The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 28, 2012
Filed:
Oct. 05, 2011
Paul Dewitt Frey, San Francisco, CA (US);
Martin Forest Eberhard, San Carlos, CA (US);
Scott Ira Kohn, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Malcolm Sloan Smith, Palo Alto, CA (US);
David Frederick Lyons, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Paul DeWitt Frey, San Francisco, CA (US);
Martin Forest Eberhard, San Carlos, CA (US);
Scott Ira Kohn, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Malcolm Sloan Smith, Palo Alto, CA (US);
David Frederick Lyons, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Tesla Motors, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
One embodiment of the present subject matter includes a battery mounted to a vehicle, with a charge state circuit located in the electric vehicle and coupled to the battery, the charge state circuit configured to provide a charge state signal indicative of the charge state of the battery. The embodiment includes a charging coupler port located proximate to a user accessible exterior of the electrical vehicle and coupled to the battery, the charging coupler port to conduct charging energy to the battery and to provide a charger connection signal indicative of a connection to an external power source. The embodiment also includes a lighting circuit coupled to the charging coupler port and the charge state circuit to control the brightness and color of an illuminated indicator responsive to the charge state signal and the charger connection signal.