VEHICLE, CHARGING CABLE, AND CHARGING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

• US 20120091958A1
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji, Itagaki, Kenji, Sasaki, Masaru, Ang, Wanleng, Murasato, Kenji, Mizutani, Atsushi, Yamamoto, Yukihiro, Kikuchi, Taira, Sawada, Hiroki, Fujitake, Yoshinori, Kataoka, Yoshikazu, Ieda, Shingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• 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 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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
• 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

In a charging system for a vehicle for charging a power storage device, including the vehicle having the power storage device, and a charging cable for transmitting electric power supplied from an external power supply outside of the vehicle to the power storage device, charging information about charging performed by a charging device is set based on a signal generated by operation of an operation switch provided on a charging connector. This configuration can improve operability during charging.

Claims

1. A vehicle to be charged with electric power supplied from an external power supply via a charging cable,

said charging cable including

a power line for transmitting the electric power supplied from said external power supply,

a first connection unit provided on an end portion of said power line near the vehicle, for being connected to said vehicle, and

an operation switch provided on said first connection unit,

said vehicle including

a power storage device configured to be charged with the electric power supplied from said external power supply,

a vehicle inlet for being connected to said first connection unit,

a charging device connected to said vehicle inlet, for converting the electric power supplied from said external power supply to charge said power storage device, and

a first control device for controlling said charging device,

said operation switch being a release button operated when said first connection unit is disconnected from said vehicle inlet,

said first control device including a charging information setting unit configured to set charging information about charging performed by said charging device based on a signal generated by operation of said operation switch.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said charging information includes information about a time to start charging, and

said first control device further includes a charging control unit configured to control said charging device to start charging after a lapse of said time to start charging that has been set by said charging information setting unit.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said first control device further includes a signal input unit configured to detect input of the signal generated by operation of said operation switch while said first connection unit is connected to said vehicle inlet.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said charging cable further includes a second control device capable of inputting and outputting a signal from and to said first control device, for outputting operation information based on the signal generated by operation of said operation switch to said first control device, while said first connection unit is connected to said vehicle inlet,

said second control device includes

an operation information storage unit configured to store the operation information based on the signal generated by operation of said operation switch while said first connection unit is not connected to said vehicle inlet, and

an operation information setting unit configured to transmit the operation information stored in said operation information storage unit to said first control device when said first connection unit is connected to said vehicle inlet, and

said charging information setting unit sets said charging information based on the operation information transmitted from said operation information setting unit.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said first control device further includes an operator authentication unit for authenticating an operator to be allowed for operation, and

said charging information setting unit sets said charging information when said operator to be allowed for operation is authenticated by said operator authentication unit.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising a detection device for detecting an identification signal unique to said vehicle transmitted from a transmitter, wherein

said operator authentication unit authenticates said operator to be allowed for operation when said identification signal is detected by said detection device.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

said operator authentication unit authenticates said operator to be allowed for operation when said operation switch is operated in a predetermined order of operation.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a display device for displaying said charging information that has been set by said charging information setting unit.

3. (canceled)

10. A charging cable for transmitting electric power supplied from an external power supply to charge a vehicle,

said vehicle including

a power storage device configured to be charged with the electric power supplied from said external power supply,

a vehicle inlet for being connected to said charging cable,

a charging device connected to said vehicle inlet, for converting the electric power supplied from said external power supply to charge said power storage device, and

a first control device for controlling said charging device,

said charging cable including

a power line for transmitting the electric power supplied from said external power supply,

a first connection unit provided on an end portion of said power line near the vehicle, for being connected to said vehicle inlet,

an operation switch provided on said first connection unit, and

a second control device capable of inputting and outputting a signal from and to said first control device, for outputting operation information based on a signal generated by operation of said operation switch to said first control device, while said first connection unit is connected to said vehicle inlet,

said operation switch being a release button operated when said first connection unit is disconnected from said vehicle inlet,

said second control device including

an operation information storage unit configured to store the operation information based on the signal generated by operation of said operation switch while said first connection unit is not connected to said vehicle inlet, and

an operation information setting unit configured to transmit the operation information stored in said operation information storage unit to said first control device when said first connection unit is connected to said vehicle inlet.

11. The charging cable according to claim 10, further comprising a second connection unit for being connected to said external power supply, wherein

said operation information storage unit stores the operation information based on the signal generated by operation of said operation switch when said operation switch is operated while said second connection unit is connected to said external power supply.

12. The charging cable according to claim 10, wherein

if said first connection unit remains connected to said vehicle inlet after the operation information stored in said operation information storage unit was transmitted to said first control device, said operation information setting unit prohibits transmission of the operation information based on the signal generated by operation of said operation switch even if said operation switch is operated.

13. A charging system for a vehicle for charging a power storage device, comprising:

the vehicle including said power storage device; and

a charging cable for transmitting electric power supplied from an external power supply outside of said vehicle to said power storage device,

said vehicle including

a vehicle inlet for being connected to said charging cable,

a charging device connected to said vehicle inlet, for converting the electric power supplied from said external power supply to charge said power storage device, and

a first control device for controlling said charging device,

said charging cable including

a power line for transmitting the electric power supplied from said external power supply,

a first connection unit provided on an end portion of said power line near the vehicle, for being connected to said vehicle inlet, and

an operation switch provided on said first connection unit,

said operation switch being a release button operated when said first connection unit is disconnected from said vehicle inlet,

said first control device including a charging information setting unit configured to set charging information about charging performed by said charging device based on a signal generated by operation of said operation switch.

14. The charging system for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

said charging cable further includes a second control device capable of inputting and outputting a signal from and to said first control device, for outputting operation information based on the signal generated by operation of said operation switch to said first control device, while said first connection unit is connected to said vehicle inlet,

said second control device includes

an operation information storage unit configured to store the operation information based on the signal generated by operation of said operation switch while said first connection unit is not connected to said vehicle inlet, and

an operation information setting unit configured to transmit the operation information stored in said operation information storage unit to said first control device when said first connection unit is connected to said vehicle inlet, and

said charging information setting unit sets said charging information based on the operation information transmitted from said operation information setting unit.