Computerized information system for smart grid integrated electric vehicle charging and associated method

• US 10,431,997 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2016
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENEL X Way USA LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric Motor Werks, Inc. (ENEL SPA)
• Inventors: Miftakhov, Valery, Gurzhi, Alexander, Edgette, Chris, White, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tat, Binh C
• Application Number:
  US15/004,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20160236585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,346 Days
• Field of Search: 320106-115
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• 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: 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 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the system incorporating: at least one vehicle charging station intermittently connectable to the vehicle; a control server comprising at least one processing unit and a memory; and a computerized information system comprising a display unit displaying a user interface and a user input unit, the computerized information system being communicatively connected to the control server via a data network, wherein the user interface comprises a charging priority selection portion for receiving, via the user input unit, a plurality of charging priorities from an operator of the vehicle, wherein the computerized information system transmits the received plurality of charging priorities to the control server and wherein the control server controls the at least one vehicle charging station based on the transmitted plurality of charging priorities.

Claims

1. A system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the system comprising:

a. at least one vehicle charging station intermittently connectable to the vehicle;

b. a control server comprising at least one processing unit and a memory, wherein the control server is communicatively coupled, via the data network, to a smart grid infrastructure and the control server receives at least one real-time data stream from the smart grid infrastructure and

c. a computerized information system comprising a display unit displaying a user interface and a user input unit, the computerized information system being communicatively connected to the control server via a data network, wherein the user interface comprises a charging priority selection portion for receiving, via the user input unit, a plurality of charging priorities from an operator of the vehicle, wherein the computerized information system transmits the received plurality of charging priorities to the control server and wherein the control server controls the at least one vehicle charging station based on the transmitted plurality of charging priorities, wherein the charging priority selection portion of the user interface comprises a plurality of user interface widgets, each of the plurality of user interface widgets corresponding to a charging priority from the plurality of charging priorities.

2. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charging priorities comprises a charge time priority.

3. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charging priorities comprises a target state of charge priority.

4. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charging priorities comprises an electricity price priority.

5. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charging priorities comprises an electric energy source priority.

6. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charging priorities comprises participation in demand response programs priority.

7. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the computerized information system is a mobile device of the operator of the vehicle.

8. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle charging station receives at least one charging control command from the control server via the data network.

9. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one charging control command comprises charging start and charging stop commands.

10. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the at least one data stream comprises real time electricity pricing data.

11. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the at least one data stream comprises real time atmospheric emissions data.

12. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the at least one data stream comprises real time electricity demand data.

13. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the at least one data stream comprises real time event data.

14. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein computerized information system is disposed onboard of the vehicle.

15. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein computerized information system is disposed on the at least one vehicle charging station.

16. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of user interface widgets is a slider widget.

17. A computer-implemented method for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the method being performed in connection with a system comprising at least one vehicle charging station intermittently connectable to the vehicle, a control server comprising at least one processing unit and a memory and a computerized information system comprising a display unit and a user input unit, the computerized information system being communicatively connected to the control server via a data network, the method comprising:

a. displaying a user interface on the display unit, the user interface comprises a charging priority selection portion, wherein the charging priority selection portion of the user interface comprises a plurality of user interface widgets, each of the plurality of user interface widgets corresponding to a charging priority from the plurality of charging priorities

b. receiving, via the user input unit, a plurality of charging priorities from an operator of the vehicle;

c. transmitting the received plurality of charging priorities to the control server, wherein the control server is communicatively coupled, via the data network, to a smart grid infrastructure and the control server receives at least one real-time data stream from the smart grid infrastructure and

d. controlling the at least one vehicle charging station based on the transmitted plurality of charging priorities.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a set of instructions, which, when executed in connection with a system comprising at least one vehicle charging station intermittently connectable to the vehicle, a control server comprising at least one processing unit and a memory and a computerized information system comprising a display unit and a user input unit, the computerized information system being communicatively connected to the control server via a data network, cause the system to perform a method comprising:

a. displaying a user interface on the display unit, the user interface comprises a charging priority selection portion, wherein the charging priority selection portion of the user interface comprises a plurality of user interface widgets, each of the plurality of user interface widgets corresponding to a charging priority from the plurality of charging priorities

b. receiving, via the user input unit, a plurality of charging priorities from an operator of the vehicle;

c. transmitting the received plurality of charging priorities to the control server, wherein the control server is communicatively coupled, via the data network, to a smart grid infrastructure and the control server receives at least one real-time data stream from the smart grid infrastructure and

d. controlling the at least one vehicle charging station based on the transmitted plurality of charging priorities.