CN111833646A

CN111833646A - Method for detecting whether a charging post of an electric vehicle is accessible

Info

Publication number: CN111833646A
Application number: CN202010304293.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: T.施蒂乔夫斯基; D.施赖纳; D.N.基青斯基; A.兰格
Original assignee: Volkswagen AG
Current assignee: Volkswagen AG
Priority date: 2019-04-18
Filing date: 2020-04-17
Publication date: 2020-10-27
Also published as: DE102019205707A1

Abstract

Method for identifying whether a charging post of an electric vehicle is reachable. The invention relates to a method for detecting whether a charging post (4, 6) of an electric vehicle (2, 2a, 2 b) is accessible, wherein an environment in the vicinity of the charging post (4, 6) is detected by means of at least one imaging sensor (24 a-d) separate from the charging post (4, 6), which environment comprises at least one defined charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) of the charging post (4, 6), and at least one image record (28 a-d) of the environment is generated, and wherein in the at least one image record (28 a-d) an image recognition is carried out with respect to the access to the at least one charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b), and corresponding status information (32) is transmitted to a central control unit (36), which is set up for detecting a plurality of charging posts (4, 6) separated from one another in space, 6) The status information (32).

Description

Method for detecting whether a charging post of an electric vehicle is accessible

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for detecting whether a charging post of an electric vehicle is accessible, wherein status information relating to the charging post is transmitted to a central control unit, which is set up to detect status information of a plurality of spatially separated charging posts.

Background

At present, electric vehicles have shorter range than motor vehicles with internal combustion engines. Motor vehicles with internal combustion engines often have ranges of several hundred kilometers greater, while electric vehicles often have ranges of several hundred kilometers less. It is also difficult to travel long distances using electric vehicles: the time demand for supplementing electric energy on the charging pile is far higher than the refueling time of gasoline or diesel oil. For this reason, it is particularly important for the user of the electric vehicle to be able to plan the charging process as reliably as possible. In this case, the current status information that the charging post can provide through the internet-based service is very interesting. If, for example, maintenance is performed on the charging post or there is damage, the internal diagnostic function of the charging post may provide this information to the service so that potential users access the service via the internet.

However, the following may also occur: the passage to the charging post is blocked or blocked for other reasons, and the limitation of this passage circumvents the sensing means available in the charging post and the diagnostic pathways present there. For example, a charging parking space of a charging post that is provided for a charging process may be occupied by a vehicle that is not currently being charged. Furthermore, the passage to an otherwise empty charging parking space may be blocked by a parked motor vehicle or by other mechanical obstacles. In this case, neither charging at the charging post nor sending information to other relevant traffic members is possible, so that the following risks may arise: if the alternative charging post cannot be driven in time, the electric vehicle, which is already fixedly planned to carry out the required charging process on a specific charging post, stops on the road because charging cannot be carried out.

In principle it is possible to: the charging post is equipped with an additional sensor device for detecting whether it is physically accessible, which is associated with additional costs and is therefore preferably to be avoided. Existing charging posts are provided with such additional sensors for detecting close proximity to the charging post. However, since such sensor devices are far from being used nationwide in charging posts, it is not practical to construct a reliable plan for the charging process on this basis.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is therefore based on the task of: a method is described for a charging post for an electric vehicle, by means of which physical obstacles to the use of the charging post for a charging process can be reliably identified and which can be implemented for national use as far as possible without additional modifications to existing charging posts.

According to the invention, the object mentioned is achieved by a method for detecting whether a charging post of an electric vehicle is reachable, wherein a surrounding environment in the vicinity of the charging post, which surrounding environment comprises at least one defined charging parking space of the charging post, is detected by means of at least one imaging sensor that is separate from the charging post; at least one image record of the surroundings is generated, and image recognition is carried out in the at least one image record with respect to access to at least one charging parking space; and corresponding status information is transmitted to a central control unit, which is set up to detect status information of a plurality of spatially separated charging posts. Advantageous and partly inventive designs appear per se are the subject matter of the dependent claims and the subsequent description.

In this case, the charging post generally comprises any individually definable charging device for electric vehicles, which charging device does not necessarily have to be realized in the form of a pole, but can also be implemented, for example, as a plurality of charging parking spaces in front of a wall from which a corresponding number of charging cables can be led out and respectively connected to electric vehicles parked on the corresponding charging parking spaces. In this case, the spatially separate charging posts include, in particular, charging posts which have a short distance between them and/or which cannot be included in an image record at the same time.

