Charging management method and system

• US 8,508,185 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Basham, Robert Beverley, Boss, Gregory Jensen, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Haugh, Julianne Frances, Sand, Anne R.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US12/623,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20110121791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A charging method and system. The method includes detecting and monitoring by a computer processor, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location. The computer processor generates frequency level data associated with the monitoring. The computer processor receives a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source and power source data associated with the rechargeable power source and a user. In response to the request, the computer processor enables a customized charging process associated with charging the rechargeable power source based on the frequency level data and/or the power source data.

Claims

1. A charging method comprising:

detecting, by a computer processor of a computing apparatus, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location;

monitoring, by said computer processor, said frequency signal;

generating, by said computer processor, frequency level data associated with said monitoring;

receiving, by said computer processor from a first user, a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source;

receiving, by said computer processor, first power source data associated with said rechargeable power source and said first user;

receiving, by said computer processor, calendar entry data associated with current and future plans of said first user;

receiving, by said computer processor, electrical cost data associated with current electrical costs with respect to off peak electrical costs and future electrical costs;

receiving, by said computer processor, operation data associated with a specified time that said apparatus is required for operation; and

enabling, by said computer processor based on said frequency level data, said calendar entry data, said electrical cost data, said operation data, and said first power source data, a first customized charging process associated with said charging said rechargeable power source, wherein said first customized charging process comprises automatically postponing a first charge cycle for a first specific time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process further comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level for a first specified time period;

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a second specified charge level for a second specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity, said charging device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first specified charge level comprises a first specified current output level, and wherein said second specified charge level comprises a second specified current output level.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

before said detecting that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity, enabling by said computer processor, said charging device at a third specified charge level for a third specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said third specified charge level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process further comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a first specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

enabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting said first specified voltage level, said charging device at a second specified charge level, wherein said first specified charge level exceeds said second specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a second specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

determining, by said computer processor based on said second specified voltage level, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said determining, said charging device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first power source data comprises data selected from the group consisting of a current time of day, a type of apparatus using said rechargeable power source, and a required amount of load to charge said rechargeable power source to peak capacity.

8. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in said computer processor, wherein the code in combination with the computer processor is capable of performing the method of claim 1.

7. A computer program product, comprising a computer hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code configured to perform a method upon being executed by a computer processor of a computing apparatus, said method comprising:

detecting, by said computer processor, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location;

monitoring, by said computer processor, said frequency signal;

generating, by said computer processor, frequency level data associated with said monitoring;

receiving, by said computer processor from a first user, a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source;

receiving, by said computer processor, first power source data associated with said rechargeable power source and said first user;

receiving, by said computer processor, calendar entry data associated with current and future plans of said first user;

receiving, by said computer processor, electrical cost data associated with current electrical costs with respect to off peak electrical costs and future electrical costs;

receiving, by said computer processor, operation data associated with a specified time that said apparatus is required for operation; and

enabling, by said computer processor based on said frequency level data, said calendar entry data, said electrical cost data, said operation data, and said first power source data, a first customized charging process associated with said charging said rechargeable power source, wherein said first customized charging process comprises automatically postponing a first charge cycle for a first specific time period.

9. A computing system comprising a computer processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when enabled by the computer processor implements a charging method comprising:

detecting, by said computer processor, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location;

monitoring, by said computer processor, said frequency signal;

generating, by said computer processor, frequency level data associated with said monitoring;

receiving, by said computer processor from a first user, a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source;

receiving, by said computer processor, first power source data associated with said rechargeable power source and said first user;

receiving, by said computer processor, calendar entry data associated with current and future plans of said first user;

receiving, by said computer processor, electrical cost data associated with current electrical costs with respect to off peak electrical costs and future electrical costs;

receiving, by said computer processor, operation data associated with a specified time that said apparatus is required for operation; and

enabling, by said computer processor based on said frequency level data, said calendar entry data, said electrical cost data, said operation data, and said first power source data, a first customized charging process associated with said charging said rechargeable power source, wherein said first customized charging process comprises automatically postponing a first charge cycle for a first specific time period.

10. The computing system of claim 9, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process further comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level for a first specified time period;

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a second specified charge level for a second specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity, said charging device.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said first specified charge level comprises a first specified current output level, and wherein said second specified charge level comprises a second specified current output level.

12. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

before said detecting, enabling by said computer processor, said charging device at a third specified charge level for a third specified time period, wherein said second specified charge level exceeds said third specified charge level.

13. The computing system of claim 9, wherein said rechargeable power source is connected to a charging device, and wherein said first customized charging process further comprises:

enabling, by said computer processor, said charging device at a first specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a first specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

enabling, by said computer processor in response to said detecting said first specified voltage level, said charging device at a second specified charge level, wherein said first specified charge level exceeds said second specified charge level;

detecting, by said computer processor, a second specified voltage level of said rechargeable power source;

determining, by said computer processor based on said second specified voltage level, that said rechargeable power source has been charged to peak capacity; and

disabling, by said computer processor in response to said determining, said charging device.