Centralized load management for use in controllably recharging vehicles equipped with electrically powered propulsion systems

• US 8,305,032 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lava Four LLC
• Original Assignee: Lava Four LLC
• Inventors: McKenna, Daniel Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US12/436,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20100145540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• 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: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/006 False operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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: 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 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The Centralized Vehicle Load Management System is hierarchical in nature in that it detects and remediates an overload which can be highly localized at one or more electrical substations or an overload which is widely distributed as a cumulative set of sub-critical loads. The Centralized Vehicle Load Management System operates to determine the load presented to the Electric Power Grid by vehicles which are served by service disconnects which are located at a plurality of points on the Electric Power Grid. The Centralized Vehicle Load Management System regulates the demands presented by the vehicles to the E-Grid thereby to spread the load presented to the Electric Power Grid over time to enable the controllable charging of a large number of vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a utility company, which operates an electric power grid, to controllably provide power to recharge a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle including a propulsion system powered, at least in part, by electric power, at least some of which is stored onboard the vehicle in an electric power storage apparatus, comprising:

uniquely identifying a determinable location at which each of a plurality of vehicles served by said electric power grid is presently connected to the electric power grid via a corresponding electric outlet;

identifying at least a present electric power load presented by each of the plurality of vehicles to said electric power grid at said determined location;

billing, in response to receipt of said determinable location identification and electric power load data from each vehicle, the owner of the vehicle for energy usage and also to credit the owner of the electric outlets associated with the determinable location for the energy usage billed to the owner of the vehicles; and

controlling a subset of said plurality of vehicles to manage the flow of electric power said subset of vehicles draws from said electric power grid.

2. The method for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 1 wherein said step of controlling comprises:

transmitting at least a portion of said location identification and electric power load data received from said plurality of vehicles to a utility company which serves said electric power grid; and

receiving vehicle load control data from said utility company which defines said subset of said vehicles and data indicative of a flow of electric power said subset of vehicles is authorized to draw from said electric power grid.

3. The method for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 2 wherein said step of controlling further comprises:

transmitting, in response to vehicle load control data received from said utility company, control instructions to said subset of vehicles to enable said vehicles to draw a predetermined amount of power from said electric power grid.

4. The method for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 3 wherein said step of controlling further comprises:

regulating a power converter module, located in said vehicle, to control said electric power load presented to electric power grid by said vehicle.

5. The method for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 2 wherein said step of controlling further comprises:

transmitting, in response to vehicle load control data received from said utility company, control instructions to vehicles not members of said subset of vehicles to disable said vehicles from drawing power from said electric power grid.

6. The method for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 5 wherein said step of controlling further comprises:

disabling a power converter module located in said vehicle to prevent said vehicle from drawing electric power from said electric power grid.

7. The method for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 1 wherein said step of identifying comprises:

transmitting data indicative of at least one of power required to recharge, recharge current handling capacity, estimated time of connection, amount of energy presently stored in the battery, or class of service for which the vehicle owner has contracted.

8. A system for enabling a utility company, which operates an electric power grid, to controllably provide power to recharge a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle including a propulsion system powered, at least in part, by electric power, at least some of which is stored onboard the vehicle in an electric power storage apparatus, comprising:

location definition means for uniquely identifying a determinable location at which each of a plurality of vehicles served by said electric power grid is presently connected to the electric power grid via a corresponding electric outlet;

load measurement means for identifying at least a present electric power load presented by each of the plurality of vehicles to said electric power grid at said determined location;

billing system for billing, in response to receipt of said determinable location identification and electric power load data from each vehicle, the owner of the vehicle for energy usage and also to credit the owner of the electric outlets associates with the determinable location for the energy usage billed to the owner of the vehicles; and

charging control means for controlling a subset of said plurality of vehicles to manage the flow of electric power said subset of vehicles draws from said electric power grid.

9. The system for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 8 wherein said charging control means comprises:

data reporting means for transmitting at least a portion of said location identification and electric power load data received from said plurality of vehicles to a utility company which serves said electric power grid; and

load control data receiver means for receiving vehicle load control data from said utility company which defines said subset of said vehicles and data indicative of a flow of electric power said subset of vehicles is authorized to draw from said electric power grid.

10. The system for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 9 wherein said charging control means further comprises:

load regulation data transmitter means for transmitting, in response to vehicle load control data received from said utility company, control instructions to said subset of vehicles to enable said vehicles to draw a predetermined amount of power from said electric power grid.

11. The system for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 10 wherein said charging control means further comprises:

power converter control means for regulating a power converter module located in said vehicle to control said electric power load presented to electric power grid by said vehicle.

12. The system for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 9 wherein said charging control means further comprises:

load regulation transmitting means for transmitting, in response to vehicle load control data received from said utility company, control instructions to vehicles not members of said subset of vehicles to disable said vehicles from drawing power from said electric power grid.

13. The system for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 12 wherein said charging control means further comprises:

power converter control means for disabling a power converter module located in said vehicle to prevent said vehicle from drawing electric power from said electric power grid.

14. The system for controllably providing power to recharge a plurality of vehicles of claim 8 wherein said load measurement means comprises:

data reporting means for transmitting data indicative of at least one of power required to recharge, recharge current handling capacity, estimated time of connection, amount of energy presently stored in the battery, or class of service for which the vehicle owner has contracted.