ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20160101704A1
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paired Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Paired Power, Inc.
• Inventors: McCalmont, David Thompson, McCalmont, Aaron William, Bray, Donald Martin, McCalmont, Jonathan Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,868,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/26 involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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: 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]

Abstract

Example electric vehicle charging systems and methods are described. In one implementation, an electric vehicle charging system includes multiple solar cells and a power manager coupled to the multiple solar cells. The power manager receives power signals from each of the solar cells and generates an output signal based on at least a portion of the received power signals. The output signal has an associated voltage and/or current that is within an acceptable operating range for charging an electric vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of solar cells; and

a power manager coupled to the plurality of solar cells and configured to receive a power signal from each of the plurality of solar cells, the power manager further configured to generate an output signal based on at least a portion of the received power signals, wherein the output signal has an associated voltage and/or current that is within an acceptable operating range for charging an electric vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electrical conductor coupled to the power manager and configured to connect to a charging receptacle of the electric vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power manager is further configured to dynamically adjust the portion of the received power signals used to generate the output signal, the dynamic adjustment based on the present power signal received from each of the plurality of solar cells.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power manager includes a power monitoring module configured to monitor the power signals received from the plurality of solar cells.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power manager includes a connected vehicle monitor configured to identify the charging requirements of the electric vehicle being charged.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power manager is further configured to receive a second power signal from a second electric vehicle, wherein both the output signal and the second power signal are used to charge the electric vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power manager is further configured to receive a second power signal from an external battery, wherein both the output signal and the second power signal are used to charge the electric vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power manager is further configured to receive a second power signal from a power grid source, wherein both the output signal and the second power signal are used to charge the electric vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power manager is further configured to generate multiple output signals, each of which is used to charge a different electric vehicle.

10. A method comprising:

receiving power signals from a plurality of solar cells;

identifying, using one or more processors, charging requirements of an electric vehicle requesting charging;

determining, using the one or more processors. an acceptable operating range for charging the electric vehicle;

consolidating at least a portion of the received power signals into an output signal within the acceptable operating range for charging the electric vehicle; and

delivering the output signal to the electric vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting a number of consolidated power signals to maintain the output signal within the acceptable operating range for charging the electric vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second power signal from a second electric vehicle; and

consolidating the second power signal into the output signal.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second power signal from an external battery; and

consolidating the second power signal into the output signal.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second power signal from a power grid source; and

consolidating the second power signal into the output signal.

15. A method comprising:

receiving power signals from a plurality of solar cells;

identifying, using one or more processors, charging requirements of a first electric vehicle requesting charging;

identifying, using one or more processors, charging requirements of a second electric vehicle requesting charging;

consolidating a first portion of the received power signals into a first output signal based on the charging requirements of the first electric vehicle;

consolidating a second portion of the received power signals into a second output signal based on the charging requirements of the second electric vehicle;

delivering the first output signal to the first electric vehicle; and

delivering the second output signal to the second electric vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving another power signal from a third electric vehicle; and

consolidating the power signal from the third electric vehicle into the first output signal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving another power signal from an external battery; and

consolidating the power signal from the external battery into the first output signal.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving another power signal from a power grid source; and

consolidating the power signal from the power grid source into the first output signal.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the consolidating of the first portion of the received power signals based on changes to the power signals received from the plurality of solar cells.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein consolidating the first portion of the received power signals and consolidating the second portion of the received power signals is based on charging priorities associated with the first electric vehicle and the second electric vehicle.