Adaptive Charging Network using Adaptive Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

• US 20170246961A1
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Published: 08/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energy Adaptive Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Lee, George S., Low, Steven H.
• Granted Patent: US 11,171,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• 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: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• 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: 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 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

Adaptive charging networks in accordance with embodiments of the invention enable the optimization of electric design of charging networks for electric vehicles. One embodiment includes an electrical supply; a plurality of adaptive charging stations; wherein at least one adaptive charging station distributes power to at least one other adaptive charging station; wherein at least one adaptive charging station is configured to communicate capacity information to a controller; and wherein the controller is configured to control the distribution of power to the plurality of adaptive charging stations based upon the capacity information received from at least one adaptive charging station.

Claims

1. An adaptive charging network, comprising:

an electrical supply;

a plurality of adaptive charging stations;

wherein at least one adaptive charging station distributes power to at least one other adaptive charging station;

wherein at least one adaptive charging station is configured to communicate capacity information to a controller; and

wherein the controller is configured to control the distribution of power to the plurality of adaptive charging stations based upon the capacity information received from at least one adaptive charging station.

2. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, wherein the at least one adaptive charging station that distributes power to at least one other adaptive charging station:

receives a high voltage supply and includes a transformer that steps down the high voltage supply; and

distributes the stepped down high voltage supply to at least one other adaptive charging station.

3. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, wherein the at least one adaptive charging station is configured to communicate capacity information in accordance with an energy discovery protocol process performed by the plurality of adaptive charging stations.

4. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of adaptive charging stations is configured to communicate capacity information via power line communications.

5. The adaptive charging network of the claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of adaptive charging stations is configured to communicate capacity information via wireless communication.

6. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of adaptive charging stations comprises a sensor configured to detect the presence of a vehicle within a parking space, when the vehicle is not charging.

7. The adaptive charging network of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the plurality of adaptive charging stations that comprises a sensor configured to detect the presence of a vehicle within a parking space is further configured to communicate parking space occupancy information to a web gateway from which the parking space occupancy information can be retrieved via an application programming interface.

8. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of adaptive charging stations comprises a touch screen user interface configured to receive information concerning charging requirements of an electric vehicle.

9. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the distribution of power to the plurality of adaptive charging stations based upon the capacity information received from at least one adaptive charging station using linear programming.

10. The adaptive charging network of claim 9, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of adaptive charging stations comprises a touch screen user interface configured to receive information concerning charging requirements of an electric vehicle including information indicative of a power requirement and an associated charging time; and

the controller solves the linear program based upon the capacities of the plurality of adaptive charging stations, and at least one power requirement and an associated charging time.

11. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of power sources.

12. The adaptive charging network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power sources comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an electric panel;

a photovoltaic array; and

a battery.

13. An adaptive charging station, comprising:

an input configured to receive a high voltage power supply;

a transformer configured to step down a high voltage power supply to a create a stepped down power supply;

at least one output configured to distribute the stepped down power supply;

a network interface;

a processor;

a memory containing;

an energy distribution application;

wherein the processor is configured by the energy distribution application to;

generate a stepped down voltage from a high voltage power supply received via the input using the transformer; and

distribute the stepped down voltage to a downstream adaptive charging station in the network.

14. The adaptive charging station of claim 13, wherein the energy distribution application further configures the processor to transmit capacity information via the network interface.

15. The adaptive charging station of claim 13, wherein the energy distribution application further configures the processor to receive capacity information via the network interface.

16. The adaptive charging station of claim 13, wherein the energy distribution application further configures the processor to generate a stepped down voltage based upon capacity information received via the network interface.

17. The adaptive charging station of claim 13, further comprising a sensor configured to detect the presence of a vehicle within a parking space, when the vehicle is not charging.

18. The adaptive charging station of claim 17, wherein the energy distribution application configures the processor to communicate parking space occupancy information to a web gateway from which the parking space occupancy information can be retrieved via an application programming interface.

19. The adaptive charging station of claim 13, further comprising a touch screen user interface configured to receive information concerning charging requirements of an electric vehicle.

20. The adaptive charging station of claim 19, wherein the charging requirements include information indicative of a power requirement and an associated charging time.

21. An adaptive charging station, comprising:

an input configured to receive a power supply;

an output for providing power to an electric vehicle;

a network interface;

a processor;

a touch screen user interface configured to receive information concerning charging requirements of an electric vehicle, where the charging requirements include information indicative of a power requirement and an associated charging time;

a memory containing;

an energy distribution application;

wherein the processor is configured by the energy distribution application to;

transmit charging requirement information including a power requirement and an associated charging time via the network interface;

receive charging information via the network interface; and

controlling power delivered via the output to control charging of an electric vehicle in accordance with the received charging information.

22. The adaptive charging station of claim 21, further comprising a sensor configured to detect the presence of a vehicle within a parking space, when the vehicle is not charging.

23. The adaptive charging station of claim 22, wherein the energy distribution application configures the processor to communicate parking space occupancy information to a web gateway from which the parking space occupancy information can be retrieved via an application programming interface.