SWITCHING COMMUNICATION DEVICES BETWEEN DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION MEDIA

• US 20140211863A1
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: ZHU, Hao, KATAR, Srinivas, ROUHANA, Rouhana
• Granted Patent: US 9,614,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A service provider device of a local communication network communicates a first frame with an electric vehicle via a first communication medium to associate with the electric vehicle, establish a communication link with the electric vehicle, and to add the electric vehicle to the local communication network. After an association process between the electric vehicle and the service provider device is successfully completed, the electric vehicle and/or the service provider device can execute operations that extend the utility of their respective communication devices by switching to a new communication medium. By switching to the new communication medium, the electric vehicle and/or the service provider device can connect to a remote communication network. The service provider device communicates a second frame with at least a network device of the remote communication network via the new communication medium.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a first communication link between a service provider device of a local communication network and an electric vehicle via a first communication medium;

adding the electric vehicle to the local communication network via the first communication link;

communicatively coupling the service provider device to a remote communication network via a second communication medium; and

establishing, via the second communication medium, a second communication link between the service provider device and a network device of the remote communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing the first communication link between the service provider device of the local communication network and the electric vehicle via the first communication medium is in response to:

communicating, from the service provider device, a first frame with the electric vehicle via the first communication medium to establish the first communication link with the electric vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said establishing the second communication link between the service provider device and the network device of the remote communication network further comprises:

communicating, from the service provider device, a second frame with at least the network device of the remote communication network via the second communication medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium is in response to determining that the service provider device is associated with and communicatively coupled with the electric vehicle and in response to determining that the electric vehicle is part of the local communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

switching between the first communication medium and the second communication medium at periodic time intervals, or

switching between the first communication medium and the second communication medium based, at least in part, on whether a message is available for communication via the first communication medium or the second communication medium.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium is in response to one of:

receiving a notification from the electric vehicle to switch to communicatively couple the service provider device to the remote communication network on the second communication medium, or

determining that the service provider device is associated with and communicatively coupled with the electric vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises:

transmitting a notification to the electric vehicle to cause the electric vehicle to switch to the second communication medium and communicatively couple with the remote communication network via the second communication medium.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein after establishing the first communication link between the service provider device and the electric vehicle via the first communication medium, the method comprises:

determining a time instant at which to switch to the second communication medium; and

switching to the second communication medium at the determined time instant for said communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether to notify the electric vehicle to switch to the second communication medium;

in response to determining to notify the electric vehicle to switch to the second communication medium,

transmitting one or more notification messages to the electric vehicle indicating at least the time instant at which the electric vehicle should switch to the second communication medium.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the electric vehicle is a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) or a hybrid plug-in vehicle (HPV), and

wherein the service provider device is an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first communication medium comprises a ground wire and a pilot wire of a charging harness that couples the service provider device and the electric vehicle,

wherein the second communication medium comprises one of:

a first power supply wire and a second power supply wire of the charging harness, or

the first power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness, or

the second power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises:

switching the service provider device to a combined communication medium that is a combination of the first communication medium and the second communication medium.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the combined communication medium is formed by a combination of at least a ground wire, a pilot wire, a first power supply wire, and a second power supply wire of a charging harness that couples the service provider device and the electric vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said switching the service provider device to the combined communication medium comprises:

using a first switching device to couple the pilot wire with the first power supply wire; and

using a second switching device to couple the ground wire with the second power supply wire.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said switching the service provider device to the combined communication medium comprises:

simultaneously coupling the service provider device to the local communication network and the remote communication network.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting a frame via the combined communication medium comprises one of:

transmitting the frame via both the first communication medium and the second communication medium on the local communication network and the remote communication network, respectively, or

transmitting the frame via the first communication medium to the local communication network or transmitting the frame via the second communication medium to the remote communication network based, at least in part, on information in the frame.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising:

after switching to the combined communication medium, communicating a first frame with at least the network device of the remote communication network via the second communication medium and simultaneously communicating a second frame with the electric vehicle via the first communication medium.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises:

determining one or more security credentials associated with the network device of the remote communication network on the second communication medium;

using the one or more security credentials to join a logical network associated with the network device; and

simultaneously being a part of the logical network associated with the network device and a logical network associated with the electric vehicle, or leaving the logical network associated with the electric vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said determining the one or more security credentials associated with the network device of the remote communication network comprises one of:

receiving the one or more security credentials from the network device of the remote communication network;

or

accessing the one or more security credentials associated with the network device of the remote communication network from a predetermined memory location.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining whether to provide the one or more security credentials associated with the network device of the remote communication network to the electric vehicle;

in response to determining to provide the one or more security credentials to the electric vehicle,

transmitting the one or more security credentials to the electric vehicle to cause the electric vehicle to join the logical network associated with the network device; and

in response to determining not to provide the one or more security credentials to the electric vehicle,

enabling the electric vehicle to communicate with the network device of the remote communication network via the service provider device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle and the service provider device each comprise a powerline communication (PLC) device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle and the service provider device each comprise a HomePlug communication device.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a first frame from the service provider device to the electric vehicle at a first transmit power level via the first communication medium,

after establishing the first communication link between the service provider device and the electric vehicle,

increasing a transmit power associated with the service provider device to a second transmit power level that is greater than the first transmit power level; and

transmitting a second frame to the network device of the remote communication network using the second transmit power level via the second communication medium.

28. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first communication medium comprises a ground wire and a pilot wire of a charging harness that couples the service provider device and the electric vehicle,

wherein the second communication medium comprises one of:

a first power supply wire and a second power supply wire of the charging harness, or

the first power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness, or

the second power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness;

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle and the service provider device each comprise a powerline communication (PLC) device.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a first frame from the electric vehicle to the service provider device at a first transmit power level via the first communication medium,

after establishing the first communication link between the electric vehicle and the service provider device,

increasing a transmit power associated with the electric vehicle to a second transmit power level that is greater than the first transmit power level;

transmitting a second frame to the network device of the remote communication network using the second transmit power level via the second communication medium.

24. A method comprising:

establishing a first communication link between an electric vehicle and a service provider device of a local communication network via a first communication medium to join the local communication network and an electric vehicle;

communicatively coupling the electric vehicle to a remote communication network via a second communication medium; and

establishing, via the second communication medium, a second communication link between the electric vehicle and a network device of the remote communication network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein

said establishing the first communication link between the electric vehicle and the service provider device of the local communication network via the first communication medium is in response to:

communicating, from the electric vehicle, a first frame with the service provider device via the first communication medium to establish the first communication link with the service provider device; and

said establishing the second communication link between the electric vehicle and the network device of the remote communication network further comprises;

communicating, from the electric vehicle, a second frame with at least the network device of the remote communication network via the second communication medium.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein after establishing the first communication link between the electric vehicle and the service provider device via the first communication medium, the method comprises:

determining a time instant at which to switch to the second communication medium; and

switching to the second communication medium at the determined time instant for said communicatively coupling the electric vehicle to the remote communication network via the second communication medium.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining whether to notify the service provider device to switch to the second communication medium;

in response to determining to notify the service provider device to switch to the second communication medium,

transmitting one or more notification messages to the service provider device indicating at least the time instant at which the service provider device should switch to the second communication medium.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said communicatively coupling the electric vehicle to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises:

switching the electric vehicle to a combined communication medium that is a combination of the first communication medium and the second communication medium.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the combined communication medium is formed by a combination of at least a ground wire, a pilot wire, a first power supply wire, and a second power supply wire of a charging harness that couples the service provider device and the electric vehicle.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said switching the electric vehicle to the combined communication medium comprises:

simultaneously coupling the electric vehicle to the local communication network via the first communication medium and to the remote communication network via the second communication medium.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein said establishing the second communication link between the electric vehicle and the network device of the remote communication network further comprises:

determining whether one or more security credentials associated with the network device of the remote communication network are received at the electric vehicle;

in response to determining that the one or more security credentials are received at the electric vehicle,

using the one or more security credentials to join a logical network associated with the network device; and

in response to determining that the one or more security credentials are not received at the electric vehicle,

causing the electric vehicle to communicate with the network device of the remote communication network via the service provider device.

35. One or more machine-readable storage media having instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

establishing a first communication link between a service provider device of a local communication network and an electric vehicle via a first communication medium;

adding the electric vehicle to the local communication network via the first communication link;

communicatively coupling the service provider device to a remote communication network via a second communication medium; and

establishing, via the second communication medium, a second communication link between the service provider device and a network device of the remote communication network.

36. The machine-readable storage media of claim 35, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether to notify the electric vehicle to switch to the second communication medium;

in response to determining to notify the electric vehicle to switch to the second communication medium,

transmitting one or more notification messages to the electric vehicle indicating at least a time instant at which the electric vehicle should switch to the second communication medium.

37. The machine-readable storage media of claim 35,

wherein the first communication medium comprises a ground wire and a pilot wire of a charging harness that couples the service provider device and the electric vehicle,

wherein the second communication medium comprises one of:

a first power supply wire and a second power supply wire of the charging harness, or

the first power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness, or

the second power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness.

38. The machine-readable storage media of claim 35, wherein said operation of communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises:

switching the service provider device to a combined communication medium that is a combination of the first communication medium and the second communication medium to simultaneously couple the service provider device to the local communication network and the remote communication network.

39. The machine-readable storage media of claim 35, wherein said operation of communicatively coupling the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises:

determining one or more security credentials associated with the network device of the remote communication network on the second communication medium;

using the one or more security credentials to join a logical network associated with the network device; and

simultaneously being a part of the logical network associated with the network device and a logical network associated with the electric vehicle, or leaving the logical network associated with the electric vehicle.

40. A service provider device comprising:

a network interface; and

communication unit coupled with the network interface, the communication unit operable to;

establish a first communication link between the service provider device of a local communication network and an electric vehicle via a first communication medium;

add the electric vehicle to the local communication network via the first communication link;

communicatively couple the service provider device to a remote communication network via a second communication medium; and

establish, via the second communication medium, a second communication link between the service provider device and a network device of the remote communication network.

41. The service provider device of claim 40,

wherein the first communication medium comprises a ground wire and a pilot wire of a charging harness that couples the service provider device and the electric vehicle,

wherein the second communication medium comprises one of:

a first power supply wire and a second power supply wire of the charging harness, or

the first power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness, or

the second power supply wire and the ground wire of the charging harness.

42. The service provider device of claim 40, wherein the communication unit operable to communicatively couple the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises the communication unit operable to:

switch the service provider device to a combined communication medium that is a combination of the first communication medium and the second communication medium to simultaneously couple the service provider device to the local communication network and the remote communication network.

43. The service provider device of claim 40, wherein the communication unit operable to communicatively couple the service provider device to the remote communication network via the second communication medium comprises the communication unit operable to:

determine one or more security credentials associated with the network device of the remote communication network on the second communication medium;

use the one or more security credentials to join a logical network associated with the network device; and

simultaneously join the logical network associated with the network device and a logical network associated with the electric vehicle.