In this case, whether a charging post for an electric vehicle is accessible is to be understood in particular as whether it is physically or spatially accessible. In this regard, a charging post is only said to be reachable, in particular when there are no mechanical obstacles that for an electric vehicle may prevent the charging post from reaching the intended location for the charging process. In this case, the predetermined position for the charging process is provided, in particular, by the associated charging parking space of the charging post. In this case, the charging post may also have more than one defined charging parking space in the surrounding environment in the vicinity thereof.

The surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post include, in particular, the surroundings of the charging post relevant for identifying whether the charging post is accessible, i.e., in particular one and preferably all prescribed charging parking spaces of the charging post, and for each prescribed charging parking space also a direct passage, i.e., a section of road next to the relevant charging parking space, for example.

In the context of the present invention, an imaging sensor includes any sensor which, according to its operating principle, is suitable for converting the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post into an image record, without it being necessary here to detect the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post by means of optical methods. For example, the imaging sensor can also be provided by an ultrasound sensor, wherein the emitted and reflected ultrasound signals are imaged in a graphical manner in correspondence. In particular, conventional cameras or infrared cameras (IR) as well as radar systems and laser systems can also be considered as imaging sensors. Preferably, a plurality of image recordings of the surroundings of the charging post in the vicinity are generated by at least one imaging sensor, in particular by a plurality of imaging sensors, wherein image recognition is carried out in all image recordings. In this way, on the one hand, those image records with the best imaging quality (according to a predefined standard) can be used for image recognition, so that the most reliable image recognition is possible in these image records. On the other hand, when there are a plurality of image records, majority decision can be performed in a case where the result of image recognition is not reasonable.

In this case, the image recognition is preferably carried out in a superordinate application into which the at least one imaging sensor is incorporated. In the case of an imaging sensor arranged in the motor vehicle (as part of the driving assistance system), the image recognition is preferably also carried out in the motor vehicle, preferably with the use of an infrastructure for image recognition provided by the driving assistance system. If the imaging sensor is arranged in a mobile phone or tablet PC, image recognition can be performed by a corresponding mobile application, which is directly tied to a photo application (Foto-App). In particular, image recognition can be carried out in the image records with regard to the passage to the at least one charging parking space, so that one or more image records of an empty charging parking space are registered for image comparison, and objects in the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post can be recognized as a function of the registered image records of an empty charging parking space.

In this case, the central control unit is in particular a central control unit of a management system for managing a plurality of charging posts and, if necessary, for allocating charging posts in a corresponding manner when a user of the electric vehicle expresses a charging desire. In this case, the concept of a central control unit should not necessarily lead to the idea of a centralized computer architecture, rather in this case the status information and possibly other information about a plurality of spatially separated charging posts should be detected centrally as a function of the foreground. In this respect, the central control unit can in this case also be realized in particular via a cloud network.

Preferably, the status information of the charging post comprises, in addition to the identification of the corresponding charging post (e.g. by geographical allocation), a description as to whether the charging parking space is free or whether the charging parking space is occupied by a vehicle or whether there is a blockage for another reason. If for example: if the passage to the charging parking space is blocked by a vehicle parked in front of the charging parking space in the section of road forming the passage, the corresponding status information in the central control unit can first begin a waiting time and issue an alarm prompt if a vehicle blockage is detected again after the waiting time has expired, for example the manager of the central control unit can report the alarm prompt to the police or to a traffic authority. For this reason, the status information in the case, for example, where a fallen tree blocks a charging parking space may likewise comprise a corresponding description, for example coded as "having a natural obstacle that was not expected in advance". In this case, the administrator of the central control unit can, depending on the description, report the authorities and/or prompt the removal of the obstacle present due to this tree.

By detecting the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post by means of an imaging sensor separate from the charging post in the manner according to the invention, physical access obstacles to the charging post can be reliably detected and corresponding information can be transmitted to the operator or a central control center, so that this information can be taken into account when allocating charging posts and when making inquiries due to charging wishes. In this case, the wide availability of imaging sensors in road traffic is exploited by driving assistance systems in motor vehicles, but also in mobile telephones.

