PORTABLE CHARGER AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20140002009A1
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: CHOI, Seung Woo
• Granted Patent: US 9,428,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Disclosed are a portable charger and a method of operating the same. The portable charger includes a main body; a first connector connected to the main body and a commercial power source; and a second connector connected to the main body and an external apparatus, wherein the main body comprises: a power line formed between the first and second connectors to allow a commercial electric power to flow through the power line; a relay disposed on the power line to intermit the commercial electric power flowing through the power line; a data communication unit connected to the power line to perform data communication with the external apparatus connected to the second connector through the power line; and a switch disposed between the power line and the data communication unit to intermit the connection between the data communication unit and the power line.

Claims

1. A portable charger comprising:

a main body;

a first connector connected to the main body and a commercial power source; and

a second connector connected to the main body and an external apparatus,

wherein the main body comprises;

a power line formed between the first and second connectors to allow a commercial electric power to flow through the power line;

a relay disposed on the power line to intermit the commercial electric power flowing through the power line;

a data communication unit connected to the power line to perform data communication with the external apparatus connected to the second connector through the power line; and

a switch disposed between the power line and the data communication unit to intermit the connection between the data communication unit and the power line.

2. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the power line performs one of a charging function for supplying the commercial electric power and a communication function for supplying data according to switching states of the relay and the switch.

3. The portable charger of claim 1, further comprising:

a charger control unit for controlling switching operations of the relay and the switch,

wherein the charger control unit controls the switching operations of the relay and the switch according to a variation of a pilot signal which is transceived between the external apparatus and the second connector.

4. The portable charger of claim 3, wherein the charger control unit allows the relay to be turned off and the switch to be turned on when a level of the pilot signal is maintained at a first level after the external apparatus is connected to the second connector, and

the charger control unit allows the relay to be turned on and the switch to be turned off when the level of the pilot signal is dropped down to a second level lower than the first level after the external apparatus is connected to the second connector.

5. The portable charger of claim 3, wherein a plurality of selection buttons for selecting an operation function of the portable charger are formed on the main body, and

the charger control unit controls the switching operations of the relay and the switch according to a button selection by a user.

6. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the relay and the switch are turned on or off according to a switching signal input from the external apparatus connected to the second connector.

7. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the power line comprises:

a first power line through which a positive first electric power flows; and

a second power line through which a negative second electric power flows,

the relay comprises;

a first relay intermitting the first electric power which flows through the first power line; and

a second relay intermitting the second electric power which flows through the second power line, and

the data communication unit comprises;

a first data communication unit performing data communication through the first power line; and

a second data communication unit performing data communication through the second power line.

8. The portable charger of claim 7, wherein one of the first and second data communication units is a data reception unit for receiving data transmitted from the external apparatus connected to the second connector, and remaining one is a data transmission unit for transmitting internal data to the external apparatus.

9. The portable charger of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second data communication units comprises a photo coupler including a light emitting diode emitting light and a light receiving transistor receiving the light generated from the light emitting diode.

10. The portable charger of claim 7, wherein the switch comprises:

a first switch intermitting a connection between the first power line and the first data communication unit;

a second switch intermitting a connection between the second power line and the second data communication unit; and

a third switch intermitting a driving electric power supplied to the second data communication unit.

11. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the data include at least one of a firmware, charging history information and charger diagnosis information of the portable charger.

12. A method of operating a portable charger which supplies an electric power for charging an external apparatus from a commercial power source to the external apparatus, the method comprising:

connecting the portable charger to the external apparatus;

identifying a pilot signal transceived between the portable charger and the external apparatus;

supplying a commercial electric power to the external apparatus when the pilot signal has a first level; and

performing data communication with the external apparatus when the pilot signal has a second level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the supplying of the commercial electric power comprises using a power line formed between an input terminal and an output terminal of the commercial power source in the portable charger as a line for supplying the commercial electric power, and

the performing of the data communication comprises using the power line as a data communication line.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an instruction transmitted from the external apparatus, and

wherein the power line is used for supplying at least one of the commercial electric power and data according to the instruction.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a button selection from one of a plurality of selection buttons formed on the portable charger,

wherein the power line is used for supplying one of the commercial electric power and data according to the received button selection.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the performing of the data communication comprises:

performing at least one of a reception of a firmware for updating the firmware of the portable charger, a transmission of charging history information of the portable charger and a transmission of charger diagnosis information of the portable charger.