ELECTRIC VEHICLE, BATTERY CHARGING STATION, BATTERY EXCHANGING RESERVATION SYSTEM COMPRISING THE SAME AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130342310A1
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kookmin University Industry Academy Cooperation Foundation
• Original Assignee: Kookmin University Industry Academy Cooperation Foundation
• Inventors: PARK, Jun-Seok, KIM, Won-Kyu, JEONG, Jay-Il, YU, Chi-Man, PARK, Hee-Jeing, MOON, Hee-Seok, CHOI, Wong-Chul, JUNG, Do-Yang, SHIN, Yong-Hark, PARK, Yae-Hong
• Granted Patent: US 8,970,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/28 Door position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• 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 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• 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 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• 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: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 : Storage cell or battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53278 : Storage cell or battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5383 : having fluid operator

Abstract

Disclosed is an electric vehicle, a battery charging station, and an electric vehicle battery exchange reservation system including the same. The electric vehicle includes a power level detection unit adapted to detect a power level of a battery mounted on the electric vehicle; a communication unit adapted to communicate with a battery charging station; and a control unit adapted to determine a battery charging station, in which the battery of the electric vehicle is to be exchanged, based on the power level of the battery and a route of travel of the electric vehicle and transmit a battery exchange reservation command to the determined battery charging station. Based on the battery power level of the electric vehicle, a battery charging station existing along the route of travel is requested to provide battery information, and battery exchange is reserved accordingly, so that batteries can be exchanged more efficiently and conveniently.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a power level detection unit adapted to detect a power level of a battery mounted on the electric vehicle;

a communication unit adapted to communicate with a battery charging station; and

a control unit adapted to determine a battery charging station, in which the battery of the electric vehicle is to be exchanged, based on the power level of the battery and a route of travel of the electric vehicle and transmit a battery exchange reservation command to the determined battery charging station.

2. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to monitor a traveling distance of the electric vehicle based on the battery power level, communicate with a battery charging station corresponding to the route of travel of the electric vehicle to acquire information regarding whether the battery of the electric vehicle can be exchanged or not, and determine the battery charging station in which the battery of the electric vehicle is to be exchanged.

5. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to provide the user with a charging request message when the power level of the battery is below a threshold.

6. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the communication unit is adapted to communicate with an external source and acquire information regarding traffic conditions along the route of travel, and

the control unit is adapted to calculate the traveling distance based on the traffic conditions and the battery power level.

7. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to transmit information regarding the battery mounted on the electric vehicle to the battery charging station and request the battery charging station to confirm whether there exists a battery that can be mounted on the electric vehicle or not.

8. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the electric vehicle comprises an electric bus traveling along a line,

the battery charging station is installed at a bus stop, and

the control unit is adapted to select the battery charging station, which corresponds to the traveling line of the electric bus, as a reservation target.

9. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle comprises a battery mounting module, on which the battery is mounted, the battery mounting module comprising a protection guide installed on top of the electric vehicle and adapted to be opened/closed, and

the control unit is adapted to send an opening command to the protection guide, when entering the reserved battery charging station, to enable and control battery exchange.

3. An electric vehicle comprising:

a power level detection unit adapted to detect a power level of a battery mounted on the electric vehicle;

a user input unit adapted to enable user input;

a communication unit adapted to communicate with a battery charging station; and

a control unit adapted to recommend a battery charging station, in which the battery of the electric vehicle can be exchanged, to the user based on the power level of the battery and a route of travel of the electric vehicle and transmit a battery exchange reservation command to the battery charging station selected by the user.

4. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit is adapted to monitor a traveling distance of the electric vehicle based on the battery power level, communicate with a battery charging station corresponding to the route of travel of the electric vehicle to acquire information regarding whether the battery of the electric vehicle can be exchanged or not, and recommend a battery charging station, in which the battery of the electric vehicle can be exchanged, to the user.

17. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit is adapted to provide the user with a charging request message when the power level of the battery is below a threshold.

18. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the communication unit is adapted to communicate with an external source and acquire information regarding traffic conditions along the route of travel, and

the control unit is adapted to calculate the traveling distance based on the traffic conditions and the battery power level.

19. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit is adapted to transmit information regarding the battery mounted on the electric vehicle to the battery charging station and request the battery charging station to confirm whether there exists a battery that can be mounted on the electric vehicle or not.

20. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the electric vehicle comprises an electric bus traveling along a line,

the battery charging station is installed at a bus stop, and

the control unit is adapted to select the battery charging station, which corresponds to the traveling line of the electric bus, as a reservation target.

