GB2593850A

GB2593850A - Apparatus for transferring electrical power to or from an electric vehicle, and control method thereof

Info

Publication number: GB2593850A
Application number: GB2111094.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vepari Auroskanda
Original assignee: IPFT Fuels Ltd
Current assignee: IPFT Fuels Ltd
Priority date: 2019-07-04
Filing date: 2019-07-04
Publication date: 2021-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2039-07-04
Also published as: GB202111094D0; GB2593850B

Abstract

An apparatus 100 for transferring electrical power to, or from, an electrical vehicle (EV) includes: a first connector 101 disposed beneath an EV parking space, and engageable with a second, EV connector 111; one or more sensors 102 that detect a current position of the second connector, relative to the first connector; and adjustment mechanism 103; a controller 106; and a power circuit 107. The controller receives information, indicating the current position of the first connector, relative to the second connect, from the sensors and determines an adjustment required to align the connectors. Information, indicative of a range of the adjustment mechanism, is transmitted to the EV. The adjustment mechanism re-positions the first connector according to the determined adjustment then the connectors are engaged to make an electrical connection. The power circuit transfers electrical power to, or from, the EV via the electrical connection. The sensors capture an image (e.g. visible, infrared, ultrasonic) of the underside of the EV which may be transmitted to the EV to assist a user in approximately aligning the connectors. A machine learning algorithm may assign the captured image to an image class, each image class corresponding to a different position of the second connector in the captured image. The required adjustment may be determined by retrieving a stored predetermined adjustment associated with the assigned image class.

Description

Apparatus for Transferring Electrical Power to or from an Electric Vehicle, and Control Method Thereof

Technical Field

The present invention relates to apparatus for transferring electrical power to or from an electric vehicle, and to a control method thereof.

Background

Electric vehicles can provide a more environmentally-friendly alternative to vehicles ic) that rely on other forms of propulsion, such as petrol and diesel engines. The popularity of electric vehicles has increased significantly in recent years. However, some consumers may be deterred from adopting electric vehicles due to concerns over availability of charging points at which a battery of the electric vehicle can be recharged.

One drawback of existing charging points is the cabinet that houses the associated hardware, which is typically similar in size to a conventional petrol or diesel pump. in an urban environment it may not be possible to install charging points in areas with limited kerbside space, for example narrow residential streets. This drawback can deter homeowners and local authorities from installing new charging points, which in turn may delay the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

The invention is made in this context.

-0 or Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for transferring electrical power to or from an electric vehicle, comprising: a first connector engageable with a second connector on an electric vehicle, the first connector being disposed beneath a space in which the electric vehicle may be parked; one or more sensors configured to detect a current position of the second connector relative to the first connector; an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of the first connector; a controller configured to receive information from the one or more sensors indicative of the current position of the first connector relative to the second connector, determine an adjustment required to align the first connector with the second connector in dependence on the information received from the one or more sensors, control the adjustment mechanism in accordance with the determined adjustment to align the first and second connectors, and engage the first connector with the second connector once aligned to thereby make an electrical connection for transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle; and a power circuit configured to transfer electrical power to or from the electric vehicle via said electrical connection.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, one or more of the controller, power circuit, adjustment mechanism and one or more sensors are disposed beneath a ground level of the space in which the electric vehicle may be parked.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the apparatus comprises a connector housing in which the first connector is installed, wherein an uppermost surface of the connector housing is disposed at or below a ground level of the space in which the electric vehicle may be parked.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the one or more sensors are disposed so as to capture an image of the underside of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is situated in the space above the first connector.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the controller is configured to use a machine learning algorithm to assign the captured image to one of a plurality of image classes each corresponding to a different position of the second connector in the captured image, and is configured to determine the required adjustment by retrieving a stored predetermined adjustment associated with the assigned image class.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the apparatus is configured to transmit the captured image to the electric vehicle in which the electric vehicle is being parked in the space above the first connector, to assist a user of the electric vehicle in approximately aligning the second connector with the first connector.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the captured image comprises an image captured at visible wavelengths, or an infrared image, or an ultrasound image.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the apparatus is configured to transmit information indicative of a range of the adjustment mechanism to the electric vehicle. -3 -

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the information indicative of a range of the adjustment mechanism comprises a bounding box overlaid on the captured image to indicate an area within which the first connector is capable of being positioned 5 by the adjustment mechanism.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the controller is configured to determine whether the electric vehicle is positioned such that the second connector is beyond a range of the adjustment mechanism, and is configured to transmit a _to misalignment notification message to the electric vehicle in dependence on a determination that the second connector is beyond a range of the adjustment mechanism.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the apparatus comprises means for /5 detecting and/or removing an obstruction from a path between the first and second connectors.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the first connector is configured to be extendable in a first direction towards the second connector to engage the first connector with the second connector, and the adjustment mechanism is configured to move the first connector in a plane inclined with respect to the first direction to adjust the position of the first connector.

