Automotive vehicle and method for charging/discharging a power storage unit therein

• US 8,125,182 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hashim, Hasdi R., Franks, Donald Charles, Blakemore, Bruce Carvell
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US12/404,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/134
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• 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: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• 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 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: 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

An automotive vehicle includes an electrical circuit capable of being electrically connected with an electrical grid, a propulsion electrical bus electrically connected with the circuit, a power conversion module electrically connected with the propulsion electrical bus, and a power storage unit electrically connected with the power conversion module.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle comprising:

a controller;

electrical circuitry including (i) a detection circuit configured to notify the controller when an electrical grid is electrically connected with the circuitry and (ii) a rectifier circuit, wherein the controller is configured to enable the rectifier circuit to rectify current received from the electrical grid in response to receiving the notification;

a propulsion electrical bus electrically connected with the circuitry and configured to pass the rectified current;

a power conversion module electrically connected with the propulsion electrical bus and configured to buck or boost a voltage associated with the rectified current; and

a power storage unit electrically connected with the power conversion module and configured to receive at least a portion of the rectified current from the power conversion module.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the current comprises alternating current.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the rectifier circuit comprises a bridge rectifier circuit.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the circuitry further includes an inverter circuit.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an electrical load electrically connected with the propulsion electrical bus.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the electrical load is configured to receive at least a portion of the rectified current from the propulsion electrical bus.

7. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the electrical load comprises a heating element.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the power conversion module comprises a bi-directional DC/DC power converter.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the power storage unit comprises a traction battery.

10. A method for charging a power storage unit of an automotive vehicle comprising:

generating a notification when an electrical grid is electrically connected with the vehicle;

in response to the notification, enabling a rectifier circuit to rectify current from the electrical grid;

passing the rectified current to a propulsion electrical bus;

boosting a voltage associated with the rectified current via a power conversion module electrically connected with the propulsion electrical bus; and

receiving, from the power conversion module, the rectified current in the power storage unit thereby charging the power storage unit.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the current comprises alternating current.