Multi-protocol charge port for an electric vehicle
First Claim
1. A method of conductive charging an electric vehicle at a charging station, the charging station being configured to provide charge to the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle being configured to receive charge from the charging station using a vehicle charge protocol, comprising:
- connecting an electrical connector to a charge port of the vehicle, the electrical connector including multiple electrodes;
receiving, at the vehicle, through a first electrode of the multiple electrodes, a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol;
automatically selecting the vehicle charge protocol based on the received signal to match the charging station charge protocol, wherein the selecting includes selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a first charge protocol if the received signal is a first value and selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a second charge protocol if the received signal is a second value different from the first value, wherein the first charge protocol and the second charge protocol are different charge protocols supported by the vehicle, and wherein a charge protocol defines rules for information exchange and power transfer between the charging station and the electric vehicle during charging; and
charging the vehicle using the selected vehicle charge protocol.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of charging an electric vehicle at a charging station includes electrically connecting the charging station to the vehicle. The charging station may be configured to charge the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle may be configured to receive the charge using a vehicle charge protocol. The vehicle receives a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol and selects the vehicle charge protocol based on this signal. The vehicle is then charged using the selected vehicle charge protocol. While selecting, the vehicle may select one charge protocol from multiple charge protocols supported by the vehicle to match the charging station charge protocol.
15 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of conductive charging an electric vehicle at a charging station, the charging station being configured to provide charge to the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle being configured to receive charge from the charging station using a vehicle charge protocol, comprising:
-
connecting an electrical connector to a charge port of the vehicle, the electrical connector including multiple electrodes; receiving, at the vehicle, through a first electrode of the multiple electrodes, a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol; automatically selecting the vehicle charge protocol based on the received signal to match the charging station charge protocol, wherein the selecting includes selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a first charge protocol if the received signal is a first value and selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a second charge protocol if the received signal is a second value different from the first value, wherein the first charge protocol and the second charge protocol are different charge protocols supported by the vehicle, and wherein a charge protocol defines rules for information exchange and power transfer between the charging station and the electric vehicle during charging; and charging the vehicle using the selected vehicle charge protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of conductive charging an electric vehicle at a charging station, the charging station being configured to provide charge to the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle being configured to receive charge from the charging station using a vehicle charge protocol, comprising:
-
connecting an electrical connector to a charge port of the vehicle, the electrical connector including multiple electrodes; receiving, at the vehicle, through a first electrode of the multiple electrodes, a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol; automatically selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a first charge protocol if the received signal is a first value and selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a second charge protocol if the received signal is a second value different from the first value, wherein the first charge protocol and the second charge protocol are different charge protocols that define rules for information exchange and power transfer between the charging station and the electric vehicle during charging; and charging the vehicle using the selected vehicle charge protocol. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An electric vehicle, comprising:
-
a charge port configured to separably couple to an electrical connector configured to direct electrical power to the vehicle during charging, the electrical connector including multiple electrodes that contact electrodes of the charge port; and a control system configured to charge the vehicle using a vehicle charge protocol, wherein the control system is further configured to; detect a signal on a first electrode of the multiple electrodes, the signal being indicative of a charging station charge protocol; and automatically select the vehicle charge protocol to be a first charge protocol if the detected signal is a first value and select the vehicle charge protocol to be a second charge protocol different from the first charge protocol if the detected signal is a second value different from the first value, wherein the first charge protocol and the second charge protocol are different charge protocols supported by the vehicle, and wherein a charge protocol defines rules for information exchange and power transfer between the charging station and the electric vehicle during charging. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification