the first one of the plurality of chargers based upon a comparison of the charging capacity of the first charging source with a charging capacity of a second charging source supplying electrical power to a second subset of the plurality of chargers, exclusive of the first subset of the plurality of chargers.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first visual identifier includes a first color associated to the vehicle, and wherein the system comprises a second visual identifier located at a second one of the plurality of chargers, the second visual identifier comprising a second color distinct from the first color.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first visual identifier includes a plurality of selectively activated colors or movement patterns.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to communicate one of a plurality of distinct charging statuses to the vehicle via the first visual identifier, the plurality of distinct charging statuses each associated with a different one of the plurality of selectively activated colors or movement patterns.

18. A system for charging vehicles via a plurality of chargers, the system comprising: a processor, configured to: receive a notification of a vehicle to be charged by a charging station comprising the plurality of chargers; andin response to the notification, determine a first one of the plurality of chargers for charging the vehicle;a first visual identifier located at a first one of the plurality of chargers; anda second visual identifier located at a second one of the plurality of chargers;wherein the processor is configured to activate one of the first visual identifier or the second visual identifier to the vehicle to identify the first one of the plurality of chargers to be used.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second visual identifiers each include a plurality of selectively activated colors or movement patterns.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to communicate one of a plurality of distinct charging statuses of the first one of the plurality of chargers and the second one of the plurality of chargers via the first visual identifier and the second visual identifier, respectively, wherein the plurality of distinct charging statuses are each associated with a different one of the plurality of selectively activated colors or movement patterns.