In some embodiments according to the first aspect, the electric vehicle is an 25 automobile.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for transferring electrical power to or from an electric vehicle, comprising: memory arranged to store computer program instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the computer program instructions stored in the memory, wherein when executed by the one or more processors, the computer program instructions are adapted to cause the apparatus to: receive information from one or more sensors indicative of the current position of a first connector relative to a second connector disposed on an electric vehicle, the first connector being engageable with the second connector; determine an adjustment required to align the first connector with the second connector in dependence on the information received from the one or more -4 -sensors; control an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of the first connector, in accordance with the determined adjustment to align the first and second connectors; engage the first connector with the second connector once aligned to thereby make an electrical connection for transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle; and transfer electrical power to or from the electric vehicle via said electrical connection, using the power circuit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method of an electric vehicle charging apparatus comprising a first connector engageable with a rn second connector on an electric vehicle, the first connector being disposed beneath a space in which the electric vehicle may be parked, one or more sensors configured to detect a current position of the second connector relative to the first connector, an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of the first connector, and a power circuit configured to transfer electrical power to or from the electric vehicle, the /5 method comprising: receiving information from the one or more sensors indicative of the current position of the first connector relative to the second connector; determining an adjustment required to align the first connector with the second connector in dependence on the information received from the one or more sensors; controlling the adjustment mechanism in accordance with the determined adjustment to align the first and second connectors; engaging the first connector with the second connector once aligned to thereby make an electrical connection for transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle; and transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle via said electrical connection, using the power circuit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of a method according to the second aspect.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-volatile 30 computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program according to the fourth aspect.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, 35 with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: -5 -Figure 1 illustrates an apparatus for transferring electric power to or from an electric vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of aligning and engaging the first and second connectors of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 illustrates a system enabling wireless communication between the electric vehicle and the apparatus of Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the present /o invention.

Detailed Description

In the following detailed description, only certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, simply by way of illustration. As those skilled in the art would realise, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

Referring now to Fig. 1, an apparatus for transferring electric power to or from an electric vehicle is illustrated, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 100 comprises a first connector 101 configured to be engageable with a second connector m on an electric vehicle no. In the present embodiment the electric vehicle no is an automobile, for example an electric car, but in other embodiments the apparatus may be configured for use with other types of vehicle, such as aircraft or sea vessels. The apparatus loo further comprises one or more sensors 102 for detecting a position of the second connector 111, an adjustment mechanism 103, a housing 104, a housing cover 105, a controller 106, and a power circuit 107.

As shown in Fig. 1, the first connector 101 is disposed beneath a space in which the electric vehicle no may be parked. In some embodiments the space may be delimited by suitable markings on the grounds, for example when the apparatus loo is installed in a marked parking bay in a car park or alongside a road. The first connector fin may be disposed within the space delimited by the markings, such that the markings act as a guide to assist a driver in parking the vehicle 110 above the first connector 101. In other -6 -embodiments the space may be unmarked, for example when the apparatus log is installed on a private driveway at a user's home, or in a private garage.

The one or more sensors 102 are configured to detect a current position of the second connector in relative to the first connector 101, and to transmit information indicative of the current position of the first connector 101 relative to the second connector in. The one or more sensors 102 may be configured to detect when the vehicle no is being or has been parked in the space above the first connector 101, and to automatically transmit the information to the controller io6 when the presence of the vehicle 110 1S detected. Any suitable type of sensor 102 that is capable of detecting a position of the second connector in may be used, depending on the embodiment. For example, the one or more sensors 102 may comprise a camera configured to capture an image of the second connector in at visible wavelengths, and/or may comprise an infrared sensor or an ultrasound sensor. In the present embodiment, the one or more sensors 102 are disposed so as to capture an image of the underside of the electric vehicle no when the electric vehicle no is situated in the space above the first connector 101.

