Electric vehicle for charging a battery, a system including the same, and a method for charging a battery of an electric vehicle

• US 10,286,802 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US15/606,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20180170202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00735 Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00778 the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00964 Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for automatic and non-automatic control, e.g. for changing from automatic to manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/66 Ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electric vehicle, a system, and a method for charging a battery of the electric vehicle are disclosed. The system and electric vehicle sufficiently charge a battery even under an unexpected situation, and when a reserved charging time of the electric vehicle is fixed. The system and the electric vehicle economically use electricity by changing a time needed for battery charging, and drive an air conditioner of the vehicle in preparation for a weather situation such as intense cold or intense heat, thereby increasing user convenience and safety of a vehicle driver who rides in the vehicle.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a battery configured to receive power from a charger;

a communication part configured to receive information from an external part; and

a controller configured to;

calculate a charging start time based on a navigation schedule for a departure of the electric vehicle and a residual lifetime of the battery when the battery is connected to the charger,

change the charging start time of the battery on the basis of event information received from the communication part, and

charge the battery on the basis of the changed charging start time.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a scheduled departure time of the electric vehicle on the basis of the navigation schedule, and request acknowledgement of the scheduled departure time by controlling the communication part.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the scheduled departure time needs to be changed on the basis of an event information, and change the charging start time on the basis of the changed scheduled departure time.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to request a user to acknowledge the charging start time by controlling the communication part.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature; and

an air conditioner configured to be operated upon receiving power from the battery.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the air conditioner needs to operate in advance on the basis of at least one of the event information or a detection value of the temperature sensor, and to calculate a power amount of the battery used in the air conditioner.

7. The electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to change the charging start time on the basis of the power amount, and to request a user to acknowledge the changed charging start time by controlling the communication part.

8. A system comprising:

a user terminal configured to receive a navigation schedule from a user;

a server configured to receive the navigation schedule received from the user terminal and event information received from an external part; and

an electric vehicle configured to charge a battery using a charger,

wherein the server is configured to;

calculate a charging start time based on a navigation schedule for a departure of the electric vehicle and a residual lifetime of the battery when the battery is connected to the charger,

change the charging start time of the battery on the basis of the event information, and

control an electric vehicle configured to perform battery charging on the basis of the changed charging start time.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the server is configured to determine a scheduled departure time of the electric vehicle on the basis of the navigation schedule, and to request the user to acknowledge the scheduled departure time.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the server is configured to determine whether the scheduled departure time needs to be changed on the basis of the event information, and to change the charging start time on the basis of the changed scheduled departure time.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein:

the server is configured to transmit the changed charging start time to the user terminal, and request the user to acknowledge the changed charging start time.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein:

the electric vehicle further includes an air conditioner configured to be operated upon receiving power from the battery; and

the server is configured to determine whether the air conditioner needs to operate in advance on the basis of the event information, to calculate an amount of additional power used in the air conditioner, and to change the charging start time on the basis of the additional power amount.

13. A charging method for an electric vehicle comprising:

calculating, by a server, a charging start time based on a navigation schedule for a departure of the electric vehicle and a remaining lifetime of a battery when the battery is connected to a charger;

receiving, by the server, event information from an external part;

changing, by the server, the charging start time of the battery on the basis of the event information; and

charging, by the charger, the battery on the basis of the changed charging start time.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the changing of the charging start time of the battery includes:

determining whether a scheduled departure time needs to be changed on the basis of the event information; and

changing the charging start time on the basis of the changed scheduled departure time.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting the changed charging start time to a user of the electric vehicle, and requesting the user to acknowledge the changed charging start time.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the receiving of the event information includes:

receiving a detection value transferred from a temperature sensor of the electric vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the changing of the charging start time of the battery includes:

calculating an amount of power needed to pre-operate an air conditioner of the electric vehicle on the basis of the detection value from the temperature sensor and the event information; and

changing the charging start time on the basis of the calculated power amount.