Systems and methods for bi-directional, reverse, and cooperative charging of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles and for bi-directional, reverse, and cooperative charging of electric vehicles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric vehicle comprising:
 a rechargeable battery;   a bi-directional wired connector adapted to (i) receive a first electric charge from a charging device associated with a building, (ii) store the first electric charge in the rechargeable battery, and (iii) transmit a second electric charge from the rechargeable battery to the building via the charging device;   a processing device; and   a non-transitory memory device in communication with the processing device, the non-transitory memory storing instructions that when executed by the processing device, result in:
 transmitting an alert to an operator of the electric vehicle when a predetermined minimum charge level is present in the rechargeable battery. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electric vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the alert comprises transmitting the alert to a smart phone in possession of the operator of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The electric vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, further result in:
 receiving, in response to the transmitting of the alert, charging instructions from the operator of the electric vehicle governing the transmission of the second electric charge from the rechargeable battery to the building via the charging device.   
     
     
         4 . The electric vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the charging instructions are received from a smart phone in possession of the operator of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The electric vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first electric charge is derived from one or more solar panels. 
     
     
         6 . The electric vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more solar panels are situated in proximity to the building. 
     
     
         7 . The electric vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more solar panels are situated upon a generally planar surface of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The electric vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the first electric charge is suspended based, at least in part, on a current cost of electricity. 
     
     
         9 . The electric vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the second electric charge is suspended based, at least in part, on a current cost of electricity. 
     
     
         10 . An electric vehicle comprising:
 a rechargeable battery;   a first wired connector adapted to (i) receive a first electric charge from a charging device associated with a building, (ii) store the first electric charge in the rechargeable battery, and (iii) transmit a second electric charge from the rechargeable battery to another electric vehicle via a second wired connector;   a processing device; and   a non-transitory memory device in communication with the processing device, the non-transitory memory storing instructions that when executed by the processing device, result in:
 transmitting an alert to an operator of the electric vehicle when a predetermined minimum charge level is present in the rechargeable battery while the second electric charge is transmitted from the rechargeable battery to the other electric vehicle. 
   
     
     
         11 . The electric vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the transmitting of the alert comprises transmitting the alert to a smart phone in possession of the operator of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The electric vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, further result in:
 receiving, in response to transmitting the alert, charging instructions from the operator of the electric vehicle governing the transmission of the second electric charge from the rechargeable battery to the other vehicle via the second wired connector.   
     
     
         13 . The electric vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the charging instructions are received from a smart phone in possession of the operator of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The electric vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the first electric charge is derived from one or more solar panels. 
     
     
         15 . The electric vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more solar panels are situated upon a generally planar surface of the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The electric vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the first electric charge is suspended based, at least in part, on a current cost of electricity. 
     
     
         17 . The electric vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the second electric charge is suspended based, at least in part, on a current cost of electricity. 
     
     
         18 . A first electric vehicle comprising:
 a first rechargeable battery;   one or more processing devices; and   a non-transitory memory device in communication with the one or more processing devices and the rechargeable battery, the non-transitory memory device storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processing devices, result in:
 enabling the provision of a first electric charge to the first rechargeable battery from a source of electric charge; 
 receiving a request from a second electric vehicle comprising a second rechargeable battery for the provision of a second electric charge; and 
 enabling the provision of the second electric charge from the first rechargeable battery to the second electric vehicle. 
   
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the first electric vehicle is adapted to receive the first electric charge from a charging unit adapted to be positioned generally flush with a horizontal surface and to wirelessly transmit power via a process of induction. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein the enabling of the provision of the first electric charge depends, at least in part, on a determination that the first electric vehicle is positioned generally over the charging unit. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic device of  claim 20 , wherein the provision of the first electric charge is automatically enabled based, at least in part, on the determination that the first electric vehicle is positioned generally over the charging unit. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the provision of the first electric charge to the first rechargeable battery is performed in a wireless manner.