In some embodiments the second connector in, and/or an enclosure in which the second connector in is housed on the vehicle no, is configured so as to provide a high contrast with a part of the vehicle adjacent to the second connector in and/or the enclosure of the second connector 111, so that the controller 106 can more easily locate the second connector 111 in an image captured by the one or more sensors 102. For example, when the one or more sensors 102 are configured to capture an image at visible wavelengths, the second connector in and/or the enclosure may have a colour that provides a high contrast with the colour of an adjacent part of the vehicle. As another example, instead of using a different colour, another property of the second connector in and/or its enclosure, such as the shape and/or surface reflectance, may be configured to produce a high contrast in the image captured by the one or more sensors 102.

The controller 106 is configured to receive the information indicative of the current position of the first connector 101 relative to the second connector in from the one or more sensors 102, and to determine an adjustment required to align the first connector 101 with the second connector in in dependence on the information received from the one or more sensors 102. The controller 106 can use the adjustment mechanism 103 to adjust a position of the first connector 101 in accordance with the determined -7 -adjustment, so as to align the first connector 101 with the second connector in and allow the first connector 101 to be engaged with the second connector 111. In some embodiments the adjustment mechanism 103 may be configured to move the first connector 101 linearly along one or more axes, and/or may be configured to rotate the first connector 101 about one or more axes. For example, in one embodiment the adjustment mechanism 103 comprises a moveable platform on which the first connector 101 is mounted, and comprises actuating means for moving the platform along one or more axes. Examples of suitable actuating means include, but are not limited to, an electric motor connected to a rack and pinion mechanism, or a hydraulic ram. In some embodiments, the adjustment mechanism may be configured to raise or lower, and/or rotate, the housing 104 containing the first connector lot For example, the adjustment mechanism may raise or lower the housing 104 in a similar manner to a rising bollard. The engagement mechanism may then comprise an arm that extends out from the housing 104 once the housing 104 is in a raised position.

By providing an adjustment mechanism 103 in the charging point apparatus 100, the cost and complexity of the corresponding connector in on the vehicle no can be reduced, since any necessary adjustment can be performed by the charging point 100. Furthermore, by allowing the position of the first connector 101 to be adjusted to match the position of the second connector in on the vehicle no, the apparatus 100 can compensate for a certain degree of misalignment of the first and second connectors 104 in, making the parking operation easier for the driver since it may not be necessary to accurately align the second connector in with the first connector 101 when parking the vehicle no. Once engaged, the first and second connectors 101, 111 make an electrical connection via which the power circuit 107 can transfer electrical power to or from the vehicle no. For example, one of the first and second connectors um, in may comprise a plug and the other one of the first and second connectors 104 in may comprise a socket having a complimentary shape to the plug, such that the plug can be retained in the socket using friction or mechanical means to provide a secure connection. The first connector 101 may be referred to as a 'charging point connector', and the second connector 111 may be referred to as a 'vehicle connector'. The controller 106 may control the power circuit to control the speed, time and duration of the transfer of power to or from the electric vehicle no. In some embodiments the controller 106 may control the power circuit 107 to only supply electrical power to the vehicle 110 at certain times of day, for example -8 -when demand on the grid is low and/or when the cost of electricity is lower. Conversely, at times when the cost of electricity is higher, in some embodiments the power circuit 107 may be controlled to transfer power from the vehicle no to the grid.

The first connector lin is mounted on an engagement mechanism 108 that is configured to move the first connector 101 in a direction towards the second connector 111, so as to engage the first and second connectors um nt Examples of suitable mechanisms for engaging the first connector lot include, but are not limited to, a telescoping column, linear actuator, or a robotic arm capable of making independent /0 adjustments on x, y and z Cartesian axes. In some embodiments, adjustment mechanism 103 is configured to move the first connector un within a plane, and the engagement mechanism to8 is configured to move the first connector tot in a direction that is inclined with respect to the plane of the adjustment mechanism 103. In this way, by combining movements of the adjustment mechanism 103 and the engagement mechanism 108, the first connector 101 can be accurately positioned with at least three degrees of freedom in space.

After adjusting the position of the first connector tot using the adjustment mechanism 108, the controller 106 may receive new information from the one or more sensors 102 and confirm that the first and second connectors lin, in are correctly aligned. Then, in dependence on a determination that the first and second connectors toi., 111 are aligned, the controller 106 may control the engagement mechanism 108 to automatically engage the first connector lin with the second connector nt.

