Energy transfer device and method

• US 5,467,006 A
• Filed: 12/21/1992
• Issued: 11/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Sims, Ronald I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US07/993,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 320/43, 320/22, 320/27, 320/29, 320/30, 320/48, 324/433
• US Class Current: 237/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00642 Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices B60H1/3201 - B60H1/3208, B60H1/3225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/22 the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant B60H1/0025, B60H1/00492 and B60H1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2218 controlling the operation of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/12 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/10 Nonbattery load controls charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/11 : Prioritized supply of power or power supply compensation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/16 : Removal of memory effect in batteries

Abstract

A method for providing energy from a stationary energy source to an electric vehicle having the steps of: determining an energy requirement of the electric vehicle; deriving an energy transfer rate; and transferring energy from the source to the electric vehicle at the rate. An energy transfer device to implement this method includes: a stationary energy source; a device for determining an energy requirement of the electric vehicle; means for deriving an energy transfer rate based on the requirement; and a device for transferring energy from the source to the electric vehicle at the rate.

Claims

1. A method of transferring energy from a stationary energy source to an electric vehicle comprising:

analyzing a usage log;

determining an energy requirement of said electric vehicle based on said usage log;

deriving an energy transfer rate based on said usage log; and

transferring energy from said source to said electric vehicle at said rate to operate vehicle components such as a climate control device of said electric vehicle to achieve a desired interior compartment temperature.

2. The energy transfer method as defined by claim 1, wherein said energy requirement determining steps further comprises the steps of:

analyzing a usage log; and

updating said usage log.

3. The energy transfer method as defined by claim 1, wherein said energy transfer rate deriving step further comprises the steps of:

analyzing energy availability from said source;

determining a time period to transfer said energy; and

analyzing said energy availability and said time period to derive said energy transfer rate.

4. The energy transfer method as defined by claim 1, wherein said energy transfer step further comprises charging a battery.

5. A method for providing energy to a climate control system in an electric vehicle comprising the steps of:

determining an energy requirement of said system by analyzing a usage log;

determining an energy transfer rate based on said energy requirement; and

transferring energy to said system at said rate.

6. The method as defined by claim 5, wherein said energy requirement determining step further comprises the steps of:

measuring the ambient temperature;

analyzing a usage log to determine a desired temperature; and

analyzing said measured temperature and said desired temperature to determine said energy requirement.

7. The method as defined by claim 5, wherein said energy transfer rate determining step further comprises the steps of:

analyzing energy availability from a stationary energy source;

determining the current times;

analyzing a usage log to determine the time for an anticipated use of said electric vehicle; and

calculating a temperature adjusting period based on said current time and said anticipated use; and

analyzing said availability, temperature adjusting period and said energy requirement to determine said energy transfer rate.