Charging system and method for operating the same

• US 8,294,415 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujitake, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/682,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20100225274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An HV_ECU executes a program including a step of determining whether a charging cable is connected to a power supply external to the vehicle when a connector signal CNCT output in the case where the charging cable is connected to an inlet of the vehicle is input to the vehicle; and a step of determining whether a malfunction occurs in a charger mounted in the vehicle when the charging cable is not connected to the power supply.

Claims

1. A charging system comprising:

a charger that supplies, to a power storage mechanism, electric power supplied through a coupling instrument from a power supply external to a vehicle; and

a control unit, wherein said control unit

operates to perform a predetermined process when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle in a state where said coupling instrument is connected to said power supply, and

operates to perform said predetermined process before said coupling instrument is connected to said power supply, when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle in a state where said coupling instrument is not connected to said power supply.

2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said coupling instrument includes a first generation mechanism that generates a first signal when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle and said power supply external to said vehicle, and a second generation mechanism that generates a second signal when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle,

a switching mechanism is provided between said power storage mechanism and said charger to switch said power storage mechanism and said charger from a disconnected state to a connected state when said second signal is generated, and

said control unit

operates to perform said predetermined process when said power storage mechanism and said charger are switched from the disconnected state to the connected state in a state where said first signal is generated, and

operates to perform said predetermined process before said first signal is generated, when said power storage mechanism and said charger are switched from the disconnected state to the connected state in a state where said first signal is not generated.

3. The charging system according to claim 2, wherein said first signal is a pilot signal representing a value of a current that can be supplied by said coupling instrument.

4. The charging system according to claim 2, wherein said second signal is a connector signal representing a state where said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle.

5. The charging system according to claim 2, wherein said switching mechanism is a relay provided within said vehicle.

6. The charging system according to claim 2, wherein

said first generation mechanism is a control pilot circuit, and

said second generation mechanism is a switch.

7. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein said coupling instrument is a charging cable.

8. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein said coupling instrument is an EVSE.

9. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein said power storage mechanism is a battery.

10. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined process is a process of determining whether a malfunction occurs in said charging system.

11. A method for operating a charging system for supplying, to a power storage mechanism mounted in a vehicle, electric power supplied through a coupling instrument from a power supply external to the vehicle, said method comprising the steps of

operating to perform a predetermined process when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle in a state where said coupling instrument is connected to said power supply;

and

operating to perform said predetermined process before said coupling instrument is connected to said power supply, when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle in a state where said coupling instrument is not connected to said power supply.

12. A charging system for supplying, to a power storage mechanism mounted in a vehicle, electric power supplied through a coupling instrument from a power supply external to the vehicle, said charging system comprising:

first operation means for operating to perform a predetermined process when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle in a state where said coupling instrument is connected to said power supply, and

second operation means for operating to perform said predetermined process before said coupling instrument is connected to said power supply, when said coupling instrument is connected to said vehicle in a state where said coupling instrument is not connected to said power supply.