Preferably, in this case, the or each imaging sensor is incorporated into or forms part of a driving assistance system of the motor vehicle. This makes it possible to use high-quality imaging sensors in motor vehicles, which, due to traffic, often drive past the charging post in the region of these imaging sensors. In addition, the motor vehicle with the driver assistance system also has a corresponding communication unit for transmitting the state information to the central control unit. On the other hand, image recording is performed by the imaging sensors of the motor vehicle according to strictly regulated and standardized conditions. For example, the imaging sensors of the driver assistance system are always arranged in the motor vehicle at the same distance above the ground, i.e. above the traffic lane, which considerably simplifies the subsequent image recognition. In addition, image recognition of obstacles of the mechanical/physical type is a function implemented in many driver assistance systems, so that these image recognition capabilities provided in the motor vehicle are accessible to current methods.

In order to carry out the method, therefore, the infrastructure which is present there can be used in the motor vehicle. Due to this, due to the increasing popularity of driving assistance systems, very careful inspection of existing charging piles is possible.

In this case, a camera, which is arranged in particular in the motor vehicle, detects the surroundings of the charging post as the at least one imaging sensor and generates the at least one image recording. The use of a camera, i.e. in particular a conventional camera, for image recording in the visible spectrum has the following advantages: the technology of image recognition in image recordings produced by conventional cameras is very advanced and therefore a particularly reliable recognition of obstacles is possible. In addition, large libraries exist for image recognition, which for this purpose need only be stored in the computer unit of the motor vehicle which carries out the image recognition.

It has proven to be further advantageous: sensors arranged in the motor vehicle, which are provided by means of IR cameras and/or radar systems and/or laser systems and/or ultrasound systems, detect the surroundings of the charging post as the at least one imaging sensor and generate the at least one image recording. In this case, the laser system preferably comprises a laser scanner, which is set up in particular for distance detection of objects. These sensors are in many motor vehicles provided as part of a driver assistance system. In this case, the image recognition can preferably also be carried out on the basis of a plurality of image recordings which are generated in particular by means of different image recording methods. Thereby, the reliability of recognizing the obstacle can be further improved.

Advantageously, it is recognized here from the motor vehicle that: the charging post is in the range of action suitable for detection by means of the at least one imaging sensor, wherein then detection and/or image recognition of the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post is initiated with regard to the passage to the at least one charging parking space. In particular, the first-mentioned identification step is carried out by means of a navigation system and/or a "primary" image recognition based on GPS data and/or only on the presence/proximity of the charging post, and then the detection of the surroundings of the charging post with regard to whether the charging post is physically accessible and/or the image recognition is carried out.

If the surroundings are continuously detected by sensors of the motor vehicle or if such detection has already been initiated for other reasons (for example due to a parking process), image recognition can be initiated as to whether the charging post is physically accessible when the presence of the charging post is recognized within the range of the sensors. The mentioned practice allows: for the method, the resources of the motor vehicle are optimally used as required with regard to image detection and/or image recognition; and correspondingly avoids the use of electrical power and/or computational power for image recognition when such image recognition is not required.

The image recognition is expediently carried out in the at least one image recording on a computer unit arranged in the motor vehicle, wherein the state information is transmitted to the central control unit via a communication system local to the motor vehicle. In this case, in particular, a computer unit and/or a communication unit of a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle can be used. In order to carry out the method, therefore, the infrastructure which is present there can be used in the motor vehicle. Due to this, due to the increasing popularity of driving assistance systems, very careful inspection of existing charging piles is possible.

In an alternative embodiment, a camera of the mobile telephone or tablet PC is used as the at least one imaging sensor to detect the surroundings of the charging post. Due to the widespread use of mobile telephones in particular, very careful inspection of existing charging posts is also possible. In addition, image recognition may be performed using computing capabilities also present in the mobile phone or tablet PC, and an existing communication system (e.g., via 3/4/5G, LTE or a W-LAN connection) may be used for transmission to the central control unit.

Expediently, the image recognition is carried out with respect to physical obstacles blocking access to the at least one charging parking space, wherein the status information is used to transmit corresponding instructions that are not reachable with respect to the charging parking space of the charging post. In this case, the physical obstacle includes in particular a motor vehicle which is parked on the charging parking space or completely or partially blocks the passage to the charging parking space, but also a natural obstacle such as an inverted tree or the like. The status information may contain a purely binary value statement about the unreachable aspect of the charging parking space, but may also contain statements about typical situations, such as "having a motor vehicle on the charging parking space"/"having a motor vehicle in front of the charging parking space" or "having another obstacle" when an obstacle other than a motor vehicle is identified, for example.