21. The electric vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electric vehicle comprises a battery mounting module, on which the battery is mounted, the battery mounting module comprising a protection guide installed on top of the electric vehicle and adapted to be opened/closed, and

the control unit is adapted to send an opening command to the protection guide, when entering the reserved battery charging station, to enable and control battery exchange.

10. An electric vehicle battery charging station comprising:

a battery storage unit adapted to contain a chargeable battery mounted on a battery mounting module of an electric vehicle;

a database unit adapted to store information regarding the type, amount, and charging state of the battery contained in the battery storage unit and reservation particulars;

a communication unit adapted to communicate with the electric vehicle; and

a reservation management unit adapted to extract information regarding a reservable battery from the database, provide the electric vehicle with the extracted information, receive a reservation command from the electric vehicle, and update reservation information in the database unit.

11. The electric vehicle battery charging station as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electric vehicle battery charging station further comprises:

a charging station main unit provided with the battery storage unit;

a battery exchange robot installed in the charging station main unit and adapted to conduct a battery exchange task;

a protection guide adapted to seal the battery mounting module mounted on top of the electric vehicle; and

a charging station control unit adapted to control the protection guide and the battery exchange robot to conduct an exchange task for the electric vehicle, and

the charging station control unit is adapted to confirm whether a reservation has been made or not, when the electric vehicle enters into the charging station main unit, through communication with the electric vehicle and confirmation from the database unit;

when the reservation is confirmed, lower the protection guide, when the electric vehicle enters, to seal the battery mounting module, based on reservation information; and

control the battery exchange robot so as to exchange the battery.

12. An electric vehicle battery exchange reservation system comprising:

an electric vehicle comprising a power level detection unit adapted to detect a power level of a battery mounted on the electric vehicle, a communication unit adapted to communicate with a battery charging station, and a control unit adapted to determine a battery charging station, in which the battery of the electric vehicle is to be exchanged, based on the power level of the battery and a route of travel of the electric vehicle and transmit a battery exchange reservation command to the determined battery charging station; and

a battery charging station comprising a battery storage unit adapted to contain a chargeable battery mounted on the electric vehicle, a database unit adapted to store information regarding the type, amount, and charging state of the battery contained in the battery storage unit and reservation particulars, a communication unit adapted to communicate with the electric vehicle, and a reservation management unit adapted to extract information regarding a reservable battery corresponding to the battery already mounted on the electric vehicle from the database unit, provide the electric vehicle with the extracted information, receive a reservation command from the electric vehicle, and update reservation information in the database unit.

13. The electric vehicle battery exchange reservation system as claimed in claim 12, wherein

the electric vehicle comprises an electric bus traveling along a line,

the battery charging station is installed at a bus stop, and

the control unit is adapted to select the battery charging station, which corresponds to the traveling line of the electric bus, as a reservation target.

14. A method of reserving exchange of a battery of an electric vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting a power level of a battery mounted on an electric vehicle;

asking, by the electric vehicle, a battery charging station, which exists along a route of travel, whether exchange reservation is possible or not;

confirming, by the battery charging station, whether reservation of a battery mountable on the electric vehicle is possible or not and transmitting a reply to the electric vehicle;

requesting, by the electric vehicle, the battery charging station to reserve battery exchange, when the battery charging station has replied that reservation is possible, and providing the user with reservation information; and

updating, by the battery charging station, battery exchange reservation information.

15. The method of reserving exchange of a battery of an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

confirming, by the battery charging station, whether the electric vehicle, when entering into the battery charging station, has made reservation or not based on identification information regarding the electric vehicle;

transmitting an entry grant signal to the electric vehicle when reservation information regarding the electric vehicle exists;

confirming an entry position, when the electric vehicle enters into the battery charging station, and transmitting a confirmation signal to the electric vehicle;

opening a door of a battery mounting module installed on top of the electric vehicle;

sealing the battery mounting module by lowering a protection guide installed in the battery charging station; and

exchanging the battery.

16. The method of reserving exchange of a battery of an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

confirming, by the battery charging station, whether the electric vehicle, when entering into the battery charging station, has made reservation or not based on identification information regarding the electric vehicle;

transmitting an entry grant signal to the electric vehicle when reservation information regarding the electric vehicle exists;

confirming an entry position, when the electric vehicle enters into the battery charging station, and transmitting a confirmation signal to the electric vehicle;

sealing the battery mounting module by lowering a protection guide installed in the battery charging station;

opening a door of a battery mounting module installed on top of the electric vehicle; and

exchanging the battery.