The controller ki6 may be configured to control the engagement mechanism io8 to automatically disengage the first connector lin from the second connector m once charging has been completed. For example, the electric vehicle no may monitor the state of charge of its internal battery, and transmit a signal to the controller 106 which indicates that the battery is fully charged. in some embodiments, the electric vehicle no may transmit the signal to the controller 106 when the battery charge reaches a certain threshold level below t00% charge. For example, if the user has selected a fast charging mode, the electric vehicle no may transmit the signal to the controller 106 to terminate the charging operation once the battery reaches a certain level of charge, for example 80% or 90% of the total battery capacity. The controller 1o6 may be configured to disengage the first connector 101 from the second connector 111 in -9 -response to a user command, to allow a driver to interrupt the charging process and continue their journey at a time of their choosing.

In some embodiments the charging operation may be terminated once the level of battery charge reaches a threshold defined by a user, which may be referred to as a user-defined threshold. For example, a user may set the user-defined threshold at a level that they consider to represent an adequate amount of charge for the remaining part of their current journey. In some embodiments, the charging operation may be terminated once the level of battery charge reaches a threshold that is determined by an rn algorithm configured to predict an amount of battery charge required to complete a remaining part of the current journey. The algorithm may be configured to take into account information such as the user's expected driving pattern and/or their most likely destination when making the prediction. For example, the algorithm may be provided with information indicative of previous journeys carried out by the user, and/or information indicative about the user's driving style (e.g. rates of acceleration and/or braking, cornering speeds, preference for certain gears at certain speeds, etc.).

In the present embodiment the second connector in, which may also be referred to as a vehicle connector, is disposed on an underside of the electric vehicle in. However, in other embodiments the second connector in may be disposed on another part of the vehicle in, for example on the side, front, rear, or top of the vehicle in. In embodiments in which the second connector in is disposed on part of the vehicle other than the underside of the vehicle, the adjustment mechanism 1.03 and/or the engagement mechanism 108 may be adapted accordingly. For example, in an embodiment in which the second connector in is disposed on the side of the vehicle no, the adjustment mechanism 103 may comprise a robotic arm configured to move the first connector lot horizontally out from underneath the vehicle no, and raise the first connector lot vertically alongside the vehicle no until it is at the same height as the second connector in. The arm may then be controlled to move the first connector to( horizontally towards the second connector in to engage the first and second connectors Ku, in. Tn this embodiment, the robotic arm performs the functions of both the adjustment mechanism 103 and the engagement mechanism (o8, and a separate engagement mechanism 108 may not be required.

As a further example, in some embodiments the housing 104 and one or more sensors 102 may be disposed on one side of the parking space, and the adjustment mechanism -10 - 103 may be configured to raise or lower the housing 104. For example, the adjustment mechanism 103 may raise or lower the housing 104 using a similar mechanism to a rising bollard, such that the first connector 101 is raised to a position alongside the vehicle no. The adjustment mechanism 103 may be configured to rotate the housing 104 to ensure that the first connector 101 is on the same side of the housing 104 as the vehicle no. The engagement mechanism 1o8 may then extend the first connector 101 out from the housing 104, for example in a horizontal direction, to engage the first connector 101 with the second connector in. Such embodiments may be particularly suited for vehicles no in which the second connector 111 is disposed on the side of the io vehicle no. As shown in Fig. 1, in the present embodiment the controller io6, power circuit 107, adjustment mechanism 103 and one or more sensors 102 are disposed beneath ground level 120. In this way, a compact and unobtrusive charging point apparatus 100 can be /5 provided that does not pose any obstruction to pedestrians or road users at street level 120. This may be particularly advantageous for pedestrians with reduced or impaired mobility, such as the visually challenged, elderly, differently abled pedestrians, or other users of sidewalks suffering from injury or in a medical emergency, all of whom may find it difficult to navigate around obstructions posed by conventional above-ground electric vehicle charging points. However, in some embodiments one or more of the controller 106, power circuit 107, adjustment mechanism 103 and one or more sensors 102 may be disposed above ground level.