Expediently, an image recognition is carried out with respect to the number of freely accessible defined charging parking spaces of the charging post, wherein the status information is used to transmit corresponding instructions with respect to the respective number. Via this, it is possible to detect in the central control unit: how many charging paths are available on a charging station with a plurality of charging posts for simultaneous charging.

In an advantageous embodiment, image recognition is carried out with regard to the occupation of a charging parking space by a motor vehicle and also with regard to the connection of the relevant motor vehicle to the charging cable of the charging post, wherein the status information is used to carry out a corresponding specification with regard to the respective occupied charging parking space or occupied charging cable. Via this, it is possible to detect in the central control unit: a motor vehicle (independent of whether it is an electric vehicle and therefore a potential user of the charging post) occupies the charging parking space without a charging process being carried out here. This information can then be used, for example, to estimate the expected parking time of the respective vehicle in the charging parking space.

The invention also refers to a motor vehicle comprising: at least one imaging sensor, which is set up to generate an image recording of the surroundings in the vicinity of a charging post for an electric vehicle; a computer unit which is set up to carry out image recognition in the image recording with regard to the passage to at least one charging parking space of the charging post and to generate corresponding status information; and a communication system which is set up to transmit the status information to a central control unit spatially separated from the motor vehicle. The advantages described for the method and for the method variants can be transferred analogously to the motor vehicle. In particular, the at least one imaging sensor is designed as a camera or as part of a radar system, a laser system or an ultrasound system. Preferably, the motor vehicle has a plurality of imaging sensors, wherein in particular more than one imaging mode can be used. In particular, the or each imaging sensor and/or the computer unit and/or the communication system may be provided as part of a driving assistance system of the motor vehicle.

Drawings

Subsequently, embodiments of the invention are further elucidated on the basis of the drawing. In this case, schematically:

fig. 1 shows a charging station for charging an electric vehicle and a detection of whether a charging parking space of the charging station is available in a top view;

fig. 2 shows a top view of a charging station according to fig. 1 with a changed availability and detection of the availability; while

Fig. 3 shows the charging station according to fig. 1 and an alternative detection of whether a charging parking space is available in a top view.

In all the figures, parts and parameters corresponding to each other are provided with the same reference numerals, respectively.

Detailed Description

Now, one embodiment of a method for identifying whether a charging post of an electric vehicle is reachable is described. For this purpose, fig. 1 schematically shows a charging station 1 for an electric vehicle. In this case, the charging station 1 has

individual charging posts

4, 6, by means of which the electric vehicle 2 can be charged. For the respective charging process, two charging

parking spaces

8a, 8b or 10a, 10b are respectively provided in front of the charging

posts

4, 6, which are located immediately adjacent to the respective charging

post

4 or 6, so that, as shown in the present case, the electric vehicle 2 parked in the charging parking space 10b can be charged via the charging cable 12b of the charging post 6. The charging parking space 10a which is also assigned to the charging post 6 is in the present case unoccupied, and correspondingly the assigned charging cable 12a is also completely located on the charging post 6.

A fallen tree 14, which is located as a mechanical obstacle 16 on the charging parking space 8b assigned to the charging post 4, completely obstructs access to the charging parking space 10b, so that a charging process on this charging parking space 10b is not possible. The carrier vehicle 18, which is used in the present case on site to remove the fallen tree 14, also constitutes a mechanical obstacle 16 because it partially blocks the passage to the charging parking space 10a, so that this charging parking space cannot be used in the illustrated case either. Correspondingly, charging cannot be performed at all on the charging pile 4.

Now, a motor vehicle 20 is approaching the charging station 1. In the first position 20a of the motor vehicle 20, the charging station 1 is still outside the range of action, whereas in the second position 20b, after the further approach of the motor vehicle 20, the navigation system 22 of the motor vehicle 20 recognizes: the charging station 1 is sufficiently close to the motor vehicle 20. Correspondingly,

imaging sensors

24a, 24b in the motor vehicle 20 are activated, which imaging sensors are given in the present case by a

camera

26a or 26b of a not further illustrated driving assistance system of the motor vehicle 20.

