Abb Schweiz Ag

Hitachi Energy Switzerland Ag

Abb Power Grids Switzerland Ag

Abb E-mobility B.v.

Other

Hitachi Energy Ltd

Gregory A Cole

William John Eakins

Thomas A Fuhlbrigge

Harshang Shah

Daniel T Lasko

Sangeun Choi

Gregory F Rossano

Biao Zhang

Luiz V Cheim

Poorvi Patel

Martin Krucinski

Saumya Sharma

Andrew Salm

Stefan Rakuff

Carlos Winsor Morato

Sanguen Choi

Jianjun Wang

Matthew Hetrich

Sree Shankar Satheesh Babu

Carlos Martinez

Sang Joon Choi

Stefan Raaijmakers

Harald Josef Staab

Harald Staab

Randy H Kuerti

Sree Shankar

George Q Zhang

Tomas Kozel

Remus Boca

Gregory Scott Fischer

Cajetan Pinto

Qimin Dong

Jonah Kadoko

Joe J Liou

Xiongzi Li

Will J Eakins

Jordi Artigas

Ali Ugur

Hetal V Lakhani

Edward Zhang

Julie Pilitsis

Mark Ruth

Nolan W Nicholas

Carlos W Morato

Alex Riley

Sang Choi

An automated charging system for an electric vehicle is disclosed that includes a plug with a built-in camera assembly. The camera assembly captures images of a charging port of the electric vehicle, which are processed by one or more processors to estimate the location of the charging port relative to the plug. A multi-stage localization architecture is described that includes a gross localization procedure and a fine localization procedure. The gross localization procedure can implement a first convolutional neural network (CNN) to estimate a position of an object in the image. The fine localization procedure can implement a second CNN to estimate a position and orientation of the object. Actuators for moving the plug in a three-dimensional space can be controlled by the multi-stage localization architecture.

Multi-stage autonomous localization architecture for charging electric vehicles

A plug connection system that autonomously charges an electric vehicle (EV) is provided. The method includes: adjusting configuration settings of an image capturing device; capturing an image using the image capturing device, wherein a portion of the image comprises an optically distinctive object associated with a charging portal of the EV, and wherein the image comprises a plurality of pixels; applying a pixel value threshold associated with a pixel metric to the image to filter the plurality of pixels of the image to a first subset of pixels; determining, based on filtering the plurality of pixels to the first subset of pixels, a location of the optically distinctive object associated with the charging portal of the EV within the image; and providing information to maneuver a robotic arm to a physical position associated with the location of the optically distinctive object within the image.

Systems and methods for electric vehicle charging using image capturing devices

A system includes an automatic charging device. The automatic charging device includes a movable arm configured to connect a charging plug head in electric communication with a vehicle inlet of an electric vehicle. The system includes a current detector configured to be in electrical communication with the automatic charging device.

Charge detection for automatic charging systems

A system for servicing a data center using an autonomous vehicle (AV) is provided. The system comprises the AV and the AV is configured to: receive a task to perform within the data center, wherein the data center comprises a plurality of servers associated with a plurality of enterprise organizations; navigate from an initial location within the data center to a new location within the data center along a path extending through a portion of the data center, the path being determined automatically; and while navigating the path and in response to encountering a movable barrier disposed along the path, performing a procedure to bypass the movable barrier such that the AV can continue navigating along the path.

Systems and methods for servicing a data center using autonomous vehicle

An inspection system for inspecting a machine includes an inspection vehicle constructed for wireless operation while submersed in a dielectric liquid medium. The inspection vehicle is self-propelled. A controller is operative to direct the activities of the inspection vehicle. A plurality of status interrogation systems is disposed on the inspection vehicle. The status interrogation systems are operative to capture inspection data regarding a plurality of inspection procedures performed on the machine.

Systems and methods for inspecting a machine

An automated charging system for an electric vehicle is disclosed that includes a plug with a built-in camera assembly. The camera assembly captures images of a charging port of the electric vehicle, which are processed by one or more processors to estimate the location of the charging port relative to the plug. A control system generates signals for one or more actuators to move the plug relative to the charging port, thereby inserting the plug into the charging port to connect a power supply to the electric vehicle. The images may be processed via an image recognition algorithm and/or one or more machine learning algorithms. In an embodiment, the images are processed by a neural network to estimate the location of the charging port relative to the plug. The plug can also include a tapered structure to make fine adjustments to the position or orientation of the plug during connection.

