Telematics device for remote charging control and method of providing service thereof

• US 8,610,401 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Sung Yun, Kim, Ji-Hwon, Bae, Hyun Cheol, Yoon, Hun Joung
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US12/950,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• 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 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

An electric vehicle is provided. A driver can remotely monitor battery charging associated operations and control a necessary function, thereby improving convenience of the driver of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A telematics device of an electric vehicle, comprising:

a battery management unit configured to measure a charging state of a battery and to output battery charging information;

a wireless communication unit configured to transmit and receive data according to a predefined communication protocol; and

a control unit configured to receive the battery charging information from the battery management unit when the battery is charged and to transmit the battery charging information to a predetermined server through the wireless communication unit,

wherein, if information regarding a destination is received, the control unit computes a distance to the destination and stops a charging operation of the battery management unit if the battery is charged by an amount of power necessary for traveling to the destination.

2. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the battery management unit measures a charging current amount, computes a State of Charge (SOC) of the battery, and a charging completion time, and outputs the computed results to the control unit.

3. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the battery management unit transmits a charging start signal to the control unit when the charging of the battery is started and outputs a charging end signal to the control unit if the charging of the battery is finished.

4. The telematics device according to claim 3, wherein, if the charging start signal or the charging end signal is received, the control unit transmits the charging start signal or the charging end signal to the server.

5. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the battery management unit outputs an alarm signal indicating that the charging of the battery is impossible to the control unit.

6. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit computes a travelable distance corresponding to a charging amount and transmits information about the computed travelable distance and the battery charging information.

7. The telematics device according to claim 6, wherein, the control unit computes the travelable distance based on a power consumption amount of a device.

8. The telematics device according to claim 6, wherein, if the destination information is received, the control unit compares the distance to the destination received from the server with the travelable distance, and stops the charging operation of the battery management unit if the battery is charged by the amount of power necessary for traveling to the destination.

9. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein, if charging reservation information is set, the control unit stops the charging of the battery management unit until reaching a reserved time.

10. A method of providing a remote charging control service of an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring battery charging information when a battery is charged;

computing a travelable distance according to the battery charging information;

transmitting the battery charging information and information about the travelable distance to a predetermined server; and

if information regarding a destination is received, comparing a distance to the destination with the travelable distance, and charging the battery by an amount of power necessary for traveling to the destination.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

transmitting an alarm signal to the server, when a situation in which the charging of the battery is impossible occurs.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of acquiring the battery charging information includes measuring a charging current amount, and computing a State of Charge (SOC) of the battery, and a charging completion time.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of acquiring the battery charging information includes checking whether charging reservation information is present before charging of the battery, and starting the charging of the battery when reaching a reserved time, if the charging reservation information is present.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of computing the travelable information includes computing the travelable distance using predetermined mileage information and charging amount information of the charging information.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the travelable distance is computed based on a power consumption amount of a device.