US-12623799-B2 - System of data communication for an electric aircraft

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure include a system for data communication for an electric aircraft. The system may include a charging connector configured to mate with at least an electric aircraft port of the electric aircraft. The charging connector may be further configured to charge at least a battery pack of the electric aircraft, wherein the charging connector may include a housing configured to house at least a component of the charging connector and a pin configured to connect conductors. The system may include a computing device communicatively connected to the charging connector, wherein the computing device is configured to establish a data connection with the electric aircraft. The computing device is further configured to receive data over the data connection from the electric aircraft at a data transfer rate.

Inventors

• Richard Donnelly
• Charles Camron Guthrie

Assignees

• BETA AIR, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240312

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A system of data communication, the system comprising: a charging connector configured to mate with a port of an electric vehicle, wherein the charging connector includes: a conductor configured to provide an electrical power connection between an external energy source and a battery pack of the electric vehicle, and a data connector configured to provide a wired data connection with the electric vehicle; a proximity detection conductor that conducts current in response to the charging connector being plugged into the port; and an external computing device configured to, in response to the detected current flow, receive an authentication datum from the electric vehicle via the data connector and authenticate the electric vehicle.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the external computing device is further configured to, in response to the electric vehicle being authenticated, authorize data transmissions between an on-board computer of the electric vehicle and the external computer.
3. 3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the data transmissions comprise flight history data transmitted from the on-board computer on the electric vehicle to the external computer.
4. 4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the data transmissions comprise maintenance information transmitted from the on-board computer on the electric vehicle to the external computer.
5. 5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the maintenance information includes an identification of a part that was installed, repaired, or replaced as a function of a vehicle maintenance.
6. 6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the maintenance information includes a maintenance schedule for a maintenance appointment.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the external computing device is further configured to, in response to the electric vehicle being authenticated, authorize charging of the electric vehicle at a predefined charging station.
8. 8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the authentication datum is received from a smartphone or tablet.
9. 9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein charging the battery pack of the electric vehicle is conducted simultaneously with data being communicated via the data connector.
10. 10 . A system of data communication, the system comprising: a charging connector configured to mate with a port of an electric vehicle, wherein the charging connector includes: a conductor configured to provide an electrical power connection between an external energy source and a battery pack of the electric vehicle, a data connector configured to provide a wired data connection with the electric vehicle, and a proximity detection conductor that conducts current in response to the charging connector being plugged into the port; and an external computing device configured to, in response to a detected current flow in the proximity detection conductor: authorize data transmissions between an on-board computer of the electric vehicle and the external computer via the data connector, and receive an authentication datum from the electric vehicle via the data connector and authenticate the electric vehicle.
11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the data transmissions comprise flight history data being transmitted from the on-board computer on the electric vehicle to the external computer.
12. 12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the data transmissions comprise maintenance information being transmitted from the on-board computer on the electric vehicle to the external computer.
13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the maintenance information includes an identification of a part that was installed, repaired, or replaced as a function of a vehicle maintenance.
14. 14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the external computing device is further configured to, in response to the electric vehicle being authenticated, authorize charging of the electric vehicle at a predefined charging station.
15. 15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the authentication datum is received from a smartphone or tablet.
16. 16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein charging the battery pack of the electric vehicle is conducted simultaneously with data being communicated via the data connector.
17. 17 . A system of data communication, the system comprising: a charging connector configured to mate with a port of an electric vehicle, wherein the charging connector includes: a conductor configured to provide an electrical power connection between an external energy source and a battery pack of the electric vehicle, a data connector configured to provide a wired data connection with the electric vehicle, and a coolant pin configured to operatively couple to a coolant tube of the electric vehicle, via the port, and provide a coolant flow from a coolant source to the electric vehicle, a proximity detection conductor that conducts current in response to the charging connector being plugged into the port; and an external computing device configured to, in response to the detected current flow, receive an authentication datum from the electric vehicle via the data connector and authenticate the electric vehicle.
18. 18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the external computing device is further configured to, in response to the electric vehicle being authenticated, authorize data transmissions between an on-board computer of the electric vehicle and the external computer.
19. 19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the data transmissions comprise maintenance information being transmitted from the on-board computer on the electric vehicle to the external computer.
20. 20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the maintenance information includes an identification of a part that was installed, repaired, or replaced as a function of a vehicle maintenance.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to the field of electric aircraft. In particular, the present invention is directed to data communication for an electric aircraft. BACKGROUND Electric aircraft presents a great promise for the future. Effectively and accurately communicating data for electric aircraft can be a difficult task and can pose technical challenges. Existing solutions to address the challenges are not sufficient. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In an aspect, a system of data communication for an electric aircraft is presented the system may include a charging connector configured to mate with at least an electric aircraft port of the electric aircraft. The charging connector is further configured to charge at least a battery pack of the electric aircraft, wherein the charging connector may include a housing configured to house at least a component of the charging connector and a pin configured to connect conductors. The system may include a computing device communicatively connected to the charging connector, wherein the computing device is configured to establish a data connection with the electric aircraft. The computing device is further configured to receive data over the data connection from the electric aircraft at a data transfer rate. In another aspect, a method of communicating data for electric aircraft using a charging connector is presented. The method may include mating a charging connector to the at least an electric aircraft port of an electric aircraft. The method may further include establishing, using a computing device communicatively connected to the charging connector, a data connection with the electric aircraft. The method may further include charging, using the charging connector, at least a battery pack of the electric aircraft. The method may further include receiving, using the computing device, data from the electric aircraft at a data transfer rate. These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific non-limiting embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram of a system of data communication for an electric aircraft; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a mesh network for an aircraft; FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of an avionic mesh network; FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an exemplary battery module; FIG. 5 is perspective drawings illustrating a battery pack, according to embodiments; FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a flight controller; FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary machine-learning process; FIG. 8 is an exemplary flow diagram of a method of communicating data for electric aircraft using a charging connector; FIG. 9 is an illustration of an embodiment of an electric aircraft; and FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used to implement any one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein and any one or more portions thereof. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION At a high level, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a system of data communication for electric aircraft. In an embodiment, the system may include a charging connector configured to mate with at least an electric aircraft port of the electric aircraft. The charging connector may be further configured to charge at least a battery pack of the electric aircraft. Aspects of the present disclosure can be used to communicatively connect a charging connector to computing device. In an embodiment, the computing device may be configured to establish a data connection with the electric aircraft. In another embodiment, the computing device may be further configured to receive data over the data connection from the electric aircraft at a data transfer rate. Exemplary embodiments illustrating aspects of the present disclosure are described below in the context of several specific examples. Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of system 100 for data communication for an electric aircraft using a charging connector is illustrated. In a non-limiting embodiment, system 100 may be used for any electric vehicles. As used in this disclosure, an “electric vehicle” is any electrically powered means of