APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING DEMAND RESPONSE INFORMATION

• US 20120239594A1
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Boot, John Christopher
• Application Number:
  US13/050,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239594A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method for providing demand response information to a user of an electric vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving demand response data. A plurality of energy prices based on the demand response data is then generated by a processor, wherein each energy price is associated with a time range. The plurality of energy prices are then presented to a user of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for providing demand response information to a user of an electric vehicle, said method comprising:

receiving demand response data;

generating a plurality of energy prices based on the demand response data using a processor, wherein each energy price is associated with a time range; and

presenting the plurality of energy prices to the user of the electric vehicle.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving battery data from the electric vehicle, wherein the battery data includes a current charge status of the battery;

calculating a plurality of recharging costs based on the demand response data and based on the battery data; and

calculating a predicted charging duration based on the current charge status of the battery.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising calculating a plurality of recharging costs for at least one charging station that is within at least one of a range and a route of the electric vehicle.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of energy prices further comprises presenting the plurality of energy prices to the user via a display device.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of energy prices further comprises presenting the plurality of energy prices to the user via at least one of a navigation system and an onboard vehicle computer.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of energy prices further comprises presenting the plurality of energy devices to the user via an audio output device.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

generating an audio signal based on the plurality of energy prices; and

transmitting the audio signal to the user of the electric vehicle via the audio output device.

8. A computing device for use with an electric vehicle, said computing device comprising:

an interface configured to receive demand response data;

a processor coupled to said interface and programmed to generate a plurality of energy prices based on the demand response data, wherein each energy is associated with a time range; and

a presentation interface coupled to said processor for use in presenting the plurality of energy prices to a user of the electric vehicle.

9. A computing device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said processor is programmed to calculate a plurality of recharging costs based on the demand response data and based on battery data received from the electric vehicle, wherein the battery data includes a current charge status of the battery, said processor is further programmed to calculate a predicted charging duration based on the current charge status.

10. A computing device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said processor is programmed to calculate a plurality of recharging costs for at least one charging station that is within at least one of a range and a route of the electric vehicle.

11. A computing device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said presentation interface is configured to present the predicted charging duration.

12. A computing device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said presentation interface comprises a display device.

13. A computing device in accordance with claim 12, wherein said display device includes at least one of a navigation system and an onboard vehicle computer.

14. A computing device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said presentation interface comprises an audio output device.

15. A computing device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said processor is programmed to generate an audio signal based on the plurality of energy prices, said audio output device is configured to transmit the audio signal to the user of the electric vehicle.

16. An electric vehicle comprising:

a battery;

a computing device coupled to the battery, said computing device comprising;

an interface configured to receive demand response data;

a processor coupled to said interface and programmed to generate a plurality of energy prices based on the demand response data, wherein each energy price is associated with a time range; and

a presentation interface coupled to said processor for use in presenting the plurality of energy prices to a user of the electric vehicle.

17. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 16, wherein said processor is programmed to calculate a plurality of recharging costs based on the demand response data and based on battery data received from the electric vehicle, wherein the battery data includes a current charge status of the battery, said processor is further programmed to calculate a predicted charging duration based on the current charge status.

18. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 16, wherein said processor is programmed to calculate a plurality of recharging costs for at least one charging station that is within at least one of a range and a route of the electric vehicle.

19. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 16, wherein said presentation interface comprises a display device.

20. An electric vehicle in accordance with claim 16, wherein said presentation interface comprises an audio output device, said processor is programmed to generate an audio signal based on the plurality of energy prices and said audio output device is configured to transmit the audio signal to the user of the electric vehicle.