Camera 26a now detects charging

parking spaces

8a, 8b assigned to charging post 4 due to its positioning on motor vehicle 20, while camera 26b correspondingly detects charging

parking spaces

10a, 10b assigned to charging post 6. In this case,

corresponding image records

28a, 28b are generated by the

cameras

26a, 26b, which are forwarded to the computer unit 30 in the motor vehicle 20. In this case, the computer unit 30 can in particular likewise be part of the driving assistance system. In the computer unit 30, image recognition is now carried out on the

image recordings

28a, 28b in order to evaluate the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging

posts

4, 6, and in particular to identify possible obstacles 16 which may block access to the charging

parking spaces

8a, 8b, 10a, 10 b. In this regard, it is now identified that: charging

parking spaces

8a, 8b and 10b are respectively blocked by obstacle 16; also in this case, an obstacle 16 is present on the charging parking space 10b due to the vehicle connected to the charging cable 12b and therefore likely to perform the charging process.

Subsequently, the computer unit 30 generates status information 32, which in this connection contains the corresponding specifications, and transmits this status information via a communication unit 34 of the motor vehicle 20, in particular also used by the driver assistance system and the navigation system 22, to a central control unit 36 of the management system for the charging process. In this case, the status information 32 may also contain an explanation about: charging parking space 10b is not reachable because of the currently apparently ongoing charging process of electric vehicle 2, since the time period for occupying charging parking space 10b can be better estimated if necessary. Likewise, it is recognized that the charging parking space 10a is currently reachable, and here too, status information 32 including a corresponding description is generated and correspondingly transmitted to the central control unit 36.

In this case, the central control unit 36 is spatially separated from the motor vehicle 20 and can receive similar status information from a plurality of motor vehicles with regard to other charging posts. In this case, the central control unit 36 plans a charging process for a plurality of electric vehicles, wherein in addition, in particular, electric vehicles with a pressing charging demand can be made to find nearby charging stations, and the individual charging stations can also be reserved beforehand as a function of whether they are available or not. This status information is included by the central control unit 36 together with the planning process.

In fig. 2, the charging station 1 according to fig. 1 is schematically shown in a top view, wherein the passage to the charging post 4 is now no longer blocked by the fallen tree 14 and the carrier vehicle 18. Correspondingly, the charging

parking spaces

8a, 8b are occupied by

electric vehicles

2a, 2b, wherein the electric vehicle 2b is connected to the charging post 4 via a charging cable 11b and correspondingly performs the charging process. Now, similarly to the motor vehicle 20 in fig. 1, in the electric vehicle 2b the imaging sensors 24a-d, which are designed as cameras 26a-d, detect the surroundings in the vicinity of the electric vehicle 2b and thus also in the vicinity of the charging post 4 on which the electric vehicle 2b performs its charging process.

In this case, it is now detected, on the one hand, by

cameras

26a, 26b that charging parking space 10a of charging post 6 is unoccupied and charging parking space 10b is occupied by electric vehicle 2, wherein it is likewise detected that electric vehicle 2 is connected to charging cable 12 b. Furthermore, by the

cameras

26c, 26 d: charging parking space 8a is occupied by a vehicle (i.e. electric vehicle 2 a), wherein, however, no connection to charging cable 11a is detected, which is still completely located on charging post 4. These detected reality on the generated image recordings 28a-d are recognized in the computer unit 30 by image recognition and status information 32 with the corresponding description is transmitted to the central control unit 36.

Fig. 3 schematically shows charging station 1 according to fig. 1 in the same situation, i.e. charging parking space 10b is occupied by electric vehicle 2, while charging

parking spaces

8a and 8b are blocked by carrier vehicle 18 or fallen tree 14, and charging parking space 10a is free. In the exemplary embodiment of the method shown in fig. 3, a camera 26a of a mobile telephone 40 is used as the imaging sensor 24 a. In this case, a user of the mobile telephone 40, not shown in any more detail, can generate an image record 28a of the charging station 1 with its charging

parking spaces

8a, 8b, 10a, 10b, from which corresponding status information 32 about the passage to the charging

parking spaces

8a, 8b, 10a, 10b is generated by image recognition, which is executed in the mobile telephone 40 as an application or program routine. The status information 32 is then transmitted by the mobile phone 40 to the central control unit 36 via the mobile phone's internet connection 42.

