SERIAL MULTI-VEHICLE QUICK CHARGE STATION

• US 20130314037A1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: CAFFY, JAMES B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,981,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• 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 53/65 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 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• 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 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 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of serial multi-vehicle quick charge systems and stations for battery propulsion vehicles and methods thereof. One charging system comprises a charging unit having a plurality of charging circuits configured to be individually switched. The plurality of charging stations is electrically connected to the charging unit through the plurality of charging circuits. A controller is programmed to initiate charging of a vehicle connected to the charging unit through one of the charging stations by signaling a corresponding one of the charging circuits to close, track order of connection of each vehicle connected to the charging unit and initiate charging of each subsequently connected vehicle one at a time based on the order of connection, such that an individual vehicle is charged until a predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity has been obtained before the controller initiates charging of a vehicle next in the order of connection.

Claims

1. A charging system for battery propulsion vehicles comprising:

a charging unit having a plurality of charging circuits configured to be individually switched;

a plurality of charging stations each of which is electrically connected to the charging unit through a respective one of the plurality of charging circuits;

a controller programmed to;

initiate charging of a vehicle connected to the charging unit through one of the plurality of charging stations by signaling a corresponding one of the plurality of the charging circuits to close;

track order of connection of each vehicle connected to the charging unit; and

initiate charging of each subsequently connected vehicle one at a time based on the order of connection, such that an individual vehicle is charged until a predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity has been obtained before the controller stops charging the individual vehicle and initiates charging of a vehicle next in the order of connection.

2. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity is between 75% and 85% of battery charge capacity.

4. The charging system of claim 1 further comprising a central display unit configured to identify one of the plurality of charging stations that is currently charging.

7. The charging system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of charging stations comprises a display unit and the controller is further programmed to monitor respective amounts of charge of vehicles connected to the plurality of charging stations, each of the display units being configured to display a corresponding one of the respective amounts of charge.

8. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the charging unit receives 400-500 volt DC power and delivers DC power to the plurality of charging stations.

9. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to charge to battery charge capacity vehicles remaining connected to the charging unit after a last connected vehicle is charged to the predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity, the remaining vehicles being charged in succession to battery charge capacity in the order of connection.

10. The charging system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of charging stations comprises a controller configured to send and receive data to the controller of the charging unit.

11. The charging system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of charging stations includes a pay station, the controller further programmed to include a vehicle in the order of connection only after payment is made to an associated pay station.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

12. A system for charging a plurality of battery propulsion vehicles with one charging unit, the system comprising:

a plurality of charging stations each of which is electrically connected to the one charging unit through a respective one of a plurality of charging circuits; and

a controller programmed to;

initiate charging of a vehicle connected to one of the plurality of charging stations by signaling a corresponding one of the plurality of charging circuits to close;

track order of connection of each vehicle connected to the plurality of charging stations; and

initiate charging of each subsequently connected vehicle one at a time based on the order of connection, such that an individual vehicle is charged until a predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity has been obtained before the controller stops charging the individual vehicle and initiates charging of a vehicle next in the order of connection.

13. A method of charging a plurality of battery propulsion vehicles with one charging unit comprising:

initiating charging of a vehicle connected to the charging unit through one of a plurality of charging stations;

tracking an order of connection of vehicles connected to the charging unit;

charging the vehicle until a predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity is reached; and

initiating charging of subsequently connected vehicles one at a time in the order of connection, with charging of respective ones of the subsequently connected vehicles concluding when the predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity is reached.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity is between 75% and 85% of battery charge capacity.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising displaying an identity of one of the plurality of charging stations that is currently performing a charging operation.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

monitoring an amount of charge of a vehicle connected to one of the plurality of charging stations; and

displaying the amount of charge.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising charging to battery charge capacity vehicles remaining connected to the charging unit after a last connected vehicle is charged to the predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity, the remaining vehicles being charged in succession to battery charge capacity in the order of connection.

15. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)