Method and system for co-operative charging of electric vehicles

• US 8,106,627 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Comverge Incorporated (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rossi, John
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/335,009
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• 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: 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 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method and system provide for the cooperative charging of electric vehicles. By using power line communications, chargers of the electric vehicles who are serviced by the same distribution transformer can form self-contained local area networks due to the nature of power line communications. After the chargers of the electric vehicles are coupled to one another through power line communications, they can form a token ring network. According to this token ring network, a predetermined number of tokens can be assigned within the token ring network for permitting chargers with tokens to charge respective electric vehicles while chargers without tokens must wait until they receive a token to initiate charging.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a cooperative electric vehicle charging system comprising:

generating a list of one or more electric vehicle chargers who are members of a token ring network;

assigning a token to a first electric charger according to predetermined criteria;

determining a priority for a token assignment among the one or more members of the token ring network;

passing the token to an electric vehicle charger with the determined priority; and

initiating charging with the electric vehicle charger with the determined priority.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a status of electric vehicle chargers who are members of the token ring network while charging with the electric vehicle charger having the determined priority.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined criteria comprises a determination based on a permanent serial number assigned to the electric vehicle charger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the priority for the token assignment comprises assessing an amount of time available to charge a respective electric vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the priority for the token assignment comprises assessing an amount of charge needed for a respective electric vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the priority for the token assignment comprises assessing a current cost of electricity available for charging an electric vehicle.

7. A method for establishing a cooperative electric vehicle charging system comprising:

assigning a token to a first electric charger of a token ring network according to predetermined criteria;

determining a priority for a token assignment among the one or more members of the token ring network;

passing the token to an electric vehicle charger with the determined priority; and

initiating one of uploading of electricity from an energy storage unit and charging of the energy storage unit with the electric vehicle charger with the determined priority.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating a list of one or more electric vehicle chargers who are members of a token ring network.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring a status of electric vehicle chargers who are members of the token ring network while charging with the electric vehicle charger of the determined priority.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined criteria comprises a determination based on a permanent serial number assigned to the electric vehicle charger.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the priority for the token assignment comprises assessing an amount of time available to charge a respective electric vehicle.

12. A method for reducing a load on an electric grid, comprising:

coupling one or more appliances to a distribution transformer;

controlling one of downloading and uploading of energy from the one or more appliances with electronic intelligence which is distributed across the one of more appliances so that a load on the distribution transformer is substantially reduced; and

establishing a token ring network among the one or more appliances.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising assigning a token to a first appliance according to predetermined criteria.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one appliance comprises an electric vehicle charger.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a priority for a token assignment among one or more members of the token ring network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising passing the token to an electric vehicle charger with the determined priority.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising initiating one of uploading of electricity from an energy storage unit and charging of the energy storage unit with the electric vehicle charger with the determined priority.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the token ring network comprises a local area network (LAN).

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the token ring network comprises a local area network (LAN).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the LAN comprises one or more power line communication (PLC) modules.