Additionally, in the present embodiment the connector housing 104 is disposed such that an uppermost surface of the housing um is at or below the ground level 120 of the space in which the electric vehicle no may be parked. For example, the housing 104 may be installed flush with the ground level 120, that is to say, the uppermost surface of the housing 104 and the road surface 120 may present a substantially flat and level surface such that vehicles no may drive directly over the housing 104 without 3o difficulty. In other embodiments, the housing 104 may be installed such that a part or the whole of the housing 104 is above ground level 120. This may be beneficial in situations where it is not possible to fully recess the housing 104 into the ground, for example due to the presence of utility services or other obstructions below ground level.

In some embodiments the vehicle no may comprise one or more vehicle sensors 112 configured to detect a position of part of the apparatus 100, such as the first connector lot, and/or the housing 104, and/or the housing cover 105, relative to the second connector 111. Information from the one or more vehicle sensors 112 may be used to assist in aligning the first and second connectors tot, 111. For example, in some embodiments the vehicle no may transmit information obtained from the one or more vehicle sensors 112 to the charging point controller 106. In some embodiments, a controller on the vehicle 110 may make use of the information obtained from the one or more vehicle sensors 112 to assist in automatically aligning the first and second connectors lot, in, for example during an autonomous parking operation, and/or may display information obtained from the one or more vehicle sensors 112 to assist a user rn in aligning the first and second connectors 101, 111 during a manual parking operation.

In embodiments in which one or more vehicle sensors 112 are provided, the part of the apparatus too that is detected by the one or more vehicle sensors 112 may be configured so as to provide a high contrast with an adjacent part of the apparatus too, and/or to provide a high contrast with an adjacent part of the road surface 120. That is, the part of the apparatus too that is detected by the one or more vehicle sensors 112 may be configured so as to provide a high contrast in an image captured by the one or more vehicle sensors 112, so that the part of the apparatus loo can be more easily located in the captured image. For example, when the one or more vehicle sensors 112 are configured to capture an image at visible wavelengths, the part of the apparatus too may have a colour that provides a high contrast with the colour of an adjacent part of the apparatus too and/or an adjacent part of the road surface 120. As another example, instead of using a different colour, another property of the part of the apparatus too, such as the shape and/or surface reflectance, may be configured to produce a high contrast in the image captured by the one or more vehicle sensors 112.

The apparatus too of the present embodiment comprises a housing cover 105 in the form of one or more parts that can pivot about suitable hinges. When in a closed position, the one or more parts of the housing cover 105 can act as a seal to prevent dirt, 3o liquid or other foreign matter from entering the housing 104. Additionally, when lifted into an open position as shown by the dashed lines in Fig. 1, any dirt, debris or other material that might otherwise obstruct the first connector 101 can be tipped off of the housing cover 105, clearing a path for the first connector tot to be engaged with the second connector 111. In this way, the hinged one or more parts of the housing cover 105 can act as means for removing an obstruction from the path between the first and second connectors tot, 111.

-12 -Although in the present embodiment the housing cover 105 takes the form of a hinged lid over the housing 104, in other embodiments a different form of cover 105 may be provided. For example, in some embodiments a rigid housing cover io5 may open and close using a sliding or rotating mechanism, or a flexible or segmented housing cover in the form of a shutter may be opened by rolling the housing cover about a drum or spindle on one side of the housing 104.

In some embodiments a different means for removing the obstruction may be provided, rn instead of or in addition to a hinged housing cover 105. The means for removing an obstruction may also be referred to as a path clearing mechanism. For example, in some embodiments the apparatus may comprise a path clearing mechanism in the form of a nozzle configured to direct a jet of gas or liquid across the surface of the housing 104 so as to clear material away from the surface of the housing 104 and clear a path for the first connector 101.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a flowchart is illustrated showing a control method of the charging apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention. A method such as the one shown in Fig. 2 may be performed by apparatus similar to the one shown in Fig. 1.

First, in step S201 the controller 106 receives information from the one or more sensors 102 indicative of the current position of the first connector um relative to the second connector iii, for example in the form of an image of the underside of the vehicle no showing a position of the second connector in. Then, in step S2o2 the controller 106 determines the adjustment that is required to align the first connector 101 with the second connector 111 in dependence on the information received from the one or more sensors lin, for example by applying a shape recognition algorithm to identify the second connector iii within the image and then determining an offset between the current position of the second connector in and a known reference point.