DC pin localization for AC connection of electric vehicles

A charging device autonomously charges an electric vehicle. The charging device includes: a main body and an arm coupled to the main body. The main body is controllably moveable, and the arm is controllably extendable and retractable in a longitudinal direction. A charging plug is included at a distal end of the arm. The charging plug is controllably moveable and insertable into a charging portal of the electric vehicle. The arm comprises: a rigid chain, the rigid chain being compliant in a first direction from a neutral axis and resistant in an opposite second direction past the neutral axis, or at least one scissor arm.

Automatic electric vehicle charging device

Devices, methods and software for automated electrical connector positioning for electric vehicle (EV) charging are provided. Using, for example, the disclosed automatic charging device, a method for charging an EV includes determining receipt of an EV-side electrical connector to a charging zone of an EV charging environment. The method includes actuating a charger-side electrical connector from an initial position outside of the charging zone to a final position inside of the charging zone. The final position corresponds to the charger-side electrical connector matingly engaged with the EV-side electrical connector.

Systems and methods for automated electrical connector positioning for electric vehicle charging

A protective arrangement for an electric vehicle charging system includes a floor unit forming a recess and a linkage disposed in the recess. The linkage is extendable from the recess from a stowed position to an extended position. A cleaning device is disposed to discourage accumulation of debris into the recess and on the linkage when the linkage is in the stowed position.

System and method for electrical vehicle charging system

A submersible inspection drone used for inspection of liquid cooled electrical transformers can include a number of separate cameras for imaging the internal structure of the transformer. The submersible can be configured to communicate to a base station using a wireless transmitter and receiver. The cameras on the submersible can be fixed in place and can be either static or motion picture cameras. The submersible can include an input/output selector capable of switching between the camera images, either through commanded action of a user or through computer based switching. In one form the input/output selector is a multiplexer. The base station can be configured to display images from the cameras one at a time, or can include a number of separate viewing portals in which real time images are displayed. The base station can include a demultiplexer synchronized to the multiplexer of the submersible.

Submersible inspection device and wireless communication with a base station

A charge head is connected to a charge inlet of an electric vehicle to supply an electric charge to recharge the battery of the vehicle. The charge head is attached to a connecting device that moves the charge head to the charge inlet. Multiple light detectors are provided on the charge head to sense light emitted from the vehicle. The system then uses a difference in the amount of light received by different light detectors to determine a direction to move the charge head toward the charge inlet.

Electric vehicle charging using light detection

Systems and methods for automatic restocking different items in retail store environments having POS locations for the items are disclosed. The method includes, for a first item of the different items, storing at least one first item parameter uniquely identifying the first item. The method includes determining, based on the at least one first item parameter, a first autonomous movement control scheme for manipulation of the first item by a robotic arm. The method includes executing, by the robotic arm, the first control scheme, the executing including shelving the first item on the shelf. The method includes evaluating, by a processor or a user of the robotic arm, the executing for the first item according to at least one predetermined first performance criteria. The method includes determining and storing, based on the evaluating, an updated first control scheme for subsequent executing by the robotic arm for the first item.

Robotic manipulation intelligence systems and methods for automatic restocking of items in retail store environments

A tether control system for an inspection vehicle operable in a housing having a liquid medium is disclosed in the present application. The tether system includes a tether connected between the inspection vehicle and an electronic controller. A controllable buoyancy system associated with the tether is operable for moving the tether in a desired location. The controllable buoyancy system includes one or more floating bodies having a propulsion system and one or more buoyant elements having variable buoyancy capabilities.

Tether for an inspection vehicle

A submersible remotely operable vehicle used for inspection of liquid cooled electrical transformers can include a number of separate cameras and sensors for mapping and navigating the internal structure of the transformer with liquid coolant remaining in the transformer. The remotely operable vehicle can be wirelessly controlled to perform various inspection functions while the number of cameras provide video streams for processing to produce a three dimensional field of view based on an observation position of the remotely operable vehicle.

Submersible inspection vehicle with navigation and mapping capabilities

A method is disclosed for inspecting electrical components within a housing. The method may be useful for identifying dust, grime, corrosion, tree-like structures, edges and/or slots on electrical components. The method includes capturing two optical images of an electrical component and comparing the images. Variations in pixels between the two images may be used to generate warnings.

Method and apparatus for imaging analysis of a switchgear or the like

Growing community of inventors

West Hartford, CT, United States of America

Gregory A Cole