VEHICLE CHARGING SYSTEM AND VEHICLE CHARGING METHOD

• US 20140236379A1
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Masuda, Tomokazu, Shamoto, Sumikazu, Hidaka, Tatsuo, Kanie, Naoki, Machida, Kiyohito, Matsuda, Kazuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,618,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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

Abstract

In response to connection of a vehicle with an external power supply, a PLG-ECU performs a first charging operation of controlling a charger using a target value which is set to a state of charge lower than a predetermined full state of charge, until the state of charge of a power storage device reaches the target value. After the state of charge reaches the target value, the PLG-ECU stops charging of the power storage device, and restarts charging of the power storage device so that the state of charge reaches the predetermined full state of charge at a scheduled time to end charging which is specified through the use of an input unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle charging system for controlling charging of a power storage device mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a charger configured to be capable of converting electric power from an external power supply into charging electric power for said power storage device;

an input unit for specifying a scheduled time to end charging said power storage device; and

a controller for controlling said charger so that a state of charge of said power storage device reaches a predetermined full state of charge, said controller being configured to perform, in response to connection of said vehicle with said external power supply, a first charging operation of controlling said charger using a target value which is set to a state of charge lower than said predetermined full state of charge, until said state of charge reaches said target value,

said controller being configured to stop, after said state of charge reaches said target value, charging of said power storage device, and restart charging of said power storage device for performing a second charging operation of controlling said charger so that said state of charge reaches said predetermined full state of charge at said scheduled time to end charging, and

said controller changing said target value in accordance with a learned value of said state of charge at a time when travel of said vehicle is completed.

2. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein said controller sets a scheduled time to start said second charging operation based on said scheduled time to end charging and based on a charging period necessary for said state of charge to increase from said target value to said predetermined full state of charge, and restarts charging of said power storage device when said scheduled time to start said second charging operation is reached.

3. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein in a case where said state of charge is higher than said target value at a time when said external power supply and said vehicle are connected to each other, said controller does not perform said first charging operation but performs said second charging operation.

4. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein in a case where a total charging period necessary for said state of charge to reach said predetermined full state of charge is longer than a chargeable period from a present time to said scheduled time to end charging, at a time when said external power supply and said vehicle are connected to each other, said controller does not perform said first and second charging operations but controls said charger so that said state of charge reaches said predetermined full state of charge.

6. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein said controller makes said target value higher as said learned value of said state of charge is higher.

8. The vehicle charging system according to claim 2, wherein in a case where said state of charge is higher than said target value at a time when said external power supply and said are connected to each other, said controller does not perform said first charging operation but performs said second charging operation.

5. (canceled)

7. A vehicle charging method for controlling charging of a power storage device mounted in a vehicle,

said vehicle comprising:

a charger configured to be capable of converting electric power from an external power supply into charging electric power for said power storage device; and

an input unit for specifying a scheduled time to end charging said power storage device,

said vehicle charging method comprising the steps of;

performing, in response to connection of said vehicle with said external power supply, a first charging operation of controlling said charger using a target value which is set to a state of charge lower than a predetermined full state of charge, until said state of charge reaches said target value;

after said state of charge reaches said target value, stopping charging of said power storage device, and restarting charging of said power storage device for performing a second charging operation of controlling said charger so that said state of charge reaches said predetermined full state of charge at said scheduled time to end charging; and

changing said target value in accordance with a learned value of said state of charge at a time when travel of said vehicle is completed.