VEHICLE, CHARGING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD FOR VEHICLE

• US 20140167691A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kamaga, Ryuichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,988,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/20 Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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: 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

In a vehicle, a power storage device mounted thereon can be charged with electric power transmitted from an external power supply device via a power cable. The vehicle includes a PLC communication unit for establishing PLC communication with the external power supply device via the power cable. An ECU starts transmission of a signal from the PLC communication unit to the external power supply device in response to connection of the power cable to an inlet. When a response from the external power supply device to the signal is not received, the ECU switches a CCID provided in the power cable or the external power supply device to a state in which supply of the electric power is possible, and thereafter, retransmits the signal from the PLC communication unit to the external power supply device.

Claims

1. A vehicle in which a power storage device mounted thereon can be charged with electric power transmitted from an external power supply device via a power cable, the vehicle comprising:

an inlet to which said power cable is connected;

a PLC communication unit configured to be capable of establishing power line communication with said external power supply device via a power line in said power cable; and

a control device for controlling a charging operation of said power storage device,

said power cable or said external power supply device including a switching device for switching between supply and interruption of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle, wherein

said control device starts transmission of a signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device in response to connection of said power cable to said inlet, and when a transmission signal from said external power supply device to said PLC communication unit is not received, said control device switches said switching device to a state in which the supply of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle is possible, and thereafter, retransmits said signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when said power cable is connected to said inlet, said control device changes a potential of a pilot signal from said switching device to a first potential, and thereafter, starts transmission by said PLC communication unit.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

said transmission signal is a response from said external power supply device to transmission of said signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device, and

when said transmission signal is received, said control device changes the potential of said pilot signal to a second potential lower than said first potential to switch said switching device to the state in which the supply of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle is possible, and performs the charging operation based on communication information from said external power supply device.

4. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

said transmission signal is a response from said external power supply device to transmission of said signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device, and

when said transmission signal is not received, said control device suspends transmission by said PLC communication unit, changes the potential of said pilot signal to a second potential lower than said first potential to switch said switching device to the state in which the supply of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle is possible, and thereafter, executes retransmission by said PLC communication unit.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

when the response from said external power supply device to said signal retransmitted from said PLC communication unit is received, said control device performs the charging operation based on communication information from said external power supply device.

6. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

when the response from said external power supply device to said signal retransmitted from said PLC communication unit is not received, said control device stops transmission by said PLC communication unit.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

when the response from said external power supply device to said signal retransmitted from said PLC communication unit is not received, said control device performs the charging operation based on an oscillation state of said pilot signal.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

when the response from said external power supply device to said signal retransmitted from said PLC communication unit is not received, said control device notifies a user that PLC communication cannot be established between said vehicle and said external power supply device.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle is configured to be capable of supplying electric power from said power storage device to an external device connected to said external power supply device, via said inlet and said power cable.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

said PLC communication unit is configured to be capable of establishing power line communication with said external power supply device via said power line in said power cable, and

said control device performs a power feeding operation based on communication information from said external power supply device.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said switching device includes:

a relay for switching between electrical connection and disconnection between a power source in said external power supply device and said vehicle; and

a signal generation unit for generating a pilot signal transmitted to said control device via a communication line included in said power cable and different from said power line,

said signal generation unit causes said pilot signal to oscillate in response to a fact that a potential of said pilot signal attains a first potential, and

said relay is closed in response to a fact that the potential of said pilot signal attains a second potential lower than said first potential.

12. A charging system, comprising:

a power cable;

an external power supply device; and

a vehicle in which a power storage device mounted thereon can be charged with electric power transmitted from said external power supply device via said power cable,

said vehicle including;

an inlet to which said power cable is connected;

a PLC communication unit configured to be capable of establishing power line communication with said external power supply device via a power line in said power cable; and

a control device for controlling a charging operation of said power storage device,

said power cable or said external power supply device including a switching device for switching between supply and interruption of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle, wherein

said control device starts transmission of a signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device in response to connection of said power cable to said inlet, and when a transmission signal from said external power supply device to said PLC communication unit is not received, said control device switches said switching device to a state in which the supply of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle is possible, and thereafter, retransmits said signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device.

13. A control method for a vehicle in which a power storage device mounted thereon can be charged with electric power transmitted from an external power supply device via a power cable,

said vehicle including:

an inlet to which said power cable is connected; and

a PLC communication inlet configured to be capable of establishing power line communication with said external power supply device via a power line in said power cable,

said power cable or said external power supply device including a switching device for switching between supply and interruption of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle,

said control method comprising the steps of;

determining whether or not said power cable is connected to said inlet;

starting transmission of a signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device in response to connection of said power cable to said inlet; and

when a transmission signal from said external power supply device to said PLC communication unit is not received, switching said switching device to a state in which the supply of the electric power from said external power supply device to said vehicle is possible, and thereafter, retransmitting said signal from said PLC communication unit to said external power supply device.