Once the necessary adjustment has been determined, in step S2o3 the controller 106 controls the adjustment mechanism 103 in accordance with the determined adjustment to align the first and second connectors 101, 111. Then, in step S2o4 the controller 106 controls the engagement mechanism 108 to engage the first connector 101 with the second connector 111 once the connectors um, 111 have been aligned, so as to make the -13 -electrical connection for transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle no. Then, in step S2o5 the power circuit 107 begins transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle no via the electrical connection between the first and second connectors 101, 111.

As explained above, by adjusting the position of the first connector 101 relative to the second connector in at the apparatus 100, it may not be necessary for the vehicle no to be parked with a high degree of accuracy with respect to the first connector 101. Furthermore, since the necessary adjustment can be carried out at the apparatus 100 _to rather than on the vehicle no, a simple fixed connector 111 on the vehicle no may be provided, reducing the overall cost and complexity of the vehicle no. Nevertheless, in some embodiments the vehicle no may also comprise its own mechanism for adjusting the position of the second connector in. When both the /5 apparatus 100 and the vehicle lio each comprise mechanisms for adjusting the positions of the first and second connectors 101, in, respectively, a greater range of adjustment may be possible and accordingly the system may be able to tolerate a greater degree of misalignment between the apparatus 100 and the vehicle no. Referring now to Fig. 3 a flowchart is illustrated showing a method of aligning and engaging the first and second connectors of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As will become apparent from the following description, certain steps illustrated in Fig. 3 are performed at the apparatus 100 and other steps are performed at the vehicle lio.

The flowchart in Fig. 3 starts with the vehicle no in a driving state in step S3o1. At some point the vehicle no detects a parking manoeuvre in step S3o2, for example when the user selects reverse gear, or chooses to activate the vehicle's parking sensors and/or engages an autonomous parking function. A controller onboard the vehicle no responds in step S3o3 by wirelessly searching for and attempting to connect to a ground-based charging apparatus, such as the one shown in Fig. 1, in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle no. For the sake of clarity, a controller onboard the vehicle lio will hereinafter be referred to as the 'vehicle controller', and the controller 106 of the charging point apparatus 100 will hereinafter be referred to as the charging point controller 106. Depending on the embodiment, the vehicle controller may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) installed in the vehicle, or may comprise a physically -14 -separate device, for example a portable user device such as a tablet computer or smartphone. The vehicle controller may attempt to establish a wireless connection to the apparatus loo using any suitable technology, for example VViFi, Long Range (LoRa) or Bluetooth.

Once a connection is established, the vehicle controller receives an image from the one or more sensors 102 of the ground-based charging point apparatus 100 in step S304, for example an image captured at visible wavelengths, or an infrared image, or an ultrasound image. In step S3o5, the vehicle controller obtains information indicative of _to a range of the adjustment mechanism 103 from the charging point controller 106. For example, the information transmitted by the charging point controller io6 to the vehicle controller in step S3o5 may define the maximum range of adjustment that is possible along one or more predefined axes with respect to the first connector 101.

Next, in step S3o6 the vehicle controller displays a whole or part of the image received in step S304 on a display visible to the driver, for example a dash-mounted display screen, or a display screen of a mobile user device such as a tablet computer or smartphone handset. In the present embodiment, the displayed image includes a bounding box overlaid on the image captured by the one or more sensors 102 10 indicate an area within which the first connector 101 is capable of being positioned by the adjustment mechanism 103. Depending on the embodiment, the bounding box may be added to the captured image by the charging point controller 106 and then transmitted to the vehicle controller, or may be added by the vehicle controller after receiving the captured image in step S3o4, before displaying the image including the bounding box on the display visible to the driver.

In step S3o7 the vehicle controller checks whether the second connector in is within reach of the first connector lin. That is, the vehicle controller may check whether the second connector in is within the range of possible adjustments that can be provided by the adjustment mechanism 103. If the vehicle controller determines that the second connector 111 is out of range of the adjustment mechanism 103 and the first connector 101, then a misalignment notification message may be displayed to prompt the driver to manoeuvre the vehicle no into a different position. When doing so, the driver may use the displayed image and the bounding box to assist them in approximately aligning the second connector in with the first connector 101. In some embodiments, in step S3o7 -15 -the vehicle controller may automatically reposition the vehicle without driver involvement, using an autonomous parking mode.

