Energy Sharing System And Method For A Vehicle

Abstract

An energy share system includes a first vehicle and a second vehicle. The first vehicle includes a first battery pack and a first battery management module configured to selectively charge and discharge the first battery pack. The second vehicle includes a second battery pack and a second battery management module configured to, in response to receipt of payment, selectively charge the second battery pack with power received from the first battery pack of the first vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An energy share system, comprising:
 a first vehicle comprising:
 a first battery pack; 
 a first battery management module configured to selectively charge and discharge the first battery pack; and 
   a second vehicle comprising:
 a second battery pack; and 
 a second battery management module configured to, in response to receipt of payment, selectively charge the second battery pack with power received from the first battery pack of the first vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The energy share system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the second vehicle further includes a power inverter module that is connected between the second battery pack and a motor generator unit (MGU) that is connected to a powertrain of the second vehicle; and 
 the second battery management module is further configured to control switching of the power inverter module. 
 
     
     
         3 . The energy share system of  claim 1  wherein the first battery management module is further configured to selectively charge the first battery pack with power received from the second battery pack of the second vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The energy share system of  claim 1  wherein the second battery management module is configured to charge the second battery pack until a predetermined amount of power has been received from the first battery pack. 
     
     
         5 . The energy share system of  claim 1  wherein the second battery management module is further configured to selectively charge the second battery pack with power received from a charging station. 
     
     
         6 . The energy share system of  claim 1  further comprising a first computing device that is associated with the first vehicle and that is configured to transmit to a server (i) a first location of the first vehicle and (ii) an amount of energy available for sale from the first battery pack of the first vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The energy share system of  claim 6  further comprising a second computing device that is associated with the second vehicle and that is configured to, in response to receiving a first input from a user, transmit to the server an energy request and a second location of the second vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The energy share system of  claim 7  further comprising the server configured to:
 receive the energy request, the first location of the first vehicle, the second location of the second vehicle, and the amount of energy available for sale from the first battery pack of the first vehicle; 
 generate a list of energy sellers' vehicles in response to the receipt of the energy request; and 
 transmit the list to the second computing device. 
 
     
     
         9 . The energy share system of  claim 8  wherein the second computing device is configured to:
 display the list on a display of the second computing device; and 
 transmit, to the server, an indication of selection of the first vehicle in response to receipt of user input at the second computing device indicative of the selection of the first vehicle from the list, 
 wherein the second battery management module is configured to selectively charge the second battery pack with power received from the first battery pack of the first vehicle in response to signals from the server. 
 
     
     
         10 . The energy share system of  claim 9  wherein the server is configured to limit the list of energy sellers' vehicles to energy sellers' vehicles that are within a predetermined distance of second location of the second vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The energy share system of  claim 10  wherein:
 the energy request includes the predetermined distance; and 
 the second computing device is configured to adjust the predetermined distance based on user input to the second computing device. 
 
     
     
         12 . The energy share system of  claim 9  wherein:
 the second computing device is configured to transmit a maximum price for energy; and 
 the server is configured to limit the list of energy sellers to energy sellers having energy prices that are less than the maximum price for energy. 
 
     
     
         13 . The energy share system of  claim 12  wherein:
 the energy request includes the maximum price; and 
 the second computing device is configured to adjust the maximum price based on user input to the second computing device. 
 
     
     
         14 . The energy share system of  claim 9  wherein:
 the server is configured to generate an access key in response to the indication of the selection of the first vehicle from the list and transmit the access key to the second vehicle; and 
 the second battery management module is configured to initiate charging of the second battery pack with power from the first battery pack using the access key. 
 
     
     
         15 . The energy share system of  claim 8  further comprising the server configured to:
 receive the energy request, the first location of the first vehicle, the second location of the second vehicle, and the amount of energy available for sale from the first battery pack of the first vehicle; 
 generate a list of energy sellers in response to the receipt of the energy request; and 
 transmit the list to the second computing device. 
 
     
     
         16 . The energy share system of  claim 15  wherein the server is configured to limit the list of energy sellers to energy sellers that are within a predetermined distance of second location of the second vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The energy share system of  claim 16  wherein the energy request includes the predetermined distance, and
 wherein the second computing device is configured to adjust the predetermined distance based on user input to the second computing device. 
 
     
     
         18 . The energy share system of  claim 15  wherein:
 the second computing device is configured to transmit a maximum price for energy; and 
 the server is configured to limit the list of energy sellers to energy sellers having energy prices that are less than the maximum price for energy. 
 
     
     
         19 . The energy share system of  claim 18  wherein:
 the energy request includes the maximum price; and 
 the second computing device is configured to adjust the maximum price based on user input to the second computing device. 
 
     
     
         20 . An energy sharing method, comprising:
 by a first vehicle, selectively charging and discharging a first battery pack of a first vehicle; and   
       by a second vehicle, in response to receipt of payment, selectively charging a second battery pack of the second vehicle with power received from the first battery pack of the first vehicle.