Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Cable Detection

• US 20130320920A1
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Jefferies, Kevin M., White, Matthew L., Filippenko, Konstantin Alexander, Edwards, Benjamin W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,368,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply

Abstract

Systems, methods, devices, and computer-readable media detect a status of a cable 204, and in particular, a cable of electric supply equipment. An example of electric supply equipment is electric vehicle supply equipment 200, which may be used for charging an electric vehicle 201. The electric vehicle supply equipment 200 may include a cable 204 for delivering electric power from a power source to the electric vehicle 201. Further, the electric vehicle supply equipment 200 may include a cable detection subcircuit 225 for detecting a status of its cable 204. Specifically, the cable detection subcircuit 225 may detect whether the cable 204 has been removed. Further, the electric vehicle supply equipment 200 may take various actions based on results provided by the cable detection subcircuit 225.

Claims

1. Electric vehicle supply equipment, comprising:

a control box configured to house a contactor;

a cable having a first end coupled to the control box; and

a cable detection subcircuit configured to detect a status of the cable;

wherein the cable comprises;

a plurality of power lines configured to supply electric power to an electric vehicle;

a ground line configured to extend from a ground terminal of the electric vehicle supply equipment to a ground terminal of an electric vehicle when the ground line is connected to the electric vehicle; and

a cable detection line having a first end that is electrically connected to the cable detection subcircuit, and

wherein the cable detection subcircuit, the cable detection line, and the ground line are included in a closed circuit loop.

2. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, wherein the cable detection subcircuit injects a current into the closed circuit loop.

3. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, wherein the cable detection subcircuit detects whether an impedance of a circuit matches an expected impedance.

4. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, wherein the circuit is a proximity circuit included within a connector coupled to a second end of the cable.

5. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 4, wherein the proximity circuit includes a resistor coupled in series with a switch, the switch configured to close when the connector is connected to an electric vehicle.

6. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, wherein the circuit is a circuit within a connector coupled to a second end of the cable.

7. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, wherein a second end of the cable detection line is electrically connected to a proximity line configured to carry a proximity signal to an electric vehicle indicating that a connector is coupled to the electric vehicle.

8. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 7, wherein the connector comprises a proximity circuit configured to generate the proximity signal.

9. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector coupled to a second end of the cable and configured to electrically connect the plurality of power lines to an electric vehicle,

wherein the connector comprises a proximity circuit configured to generate a proximity signal that is to be delivered to an electric vehicle when the connector is coupled to the electric vehicle, and

wherein a second end of the cable detection line is electrically connected to a node of the proximity circuit.

10. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector coupled to a second end of the cable and configured to electrically connect the plurality of power lines to an electric vehicle,

wherein the connector includes a circuit that couples a second end of the cable detection line to the ground line.

11. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, wherein a second end of the cable detection line is coupled to the ground line at a position within the cable.

12. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 11, further comprising:

a connector coupled to a second end of the cable and configured to electrically connect the plurality of power lines to an electric vehicle,

wherein the position within the cable is closer to the first end of the cable than to the second end of the cable.

13. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, wherein the cable detection subcircuit is housed inside the control box.

14. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

a computing device comprising;

an interface configured to receive an output signal of the cable detection subcircuit;

an output module configured to output a second output signal to an output device;

a processor; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

determine whether the cable has been removed based on the output signal received by the interface; and

generate the second output signal in a case that the processor determines that the cable has been removed.

15. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

an output device configured to receive an output signal from the cable detection subcircuit, and, in response to receiving the output signal, to perform at least one of the following steps;

transmitting a signal to a specified computing device;

sounding an alarm;

turning on a light; and

capturing an image.

16. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 1, wherein detecting the status of the cable comprises detecting whether the cable is coupled to the control box.

17. Electric vehicle supply equipment, comprising:

a control box comprising a cable detection subcircuit;

a cable having a first end coupled to the control box, the cable comprising two conductor lines; and

a connector coupled to a second end of the cable, the connector comprising a circuit configured to electrically connect the two conductors,

wherein the cable detection subcircuit is electrically connected to the two conductors and configured to detect whether a portion of the cable has been removed.

18. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 17, wherein the cable detection subcircuit, comprises:

a voltage comparator configured to compare a first voltage at a first voltage terminal with a second voltage at a second voltage terminal;

a current source coupled between the first voltage terminal and a ground node and configured to supply a current to the first voltage terminal; and

a voltage source coupled between the second voltage terminal and the ground node and configured to supply a threshold voltage to the second voltage terminal,

wherein the first voltage terminal is electrically connected to one of the two conductors included in the cable, and

wherein the ground node is electrically connected to the other of the two conductors included in the cable.

19. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 18,

wherein the control box further houses control electronics configured to control a contactor,

wherein the voltage comparator transmits an output signal to the control electronics, the output signal indicating whether the cable is coupled to the control box, and

wherein the control electronics are configured to open the contactor in response to receiving the output signal having a certain voltage.

20. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 18, further comprising:

a computing device comprising;

a processor; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to determine whether the cable has been stolen,

wherein the voltage comparator transmits an output signal to the computing device, the output signal indicating whether the cable is coupled to the control box.