Once it is determined that the second connector in is within reach of the first connector 101, in step 8308 the vehicle controller signals to the charging point controller 106 that the vehicle no is correctly parked. Then, in step S3o9 the charging point controller 106 captures an image of the current location of the second connector 111 using the one or more sensors 102. Next, in the present embodiment the charging point controller 106 analyses the captured image using a machine learning algorithm in _to step S310. The machine learning algorithm is configured to assign the captured image to one of a plurality of image classes, each class corresponding to a different position of the second connector in in the captured image. If the machine learning algorithm succeeds in assigning the image to one of the classes, then the charging point controller 106 proceeds to determine the required adjustment in step 8311 by retrieving a stored /5 predetermined adjustment associated with the assigned image class. By pre-calculating the necessary adjustments for different scenarios and storing the pre-calculated adjustments in memory, the charging point controller 106 can quickly and efficiently determine the necessary adjustment in step S311. Also, by retrieving a stored predetermined adjustment appropriate to the current scenario in terms of a relative positioning of the first and second connectors 101, in, the controller 106 can control the adjustment mechanism 103 without having to rely on information from the one or more sensors 102 to guide the adjustment in real-time.

Next, in step S312 the charging point controller 106 checks whether any obstructions are present in the path between the first and second connectors 101, 111, for example based on information received from the one or more sensors. If an obstruction is detected in step S312, or if the machine learning is unable to classify the image in step 8311, then the charging point controller 106 signals to the vehicle controller to switch to a manual mode in which a human operator, for example the driver or a passenger, provides user input to manually control the adjustment mechanism 103 and/or engagement mechanism 108 in step 8315. For example, a user interface for controlling the adjustment mechanism 103 and/or engagement mechanism 108 may be displayed on a touchscreen display in the vehicle, and the vehicle controller may transmit user commands received through the user interface to the charging point controller 106, which in turn can control the adjustment mechanism 103 and/or engagement mechanism 108 according to the user commands.

-16 -Once the charging point controller 106 has successfully assigned the image to one of the classes using the machine learning algorithm in step S311, and determined that the path between the connectors 101, 111 is free from obstructions in step S312, then in step S313 the charging point controller 106 signals to the vehicle controller that a viable connection is possible. For example, the vehicle controller may respond by displaying a message or other form of notification to signal to the driver that the vehicle is correctly positioned.

Then, in step S316 the charging point controller 106 transmits instructions to the adjustment mechanism 103, which performs the requested adjustment in step S317. Once the adjustment has been completed, in step S318 the charging point controller io6 controls the engagement mechanism io8 to engage the first connector 101 with the second connector in. The charging point controller 106 may carry out checks to confirm that a suitable connection has been established, for example by testing the resistance of the connection between the first and second connectors 101, in using the power circuit 107. Once the charging point controller io6 confirms that a connection has successfully been established, in step S319 the charging point controller 106 signals to the vehicle controller that connection has been successful. The power circuit 107 then begins the transfer of electrical power to or from the vehicle according to whether charging or discharging is required. For example, in some embodiments the power circuit may transfer power from the vehicle no to the grid at times of high demand on the grid, and may transfer power to the vehicle no at times of low demand. Once the desired transfer has been completed, the vehicle controller may notify the driver that the vehicle no is ready to be disengaged and driven in step S32o.

Referring now to Fig. 4, a system enabling wireless communication between the electric vehicle and the apparatus of Fig. 1 is illustrated, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus ioo and the vehicle no each comprises a respective wireless interface 401,411 to enable the apparatus loo and vehicle no to communicate wirelessly with one another. Any suitable wireless communication technology may be used, as described above with reference to Fig. 3. The vehicle lio also comprises a display 412, for example in the form of an integrated dash-mounted display screen or in the form of a portable device such as a tablet or smartphone. The display 412 may be used to display information to the driver as described above with reference to Fig. 3.

-17 -The apparatus 100 comprises the sensors 102 and charging point controller 106. The apparatus may also comprise other elements such as those shown in Fig. 1, which for the sake of clarity are not shown in Fig. 4. In the present embodiment the apparatus too further comprises computer-readable memory 106a which is arranged to store a plurality of predetermined adjustments each associated with one of the plurality of image classes, as described above. In some embodiments, instead of storing the predetermined adjustments in local memory 106a, the controller 106 may be configured to access remote storage, for example cloud-based storage, to retrieve the stored predetermined adjustments. Furthermore, in some embodiments some or all of io the operations described as being carried out by a local controller 106 in the charging point apparatus too, could instead be carried out at a controller remote from the charging point apparatus too, for example at a cloud computing server. As such, references to a 'controller' herein should be construed accordingly, without implying that the corresponding processing steps must be carried out locally at the charging point apparatus 100.

The controller 106 may comprise one or more processors, and the memory 106a may store a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed the one or more processors, cause the controller 106 to perform any of the above-described methods. For example, the computer program instructions may cause the charging point controller 106 to classify an image captured by the one or more sensors 102 using a machine learning algorithm, retrieve the associated predetermined adjustment from the memory 106a, apply the necessary adjustment using the adjustment mechanism 103, and control the engagement mechanism 108 to engage the first connector tot with the second connector iii.

Whilst certain embodiments of the invention have been described herein with reference to the drawings, it will be understood that many variations and modifications will be possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims 1. Apparatus for transferring electrical power to or from an electric vehicle, comprising: a first connector engageable with a second connector on an electric vehicle, the first connector being disposed beneath a space in which the electric vehicle may be parked; one or more sensors configured to detect a current position of the second connector relative to the first connector, wherein the one or more sensors are disposed io so as to capture an image of the underside of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is situated in the space above the first connector, the captured image comprising an image captured at visible wavelengths, or an infrared image, or an ultrasound image; an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of the first connector; a controller configured to receive information from the one or more sensors indicative of the current position of the first connector relative to the second connector, determine an adjustment required to align the first connector with the second connector in dependence on the information received from the one or more sensors, control the adjustment mechanism in accordance with the determined adjustment to align the first and second connectors, and engage the first connector with the second connector once aligned to thereby make an electrical connection for transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle; and a power circuit configured to transfer electrical power to or from the electric vehicle via said electrical connection, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit information indicative of a 25 range of the adjustment mechanism to the electric vehicle.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the controller, power circuit, adjustment mechanism and one or more sensors are disposed beneath a ground level of the space in which the electric vehicle may be parked.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, comprising: a connector housing in which the first connector is installed, wherein an uppermost surface of the connector housing is disposed at or below a ground level of the space in which the electric vehicle may be parked.
-19 - 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to use a machine learning algorithm to assign the captured image to one of a plurality of image classes each corresponding to a different position of the second connector in the captured image, and is configured to determine the required adjustment by retrieving a stored predetermined adjustment associated with the assigned image class.
5. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit the captured image to the electric vehicle in which the electric vehicle is being parked in the space above the first connector, to assist a user of the /0 electric vehicle in approximately aligning the second connector with the first connector.
6. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the information indicative of a range of the adjustment mechanism comprises a bounding box overlaid on the captured image to indicate an area within which the first connector is capable of being positioned by the adjustment mechanism.
7. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the electric vehicle is positioned such that the second connector is beyond a range of the adjustment mechanism, and is configured to transmit a misalignment notification message to the electric vehicle in dependence on a determination that the second connector is beyond a range of the adjustment mechanism.
8. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, comprising: means for detecting and/or removing an obstruction from a path between the first and second connectors.
9. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first connector is configured to be extendable in a first direction towards the second connector to engage the first connector with the second connector, and wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to move the first connector in a plane inclined with respect to the first direction to adjust the position of the first connector.
10. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric vehicle is an automobile.
-20 -A control method of an electric vehicle charging apparatus comprising a first connector engageable with a second connector on an electric vehicle, the first connector being disposed beneath a space in which the electric vehicle may be parked, one or more sensors configured to detect a current position of the second connector relative to the first connector, an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of the first connector, and a power circuit configured to transfer electrical power to or from the electric vehicle, the method comprising: receiving information from the one or more sensors indicative of the current io position of the first connector relative to the second connector, wherein said information comprises an image of the underside of the electric vehicle captured when the electric vehicle is situated in the space above the first connector, the captured image comprising an image captured at visible wavelengths, or an infrared image, or an ultrasound image; determining an adjustment required to align the first connector with the second connector in dependence on the information received from the one or more sensors; controlling the adjustment mechanism in accordance with the determined adjustment to align the first and second connectors; engaging the first connector with the second connector once aligned to thereby make an electrical connection for transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle; and transferring electrical power to or from the electric vehicle via said electrical connection, using the power circuit, wherein the method further comprises: transmitting information indicative of a range of the adjustment mechanism to the electric vehicle.
12. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of a method according to claim it
13. A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program according to claim 12.