ELECTRIC VEHICLE SIMULATOR AND ANALYZER (EVSA) FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLY EQUIPMENT

• US 20120022811A1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto Charging Systems, Inc. (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Berman, Scott Garret, Dickinson, Blake Edward, Flack, Albert Joseph, Kolb, Keith Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments pertain to simulator circuitry, particularly to simulator circuitry configured to simulate an electric vehicle and test an electric vehicle charger (110). A test unit (210) is configured to simulate a GFI current via modulator (1623) and to simulate electric vehicle loads via switched and combined resistor loads (1800). The test unit (220) provides for reprogramming of the electric vehicle charger (110) via a pilot line (323). The test unit (220) self-confirms its usability via associating received codes (1300).

Claims

1. A device configured to simulate an electric vehicle charging system, the device comprising:

a charge plug interface;

means for simulating pilot line feedback;

means for simulating electric vehicle load; and

means for simulating a ground fault interrupt current.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for simulating pilot line feedback comprises circuitry configured to initiate a pilot voltage drop to confirm readiness to accept energy.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for simulating electric vehicle load comprises a plurality of resistor banks, selectable via microcontroller-controlled switches, having a load approximating an expected load of an electric vehicle.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for simulating a ground fault interrupt current comprises a modulator circuit comprising a modulator generating a pulse width modulating signal having a microcomputer-controlled duty cycle.

5. A device configured to simulate a ground fault interrupt (GFI) current, the device comprising:

a modulator circuit comprising a modulator having a duty cycle of pulse width modulation adjustable via a microprocessor input, the modulator circuit configured to provide linear adjustments to a voltage divider ratio as a function of the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation to thereby generate a voltage signal; and

a voltage-to-current converter configured to generate a simulated GFI current as a function of the voltage signal generated by the modulator circuit.

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising:

a current-to-voltage converter configured to measure the simulated GFI current from the voltage-to-current converter, and configured to convert the measured simulated GFI current to a voltage representative of the simulated GFI current; and

an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the representative voltage to a digital microprocessor feedback signal.

7. A test unit for evaluating an electric vehicle charging device, the test unit comprising:

an interface configured to receive a code associable with a data store; and

a microprocessor having access to the data store;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to;

receive a first code and associate the first code with the electric vehicle charging device;

receive a second code and associate the second code with a work order; and

receive a third code and associate the third code with a person requesting to address the work order; and

permit use of the test unit with the electric vehicle charging device based on a confirmation of at least two of;

(a) code of the electric vehicle charging device;

(b) code of a work order; and

(c) code of the requesting person.

8. The test unit of claim 7 wherein the interface configured to receive a code associable with a data store is a barcode reader input module, the first code is a first read barcode, the second code is a second read barcode, and the third code is a third read barcode.

9. A method for determining permission to evaluate an electric vehicle charging device by a test unit, the method comprising:

receiving a first code representing the electric vehicle charging device;

receiving a second code representing a work order;

receiving a third code representing a person requesting to address the work order; and

if at least two of the codes are associable to permit access to the electric vehicle charging device, granting, by the test unit, permission for the test unit to access the electric vehicle charging device

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first code is a first read barcode, the second code is a second read barcode, and the third code is a third read barcode.

11. A test unit for evaluating an electric vehicle charging device, the test unit comprising:

a configurable load simulator wherein a first load simulating a first electric vehicle load is available via a first microprocessor-controlled switch being closed and a second microprocessor-controlled switch being open, a second load simulating a second electric vehicle load is available via the first microprocessor-controlled switch being open and the second microprocessor-controlled switch being closed, and a third load simulating a third electric vehicle load is available via the first microprocessor-controlled switch being closed and the second microprocessor-controlled switch being closed.

12. The test unit of claim 11 wherein the first load is about 2.2 kilowatts, the second load is about 4.4 kilowatts, and the third load is about 6.6 kilowatts.

13. A test unit for evaluating an electric vehicle charging device, the test unit comprising:

a microprocessor and memory wherein the memory comprised instructions for the electric vehicle charging device; and

a circuit configured to convert the instructions from the microprocessor for transmission to the electric vehicle charging device via a pilot line.

14. A test unit for evaluating an electric vehicle charging device, the test unit comprising:

analog to digital conversion circuitry configured to receive analog signals from the electric vehicle charging device and convert at least a portion of the received analog signals into digital signals; and

a microprocessor and data store wherein converted digital signals may be stored, the microprocessor configured to receive at least a portion of the digital signals and save them to the data store.