Charging batteries of electric vehicles

• US 5,569,993 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 10/29/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arlie L. Keith
• Original Assignee: Arlie L. Keith
• Inventors: Keith, Arlie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US08/478,154
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 318/685, 318/560, 318/696, 318/280, 318/282, 318/256, 318/286, 318/266, 388/800, 388/842, 388/902, 378/565, 378/601, 378/626, 378/632, 378/638, 378/671
• US Class Current: 318/560
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/08 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/12 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• 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
• 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 320/12 : Precharging analysis, e.g. determining presence of battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/13 : Fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/19 : Charger status, e.g. voltmeter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/28 : Regulating transformer, e.g. high leakage, ferro-resonant

Abstract

An electric vehicle having a computer for controlling the charging of its battery includes a probe adapted to connect with a receptacle on a charging station which has a computer for controlling the charging voltage provided over the connection to the vehicle. In response to the vehicle announcing its presence with a broadcast signal, the charge station receptacle may be raised until it senses a laser signal presented by the vehicle to indicate alignment of the receptacle with the vehicle probe. The vehicle and station communicate over a current loop to establish battery type and voltage, method of payment and credit card number, as well as the cost basis for the power. When communications are complete, the system switches over to utilize the same connections for the charging current. The computers include stop modes which they rest in, and to which they return if performance of vehicle and station diagnostics (respectively) indicate inoperability or if other faults occur. The vehicle charges the battery in a short program triggered by a AC voltage zero crossing interrupt, the background program of which determines when charging should cease because the battery is full, a switch has been operated, or because excessive voltage or current has been sensed. The charged voltage is adjusted by motor driven autotransfer in response to a computer servoprogram. Many probe, receptacle and operational details assure safe, easy, automated operation.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a motor driven system in which a parameter provided by said system can be adjusted in response to operation of a motor in a selected one of two directions, comprising the steps of:

providing a signal indicative of the actual magnitude of the parameter;

providing a signal indicative of a target magnitude for said parameter;

comparing said actual magnitude with said target magnitude and in the event that said actual magnitude differs from said target magnitude by a first amount, setting the motor direction to that in which the motor will adjust said actual magnitude to be closer to said target magnitude, and in the event that said actual magnitude differs from said target magnitude by a second amount greater than said first amount, providing power to said motor to cause said motor to provide an increment of adjustment to said actual parameter.

2. A method of controlling a system driven by a bi-directional DC motor in which a parameter provided by said system can be adjusted in response to operation of said motor in a selected one of two directions, comprising performing, in each of a series of cycles of given duration, the steps of:

providing a signal indicative of the actual magnitude of the parameter;

providing a signal indicative of a target magnitude for said parameter;

comparing said actual magnitude with said target magnitude and in the event that said actual magnitude differs from said target magnitude by a first amount, setting the motor direction to that in which the motor will adjust said actual magnitude to be closer to said target magnitude, and in the event that said actual magnitude differs from said target magnitude by a second amount greater than said first amount, providing one pulse of power to said motor to cause said motor to provide an increment of adjustment to said actual parameter, each pulse having a duration which is a fraction of the duration of a cycle.

3. A method of controlling a system driven by a bi-directional DC motor in which a parameter provided by said system can be adjusted in response to operation of said motor in a selected one of two directions, comprising performing, in each of a series of cycles of given duration, the steps of:

providing a signal indicative of the actual magnitude of the parameter;

providing a signal indicative of a target magnitude for said parameter;

comparing said actual magnitude with said target magnitude and in the event that said actual magnitude differs from said target magnitude by a given amount, setting the motor direction to that in which the motor will adjust said actual magnitude to be closer to said target magnitude, and providing one pulse of power to said motor to cause said motor to provide an increment of adjustment to said actual parameter, each pulse having a duration which is an invariant fractional portion of said given duration of a cycle.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said comparing step comprises:

in the event that said actual magnitude differs from said target magnitude by a first amount, setting the motor direction to that in which the motor will adjust said actual magnitude to be closer to said target magnitude, and in the event that said actual magnitude differs from said target magnitude by a second amount greater than said first amount, providing said pulse of power to said motor.