CHARGING MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20110121791A1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Basham, Robert Beverley, Boss, Gregory Jensen, Sand, Anne R., Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Haugh, Julianne Frances
• Granted Patent: US 8,508,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/162
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A charging method and system. The method includes detecting and monitoring by a computer processor, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location. The computer processor generates frequency level data associated with the monitoring. The computer processor receives a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source and power source data associated with the rechargeable power source and a user. In response to the request, the computer processor enables a customized charging process associated with charging the rechargeable power source based on the frequency level data and/or the power source data.

Claims

1. A charging method comprising:

detecting, by a computer processor of a computing apparatus, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location;

monitoring, by said computer processor, said frequency signal;

generating, by said computer processor, frequency level data associated with said monitoring;

receiving, by said computer processor from a first user, a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source;

receiving, by said computer processor, first power source data associated with said rechargeable power source and said first user; and

enabling, by said computer processor based on said frequency level data and/or said first power source data, a first customized charging process associated with said charging said rechargeable power source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level for a first specified time period;

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a second specified charge level for a second specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting, said charging device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first specified charge level comprises a first specified current output level, and wherein said second specified charge level comprises a second specified current output level.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

before said detecting, enabling by said computer processor, said charging device at a third specified charge level for a third specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said third specified charge level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a first specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

enabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting said first specified voltage level, said charging device at a second specified charge level, wherein said first specified charge level exceeds said second specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a second specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

determining, by said computer processor based on said second specified voltage level, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said determining, said charging device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first power source data comprises data selected from the group consisting of a current time of day, a type of apparatus using said rechargeable power source, a required amount of load to charge said rechargeable power source to peak capacity, and a specified time that said apparatus is required for operation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said frequency level data comprises determining that said frequency signal currently comprises a first value that is less than a predetermined frequency value, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor that said frequency signal currently comprises a second value that is greater than or equal to said predetermined frequency value;

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a second specified charge level, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting that said rechargeable power source has been charge to peak capacity, said charging device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

determining, by said computer processor, that a plurality of different computing devices associated with a plurality of different rechargeable power sources at a plurality of different locations have received requests for initiating a plurality of customized charging processes associated with charging said plurality of rechargeable power sources;

determining, by said computer processor, a sequential order of said requests and a request to enable said first customized charging process;

first enabling, by said computer processor in accordance with said sequential order, said charging device at a first specified charge level and a first specified time for a first specified time period;

after said first enabling, first disabling by said computer processor in accordance with said sequential order, said charging device at a second specified time for a second specified time period;

after said first disabling, enabling by said computer processor in accordance with said sequential order, said charging device at said first specified charge level and a third specified time for said first specified time period;

determining, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said determining that said rechargeable power source has been charge to peak capacity, said charging device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

receiving, by said computer processor, power grid data associated with a power grid supplying power;

receiving, by said computer processor, a request for enabling said charging device;

determining, by said computer processor based on said power grid data, a specified time period that said power grid supplies power at a discounted rate;

enabling, by said computer processor at a specified time occurring during said specified time period, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charge to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting that said rechargeable power source has been charge to peak capacity, said charging device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

receiving, by said computer processor, anticipated usage data associated with an anticipated usage of a power grid supplying power, wherein said anticipated usage data comprises first data associated with a predicted low power demand timeframe for said power grid and second data associated with a predicted high power demand timeframe for said power grid;

receiving, by said computer processor, a request for enabling said charging device;

determining, by said computer processor based on said anticipated usage data, a specified time period associated with said predicted low power demand timeframe for said power grid;

enabling, by said computer processor at a specified time occurring during said specified time period, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

after said enabling said charging device at said first specified charge level, determining by said computer processor based on said anticipated usage data, that a current time is within said predicted high power demand timeframe; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said determining that said current time is within said predicted high power demand timeframe, said charging device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said anticipated usage data comprises weather related data associated with predicted weather conditions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

receiving, by said computer processor, usage data associated with past usage data for said specified location and an anticipated usage power demand for said specified location;

receiving, by said computer processor, a request for enabling said charging device;

determining, by said computer processor based on said usage data, a first specified time period associated with a first predicted low power demand timeframe for said specified location;

enabling, by said computer processor at a first specified time occurring during said first specified time period, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

after said enabling said charging device at said first specified charge level, determining by said computer processor based on said usage data, that a first current time is within a second specified time period associated with a first predicted high power demand timeframe for said specified location;

enabling, by said computer processor at a second specified time occurring during said second specified time period, said charging device at a second specified charge level, wherein said second specified charge level is less than said first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charge to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting that said rechargeable power source has been charge to peak capacity, said charging device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source comprises a first rechargeable power source and a second rechargeable power source, wherein said first rechargeable power source is connected to a first charging device, wherein said second rechargeable power source is connected to a second charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

first determining, by said computer processor, that said frequency signal currently comprises a first value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined frequency value;

first enabling, by said computer processor, said first charging device and said second charging device at a first specified charge level;

after said first enabling, second determining by said computer processor, that said frequency signal currently comprises a second value that is less than said predetermined frequency value;

third determining, by said computer processor in response to said second determining, that a state of charge percentage for said first rechargeable power source is less than a state of charge percentage for said second rechargeable power source;

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said third determining, said second charging device;

after said disabling said second charging device, fourth determining by said computer processor, that said frequency signal currently comprises a third value that is greater than said predetermined frequency value;

second enabling, by said computer processor, said second charging device at said first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said first rechargeable power source and said second rechargeable power source have been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting, said first charging device and said second charging device.

14. A computer program product, comprising a computer storage medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to perform the method of claim 1 upon being enabled by said computer processor of said computing apparatus.

15. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in said computer processor, wherein the code in combination with the computer processor is capable of performing the method of claim 1.

16. A computing system comprising a computer processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when enabled by the computer processor implements a charging method comprising:

detecting, by said computer processor, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location;

monitoring, by said computer processor, said frequency signal;

generating, by said computer processor, frequency level data associated with said monitoring;

receiving, by said computer processor from a first user, a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source;

receiving, by said computer processor, first power source data associated with said rechargeable power source and said first user; and

enabling, by said computer processor based on said frequency level data and/or said first power source data, a first customized charging process associated with said charging said rechargeable power source.

17. The computing system of claim 16, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level for a first specified time period;

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a second specified charge level for a second specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting, said charging device.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein said first specified charge level comprises a first specified current output level, and wherein said second specified charge level comprises a second specified current output level.

19. The computing system of claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

before said detecting, enabling by said computer processor, said charging device at a third specified charge level for a third specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said third specified charge level.

20. The computing system of claim 16, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a first specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

enabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting said first specified voltage level, said charging device at a second specified charge level, wherein said first specified charge level exceeds said second specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a second specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

determining, by said computer processor based on said second specified voltage level, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said determining, said charging device.