NETWORK BASED MANAGEMENT FOR MULTIPLEXED ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

• US 20130154561A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Gadh, Rajit, Chung, Ching Yen, Qi, Li, Chu, Chi-Cheng
• Granted Patent: US 9,620,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• 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 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• 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 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A system for multiplexing charging of electric vehicles, comprising a server coupled to a plurality of charging control modules over a network. Each of said charging modules being connected to a voltage source such that each charging control module is configured to regulate distribution of voltage from the voltage source to an electric vehicle coupled to the charging control module. Data collection and control software is provided on the server for identifying a plurality of electric vehicles coupled to the plurality of charging control modules and selectively distributing charging of the plurality of charging control modules to multiplex distribution of voltage to the plurality of electric vehicles.

Claims

1. A system for multiplexing charging of electric vehicles, comprising:

a server;

said server coupled to a charging control module over a network;

wherein said charging module comprises an input coupled to a voltage source;

wherein each charging control module is configured to regulate distribution of voltage from the voltage source to an electric vehicle coupled to the charging control module; and

software executable on said server for;

a) identifying an electric vehicle coupled to the charging control module; and

b) selectively distributing charging of the charging control module to multiplex distribution of voltage between the electric vehicle coupled to the charging control module and one or more other electric vehicles coupled to the server.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein selectively distributing charging further comprises:

generating a charging schedule based on one or more parameters; and

distributing voltage to the electric vehicles according to the charging schedule.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles simultaneously.

4. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles sequentially.

5. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles on a first-come, first-serve basis.

6. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles on a first-come, first-serve basis.

7. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles based on an established priority between the electric vehicles.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles as a function of an established priority between the electric vehicles and an energy pricing threshold associated with an electric vehicle.

9. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles based on an automatically-starting time schedule.

10. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles based on manually-starting time schedule.

11. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of:

a schedule of a user associated with an electric vehicle, power characteristics of the voltage source;

status of a grid associated with the voltage source, pricing data associated with the voltage source, and charging characteristics of the electric vehicle.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the charging control modules comprise:

a voltage input;

a plurality of voltage outputs each configured to individually couple to an electric vehicle; and

wherein the supplied voltage may be multiplexed over the plurality of voltage outputs.

13. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the charging control module comprises:

a sensor, said sensor configured for sensing a characteristic of the supplied voltage;

wherein the charging control module is configured to upload data relating to said characteristic to said server.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the characteristic comprises one or more of:

current, voltage, frequency, and power quality of the supplied voltage.

15. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the server communicates with the plurality of charging control modules over a wireless network.

16. A multiplexing charge control apparatus for electric vehicles, comprising:

a charging control module;

said charging module comprising an input configured to be coupled to a voltage source and at least one power output configured to be coupled to an electric vehicle;

said charging control module having a network connectable communications interface; and

a remote server;

said communications interface configured for communication between said server and said charging control module through a network gateway or other communications link;

said communications interface configured for communication of charge control signals from said server to said charging control module for independently controlling distribution of power to said at least one output;

wherein said control signals are configured for multiplexing distribution of charging the electric vehicle connected to said power output and a second electric vehicle coupled to the remote server.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising software executable on said server for:

identifying an electric vehicle coupled to the charging control module; and

selectively distributing charging of the charging control module to multiplex distribution of voltage between the electric vehicle coupled to the charging control module and the second electric vehicle.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein selectively distributing charging further comprises:

generating a charging schedule based on one or more parameters; and

distributing voltage to the electric vehicles according to the charging schedule.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles simultaneously.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles sequentially.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles on a first-come, first-serve basis.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles on a first-come, first-serve basis.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles based on an established priority between the electric vehicles.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles as a function of an established priority between the electric vehicles and an energy pricing threshold associated with an electric vehicle.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles based on an automatically-starting time schedule.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein voltage is distributed to the electric vehicles based on manually-starting time schedule.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of:

a schedule of a user associated with an electric vehicle, power characteristics of the voltage source;

status of a grid associated with the voltage source, pricing data associated with the voltage source, and charging characteristics of the electric vehicle.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the charging control module comprises:

a voltage input;

a plurality of voltage outputs each configured to individually couple to an electric vehicle;

wherein the supplied voltage may be multiplexed over the plurality of voltage outputs.

29. A multiplexing charge control apparatus for electric vehicles, comprising:

a charging control module;

said charging module comprising an input configured to be coupled to a voltage source and a plurality of voltage outputs each configured to individually couple to an electric vehicle;

wherein the supplied voltage may be multiplexed over the plurality of voltage outputs;

said charging control module having a network connectable communications interface; and

a remote server;

said communications interface configured for communication between said server and said charging control module through a network gateway or other communications link;

said communications interface configured for communication of charge control signals from said server to said charging control module for independently controlling distribution of power to said outputs;

wherein said control signals are configured for multiplexing distribution of charging between a plurality of electric vehicles connected to said power outputs.