Charging and discharging system for an electric vehicle

• US 10,286,803 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Niwa, Yamato
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun C
• Application Number:
  US15/114,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20170001533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

A charging and discharging system includes an electric storage device, a connection port configured to supply electric power between the electric storage device and the outside of a vehicle, a charger configured to receive electric power from the outside of the vehicle via the connection port and to supply the electric power to the electric storage device, a power converter configured to receive electric power from the electric storage device and to output the electric power from the connection port to the outside of the vehicle, a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage across output nodes of the power converter, and a control unit configured to control the power converter. The control unit causes the power converter to output electric power after checking that the voltage across the output nodes is in an inactive state when a command for outputting electric power from the power converter is received.

Claims

1. A charging and discharging system comprising:

an electric storage device;

a connection port configured to supply electric power between the electric storage device and the outside of a vehicle;

a charger configured to receive electric power from the outside of the vehicle via the connection port, the charger being configured to supply the electric power to the electric storage device;

a power converter provided inside the vehicle and configured to receive electric power from the electric storage device, the power converter being configured to output the electric power from the connection port to the outside of the vehicle;

a voltage detector provided inside the vehicle and configured to detect a voltage of an output node of the power converter; and

an electronic control unit configured to control the power converter,

wherein when the electronic control unit receives a command for outputting electric power from the power converter, the power converter outputs electric power after the electronic control unit checks that the voltage of the output node is in an inactive state.

2. The charging and discharging system according to claim 1, wherein when the electronic control unit receives the command for outputting electric power from the power converter, an output of electric power from the power converter stops when the voltage of the output node is in an active state.

3. The charging and discharging system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a relay configured to connect and cut off a path between the connection port and the output node,

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to check whether the voltage of the output node is in the active state or in the inactive state through the use of the voltage detector after the relay cuts off the path when the electronic control unit receives the command for outputting electric power from the power converter.

4. The charging and discharging system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a socket disposed in the vehicle, the socket being connected to an electrical load, and the socket being connected to the output node,

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive the command for outputting electric power from the power converter when a request for supplying electric power from the socket to the electrical load is given.

5. The charging and discharging system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive the command for outputting electric power from the power converter when a request for supplying electric power from the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle via the connection port is given.

6. A vehicle comprising:

an electric storage device;

a connection port configured to supply electric power between the electric storage device and the outside of the vehicle;

a charger configured to receive electric power from the outside of the vehicle via the connection port, the charger being configured to supply the electric power to the electric storage device;

a power converter configured to receive electric power from the electric storage device, the power converter being configured to output the electric power from the connection port to the outside of the vehicle;

a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of an output node of the power converter; and

an electronic control unit configured to control the power converter,

wherein when the electronic control unit receives a command for outputting electric power from the power converter, the power converter outputs electric power after the electronic control unit checks that the voltage of the output node is in an inactive state.