While the invention has been further illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments. From which a person skilled in the art can derive other variants without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

List of reference numerals

1 charging station

2. 2a, 2b electric vehicle

4 fill electric pile

6 fill electric pile

8a, 8b charging parking space

10a, 10b charging parking space

11a, 11b charging cable

12a, 12b charging cable

14 fallen tree

16 (mechanical) obstacle

18 carrying vehicle

20 motor vehicle

20a (of the motor vehicle) first position

20b (of the motor vehicle) second position

22 navigation system

24a-d imaging sensor

26a-d camera

28a-d image recording

30 computer unit

32 state information

34 communication unit/communication system

36 central control unit

40 Mobile telephone

42 internet connection

Claims

1. A method for identifying whether a charging post (4, 6) of an electric vehicle (2, 2a, 2 b) is reachable,

wherein the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post (4, 6) are detected by means of at least one imaging sensor (24 a-d) separate from the charging post (4, 6), wherein the surroundings comprise at least one defined charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) of the charging post (4, 6), and wherein at least one image recording (28 a-d) of the surroundings is generated, and wherein

Wherein in the at least one image recording (28 a-d) an image recognition is carried out with regard to the passage to the at least one charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) and corresponding status information (32) is transmitted to a central control unit (36) which is set up to detect status information (32) of a plurality of spatially separated charging posts (4, 6).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,

wherein a camera (26 a-d) arranged in the motor vehicle (20, 2 b) detects the surroundings of the charging post (4, 6) as the at least one imaging sensor (24 a-d) and generates the at least one image recording (28 a-d).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein sensors arranged in the motor vehicle (20, 2 b) and provided by means of infrared cameras and/or radar systems and/or laser systems and/or ultrasound systems detect the surroundings of the charging post (4, 6) as the at least one imaging sensor (24 a-d) and generate the at least one image recording (28 a-d).

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3,

wherein, starting from the motor vehicle (20, 2 b), it is recognized that: the charging posts (4, 6) are in an action range suitable for detection by means of the at least one imaging sensor (24 a-d), and

wherein the detection of the surroundings in the vicinity of the charging post (4, 6) and/or the image recognition are then started with regard to the passage to the at least one charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b).

5. The method according to one of claims 2 to 4,

wherein the image recognition is carried out on a computer unit (30) arranged in the motor vehicle (20, 2 b) in the at least one image recording (28 a-d), and

wherein the status information (32) is transmitted to the central control unit (36) via a communication system (34) local to the motor vehicle (20, 2 b).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,

wherein a camera (26 a) of a mobile phone (40) or tablet PC as the at least one imaging sensor (24 a) detects the surroundings of the charging post (4, 6).

7. The method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the image recognition is performed with respect to a physical obstacle (16) blocking access to the at least one charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b), and further wherein

Wherein the status information (32) is used to transmit a corresponding statement that the charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) of the charging post (4, 6) is not reachable.

8. The method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the image recognition is carried out with respect to the number of freely accessible defined charging parking spaces (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) of the charging posts (4, 6), and wherein

Wherein the status information (32) is used to transmit corresponding specifications regarding the respective number.

9. The method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the image recognition is carried out with regard to the occupation of the charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) by the motor vehicle (2, 2a, 2 b) and also with regard to the connection of the charging cable (11 a, 11b, 12a, 12 b) of the relevant motor vehicle (2, 2a, 2 b) to the charging post (4, 6), and furthermore

Wherein the status information is used to carry out a corresponding specification of the respective occupied charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) or occupied charging cable (11 a, 11b, 12a, 12 b).

10. A motor vehicle (20, 2 b) comprising:

-at least one imaging sensor (24 a-d) which is set up to generate an image recording (28 a-d) of the surroundings in the vicinity of a charging pole (4, 6) for an electric vehicle (2, 2a, 2 b);

-a computer unit (30) which is set up to perform image recognition in the image recording (28 a-d) with respect to the passage to at least one charging parking space (8 a, 8b, 10a, 10 b) of the charging post (4, 6) and to generate corresponding status information (32); and

-a communication system (34) set up to transmit the status information (32) to a central control unit (32) spatially separated from the motor vehicle (20, 2 b).